This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains notices to the public of the proposed

issuance of rules and regulations. The

purpose of these notices is to give interested

persons an opportunity to participate in the

rule making prior to the adoption of the final

rules.

Proposed Rules Federal Register

9774 

Vol. 74, No. 43 

Friday, March 6, 2009 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2009–0198; Directorate 

Identifier 2008–NM–129–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Fokker 

Model F.28 Mark 0100 Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to 

supersede an existing airworthiness 

directive (AD) that applies to certain 

Fokker Model F.28 Mark 0100 airplanes. 

The existing AD currently requires 

revisions to the airplane flight manual 

(AFM) to include procedures to prohibit 

use of reverse engine thrust power 

settings between idle and emergency 

maximum and to prohibit stabilized 

engine operation in a certain engine 

speed range on the ground. This 

proposed AD would continue to require 

revising the AFM to include certain 

procedures. This proposed AD would 

also require removing the normal 

maximum (second) detent for the 

reverse-thrust control. In addition, this 

proposed AD would require revising the 

AFM to prohibit use of reverse thrust in 

flight and to limit operation of Max 

Reverse thrust. This proposed AD 

results from issuance of mandatory 

continuing airworthiness information 

(MCAI) originated by an aviation 

authority of another country to identify 

and correct an unsafe condition on an 

aviation product. We are proposing this 

AD to prevent inadvertent operation in 

the prohibited stabilized engine speed 

range on the ground, which could result 

in uncontained engine fan blade failure 

due to high cycle fatigue cracking. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by April 6, 2009. 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by 

any of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Fax: 202–493–2251. 

• Mail: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 

Washington, DC 20590. 

• Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 

Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. 

and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal holidays. 

For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Fokker Services B.V., 

Technical Services Dept., P.O. Box 231, 

2150 AE Nieuw-Vennep, the 

Netherlands; telephone +31 (0)252–627– 

350; fax +31 (0)252–627–211; e-mail 

technicalservices.fokkerservices@

stork.com; Internet http:// 

www.myfokkerfleet.com. You may 

review copies of the referenced service 

information at the FAA, Transport 

Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind 

Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call 425–227–1221 

or 425–227–1152. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the Internet at http:// 

www.regulations.gov; or in person at the 

Docket Management Facility between 9 

a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 

Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD 

docket contains this proposed AD, the 

regulatory evaluation, any comments 

received, and other information. The 

street address for the Docket Office 

(telephone 800–647–5527) is in the 

ADDRESSES section. Comments will be 

available in the AD docket shortly after 

receipt. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom 

Rodriguez, Aerospace Engineer, 

International Branch, ANM–116, 

Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, 

1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, 

Washington 98057–3356; telephone 

(425) 227–1137; fax (425) 227–1149. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

We invite you to send any written 

relevant data, views, or arguments about 

this proposed AD. Send your comments 

to an address listed under the 

ADDRESSES section. Include ‘‘Docket No. 

FAA–2009–0198; Directorate Identifier 

2008–NM–129–AD’’ at the beginning of 

your comments. We specifically invite 

comments on the overall regulatory, 

economic, environmental, and energy 

aspects of this proposed AD. We will 

consider all comments received by the 

closing date and may amend this 

proposed AD because of those 

comments. 

We will post all comments we 

receive, without change, to http:// 

www.regulations.gov, including any 

personal information you provide. We 

will also post a report summarizing each 

substantive verbal contact we receive 

about this proposed AD. 

Discussion 

On March 5, 1998, we issued AD 98– 

06–07, amendment 39–10384 (63 FR 

11985, March 12, 1998), for certain 

Fokker Model F.28 Mark 0100 airplanes. 

That AD requires revisions to the 

airplane flight manual (AFM) to include 

procedures to prohibit use of reverse 

engine thrust power settings between 

idle and emergency maximum and to 

prohibit stabilized engine operation in a 

certain engine speed range on the 

ground. That AD resulted from issuance 

of mandatory continuing airworthiness 

information by an aviation authority of 

another country. We issued that AD to 

prevent stabilized engine operation in a 

certain engine speed range on the 

ground, which could result in 

uncontained engine fan blade failure 

due to high cycle fatigue cracking. 

Actions Since Existing AD Was Issued 

The preamble to AD 98–06–07 

explains that we consider the 

requirements ‘‘interim action’’ and were 

considering further rulemaking. In 

concert with the European Aviation 

Safety Agency (EASA), which is the 

airworthiness authority for the 

European Union, we now have 

determined that further rulemaking is 

indeed necessary, and this proposed AD 

follows from that determination. 

Relevant Service Information 

Fokker Services B.V. has issued 

Service Bulletin SBF100–76–014, 

Revision 2, dated December 12, 2007. 

The service bulletin describes 

procedures for removing the normal 

maximum (second) detent for the 

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Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 43 / Friday, March 6, 2009 / Proposed Rules 9775 

reverse-thrust control. The EASA 

mandated the service information and 

issued Airworthiness Directive 2008– 

0089, dated May 13, 2008 (referred to 

after this as ‘‘the MCAI’’), to ensure the 

continued airworthiness of these 

airplanes in the European Union. 

FAA’s Determination and Requirements 

of the Proposed AD 

This product has been approved by 

the aviation authority of another 

country, and is approved for operation 

in the United States. Pursuant to our 

bilateral agreement with the State of 

Design Authority, we have been notified 

of the unsafe condition described in the 

MCAI and service information 

referenced above. We are proposing this 

AD because we evaluated all pertinent 

information and determined an unsafe 

condition exists and is likely to exist or 

develop on other products of the same 

type design. 

This proposed AD would supersede 

AD 98–06–07 and continue to require 

revising the AFM to include procedures 

prohibiting stabilized engine operation 

in a certain engine speed range on the 

ground. This proposed AD would also 

require removing the normal maximum 

(second) detent for the reverse-thrust 

control. In addition, this proposed AD 

would require revising the AFM to 

prohibit use of reverse thrust in flight 

and to limit operation of Max Reverse 

thrust. 

Change to Existing AD 

This proposed AD would retain a 

certain requirement of AD 98–06–07. 

Since AD 98–06–07 was issued, the AD 

format has been revised, and certain 

paragraphs have been rearranged. As a 

result, the corresponding paragraph 

identifiers have changed in this 

proposed AD, as listed in the following 

table: 

REVISED PARAGRAPH IDENTIFIERS

Requirement in AD 

98–06–07 

Corresponding 

requirement in this 

proposed AD 

paragraph (b) ............ paragraph (g). 

Costs of Compliance 

The following table provides the 

estimated costs for U.S. operators to 

comply with this proposed AD. 

ESTIMATED COSTS

Action Work hours Average labor 

rate per hour 

Cost per 

airplane 

Number of 

U.S.-registered 

airplanes 

Fleet cost 

AFM revision (required by AD 98–06–07) ........................... 1 $80 $80 5 $400 

Removal of second detent (new proposed action) .............. 3 80 240 5 1,200 

AFM revision (new proposed action) ................................... 1 80 80 5 400 

Authority for This Rulemaking 

Title 49 of the United States Code 

specifies the FAA’s authority to issue 

rules on aviation safety. Subtitle I, 

Section 106, describes the authority of 

the FAA Administrator. Subtitle VII, 

Aviation Programs, describes in more 

detail the scope of the Agency’s 

authority. 

We are issuing this rulemaking under 

the authority described in Subtitle VII, 

Part A, Subpart III, Section 44701, 

‘‘General requirements.’’ Under that 

section, Congress charges the FAA with 

promoting safe flight of civil aircraft in 

air commerce by prescribing regulations 

for practices, methods, and procedures 

the Administrator finds necessary for 

safety in air commerce. This regulation 

is within the scope of that authority 

because it addresses an unsafe condition 

that is likely to exist or develop on 

products identified in this rulemaking 

action. 

Regulatory Findings 

We have determined that this 

proposed AD would not have federalism 

implications under Executive Order 

13132. This proposed AD would not 

have a substantial direct effect 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. 

For the reasons discussed above, I 

certify that the 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. 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. 

We prepared a regulatory evaluation 

of the estimated costs to comply with 

this proposed AD and placed it in the 

AD docket. See the ADDRESSES section 

for a location to examine the regulatory 

evaluation. 

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39 

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation 

safety, Incorporation by reference, 

Safety. 

The Proposed Amendment 

Accordingly, under the authority 

delegated to me by the Administrator, 

the FAA proposes to amend 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. The Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA) amends § 39.13 

by removing amendment 39–10384 (63 

FR 11985, March 12, 1998) and adding 

the following new airworthiness 

directive (AD): 

Fokker Services B.V.: Docket No. FAA– 

2009–0198; Directorate Identifier 2008– 

NM–129–AD. 

Comments Due Date 

(a) The FAA must receive comments on 

this AD action by April 6, 2009. 

Affected ADs 

(b) This AD supersedes AD 98–06–07. 

Applicability 

(c) This AD applies to Fokker Model F.28 

Mark 0100 airplanes, certificated in any 

category, equipped with Rolls-Royce (RR) 

TAY 650–15 engines. 

Subject 

(d) Air Transport Association (ATA) of 

America Code 76: Engine controls. 

Unsafe Condition 

(e) This AD results from issuance of 

mandatory continuing airworthiness 

information (MCAI) originated by an aviation 

authority of another country to identify and 

correct an unsafe condition on an aviation 

product. We are issuing this AD to prevent 

inadvertent operation in the prohibited 

stabilized engine speed range on the ground, 

which could result in uncontained engine fan 

blade failure due to high cycle fatigue 

cracking. 

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9776 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 43 / Friday, March 6, 2009 / Proposed Rules 

Compliance 

(f) You are responsible for having the 

actions required by this AD performed within 

the compliance times specified, unless the 

actions have already been done. 

Certain Requirement of AD 98–06–07 

Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) Revision 

(g) Within 72 hours after March 27, 1998 

(the effective date of AD 98–06–07), revise 

the Limitations Section of the FAA-approved 

AFM to add the following. This may be 

accomplished by inserting a copy of this AD 

in the AFM. 

‘‘LIMITATIONS POWERPLANT AND APU 

LIMITATIONS 

OPERATING LIMITS 

• To avoid high fan blade stresses, 

stabilized operation in the speed range 

between 60% and 75% Low Pressure 

Rotational Speed (N1) is not permitted 

during Ground Operations in Forward or 

Reverse Thrust, except that passing through 

this range while increasing or decreasing 

thrust is permitted. 

THRUST REVERSER 

Thrust reversers are intended for ground 

use only. Intentional use of reverse thrust in 

flight is prohibited. After reverse thrust has 

been initiated, a full stop landing must be 

made. 

Maximum Reverse Thrust Lever Positions 

Normal Operation: 

—The idle detent position shall not be 

exceeded in normal operation. 

—Momentarily exceeding the idle detent 

position, while selecting idle reverse, is 

acceptable. 

Emergency Operation: 

—In case of emergency, the emergency 

maximum reverse thrust may be used. 

—If directional control problems occur, 

reduce to idle reverse or select forward 

idle. 

—Stabilized operation with the reverse lever 

in an intermediate position between idle 

reverse and emergency maximum reverse 

is prohibited, except (where approved) 

during Power-Back operations.’’ 

Note 1: Fokker Services Manual Change 

Notification—Operational Documentation 

(MCNO) No. F100–006, dated November 27, 

1997, contains information that pertains to 

this subject. Rolls-Royce PLC Engine 

Operating Instruction Manual Reference F– 

TAY–3RR, revised by transmittal letter No. 

13, dated October 15, 1997, also pertains to 

this subject. 

New Actions Required by This AD 

Removal of Normal Maximum Detent 

(h) Within 12 months after the effective 

date of this AD, remove the normal 

maximum (second) detent for the reversethrust control, in accordance with the 

Accomplishment Instructions of Fokker 

Service Bulletin SBF100–76–014, Revision 2, 

dated December 12, 2007. Accomplishing the 

removal terminates the requirements of 

paragraph (g) of this AD. 

(i) Actions done before the effective date of 

this AD in accordance with Fokker Service 

Bulletin SBF100–76–014, dated October 1, 

2001; or Revision 1, dated June 1, 2002; are 

acceptable for compliance with the 

requirements of paragraph (h) of this AD. 

AFM Revision 

(j) Concurrently with the requirements of 

paragraph (h) of this AD, revise the 

Limitations Section of the Fokker F.28 Mark 

0100 AFM to include the following (this may 

be accomplished by inserting a copy of this 

AD into the AFM): 

‘‘THRUST REVERSERS 

Thrust reversers are intended for ground 

use only. Intentional use of reverse thrust in 

flight is prohibited. 

The use of Max Reverse thrust is limited 

to operations on short runways or on 

runways with a reduced runway surface 

friction coefficient or in emergency 

conditions. Max Reverse thrust shall not be 

used at airspeeds below 60 knots except in 

emergency conditions. 

Reverse thrust selections between Idle 

Reverse thrust and Max Reverse thrust are 

prohibited.’’ 

Note 2: Fokker Manual Change 

Notification—Operational Documentation 

(MCNO) F100–032, Revision 1, dated 

September 21, 2007, contains information 

related to the AFM revision required by 

paragraph (j) of this AD. 

Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(k) The Manager, International Branch, 

ANM–116, FAA, has the authority to approve 

AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the 

procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. Send 

information to ATTN: Tom Rodriguez, 

Aerospace Engineer, International Branch, 

ANM–116, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

FAA, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, 

Washington 98057–3356; telephone (425) 

227–1137; fax (425) 227–1149. Before using 

any approved AMOC on any airplane to 

which the AMOC applies, notify your 

principal maintenance inspector (PMI) or 

principal avionics inspector (PAI), as 

appropriate, or lacking a principal inspector, 

your local Flight Standards District Office. 

Related Information 

(l) The European Aviation Safety Agency 

Airworthiness Directive 2008–0089, dated 

May 13, 2008, also addresses the subject of 

this AD. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on February 

20, 2009. 

Ali Bahrami, 

Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. E9–4731 Filed 3–5–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2008–0669; Directorate 

Identifier 2007–NM–350–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Boeing 

Model 737–600, –700, and –800 Series 

Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Supplemental notice of 

proposed rulemaking (NPRM); 

reopening of comment period. 

SUMMARY: We are revising an earlier 

proposed airworthiness directive (AD) 

for certain Boeing Model 737–600, –700, 

and –800 series airplanes. The original 

NPRM would have required an 

inspection of the free flange of the lower 

stringers of the wing center section for 

drill starts, and applicable related 

investigative and corrective actions. The 

original NPRM resulted from drill starts 

being found on the free flange of the 

lower stringers of the wing center 

section during a quality assurance 

inspection at the final assembly plant. 

This action revises the original NPRM 

by expanding the inspection area to 

include the free flange, the vertical web, 

and the fillet radius between the vertical 

web and the free flange. We are 

proposing this supplemental NPRM to 

prevent cracks from propagating from 

drill starts in the free flange, vertical 

web, and radius between the free flange 

and vertical web of the lower stringers 

of the wing center section lower 

stringers, which could cause a loss of 

structural integrity of the wing center 

section and may result in a fuel leak. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this supplemental NPRM by March 31, 

2009. 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by 

any of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Fax: 202–493–2251. 

• Mail: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 

Washington, DC 20590. 

• Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 

Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. 

and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal holidays. 

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