Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 120 /Tuesday, June 23, 1998 / Proposed Rules 34135

Hudson

Middlesex

Morris

Passaic

Somerset

Union

Area of Application. Survey Area Plus

New York:

Putnam

Richmond

Rockland

New Jersey:

Monmouth

Ocean (excluding the Fort Dix Military

Reservation)

Sussex

* * * * *

Pennsylvania

* * * * *

Philadelphia

Survey Area

Pennsylvania:

Bucks

Chester

Delaware

Montgomery

Philadelphia

New Jersey:

Burlington

Camden

Gloucester

Area of Application. Survey Area Plus

Pennsylvania:

Lehigh

Northampton

New Jersey:

Atlantic

Cape May

Cumberland

Hunterdon

Mercer

Ocean (Fort Dix Military Reservation only)

Warren

* * * * *

[FR Doc. 98–16668 Filed 6–22–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6325–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 98–SW–01–AD]

Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter

France Model AS 332C, L, L1 and L2

Helicopters

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

Eurocopter France Model AS 332C, L,

L1, and L2 helicopters. This proposal

would require replacing certain circuit

breakers. This proposal is prompted by

the manufacturer discovering, upon

testing a circuit breaker installed in a

helicopter, the loss of electrical

continuity between the terminals of the

installed circuit breaker. The actions

specified by the proposed AD are

intended to prevent loss of electrical

power caused by improper installation

of certain circuit breakers causing

deterioration in the operation of the

circuit breakers, loss of instrumentation,

and subsequent loss of control of the

helicopter.

DATES: Comments must be received on

or before July 23, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in

triplicate to the Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), Office of the

Regional Counsel, Southwest Region,

Attention: Rules Docket No. 98–SW–01–

AD, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Room 663,

Fort Worth, Texas 76137. 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

American Eurocopter Corporation, 2701

Forum Drive, Grand Prairie, Texas

75053–4005, telephone (972) 641–3460,

fax (972) 641–3527. This information

may be examined at the FAA, Office of

the Regional Counsel, Southwest

Region, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Room

663, Fort Worth, Texas.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Robert McCallister, Aerospace Engineer,

FAA, Rotorcraft Directorate, Rotorcraft

Standards Staff, 2601 Meacham Blvd.,

Fort Worth, Texas 76137, telephone

(817) 222–5121, fax (817) 222–5961.

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

should 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 No. 98–SW–01–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, Office of the Regional Counsel,

Southwest Region, Attention: Rules

Docket No. 98–SW–01–AD, 2601

Meacham Blvd., Room 663, Fort Worth,

Texas 76137.

Discussion

The Direction Generale De L’Aviation

Civile (DGAC), which is the

airworthiness authority for France,

recently notified the FAA that an unsafe

condition may exist on Eurocopter

France Model AS 332C, L, L1, and L2

helicopters. The DGAC advises of the

loss of continuity on certain single-pole

circuit breakers.

Eurocopter France has issued Service

Bulletin No. 01.00–49, dated June 30,

1997, (SB) for Models AS 332C, L, L1,

and L2 to inspect Crouzet single-pole

circuit breakers, Part Number (P/N) 84

400 028 through 84 400 037, and to

replace all circuit breakers that have any

loss of electrical continuity. The DGAC

classified this SB as mandatory and

issued DGAC AD’s 97–202–062(AB) and

97–201–007(AB), both dated August 27,

1997, to ensure the continued

airworthiness of these helicopters in

France.

These helicopter models are

manufactured in France 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 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.

Since an unsafe condition has been

identified that is likely to exist or

develop on other Eurocopter France

Model AS 332C, L, L1, and L2

helicopters of the same type design
34136 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 120 /Tuesday, June 23, 1998 / Proposed Rules

registered in the United States, the

proposed AD would require inspection

of any Crouzet single-pole circuit

breakers, P/N 84 400 028 through 84 400

037, and replacement of all circuit

breakers that have any loss of electrical

continuity. The actions would be

required to be accomplished in

accordance with the SB described

previously.

The FAA estimates that three

helicopters of U.S. registry would be

affected by this proposed AD, that it

would take approximately three work

hours per helicopter to accomplish the

proposed actions, and that the average

labor rate is $60 per work hour.

Required parts would cost

approximately $5,750 per helicopter.

Based on these figures, the total cost

impact of the proposed AD on U.S.

operators is estimated to be $17,790.

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 a new airworthiness directive to

read as follows:

Eurocopter France: Docket No. 98–SW–01–

AD.

Applicability: Eurocopter France Model AS

332C, L, L1, and L2 Helicopters, with Crouzet

circuit breaker, Part Number (P/N) 84 400

028 through 84 400 037, installed,

certificated in any category.

Note 1: This AD applies to each helicopter

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

helicopters that have been modified, altered,

or repaired so that the performance of the

requirements of this AD is affected, the

owner/operator must use the authority

provided in paragraph (d) to request approval

from the FAA. This approval may address

either no action, if the current configuration

eliminates the unsafe condition, or different

actions necessary to address the unsafe

condition described in this AD. Such a

request should include an assessment of the

effect of the changed configuration on the

unsafe condition addressed by this AD. In no

case does the presence of any modification,

alteration, or repair remove any helicopter

from the applicability of this AD.

Compliance: Required as indicated, unless

accomplished previously.

To prevent loss of electrical power, loss of

instrumentation, and subsequent loss of

control of the helicopter, accomplish the

following:

(a) On or before 100 hours time-in-service

(TIS) or within the next 3 calendar months,

whichever occurs first,

(1) For Model AS 332C, L, and L1, inspect

the circuit breakers listed in paragraph 1.D.1)

of the Planning Information in Eurocopter

France Service Bulletin No. 01.00.49, dated

June 30, 1997 (SB) according to the

operational procedure in paragraph 2.B. of

the Accomplishment Instructions of the SB;

(2) For Model AS 332L2, inspect the circuit

breakers fitted to the DC power system, the

20 kVA and 30 kVA AC master box, the

emergency flotation gear, and the second

battery according to the operational

procedure in paragraph 2.B. of the

Accomplishment Instructions of the SB.

(b) On or before 500 hours TIS or 6

calendar months, whichever occurs first,

inspect all remaining circuit breakers in

accordance with paragraph 2.B. of the

Accomplishment Instructions of the SB.

(c) Except for circuit breaker type 84–

402(x), after compliance with paragraph (a) of

this AD, any replacement circuit breaker

installed, or any circuit breaker removed and

reinstalled, must be inspected prior to further

flight according to the operational procedure

of paragraph 2.B. of the Accomplishment

Instructions of the SB. Replacement of all

circuit breakers with circuit breaker type 84–

402(x) is terminating action for the

requirements of this AD.

(d) 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 2: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this AD, if any, may be

obtained from the Rotorcraft Standards Staff.

(e) 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.

Note 3: The subject of this AD is addressed

in Direction Generale De L’Aviation Civile

(France) AD 97–202–062(AB) and 97–201–

007(AB), both dated August 27, 1997.

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on June 16,

1998.

Eric Bries,

Acting Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate,

Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 98–16613 Filed 6–22–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Airspace Docket No. 98–AGL–41]

Proposed Modification of Class E

Airspace; Bowman, ND

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

SUMMARY: This notice proposes to

modify Class E airspace at Bowman, ND.

A Global Positioning System (GPS)

Standard Instrument Approach

Procedure (SIAP) to Runway (Rwy) 29

has been developed for Bowman

Municipal Airport. Controlled airspace

extending upward from 700 feet above

ground level (AGL) is needed to contain

aircraft executing the approach. This

action proposes to increase the existing

controlled airspace to the northeast,

east, and southeast, for Bowman

Municipal Airport.

DATES: Comments must be received on

or before August 10, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Send comments on the

proposal in triplicate to: Federal

Aviation Administration, Office of the

Assistant Chief Counsel, AGL–7, Rules

Docket No. 98–AGL–41, 2300 East

Devon Avenue, Des Plaines, Illinois

60018.

The official docket may be examined

in the Office of the Assistant Chief

Counsel, Federal Aviation