Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 84 / Tuesday, May 1, 2001 / Proposed Rules 21697

spouse must consent to the loan by

signing the loan agreement. A request

for an exception to the spousal consent

requirement will be evaluated under the

rules explained in 5 CFR part 1650.

(c) Combat zone contributions. If a

service member account contains

combat zone contributions, the loan will

be distributed pro rata from all sources;

loan repayments will be credited on a

similar pro rata basis. If a loan is

declared a taxable distribution, the pro

rata share of the loan attributable to

combat zone contributions (if any) will

not be reported as taxable income to the

participant.

Roger W. Mehle,

Executive Director, Federal Retirement Thrift

Investment Board.

[FR Doc. 01–10698 Filed 4–30–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6760–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 2001–NM–72–AD]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Model

A300 B2; A300 B4; A300 B4–600, B4–

600R, and F4–600R (Collectively Called

A300–600); A310; A319; A320; A321;

A330; and A340 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 Airbus Model A300 B2; A300

B4; A300 B4–600, B4–600R, and F4–

600R (collectively called A300–600);

A310; A319; A320; A321; A330; and

A340 series airplanes. This proposal

would require replacement of Labinal

actuators in certain powered cockpit

seats by new improved actuators. This

action is necessary to prevent

uncommanded horizontal movement of

the cockpit seats or loss of ability to lock

the seats in place during flight, which

could limit the ability of the crew to

perform necessary tasks, leading to

reduced controllability of the airplane.

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. 2001–NM–

72–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. 2001–NM–72–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

SOGERMA Z.I. de l’arsenal, BP. 109–

17303 Rochefort Cedex, France. 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 Number 2001–NM–72–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

Number 2001–NM–72–AD, 1601 Lind

Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington

98055–4056.

Discussion

The Direction Ge ́ne ́rale de l’Aviation

Civile (DGAC), which is the

airworthiness authority for France,

recently notified the FAA that an unsafe

condition may exist on Airbus Model

A300 B2; A300 B4; A300 B4–600, B4–

600R, and F4–600R (collectively called

A300–600); A310; A319; A320; A321;

A330; and A340 series airplanes,

equipped with certain powered cockpit

seats manufactured by SOGERMA. The

DGAC advises that there have been

incidents of uncommanded horizontal

movement of the seats during flight.

Investigation indicated that these

incidents were due to broken Labinal

actuators for the electric brake on the

seats. This condition, if not corrected,

could result in uncommanded

movement of the cockpit seats or loss of

ability to lock the seats into place

during flight, which could limit the

ability of the crew to perform necessary

tasks, leading to reduced controllability

of the airplane.

Explanation of Relevant Service

Information

SOGERMA has issued Service

Bulletin SB TAAI2–25–402, Revision 1,

dated December 21, 2000, which

describes procedures for replacement of

the Labinal actuators in the cockpit

seats with new improved actuators.

Accomplishment of the actions

specified in the service bulletin is

intended to adequately address the

identified unsafe condition. The DGAC

classified this service bulletin as

mandatory and issued French

airworthiness directive 2000–524(B),

dated December 27, 2000, in order to

21698 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 84 / Tuesday, May 1, 2001 / Proposed Rules

assure the continued airworthiness of

these airplanes in France.

FAA’s Conclusions

These airplane models are

manufactured in France and are 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 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.

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 548 airplanes

of U.S. registry would be affected by this

proposed AD, that it would take

approximately 4 work hours per

airplane to accomplish the proposed

replacement, and that the average labor

rate is $60 per work hour. Required

parts would be provided at no cost to

the operator. Based on these figures, the

cost impact of the proposed AD on U.S.

operators is estimated to be $131,520, or

$240 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 figure 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:

Airbus Industrie: Docket 2001–NM–72–AD.

Applicability: Model A300 B2; A300 B4;

A300 B4–600, B4–600R, and F4–600R

(collectively called A300–600); A310; A319;

A320; A321; A330; and A340 series

airplanes; certificated in any category;

equipped with powered cockpit seats

manufactured by SOGERMA and having the

serial numbers listed in SOGERMA Service

Bulletin SB TAAI2–25–402, Revision 1,

dated December 21, 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 (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 uncommanded horizontal

movement of the cockpit seats or loss of

ability to lock the seats into place during

flight, which could limit the ability of the

crew to perform necessary tasks, leading to

reduced controllability of the airplane,

accomplish the following:

Replacement

(a) Within 6 months after the effective date

of this AD: Remove Labinal actuators having

part number (P/N) 4136290003 and replace

them with Labinal actuators having P/N

4136290004 or 4136290005 or AVIAC

actuators having P/N 6147–6, in accordance

with SOGERMA Service Bulletin SB TAAI2–

25–402, Revision 1, dated December 21,

2000.

Spares

(b) As of the effective date of this AD, no

person shall install a powered cockpit seat

which has a Labinal actuator having P/N

4136290003 on any airplane.

Alternative Methods of Compliance

(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,

International Branch, ANM–116, Transport

Airplane Directorate, FAA. 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.

Special Flight Permits

(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 airplane to a

location where the requirements of this AD

can be accomplished.

Note 3: The subject of this AD is addressed

in French airworthiness directive 2000–

524(B), dated December 27, 2000.

Issued in Renton, Washington, on April 24,

2001.

Donald L. Riggin,

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 01–10724 Filed 4–30–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U