6594 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 24 / Tuesday, February 5, 2008 / Rules and Regulations 

information on the availability of this 

material at NARA, call 202–741–6030, or go 

to: http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/ 

code_of_federal_regulations/ 

ibr_locations.html. 

Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on January 

23, 2008. 

John Colomy, 

Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. E8–1829 Filed 2–4–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2008–0121; Directorate 

Identifier 2007–NM–277–AD; Amendment 

39–15363; AD 2008–03–13] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; ATR Model 

ATR42–500 Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Final rule; request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 

ATR Model ATR42–500 series 

airplanes. This AD requires removing 

metallized polyethylene terephtalate 

(MPET) insulation blankets installed on 

the left and the right sides of the 

airplane over frame 24 between stringers 

5 and 14. This AD results from reports 

indicating that burnt spots were found 

on the MPET insulation blankets 

installed over frame 24. The actions 

specified by this AD are intended to 

ensure that MPET insulation blankets 

are removed over frame 24. Such MPET 

insulation blankets, if not removed, 

could propagate a small fire that is the 

result of an electrical arc and could lead 

to a much larger fire. 

DATES: This AD becomes effective 

February 20, 2008. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain publication listed in the AD 

as of February 20, 2008. 

We must receive comments on this 

AD by March 6, 2008. 

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 ATR, 316 Route de 

Bayonne, 31060 Toulouse, Cedex 03, 

France. 

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 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: 

Discussion 

The European Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA), which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Community, notified us that an unsafe 

condition may exist on certain ATR 

Model ATR42–500 series airplanes. The 

EASA advises that there have been 

reports of two in-service aircraft where 

burnt spots were found on the 

insulation blankets installed over frame 

24. Investigations concluded that due to 

the presence of the bleed air duct, 

installation of the thermal-acoustical 

insulation blankets having a metallized 

polyethylene terephtalate (MPET) made 

the covering (also known as Mylar TM) at 

this location unsafe. Such MPET 

insulation blankets, if not removed, 

could propagate a small fire that is the 

result of an electrical arc and could lead 

to a much larger fire. This action is 

intended to address the identified 

unsafe condition. 

Relevant Service Information 

ATR has issued Service Bulletin 

ATR42–25–0155, dated April 10, 2007. 

The service bulletin describes 

procedures for removing the MPET 

insulation blankets installed on the left 

and the right sides of the airplane over 

frame 24 between stringers 5 and 14. 

Accomplishing the actions specified in 

the service information is intended to 

adequately address the unsafe 

condition. The EASA mandated the 

service information and issued 

emergency airworthiness directive 

2007–0106–E, dated April 18, 2007, to 

ensure the continued airworthiness of 

these airplanes in the European Union. 

FAA’s Determination and Requirements 

of This AD 

These airplanes are manufactured in 

France and are 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. As described 

in FAA Order 8100.14A, ‘‘Interim 

Procedures for Working with the 

European Community on Airworthiness 

Certification and Continued 

Airworthiness,’’ dated August 12, 2005, 

the EASA has kept the FAA informed of 

the situation described above. We have 

examined the EASA’s findings, 

evaluated all pertinent information, and 

determined that we need to issue an AD 

for products of this type design that are 

certificated for operation in the United 

States. 

Therefore, we are issuing this AD to 

ensure that MPET insulation blankets 

are removed over frame 24. Such MPET 

insulation blankets, if not removed, 

could propagate a small fire that is the 

result of an electrical arc and could lead 

to a much larger fire. This AD requires 

accomplishing the actions specified in 

the service information described 

previously. 

Costs of Compliance 

None of the airplanes affected by this 

action are on the U.S. Register. All 

airplanes affected by this AD are 

currently operated by non-U.S. 

operators under foreign registry; 

therefore, they are not directly affected 

by this AD action. However, we 

consider this AD necessary to ensure 

that the unsafe condition is addressed if 

any affected airplane is imported and 

placed on the U.S. Register in the future. 

If an affected airplane is imported and 

placed on the U.S. Register in the future, 

the required action would take about 6 

work hours per airplane, at an average 

labor rate of $80 per work hour. Based 

on these figures, the estimated cost of 

the AD would be $480 per airplane. 

FAA’s Determination of the Effective 

Date 

No airplane affected by this AD is 

currently on the U.S. Register. 


rmajette on PROD1PC64 with RULES
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 24 / Tuesday, February 5, 2008 / Rules and Regulations 6595 

Therefore, providing notice and 

opportunity for public comment is 

unnecessary before this AD is issued, 

and this AD may be made effective in 

less than 30 days after it is published in 

the Federal Register. 

Comments Invited 

This AD is a final rule that involves 

requirements affecting flight safety, and 

we did not provide you with notice and 

an opportunity to provide your 

comments before it becomes effective. 

However, we invite you to send any 

written data, views, or arguments about 

this AD. Send your comments to an 

address listed under the ADDRESSES

section. Include ‘‘Docket No. FAA–

2008–0121; Directorate Identifier 2007–

NM–277–AD’’ at the beginning of your 

comments. We specifically invite 

comments on the overall regulatory, 

economic, environmental, and energy 

aspects of this AD. We will consider all 

comments received by the closing date 

and may amend this 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 AD. 

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 AD will 

not have federalism implications under 

Executive Order 13132. This AD will 

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 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 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. 

Adoption of the Amendment 

■ Accordingly, under the authority 

delegated to me by the Administrator, 

the FAA amends 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 adding the following new 

airworthiness directive (AD): 

2008–03–13 ATR—GIE Avions de 

Transport Re ́gional (Formerly 

Aerospatiale): Amendment 39–15363. 

Docket No. FAA–2008–0121; Directorate 

Identifier 2007–NM–277–AD. 

Effective Date 

(a) This AD becomes effective February 20, 

2008. 

Affected ADs 

(b) None. 

Applicability 

(c) This AD applies to ATR Model ATR42–

500 series airplanes, certificated in any 

category; except for airplanes modified in 

accordance with ATR modification numbers 

05117, 05322, and 05791, or ATR Service 

Bulletin ATR42–25–1034, dated January 24, 

2002. 

Unsafe Condition 

(d) This AD results from reports indicating 

that burnt spots were found on the metallized 

polyethylene terephtalate (MPET) insulation 

blankets installed over frame 24. We are 

issuing this AD to ensure that MPET 

insulation blankets are removed over frame 

24. Such MPET insulation blankets, if not 

removed, could propagate a small fire that is 

the result of an electrical arc and could lead 

to a much larger fire. 

Compliance 

(e) You are responsible for having the 

actions required by this AD performed within 

the compliance times specified, unless the 

actions have already been done. 

Removal of Installation Blankets 

(f) Within 15 days after the effective date 

of this AD, remove the MPET insulation 

blankets installed on the left and the right 

sides of the airplane over frame 24 between 

stringers 5 and 14, in accordance with the 

Accomplishment Instructions of ATR Service 

Bulletin ATR42–25–0155, dated April 10, 

2007. 

Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(g)(1) The Manager, International Branch, 

ANM–116, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs 

for this AD, if requested in accordance with 

the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. 

(2) To request a different method of 

compliance or a different compliance time 

for this AD, follow the procedures in 14 CFR 

39.19. Before using any approved AMOC on 

any airplane to which the AMOC applies, 

notify your appropriate principal inspector 

(PI) in the FAA Flight Standards District 

Office (FSDO), or lacking a PI, your local 

FSDO. 

Related Information 

(h) EASA emergency airworthiness 

directive 2007–0106–E, dated April 18, 2007, 

also addresses the subject of this AD. 

Material Incorporated by Reference 

(i) You must use ATR Service Bulletin 

ATR42–25–0155, dated April 10, 2007, to 

perform the actions that are required by this 

AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise. The 

Director of the Federal Register approved the 

incorporation by reference of this document 

in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR 

part 51. Contact ATR, 316 Route de Bayonne, 

31060 Toulouse, Cedex 03, France, for a copy 

of this service information. You may review 

copies at the FAA, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, 

Washington; or at the National Archives and 

Records Administration (NARA). 

For information on the availability of this 

material at NARA, call 202–741–6030, or go 

to: http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/ 

cfr/ibr-locations.html. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on January 

24, 2008. 

Ali Bahrami, 

Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. E8–2004 Filed 2–4–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 


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