31140 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 109 / Monday, June 8, 1998 / Proposed Rules

(6) TP (Turboprop) CEB–A–158 Revision 2,

dated April 15, 1998 (250–B15G series), or

(7) TP CEB–A–1286 Revision 2, dated

April 15, 1998 (250–B17 series), or

(8) TP CEB–A–73–2014 Revision 2, dated

April 15, 1998 (250–B17F series).

(c) 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, Chicago

Aircraft Certification Office. Operators shall

submit their request through an appropriate

FAA Principal Maintenance Inspector, who

may add comments and then send it to the

Manager, Chicago Aircraft Certification

Office.

Note 2: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this airworthiness directive,

if any, may be obtained from the Chicago

Aircraft Certification Office.

(d) Special flight permits may be issued in

accordance with §§ 21.197 and 21.199 of the

Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 21.197

and 21.199) to operate the aircraft to a

location where the requirements of this AD

can be accomplished.

Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on

May 29, 1998.

Jay J. Pardee,

Manager, Engine and Propeller Directorate,

Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 98–15087 Filed 6–5–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 98–NM–134–AD]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Bombardier

Model CL–600–2B19 (Regional Jet

Series 100) 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 Bombardier Model CL–600–

2B19 (Regional Jet Series 100) airplanes.

This proposal would require repetitive

inspections of the inboard and outboard

flap actuators to measure the rotational

freedom of the actuator ball screw

adjacent to the actuator housing, and

replacement of the flap actuators with

new or serviceable actuators, 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 premature wear

of the internal gears on the flap

actuators, which could result in

complete disconnection of the actuator

gear set and a mechanical jam of the flap

system. This condition could cause

structural damage and/or significant

twist of a flap panel, which could lead

to reduced controllability of the

airplane.

DATES: Comments must be received by

July 8, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in

triplicate to the Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), Transport

Airplane Directorate, ANM–114,

Attention: Rules Docket No. 98–NM–

134–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

Bombardier, Inc., Canadair, Aerospace

Group, P.O. Box 6087, Station Centreville, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3G9,

Canada. This information may be

examined at the FAA, Transport

Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind

Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington; or at

the FAA, Engine and Propeller

Directorate, New York Aircraft

Certification Office, 10 Fifth Street,

Third Floor, Valley Stream, New York.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Anthony E. Gallo, Aerospace Engineer,

Systems and Flight Test Branch, ANE–

172, FAA, Engine and Propeller

Directorate, New York Aircraft

Certification Office, 10 Fifth Street,

Third Floor, Valley Stream, New York

11581; telephone (516) 256–7510; fax

(516) 568–2716.

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–134–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–134–AD, 1601 Lind Avenue,

SW., Renton, Washington 98055–4056.

Discussion

Transport Canada Aviation (TCA),

which is the airworthiness authority for

Canada, notified the FAA that an unsafe

condition may exist on certain

Bombardier Model CL–600–2B19

(Regional Jet Series 100) airplanes. TCA

advises that there have been several inservice reports of premature wear of the

internal gears on the inboard and

outboard flap actuators on airplanes

returned from service. Such

deterioration could result in complete

disconnection of the actuator gear set

and a mechanical jam of the flap system,

which could cause structural damage

and/or significant twist of a flap panel,

and result in reduced controllability of

the airplane.

Explanation of Relevant Service

Information

EEMCO has issued Service Bulletin

852D100–27–03, Revision A, dated

February 27, 1997, including

Appendices 1 and 2. This service

bulletin describes procedures for

repetitive inspections of the inboard and

outboard flap actuators to measure the

rotational freedom of the actuator ball

screw adjacent to the actuator housing

to determine the allowable intervals for

backlash measurement; and replacement

of the flap actuators with new or

serviceable actuators, if necessary.

Accomplishment of the actions

specified in the service bulletin is

intended to adequately address the

identified unsafe condition. TCA

classified this service bulletin as

mandatory and issued Canadian

airworthiness directive CF–97–05, dated

May 5, 1997, in order to assure the

continued airworthiness of these

airplanes in Canada.
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 109 / Monday, June 8, 1998 / Proposed Rules 31141

Bombardier has issued Canadair

Regional Jet Alert Service Bulletin S.B.

A601R–27–069, Revision B, dated

March 13, 1997, as an additional source

of service information for

accomplishment of the inspection and

measurement procedures described in

the EEMCO service bulletin.

FAA’s Conclusions

This airplane model is manufactured

in Canada 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,

TCA has kept the FAA informed of the

situation described above. The FAA has

examined the findings of TCA, 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 bulletins described

previously.

Cost Impact

The FAA estimates that 81 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

inspection, 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 $9,720, or $120 per

airplane, per inspection cycle.

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:

Bombardier, Inc. (Formerly Canadair):

Docket 98–NM–134–AD.

Applicability: Model CL–600–2B19

(Regional Jet Series 100) airplanes, serial

numbers 7003 through 7999 inclusive;

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 (c) 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 premature wear of the internal

gears on the flap actuators, which could

result in complete disconnection of the

actuator gear set, a mechanical jam of the flap

system, significant twist of a flap panel

leading to structural damage, and consequent

reduced controllability of the airplane;

accomplish the following:

(a) Prior to the accumulation of 1,000 total

flight cycles, or within 400 flight cycles after

the effective date of this AD, whichever

occurs later: Inspect the inboard and

outboard flap actuators to measure the

rotational freedom of the actuator ball screw

adjacent to the actuator housing to determine

the allowable intervals for backlash

measurement, in accordance with EEMCO

Service Bulletin 852D100–27–03, Revision A,

dated February 27, 1997, including

Appendices 1 and 2. Repeat the inspections

thereafter at the earliest applicable interval

specified in Section 3.A., ‘‘Inspection

Interval Criteria,’’ Table I or Table II of the

Accomplishment Instructions of the service

bulletin, as applicable.

(b) If, during any inspection required by

paragraph (a) of this AD, the measured

backlash exceeds the allowable limit

specified in Section 3.B., ‘‘Removal Criteria,’’

and Table I or Table II of the

Accomplishment Instructions of the service

bulletin, as applicable: Prior to further flight,

replace the actuator with a new or

serviceable actuator, in accordance with the

times and procedures specified in EEMCO

Service Bulletin 852D100–27–03, Revision A,

dated February 27, 1997, including

Appendices 1 and 2. Thereafter, repeat the

inspections in accordance with paragraph (a)

of this AD.

Note 2: Canadair Regional Jet Alert Service

Bulletin S.B. A601R–27–069, Revision B,

dated March 13, 1997, is an additional source

of service information for accomplishment of

the inspection and measurement procedures

described in the EEMCO service bulletin.

(c) 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, New York

Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), FAA,

Engine and Propeller Directorate. Operators

shall submit their requests through an

appropriate FAA Principal Maintenance

Inspector, who may add comments and then

send it to the Manager, New York ACO.

Note 3: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this AD, if any, may be

obtained from the New York ACO.

(d) 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 4: The subject of this AD is addressed

in Canadian airworthiness directive CF–97–

05, dated May 5, 1997.

Issued in Renton, Washington, on June 2,

1998.

Darrell M. Pederson,

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 98–15136 Filed 6–5–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U