18704 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 83 / Monday, April 29, 1996 / Proposed Rules

(ii) Within one year after September 26,

1986.

(2) If no crack is detected, repeat the

inspection thereafter at intervals not to

exceed 3,000 landings.

(3) If any crack is detected, within the next

1,000 landings following crack detection,

install Airbus Modification 1307 in

accordance with Airbus Service Bulletin

A300–57–026, Revision 3, dated October 21,

1982.

(4) Installation of Airbus Modification 1307

(reference Airbus Service Bulletin A300–57–

026, Revision 3, dated October 21, 1982)

constitutes terminating action for the

repetitive inspection requirements of

paragraph (h)(2) of this AD.

(i) 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.

(j) 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,

Standardization Branch, ANM–113, FAA,

Transport Airplane Directorate. Operators

shall submit their requests through an

appropriate FAA Principal Maintenance

Inspector, who may add comments and then

send it to the Manager, Standardization

Branch, ANM–113.

Note 3: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this AD, if any, may be

obtained from the Standardization Branch,

ANM–113.

Issued in Renton, Washington, on April 23,

1996.

S.R. Miller,

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 96–10508 Filed 4–26–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 95–NM–267–AD]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Model

A320–200 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 A320–200 series

airplanes. This proposal would require

modification of the shock absorber subassembly of the main landing gear

(MLG). This proposal is prompted by

reports of internal damage to the shock

absorber sub-assembly due to loose

screws in the upper bearing dowels. The

actions specified by the proposed AD

are intended to prevent such damage,

which could result in the overextension

of the shock absorber and failure of the

torque link. This situation may lead to

the inability of the MLG to retract and

subsequent collapse of the MLG.

DATES: Comments must be received by

June 10, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in

triplicate to the Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), Transport

Airplane Directorate, ANM–103,

Attention: Rules Docket No. 95–NM–

267–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.

The service information referenced in

the proposed rule may be obtained from

Airbus Industrie, 1 Rond Point Maurice

Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac Cedex, France;

or Dowty Aerospace, Customer Support

Center, P.O. Box 49, Sterling, Virginia

20166.

This information may be examined at

the FAA, Transport Airplane

Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue SW.,

Renton, Washington.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tim

Backman, Aerospace Engineer,

Standardization Branch, ANM–113,

FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate,

1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton,

Washington 98055–4056; telephone

(206) 227–2797; fax (206) 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 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 Number 95–NM–267–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–103, Attention: Rules Docket No.

95–NM–267–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 certain Airbus

Model A320–200 series airplanes. The

DGAC advises that it has received

reports of internal damage to the shock

absorber sub-assembly of the main

landing gear (MLG). Investigation

revealed that, due to an improper fit, the

screws in the upper bearing dowels of

the shock absorber sub-assembly can

become loose and come out of position.

A loose screw in the upper bearing

dowels can come out and cause internal

damage to the shock absorber tube

assembly. If this were to occur, the

shock absorber sub-assembly may

overextend and the torque link may fail,

which could result in the inability of the

MLG to retract and the subsequent

collapse of the MLG.

Explanation of Relevant Service

Information

Airbus has issued Service Bulletin

A320–32–1144, dated December 8,

1994, which describes procedures for

modification of the shock absorber subassembly of the MLG. The modification

involves installing new dowels and a

retaining ring to the shock absorber

assembly. The modification will reduce

the possibility of internal damage to the

sub-assembly. (The Airbus service

bulletin references Dowty Service

Bulletin 200–32–215, dated July 7, 1994,

and Dowty Service Bulletin 200–32–

216, Revision 1, dated August 4, 1994,

as additional sources of service

information for accomplishment of

these procedures.) The DGAC classified

this service bulletin as mandatory and

issued French airworthiness directive

(CN) 95–016–063 (B), dated January 18,

1995, in order to assure the continued

airworthiness of these airplanes in

France.
Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 83 / Monday, April 29, 1996 / Proposed Rules 18705

FAA’s Conclusions

This airplane model is manufactured

in France 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 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 the Requirements of the

Proposed Rule

Since an unsafe condition has been

identified that is likely to exist or

develop on other airplanes of the same

type design, the proposed AD would

require modification of the shock

absorber sub-assembly of the MLG. The

actions would be required to be

accomplished in accordance with the

service bulletin described previously.

Cost Impact

The FAA estimates that 115 airplanes

of U.S. registry would be affected by this

proposed AD, that it would take

approximately 24 work hours per

airplane to accomplish the proposed

actions, and that the average labor rate

is $60 per work hour. Required parts

would be provided by the manufacturer

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 $165,600, or $1,440 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 AD were not adopted.

Regulatory Impact

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 USC 106(g), 40113, 44701.

§ 39.13 [Amended]

2. Section 39.13 is amended by

adding the following new airworthiness

directive:

Airbus Industrie: Docket 95–NM–267–AD.

Applicability: Model A320–200 series

airplanes on which Airbus Modification

24594 (reference Airbus Service Bulletin

A320–32–1144) has not been installed,

certificated in any category.

Note 1: This AD applies to each airplane

identified in the preceding applicability

provision, regardless of whether it has been

otherwise 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 damage to the internal area of

the shock absorber sub-assembly, which

could cause an overextension of the shock

absorber and failure of the torque link,

accomplish the following:

(a) Prior to the accumulation of 6,000 total

landings since the shock absorber of the main

landing gear (MLG) was removed, built, or

overhauled; or within 6 months after the

effective date of this AD; whichever occurs

later: Modify the shock absorber assembly of

the MLG, in accordance with Airbus Service

Bulletin A320–32–1144, dated December 8,

1994.

Note 2: Airbus Service Bulletin A320–32–

1144 references Dowty Aerospace Service

Bulletin 200–32–215, dated July 7, 1994, and

Dowty Aerospace Service Bulletin 200–32–

216, Revision 1, dated November 18, 1994, as

additional sources of service information for

modification of the shock absorber.

(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,

Standardization Branch, ANM–113, FAA,

Transport Airplane Directorate. Operators

shall submit their requests through an

appropriate FAA Principal Maintenance

Inspector, who may add comments and then

send it to the Manager, Standardization

Branch, ANM–113.

Note 3: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this AD, if any, may be

obtained from the Standardization Branch,

ANM–113.

(c) 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.

Issued in Renton, Washington, on April 23,

1996.

S.R. Miller,

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 96–10507 Filed 4–26–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 95–NM–218–AD]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Boeing

Model 747–400 Series Airplanes

Equipped With BFGoodrich Evacuation

Slide/Rafts

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 Boeing Model 747–400 series

airplanes. This proposal would require

modification of door 5 evacuation slide/

rafts. This proposal is prompted by

reports that the door 5 evacuation slide/

raft failed to deploy properly due to

adverse loads caused by the geometry of

this evacuation slide/raft. The actions

specified by the proposed AD are