27694 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 97 /Wednesday, May 20, 1998 / Proposed Rules

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 (e) 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 a potential fire hazard or the

possible loss of elevator control system

redundancy due to paper debris collecting on

the hot pneumatic ducts below the cabin

floor, accomplish the following:

(a) Within 450 flight hours or 3 months

after the effective date of this AD, whichever

occurs later, perform an inspection to detect

paper and lint debris in the areas behind the

aft lavatory toilet shroud, behind the aft

lavatory modules, and below the cabin floor

aft of the aft cargo compartment bulkhead, in

accordance with paragraph 3.

(‘‘Accomplishment Instructions’’) of

McDonnell Douglas Alert Service Bulletin

MD90–25A017, Revision R01, dated October

15, 1997. If any debris is found, prior to

further flight, remove it in accordance with

the alert service bulletin. Repeat the

inspection thereafter at intervals not to

exceed 450 flight hours.

(b) Within 12 months after the effective

date of this AD, modify the lavatory toilet

shroud assemblies in accordance with

paragraph 3. (‘‘Accomplishment

Instructions’’) of McDonnell Douglas Service

Bulletin MD90–25–022, Revision R01, dated

October 15, 1997.

(c) Within 12 months after the effective

date of this AD, modify the lavatory entry

door louvers in accordance with paragraph 3.

(‘‘Accomplishment Instructions’’) of

McDonnell Douglas Service Bulletin MD90–

25–023, Revision R01, dated October 15,

1997.

(d) Modification of the toilet shroud

assemblies and the lavatory entry door

louvers in accordance with paragraphs (b)

and (c) of this AD constitutes terminating

action for the repetitive inspection

requirements of paragraph (a) of this AD.

(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, Los

Angeles 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, Los Angeles ACO.

Note 2: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this AD, if any, may be

obtained from the Los Angeles 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. 98–13402 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–117–AD]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Saab Model

SAAB SF340A and SAAB 340B 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 Saab Model SAAB SF340A and

SAAB 340B series airplanes. This

proposal would require modification of

the detachable center inlet component

of the air intake system of the engine.

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 fuel and/or oil that

may be present in the nacelle from

entering the air intake system of the

engine, which could result in a possible

engine fire.

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–

117–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

Saab Aircraft AB, SAAB Aircraft

Product Support, S–581.88, Linko ̈ping,

Sweden. 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–117–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–117–AD, 1601 Lind Avenue,

SW., Renton, Washington 98055–4056.

Discussion

The Luftfartsverket (LFV), which is

the airworthiness authority for Sweden,

notified the FAA that an unsafe

condition may exist on certain Saab

Model SAAB SF340A and SAAB Model

340B series airplanes. The LFV advises

that two holes were introduced in the

rear portion of the detachable center

inlet of the air intake system of the

engine during the design and

manufacturing of a certain number of

these inlets. The LFV further advises

that, under certain conditions, a

pressure difference between the nacelle

and the detachable center inlet

component of the air intake system
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 97 /Wednesday, May 20, 1998 / Proposed Rules 27695

could force residual fuel and/or oil,

located in the nacelle, through these two

holes and into the air intake system of

the engine. Such condition, if not

corrected, could result in a possible

engine fire.

Explanation of Relevant Service

Information

The manufacturer has issued SAAB

Service Bulletin 340–30–073, dated

August 18, 1997, including Attachment

1, dated March 6, 1997, which describes

procedures for installation of a filler

plate onto the detachable center inlet

component of the engine air intake

system. Accomplishment of the action

specified in the service bulletin is

intended to adequately address the

identified unsafe condition. The LFV

classified this service bulletin as

mandatory and issued Swedish

airworthiness directive 1–119, dated

August 21, 1997, in order to assure the

continued airworthiness of these

airplanes in Sweden.

FAA’s Conclusions

These airplane models are

manufactured in Sweden and are 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 LFV has

kept the FAA informed of the situation

described above. The FAA has

examined the findings of the LFV,

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 service bulletin described

previously.

Cost Impact

The FAA estimates that 135 airplanes

of U.S. registry would be affected by this

proposed AD, that it would take

approximately 2 work hours per

airplane to accomplish the proposed

modification, and that the average labor

rate is $60 per work hour. Required

parts would be provided by the

manufacturer at no cost to the operators.

Based on these figures, the cost impact

of the proposed AD on U.S. operators is

estimated to be $16,200, or $120 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:

Saab Aircraft AB (Formerly SAAB

Fairchild): Docket 98–NM–117–AD.

Applicability: Model SAAB SF340A and

Model SAAB 340B series airplanes, as listed

in SAAB Service Bulletin 340–30–073, dated

August 18, 1997; certificated in any category.

Note 1: This AD applies to each airplane

identified in the preceding applicability

provision, regardless of whether it has been

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 fuel and/or oil that may be

present in the nacelle from entering the air

intake system of the engine, which could

result in a possible engine fire, accomplish

the following:

(a) Within 2 years after the effective date

of this AD, modify the detachable center inlet

component of the air intake system of the

engine, in accordance with Saab Service

Bulletin 340–30–073, dated August 18, 1997,

including Attachment 1, dated March 6,

1997.

(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 Swedish airworthiness directive 1–119,

dated August 21, 1997.

Issued in Renton, Washington, on May 14,

1998.

John J. Hickey,

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 98–13393 Filed 5–19–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U