31192 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 112 / Monday, June 11, 2001 / Proposed Rules

(c) Within 10 hours TIS, conduct a tapping

test inspection on each blade. If there is

bonding separation that exceeds the criteria

in paragraph b(1) of this AD, replace the

blade with an airworthy blade before further

flight.

Note 2: Revisions 5 of Eurocopter France

Service Bulletins 05.09 and 05.00.17, both

dated December 18, 1998, pertain to the

subject of this AD.

(1) Thereafter, at intervals not to exceed 25

hours TIS or every 50 cycles (each takeoff

and landing equals 1 cycle), whichever

occurs first, conduct a tapping test inspection

for bonding separation on all blades with a

serial number (S/N) less than 18912, and

blades, P/N 365A12–0020–00 or 365A12–

0020–01, with a S/N equal to or greater than

18912. If bonding separation or a crack is

found, replace the blade with an airworthy

blade before further flight.

(2) Thereafter, at intervals not to exceed

100 hours TIS or 200 cycles, whichever

occurs first, conduct a tapping test inspection

for bonding separation on blades, P/N

365A12–0020–02 or 365A12–0020–03. For

Zone A, if bonding separation exceeds the

criteria specified in paragraph (b)(1)(ii) of

this AD or if a crack is found, replace the

blade with an airworthy blade before further

flight. For Zone B, if a crack, wrinkling, or

a blister is found, replace the blade with an

airworthy blade before further flight.

(d) Within 10 hours TIS, and thereafter at

intervals not to exceed 100 hours TIS or 200

cycles, whichever occurs first, measure the

blade-to-air duct clearance. If the clearance is

less than 3 mm, replace the blade with an

airworthy blade before further flight.

(e) 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, Regulations

Group, Rotorcraft Directorate FAA. Operators

shall submit their requests through an FAA

Principal Maintenance Inspector, who may

concur or comment and then send it to the

Manager, Regulations Group.

Note 3: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this AD, if any, may be

obtained from the Regulations Group.

(f) Special flight permits may be issued in

accordance with 14 CFR 21.197 and 21.199

to operate the helicopter to a location where

the requirements of this AD can be

accomplished.

Note 4: The subject of this AD is addressed

in Direction Generale De L’Aviation Civile

AD’s 88–152–010(A)R5 and 88–153–

023(A)R5, both dated December 30, 1998.

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on May 31,

2001.

Eric Bries,

Acting Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate,

Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 01–14536 Filed 6–8–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 2000–NM–298–AD]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Fokker

Model F.28 Mark 1000, 2000, 3000, and

4000 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 all

Fokker Model F.28 Mark 1000, 2000,

3000, and 4000 series airplanes. This

proposal would require a one-time

inspection to detect the presence of

filler plates of the engine support

fittings, and corrective action, if

necessary. This action is necessary to

detect and correct fatigue and stress

corrosion in the U-shaped upper and

lower legs of the engine support fittings,

which could result in reduced structural

integrity of the engine support structure.

This action is intended to address the

identified unsafe condition.

DATES: Comments must be received by

July 11, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in

triplicate to the Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), Transport

Airplane Directorate, ANM–114,

Attention: Rules Docket No. 2000–NM–

298–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–298–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

Fokker Services B.V., P.O. Box 231,

2150 AE Nieuw-Vennep, the

Netherlands. 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–298–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–298–AD, 1601 Lind Avenue,

SW., Renton, Washington 98055–4056.

Discussion

The Rijksluchtvaartdienst (RLD),

which is the airworthiness authority for

the Netherlands, notified the FAA that

an unsafe condition may exist on all

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 112 / Monday, June 11, 2001 / Proposed Rules 31193

Fokker Model F.28 Mark 1000, 2000,

3000, and 4000 series airplanes. The

RLD advises that it received a report of

discrepancies found by an operator

during a scheduled inspection of the

engine support fittings in accordance

with the structural integrity program

(SIP). The main purpose of the relevant

SIP inspection is to detect fatigue and

stress corrosion cracks. During the

inspection, filler (radius) plates were

found in the U-shaped upper and lower

legs of the engine support fittings on

three airplanes. The filler plates could

be misinterpreted as part of the fitting

and could hamper the accomplishment

of the SIP inspections and allow cracks

to go undetected. These conditions, if

not corrected, could result in fatigue

and stress corrosion in the U-shaped

upper and lower legs of the engine

support fittings, and consequent

reduced structural integrity of the

engine support structure.

Explanation of Relevant Service

Information

Fokker Services B.V. has issued

Service Bulletin F28/53–149, dated

November 15, 1999, which describes

procedures for a one-time general visual

inspection to detect the presence of

filler plates of the engine support

fittings. If filler plates are found,

corrective actions include, among other

things, removing the filler plates,

performing a one-time nondestructive

test inspection to detect cracks of the

support fittings, and repairing cracks.

Accomplishment of the actions

specified in the service bulletin is

intended to adequately address the

identified unsafe condition. The RLD

classified this service bulletin as

mandatory and issued Dutch

airworthiness directive 1999–153, dated

November 30, 1999, to ensure the

continued airworthiness of these

airplanes in the Netherlands.

FAA’s Conclusions

This airplane model is manufactured

in the Netherlands 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, the RLD has

kept the FAA informed of the situation

described above. The FAA has

examined the findings of the RLD,

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, except as discussed below.

Differences Between Proposed AD and

Service Bulletin

Operators should note that, although

the service bulletin specifies that the

manufacturer may be contacted for

disposition of certain repair conditions,

this proposed AD would require the

repair of those conditions to be

accomplished in accordance with a

method approved by either the FAA or

the RLD. In light of the type of repair

that would be required to address the

identified unsafe condition, and in

consonance with existing bilateral

airworthiness agreements, the FAA has

determined that, for this proposed AD,

a repair approved by either the FAA or

the RLD would be acceptable for

compliance with this proposed AD.

Cost Impact

The FAA estimates that 22 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 $2,640, or $120 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:

Fokker Services B.V.: Docket 2000–NM–298–

AD.

Applicability: All Model F.28 Mark 1000,

2000, 3000, and 4000 series airplanes,

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 detect and correct fatigue and stress

corrosion in the U-shaped upper and lower

legs of the engine support fittings, which

31194 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 112 / Monday, June 11, 2001 / Proposed Rules

could result in reduced structural integrity of

the engine support structure, accomplish the

following:

Inspection

(a) Within 12 months after the effective

date of this AD: Except as required by

paragraph (b) of this AD, perform a general

visual inspection to detect the presence of

filler plates of the engine support fittings,

and accomplish all applicable corrective

actions (including removing any filler plates,

inspecting the support fitting to detect cracks

and other discrepancies by using a

nondestructive test method, and repairing

discrepancies); in accordance with Fokker

Service Bulletin F28/53–149, dated

November 15, 1999.

Note 2: For the purposes of this AD, a

general visual inspection is defined as: ‘‘A

visual examination of an interior or exterior

area, installation, or assembly to detect

obvious damage, failure, or irregularity. This

level of inspection is made under normally

available lighting conditions such as

daylight, hangar lighting, flashlight, or droplight, and may require removal or opening of

access panels or doors. Stands, ladders, or

platforms may be required to gain proximity

to the area being checked.’’

(b) If the service bulletin specifies to

contact Fokker Services for appropriate

action: Prior to further flight repair in

accordance with a method approved by the

Manager, International Branch, ANM–116,

FAA Transport Airplane Directorate; or the

Rijksluchtvaartdienst (RLD) (or its delegated

agent).

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 3: 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 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 Dutch airworthiness directive 1999–153,

dated November 30, 1999.

Issued in Renton, Washington, on June 4,

2001.

Donald L. Riggin,

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 01–14535 Filed 6–8–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 2001–NM–145–AD]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; McDonnell

Douglas Model MD–11 Series

Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking

(NPRM).

SUMMARY: This document proposes to

revise an existing airworthiness

directive (AD), applicable to certain

McDonnell Douglas Model MD–11

series airplanes, that currently requires

a one-time inspection to identify the

part numbers of two dimmer controls

for the overhead instrument panel light

and circuit breaker lightplate located in

the flight compartment. For airplanes on

which a dimmer control having an

incorrect part number is installed, that

AD also requires replacing the dimmer

control with a new part; modifying and

reinstalling the existing dimmer control;

or reinstalling a dimmer control

following modification of the part by the

part manufacturer. That AD was

prompted by reports of smoke emitting

from the overhead panels in the cockpit

area. The actions specified by that AD

are intended to prevent an electrical

failure in the overhead dimmer control

due to overheating of a printed circuit

board capacitor in the dimmer control,

which could result in rupture of the

capacitor and smoke in the flight

compartment. This action would revise

the term ‘‘serial numbers’’ in the

applicability statement to ‘‘fuselage

numbers.’’

DATES: Comments must be received by

July 26, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in

triplicate to the Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), Transport

Airplane Directorate, ANM–114,

Attention: Rules Docket No. 2001–NM–

145–AD, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW.,

Renton, Washington 98055–4056.

Comments may be inspected at this

location between 9 a.m. and 3 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-anmnprmcomment@faa.gov. Comments sent

via fax or the Internet must contain

‘‘Docket No. 2001–NM–145–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

Boeing Commercial Aircraft Group,

Long Beach Division, 3855 Lakewood

Boulevard, Long Beach, California

90846, Attention: Data and Service

Management, Dept. C1–L5A (D800–

0024). This information may be

examined at the FAA, Transport

Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind

Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington; or at

the FAA, Los Angeles Aircraft

Certification Office, 3960 Paramount

Boulevard, Lakewood, California.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Brett Portwood, Aerospace Engineer,

Systems and Equipment Branch, ANM–

130L, FAA, Los Angeles Aircraft

Certification Office, 3960 Paramount

Boulevard, Lakewood, California

90712–4137; telephone (562) 627–5350;

fax (562) 627–5210.

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