31612 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 111 /Wednesday, June 10, 1998 /Rules and Regulations

treatment as described in paragraph 2.B.1(b)

of the service bulletin.

(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, Rotorcraft

Standards Staff, FAA, Rotorcraft Directorate.

Operators shall submit their requests through

an FAA Principal Maintenance Inspector,

who may concur or comment and then send

it to the Manager, Rotorcraft Standards Staff.

Note 3: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this AD, if any, may be

obtained from the Rotorcraft Standards Staff.

(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 helicopter

to a location where the requirements of this

AD can be accomplished.

(g) The modification shall be done in

accordance with Eurocopter France Service

Bulletin No. 55.01, Revision 3, dated April

25, 1997. This incorporation by reference was

approved by the Director of the Federal

Register in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a)

and 1 CFR part 51. Copies may be obtained

from American Eurocopter Corporation, 2701

Forum Drive, Grand Prairie, Texas 75053–

4005. Copies may be inspected at the FAA,

Office of the Regional Counsel, Southwest

Region, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Room 663, Fort

Worth, Texas; or at the Office of the Federal

Register, 800 North Capitol Street, NW., suite

700, Washington, DC.

(h) This amendment becomes effective on

July 15, 1998.

Note 4: The subject of this AD is addressed

in Direction Generale De L’Aviation Civile

(France) AD 96–277–337(B)R1, dated May 21,

1997.

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on June 2,

1998.

Eric Bries,

Acting Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate,

Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 98–15263 Filed 6–9–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 98–NM–45–AD; Amendment

39–10580; AD 98–12–26]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Fokker

Model F.28 Mark 1000, 2000, 3000, and

4000 Series Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a

new airworthiness directive (AD),

applicable to certain Fokker Model F.28

Mark 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 series

airplanes, that requires a one-time

inspection to determine the torque

values of the coupling fitting attachment

bolts at fuselage station 10790, and

corrective action, if necessary. This

amendment is prompted by issuance of

mandatory continuing airworthiness

information by a foreign civil

airworthiness authority. The actions

specified by this AD are intended to

prevent loss of the coupling fitting

attachment bolts between the center

wing section and the fuselage, and

consequent reduced structural integrity

of the airplane.

DATES: Effective July 15, 1998.

The incorporation by reference of

certain publications listed in the

regulations is approved by the Director

of the Federal Register as of July 15,

1998.

ADDRESSES: The service information

referenced in this AD may be obtained

from Fokker Services B.V., Technical

Support Department, P. O. Box 75047,

1117 ZN Schiphol Airport, the

Netherlands. This information may be

examined at the Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), Transport

Airplane Directorate, Rules Docket,

1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton,

Washington; or at the Office of the

Federal Register, 800 North Capitol

Street, NW., suite 700, Washington, DC.

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: A

proposal to amend part 39 of the Federal

Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) to

include an airworthiness directive (AD)

that is applicable to certain Fokker

Model F.28 Mark 1000, 2000, 3000, and

4000 series airplanes was published in

the Federal Register on April 6, 1998

(63 FR 16711). That action proposed to

require a one-time inspection to

determine the torque values of the

coupling fitting attachment bolts at

fuselage station 10790, and corrective

action, if necessary.

Comments

Interested persons have been afforded

an opportunity to participate in the

making of this amendment. No

comments were submitted in response

to the proposal or the FAA’s

determination of the cost to the public.

Conclusion

The FAA has determined that air

safety and the public interest require the

adoption of the rule as proposed.

Cost Impact

The FAA estimates that 27 airplanes

of U.S. registry will be affected by this

AD, that it will take approximately 128

work hours per airplane to accomplish

the required inspection, and that the

average labor rate is $60 per work hour.

Based on these figures, the cost impact

of the AD on U.S. operators is estimated

to be $207,360, or $7,680 per airplane.

The cost impact figure discussed

above is based on assumptions that no

operator has yet accomplished any of

the 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 adopted herein will

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 final rule does

not have sufficient federalism

implications to warrant the preparation

of a Federalism Assessment.

For the reasons discussed above, I

certify that this action (1) is not a

‘‘significant regulatory action’’ under

Executive Order 12866; (2) is not a

‘‘significant rule’’ under DOT

Regulatory Policies and Procedures (44

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

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 final evaluation has

been prepared for this action and it is

contained in the Rules Docket. A copy

of it may be obtained from the Rules

Docket at the location provided under

the caption ADDRESSES.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation

safety, Incorporation by reference,

Safety.

Adoption of the Amendment

Accordingly, pursuant to the

authority delegated to me by the

Administrator, the Federal Aviation

Administration amends 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.
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 111 /Wednesday, June 10, 1998 /Rules and Regulations 31613

§ 39.13 [Amended]

2. Section 39.13 is amended by

adding the following new airworthiness

directive:

98–12–26 Fokker Services B.V.:

Amendment 39–10580. Docket 98–NM–

45–AD.

Applicability: Model F.28 Mark 1000,

2000, 3000, and 4000 series airplanes; serial

numbers 11003 through 11201 inclusive,

11991, and 11992; on which Fokker Service

Bulletin F28/53–125, dated January 23, 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 loss of the coupling fitting

attachment bolts between the center wing

section and the fuselage, and consequent

reduced structural integrity of the airplane,

accomplish the following:

(a) Within 3,000 flight cycles or 1 year after

the effective date of this AD, whichever

occurs later, perform a one-time inspection to

determine the torque values of the coupling

fitting attachment bolts between the fuselage

and the center wing section at fuselage

station number 10790, in accordance with

Part 1 of the Accomplishment Instructions of

Fokker Service Bulletin F28/53–143, dated

August 30, 1996.

(1) If the torque values are within the limits

specified by the service bulletin, no further

action is required by this AD.

(2) If the torque value of any bolt is outside

the limits specified by the service bulletin,

prior to further flight, re-torque the bolt in

accordance with the service bulletin.

(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.

(d) The actions shall be done in accordance

with Fokker Service Bulletin F28/53–143,

dated August 30, 1996. This incorporation by

reference was approved by the Director of the

Federal Register in accordance with 5 U.S.C.

552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. Copies may be

obtained from Fokker Services B.V.,

Technical Support Department, P.O. Box

75047, 1117 ZN Schiphol Airport, the

Netherlands. Copies may be inspected at the

FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601

Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington; or at

the Office of the Federal Register, 800 North

Capitol Street, NW., suite 700, Washington,

DC.

Note 3: The subject of this AD is addressed

in Dutch airworthiness directive 1996–119

(A), dated September 30, 1996.

(e) This amendment becomes effective on

July 15, 1998.

Issued in Renton, Washington, on June 3,

1998.

Darrell M. Pederson,

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 98–15251 Filed 6–9–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 97–NM–312–AD; Amendment

39–10579; AD 98–12–25]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; British

Aerospace BAe Model ATP Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a

new airworthiness directive (AD),

applicable to certain British Aerospace

BAe Model ATP airplanes, that requires

a one-time inspection to detect

corrosion, wear, or damage of the

operating mechanism of the forward

door of the main landing gear (MLG);

operational inspections to ensure

smooth operation of the MLG operating

mechanism; and follow-on actions. This

amendment is prompted by issuance of

mandatory continuing airworthiness

information by a foreign civil

airworthiness authority. The actions

specified by this AD are intended to

prevent partial seizure of the forward

door of the MLG operating mechanism,

which could result in the inability to

lower or retract the MLG.

DATES: Effective July 15, 1998.

The incorporation by reference of

certain publications listed in the

regulations is approved by the Director

of the Federal Register as of July 15,

1998.

ADDRESSES: The service information

referenced in this AD may be obtained

from AI(R) American Support, Inc.,

13850 Mclearen Road, Herndon,

Virginia 20171. This information may be

examined at the Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), Transport

Airplane Directorate, Rules Docket,

1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton,

Washington; or at the Office of the

Federal Register, 800 North Capitol

Street, NW., suite 700, Washington, DC.

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: A

proposal to amend part 39 of the Federal

Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) to

include an airworthiness directive (AD)

that is applicable to certain British

Aerospace BAe Model ATP airplanes

was published in the Federal Register

on April 6, 1998 (63 FR 16713). That

action proposed to require a one-time

inspection to detect corrosion, wear, or

damage of the operating mechanism of

the forward door of the main landing

gear (MLG); operational inspections to

ensure smooth operation of the MLG

operating mechanism; and follow-on

actions.

Comments

Interested persons have been afforded

an opportunity to participate in the

making of this amendment. No

comments were submitted in response

to the proposal or the FAA’s

determination of the cost to the public.

Conclusion

The FAA has determined that air

safety and the public interest require the

adoption of the rule as proposed.

Cost Impact

The FAA estimates that 10 airplanes

of U.S. registry will be affected by this

AD, that it will take approximately 8

work hours per airplane to accomplish

the required actions, and that the

average labor rate is $60 per work hour.

Based on these figures, the cost impact

of the AD on U.S. operators is estimated

to be $4,800, or $480 per airplane.

The cost impact figure discussed

above is based on assumptions that no

operator has yet accomplished any of

the requirements of this AD action, and

that no operator would accomplish

those actions in the future if this AD

were not adopted.