[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 204 (Tuesday, October 24, 2017)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 49151-49153]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-23008]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2017-0908; Product Identifier 2017-NM-103-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Dassault Aviation Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all 
Dassault Aviation Model FAN JET FALCON, FAN JET FALCON SERIES D, E, F, 
and G airplanes; and certain Model MYSTERE-FALCON 20-C5, 20-D5, 20-E5, 
and 20-F5 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of the 
collapse of the main landing gear on touchdown. This proposed AD would 
require an electrical modification of the landing gear sequence logic. 
We are proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these 
products.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by December 8, 
2017.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR 
11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods:
    <bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
    <bullet> Fax: 202-493-2251.
    <bullet> 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.
    <bullet> Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail address above between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    For service information identified in this NPRM, contact Dassault 
Falcon Jet Corporation, Teterboro Airport, P.O. Box 2000, South 
Hackensack, NJ 07606; telephone 201-440-6700; Internet http://www.dassaultfalcon.com. You may view this service information at the 
FAA, Transport Standards Branch, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA. For 
information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 425-
227-1221.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2017-
0908; 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 NPRM, the regulatory evaluation, any comments received, 
and other information. The street address for the Docket Operations 
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 Section, Transport Standards Branch, FAA, 1601 Lind 
Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98057-3356; telephone 425-227-1137; fax 425-227-
1149.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited

    We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments about this proposal. Send your comments to an address listed 
under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2017-0908; 
Product Identifier 2017-NM-103-AD'' at the beginning of your comments. 
We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, economic, 
environmental, and energy aspects of this NPRM. We will consider all 
comments received by the closing date and may amend this NPRM based on 
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 NPRM.

[[Page 49152]]

Discussion

    The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical 
Agent for the Member States of the European Union, has issued EASA AD 
2017-0130, dated July 26, 2017 (referred to after this as the Mandatory 
Continuing Airworthiness Information, or ``the MCAI''), to correct an 
unsafe condition for all Dassault Aviation Model FAN JET FALCON, FAN 
JET FALCON SERIES D, E, F, and G airplanes; and certain Model MYSTERE-
FALCON 20-C5, 20-D5, 20-E5, and 20-F5 airplanes. The MCAI states:

    An incident occurred in January 2016 on a Falcon 20-5 aeroplane 
where, upon touchdown, one main landing gear (MLG) collapsed, due to 
a sequence anomaly.
    This condition, if not corrected, could lead to additional 
events of MLG collapse, possibly resulting in damage to the 
aeroplane and injury to the occupants.
    Prompted by previous similar events, Dassault developed a 
modification, ensuring that hydraulic pressure of circuit #1 of the 
landing gear actuators is maintained after the extension sequence is 
completed. As a result, in the unlikely case of having one of the 
legs not properly mechanically locked down, the pressure maintained 
in the landing gear bracing devices will prevent landing gear from 
collapsing. Dassault published Service Bulletin (SB) F20-676 in 1981 
(later revised in 1998) which contains the necessary instructions to 
modify in-service aeroplanes.
    For the reasons described above, this [EASA] AD requires an 
electrical modification of the landing gear sequence logic.

    You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2017-
0908.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    Dassault Aviation has issued Dassault Service Bulletin F20-676, 
Revision 1, dated March 4, 1998. This service information describes an 
electrical modification of the MLG sequence logic to prevent landing 
gear collapse on touchdown. This service information is reasonably 
available because the interested parties have access to it through 
their normal course of business or by the means identified in the 
ADDRESSES section.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of This Proposed AD

    This product has been approved by the aviation authority of another 
country, and is approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant 
to our bilateral agreement with the State of Design Authority, we have 
been notified of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI and service 
information referenced above. We are proposing this AD because we 
evaluated all pertinent information and determined an unsafe condition 
exists and is likely to exist or develop on other products of these 
same type designs.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this proposed AD affects 308 airplanes of U.S. 
registry.
    We estimate the following costs to comply with this proposed AD:

                                                 Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                     Cost per      Cost on U.S.
                Action                         Labor cost           Parts cost        product        operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Modification..........................  21 work-hours x $85 per             $912          $2,697        $830,676
                                         hour = $1,785.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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.
    This proposed AD is issued in accordance with authority delegated 
by the Executive Director, Aircraft Certification Service, as 
authorized by FAA Order 8000.51C. In accordance with that order, 
issuance of ADs is normally a function of the Compliance and 
Airworthiness Division, but during this transition period, the 
Executive Director has delegated the authority to issue ADs applicable 
to transport category airplanes to the Director of the System Oversight 
Division.

Regulatory Findings

    We determined that this proposed AD would not have federalism 
implications under Executive Order 13132. This proposed AD 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.
    For the reasons discussed above, I certify 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);
    3. Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska; and
    4. 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.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

    Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by 
reference, Safety.

The Proposed Amendment

    Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the 
Administrator, the FAA proposes to amend 14 CFR part 39 as follows:

PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

0
1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.


Sec.  39.13  [Amended]

0
2. The FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by adding the following new airworthiness 
directive (AD):

Dassault Aviation: Docket No. FAA-2017-0908; Product Identifier 
2017-NM-103-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

    We must receive comments by December 8, 2017.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

[[Page 49153]]

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Dassault Aviation airplanes, certificated in 
any category, identified in paragraphs (c)(1) and (c)(2) of this AD.
    (1) All Model FAN JET FALCON, FAN JET FALCON SERIES D, E, F, and 
G airplanes.
    (2) Model MYSTERE-FALCON 20-C5, 20-D5, 20-E5, and 20-F5 
airplanes, except serial numbers (S/Ns) 478 and 485.

(d) Subject

    Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 32, Landing 
gear.

(e) Reason

    This AD was prompted by reports of the collapse of the main 
landing gear (MLG) on touchdown. We are issuing this AD to prevent 
MLG collapse, which could result in damage to the airplane and 
injury to the occupants.

(f) Compliance

    Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified, 
unless already done.

(g) Modification

    Within 74 months after the effective date of this AD, accomplish 
an electrical modification in accordance with the Accomplishment 
Instructions of Dassault Service Bulletin F20-676, Revision 1, dated 
March 4, 1998.

(h) No Reporting Requirement

    Although the service information identified in paragraph (g) of 
this AD specifies to submit certain information to the manufacturer, 
this AD does not include that requirement.

(i) Other FAA AD Provisions

    The following provisions also apply to this AD:
    (1) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs): The Manager, 
International Section, Transport Standards Branch, FAA, has the 
authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the 
procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. In accordance with 14 CFR 39.19, 
send your request to your principal inspector or local Flight 
Standards District Office, as appropriate. If sending information 
directly to the International Section, send it to the attention of 
the person identified in paragraph (j)(2) of this AD. Information 
may be emailed to: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#caf3e78b8487e7fbfbfce78b878589e7988f9b9f8f999e998aacababe4ada5bc"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3b02167a7576160a0a0d167a76747816697e6a6e7e686f687b5d5a5a155c544d">[email protected]</span></a>. Before using any 
approved AMOC, notify your appropriate principal inspector, or 
lacking a principal inspector, the manager of the local flight 
standards district office/certificate holding district office.
    (2) Contacting the Manufacturer: For any requirement in this AD 
to obtain corrective actions from a manufacturer, the action must be 
accomplished using a method approved by the Manager, International 
Section, Transport Standards Branch, FAA; or the European Aviation 
Safety Agency (EASA); or Dassault Aviation's EASA Design 
Organization Approval (DOA). If approved by the DOA, the approval 
must include the DOA-authorized signature.

(j) Related Information

    (1) Refer to Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information 
(MCAI) EASA Airworthiness Directive 2017-0130, dated July 26, 2017, 
for related information. This MCAI may be found in the AD docket on 
the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and 
locating Docket No. FAA-2017-0908.
    (2) For more information about this AD, contact Tom Rodriguez, 
Aerospace Engineer, International Section, Transport Standards 
Branch, FAA, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98057-3356; telephone 
425-227-1137; fax 425-227-1149.
    (3) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Dassault Falcon Jet Corporation, Teterboro Airport, P.O. Box 2000, 
South Hackensack, NJ 07606; telephone 201-440-6700; Internet http://www.dassaultfalcon.com. You may view this service information at the 
FAA, Transport Standards Branch, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA. 
For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, 
call 425-227-1221.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on, October 17, 2017.
Jeffrey E. Duven,
Director, System Oversight Division, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-23008 Filed 10-23-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P


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