Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 97 /Wednesday, May 20, 1998 / Proposed Rules 27687

hours time-in-service after the effective date

of this AD, whichever occurs later; or

(ii) Within 3 years after the effective date

of this AD.

(b) For Group 2 airplanes, as identified in

Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747–71A2283,

dated October 10, 1996: Except as provided

by paragraph (c) of this AD, within 3 years

after the effective date of this AD, replace the

existing end cap bolts of the forward engine

mount with improved end cap bolts (Work

Package 3), in accordance with the alert

service bulletin.

(c) Where Boeing Alert Service Bulletin

747–71A2283, dated October 10, 1996,

specifies that the actions required by this AD

may be accomplished in accordance with an

‘‘operator’s equivalent procedure,’’ the

actions must be accomplished in accordance

with Chapter 71–00–00 of the Boeing 747

Airplane Maintenance Manual (AMM), as

specified in the alert service bulletin.

(d) As of the effective date of this AD, no

person shall install on any airplane a forward

engine mount end cap having part number

310T3026–1.

(e) An alternative method of compliance or

adjustment of the compliance time that

provides an acceptable level of safety may be

used if approved by the Manager, Seattle

Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), FAA,

Transport Airplane Directorate. Operators

shall submit their requests through an

appropriate FAA Principal Maintenance

Inspector, who may add comments and then

send it to the Manager, Seattle ACO.

Note 2: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this AD, if any, may be

obtained from the Seattle ACO.

(f) Special flight permits may be issued in

accordance with sections 21.197 and 21.199

of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR

21.197 and 21.199) to operate the airplane to

a location where the requirements of this AD

can be accomplished.

Issued in Renton, Washington, on May 14,

1998.

John J. Hickey,

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 98–13405 Filed 5–19–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 98–NM–105–AD]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Model

A320 Series Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking

(NPRM).

SUMMARY: This document proposes the

adoption of a new airworthiness

directive (AD) that is applicable to

certain Airbus Model A320 series

airplanes. This proposal would require

an electrical continuity test of the

discharge circuit for the cargo

compartment fire extinguisher bottle to

detect any cross-connection of the

electrical wires in the cargo

compartment discharge circuit, and

corrective actions, if necessary. This

proposal is prompted by issuance of

mandatory continuing airworthiness

information by a foreign civil

airworthiness authority. The actions

specified by the proposed AD are

intended to prevent incorrect

distribution of fire extinguishing

chemicals in the event of an unconfined

fire in the cargo compartment.

DATES: Comments must be received by

June 19, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in

triplicate to the Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), Transport

Airplane Directorate, ANM–114,

Attention: Rules Docket No. 98–NM–

105–AD, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW.,

Renton, Washington 98055–4056.

Comments may be inspected at this

location between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00

p.m., Monday through Friday, except

Federal holidays.

The service information referenced in

the proposed rule may be obtained from

Airbus Industrie, 1 Rond Point Maurice

Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac Cedex, France.

This information may be examined at

the FAA, Transport Airplane

Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW.,

Renton, Washington.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Norman B. Martenson, Manager,

International Branch, ANM–116, FAA,

Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601

Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington

98055–4056; telephone (425) 227–2110;

fax (425) 227–1149.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

Interested persons are invited to

participate in the making of the

proposed rule by submitting such

written data, views, or arguments as

they may desire. Communications shall

identify the Rules Docket number and

be submitted in triplicate to the address

specified above. All communications

received on or before the closing date

for comments, specified above, will be

considered before taking action on the

proposed rule. The proposals contained

in this notice may be changed in light

of the comments received.

Comments are specifically invited on

the overall regulatory, economic,

environmental, and energy aspects of

the proposed rule. All comments

submitted will be available, both before

and after the closing date for comments,

in the Rules Docket for examination by

interested persons. A report

summarizing each FAA-public contact

concerned with the substance of this

proposal will be filed in the Rules

Docket.

Commenters wishing the FAA to

acknowledge receipt of their comments

submitted in response to this notice

must submit a self-addressed, stamped

postcard on which the following

statement is made: ‘‘Comments to

Docket Number 98–NM–105–AD.’’ The

postcard will be date stamped and

returned to the commenter.

Availability of NPRMs

Any person may obtain a copy of this

NPRM by submitting a request to the

FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate,

ANM–114, Attention: Rules Docket No.

98–NM–105–AD, 1601 Lind Avenue,

SW., Renton, Washington 98055–4056.

Discussion

The Direction Ge ́ne ́rale de l’Aviation

Civile (DGAC), which is the

airworthiness authority for France,

notified the FAA that an unsafe

condition may exist on certain Airbus

Model A320 series airplanes. The DGAC

advises that an operator found, on two

airplanes, cross-connections in the cargo

compartment discharge circuit for the

fire extinguisher bottle. The aft cargo

compartment electrical connector had

been fitted on the bottle discharge

circuit dedicated to the forward cargo

compartment fire extinguisher. The

forward cargo compartment electrical

connector was fitted on the aft

compartment electrical connector.

These cross-connections were attributed

to the wire loom (bundle) being

incorrectly identified, which the

manufacturer has since corrected. This

condition, if not corrected, could result

in the incorrect distribution of fire

extinguishing chemicals in the event of

an unconfined fire in the cargo

compartment.

Explanation of Relevant Service

Information

Airbus has issued All Operator Telex

(AOT) 26–10, dated April 5, 1993,

which describes procedures for an

electrical continuity test of the

discharge circuit for the cargo

compartment fire extinguisher bottle to

detect any cross-connection of the

electrical wires in the cargo

compartment discharge circuit, and

corrective actions, if necessary. The

corrective actions include reidentification of the wiring loom and

connection of electrical connectors to
27688 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 97 /Wednesday, May 20, 1998 / Proposed Rules

the appropriate cargo compartment fire

extinguisher. Accomplishment of the

actions specified in the AOT is intended

to adequately address the identified

unsafe condition. The DGAC classified

this AOT as mandatory and issued

French airworthiness directive 94–056–

051(B), dated March 16, 1994, in order

to assure the continued airworthiness of

these airplanes in France.

FAA’s Conclusions

This airplane model is manufactured

in France and is type certificated for

operation in the United States under the

provisions of section 21.29 of the

Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR

21.29) and the applicable bilateral

airworthiness agreement. Pursuant to

this bilateral airworthiness agreement,

the DGAC has kept the FAA informed

of the situation described above. The

FAA has examined the findings of the

DGAC, reviewed all available

information, and determined that AD

action is necessary for products of this

type design that are certificated for

operation in the United States.

Explanation of Requirements of

Proposed Rule

Since an unsafe condition has been

identified that is likely to exist or

develop on other airplanes of the same

type design registered in the United

States, the proposed AD would require

accomplishment of the actions specified

in the AOT described previously.

Cost Impact

The FAA estimates that 118 airplanes

of U.S. registry would be affected by this

proposed AD, that it would take

approximately 1 work hour per airplane

to accomplish the proposed action, and

that the average labor rate is $60 per

work hour. Based on these figures, the

cost impact of the proposed AD on U.S.

operators is estimated to be $7,080, or

$60 per airplane.

The cost impact figure discussed

above is based on assumptions that no

operator has yet accomplished any of

the proposed requirements of this AD

action, and that no operator would

accomplish those actions in the future if

this AD were not adopted.

Regulatory Impact

The regulations proposed herein

would not have substantial direct effects

on the States, on the relationship

between the national government and

the States, or on the distribution of

power and responsibilities among the

various levels of government. Therefore,

in accordance with Executive Order

12612, it is determined that this

proposal would not have sufficient

federalism implications to warrant the

preparation of a Federalism Assessment.

For the reasons discussed above, I

certify that this proposed regulation (1)

is not a ‘‘significant regulatory action’’

under Executive Order 12866; (2) is not

a ‘‘significant rule’’ under the DOT

Regulatory Policies and Procedures (44

FR 11034, February 26, 1979); and (3) if

promulgated, will not have a significant

economic impact, positive or negative,

on a substantial number of small entities

under the criteria of the Regulatory

Flexibility Act. A copy of the draft

regulatory evaluation prepared for this

action is contained in the Rules Docket.

A copy of it may be obtained by

contacting the Rules Docket at the

location provided under the caption

ADDRESSES.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation

safety, Safety.

The Proposed Amendment

Accordingly, pursuant to the

authority delegated to me by the

Administrator, the Federal Aviation

Administration proposes to amend part

39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations

(14 CFR part 39) as follows:

PART 39—AIRWORTHINESS

DIRECTIVES

1. The authority citation for part 39

continues to read as follows:

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.

§ 39.13 [Amended]

2. Section 39.13 is amended by

adding the following new airworthiness

directive:

Airbus Industrie: Docket 98–NM–105–AD.

Applicability: Model A320 series airplanes,

manufacturer serial numbers 002 through 402

inclusive, on which Airbus Modification

20071 (reference Airbus Service Bulletin

A320–26–1020, dated January 4, 1993) has

been accomplished; certificated in any

category.

Note 1: This AD applies to each airplane

identified in the preceding applicability

provision, regardless of whether it has been

otherwise modified, altered, or repaired in

the area subject to the requirements of this

AD. For airplanes that have been modified,

altered, or repaired so that the performance

of the requirements of this AD is affected, the

owner/operator must request approval for an

alternative method of compliance in

accordance with paragraph (b) of this AD.

The request should include an assessment of

the effect of the modification, alteration, or

repair on the unsafe condition addressed by

this AD; and, if the unsafe condition has not

been eliminated, the request should include

specific proposed actions to address it.

Compliance: Required as indicated, unless

accomplished previously.

To prevent incorrect distribution of fire

extinguishing chemicals in the event of a fire

in the cargo compartment, which if

unconfined could spread beyond the cargo

compartment, accomplish the following:

(a) Within 450 flight hours after the

effective date of this AD, perform a one-time

electrical continuity test of the discharge

circuit for the cargo compartment fire

extinguisher bottle to detect any crossconnection of the electrical wires in the cargo

compartment discharge circuit, in accordance

with Airbus All Operator Telex (AOT) 26–10,

dated April 5, 1993. If any anomaly is

detected, prior to further flight, accomplish

corrective actions, in accordance with the

AOT.

(b) An alternative method of compliance or

adjustment of the compliance time that

provides an acceptable level of safety may be

used if approved by the Manager,

International Branch, ANM–116, FAA,

Transport Airplane Directorate. Operators

shall submit their requests through an

appropriate FAA Principal Maintenance

Inspector, who may add comments and then

send it to the Manager, International Branch,

ANM–116.

Note 2: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this AD, if any, may be

obtained from the International Branch,

ANM–116.

(c) Special flight permits may be issued in

accordance with sections 21.197 and 21.199

of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR

21.197 and 21.199) to operate the airplane to

a location where the requirements of this AD

can be accomplished.

Note 3: The subject of this AD is addressed

in French airworthiness directive 94–056–

051(B), dated March 16, 1994.

Issued in Renton, Washington, on May 14,

1998.

John J. Hickey,

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 98–13394 Filed 5–19–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 98–NM–149–AD]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Aerospatiale

Model ATR42 and ATR72 Series

Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking

(NPRM).

SUMMARY: This document proposes the

adoption of a new airworthiness

directive (AD) that is applicable to

certain Aerospatiale Model ATR42 and