Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 84 / Tuesday, May 1, 2001 / Proposed Rules 21703

months. If any discrepancy is found, before

further flight, repair per paragraph (f) of this

AD. For a repair method to be approved by

the Manager, SACO, as required by this

paragraph, the approval letter must

specifically reference this AD.

Repair

(f) Repair (including removing corrosion;

inspecting the rework area for cracks;

refinishing the blend-out area; installing a

nesting angle repair; and applying chemical

film treatment, primer, sealant, and

corrosion-inhibiting compound) any

discrepancy specified in paragraphs (d)(3),

(d)(4)(ii), and (e) of this AD, per a method

approved by the Manager, Seattle ACO; or

per data meeting the type certification basis

of the airplane approved by a Boeing

Designated Engineering Representative who

has been authorized by the Manager, Seattle

ACO, to make such findings. For a repair

method to be approved by the Manager,

Seattle ACO, as required by this paragraph,

the approval letter must specifically

reference this AD.

Alternative Methods of Compliance

(g) 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, Seattle

ACO, FAA. Operators shall submit their

requests through an appropriate FAA

Principal Maintenance Inspector, who may

add comments and then send it to the

Manager, Seattle ACO.

Note 3: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this AD, if any, may be

obtained from the Seattle ACO.

Special Flight Permit

(h) Special flight permits may be issued per

§§ 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 April 24,

2001.

Donald L. Riggin,

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 01–10729 Filed 4–30–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 2000–NM–211–AD]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; BAe

Systems (Operations) Limited Model

Avro 146–RJ 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 BAe Systems (Operations)

Limited Model Avro 146–RJ series

airplanes. This proposal would require

modification of the passenger service

units. This action is necessary to

prevent failure of the passenger service

units to deliver oxygen to the passengers

in the event of decompression of the

airplane, which could result in injury to

the passengers. This action is intended

to address the identified unsafe

condition.

DATES: Comments must be received by

May 31, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in

triplicate to the Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), Transport

Airplane Directorate, ANM–114,

Attention: Rules Docket No. 2000–NM–

211–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. Comments may be

submitted via fax to (425) 227–1232.

Comments may also be sent via the

Internet using the following address: 9-

anm-nprmcomment@faa.gov. Comments

sent via fax or the Internet must contain

‘‘Docket No. 2000–NM–211–AD’’ in the

subject line and need not be submitted

in triplicate. Comments sent via the

Internet as attached electronic files must

be formatted in Microsoft Word 97 for

Windows or ASCII text.

The service information referenced in

the proposed rule may be obtained from

British Aerospace Regional Aircraft

American Support, 13850 Mclearen

Road, Herndon, Virginia 20171. This

information may be examined at the

FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate,

1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton,

Washington.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dan

Rodina, Aerospace Engineer,

International Branch, ANM–116, FAA,

Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601

Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington

98055–4056; telephone (425) 227–2125;

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 action may be changed in light

of the comments received.

Submit comments using the following

format:

• Organize comments issue-by-issue.

For example, discuss a request to

change the compliance time and a

request to change the service bulletin

reference as two separate issues.

• For each issue, state what specific

change to the proposed AD is being

requested.

• Include justification (e.g., reasons or

data) for each request.

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 action

must submit a self-addressed, stamped

postcard on which the following

statement is made: ‘‘Comments to

Docket No. 2000–NM–211–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

2000–NM–211–AD, 1601 Lind Avenue,

SW., Renton, Washington 98055–4056.

Discussion

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA),

which is the airworthiness authority for,

notified the FAA that an unsafe

condition may exist on certain BAe

Systems (Operations) Limited Model

Avro 146–RJ series airplanes. The CAA

advises that the current design of the

support lanyards on the passenger

service units (PSUs) could restrict

operation of the oxygen generator dropdown lids. Failure of the PSUs to

deliver oxygen to the passengers in the

event of decompression of the airplane

could result in injury to the passengers.

Relevant Service Information

The manufacturer has issued BAe

Systems (Operations) Limited Service

Bulletin SB.25–418–36215A, dated

21704 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 84 / Tuesday, May 1, 2001 / Proposed Rules

April 5, 2000; and Revision 1, dated

October 17, 2000. The service bulletin

describes procedures for modifying the

PSUs. The modification involves

relocating the lanyard from the third

attachment lug (next to the speaker

installation) to the end attachment lug

on the PSUs. These actions are intended

to adequately address the unsafe

condition. The CAA classified this

service bulletin as mandatory and

issued British airworthiness directive

004–04–2000 to ensure the continued

airworthiness of these airplanes in the

United Kingdom.

FAA’s Conclusions

This airplane model is manufactured

in the United Kingdom and is type

certificated for operation in the United

States under the provisions of § 21.29 of

the Federal Aviation Regulations (14

CFR 21.29) and the applicable bilateral

airworthiness agreement. Pursuant to

this bilateral airworthiness agreement,

the CAA has kept the FAA informed of

the situation described above. The FAA

has examined the findings of the CAA,

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 this AD

would affect 40 airplanes of U.S.

registry. The proposed actions would

take approximately 5 work hours per

airplane, at an average labor rate of $60

per work hour. Required parts would be

provided at no cost to the operators.

Based on these figures, the FAA

estimates the cost of the proposed AD

on U.S. operators to be $12,000, or $300

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 proposed AD were not adopted. The

cost impact figures discussed in AD

rulemaking actions represent only the

time necessary to perform the specific

actions actually required by the AD.

These figures typically do not include

incidental costs, such as the time

required to gain access and close up,

planning time, or time necessitated by

other administrative actions.

Regulatory Impact

The regulations proposed herein

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. Therefore,

it is determined that this proposal

would not have federalism implications

under Executive Order 13132.

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:

BAE Systems (Operations) Limited

(Formerly British Aerospace Regional

Aircraft): Docket 2000–NM–211–AD.

Applicability: Model Avro 146–RJ series

airplanes, certificated in any category, as

listed in BAe Systems (Operations) Limited

Service Bulletin SB.25–418–36215A,

Revision 1, dated October 17, 2000.

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 failure of the passenger service

units (PSUs) to deliver oxygen to the

passengers in the event of decompression of

the airplane, which could result in injury to

the passengers, accomplish the following:

Modification

(a) Within 90 days after the effective date

of this AD, modify the PSUs by relocating the

lanyard, in accordance with BAe Systems

(Operations) Limited Service Bulletin SB.25–

418–36215A, dated April 5, 2000; or Revision

1, dated October 17, 2000.

Alternative Methods of Compliance

(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 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.

Special Flight Permits

(c) 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 airplane to a

location where the requirements of this AD

can be accomplished.

Note 3: The subject of this AD is addressed

in British airworthiness directive 004–04–

2000.

Issued in Renton, Washington, on April 24,

2001.

Donald L. Riggin,

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 01–10728 Filed 4–30–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U