Document ID: FAA-2017-0502-0001
Agency: faa
Document Type: Proposed Rule
Title: Airworthiness Directives: Dassault Aviation Airplanes
Posted Date: 2017-05-31T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 103 (Wednesday, May 31, 2017)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 24910-24912]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-10977]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2017-0502; Directorate Identifier 2016-NM-120-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 
certain Dassault Aviation Model FALCON 7X airplanes. This proposed AD 
was prompted by a discovery of noncompliant rivets in the flight deck 
upper skin. This proposed AD would require replacement of noncompliant 
rivets. We are proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on 
these products.

[[Page 24911]]

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by July 17, 2017.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR 
11.43 and 11.45, 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: 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 referenced service 
information at the FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 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-
0502; 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 proposed AD, 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 Branch, ANM-116, Transport Airplane Directorate, 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 proposed AD. Send your comments to an address 
listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2017-0502; 
Directorate Identifier 2016-NM-120-AD'' at the beginning of your 
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, 
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this proposed AD. We 
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend 
this proposed AD 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 proposed AD.

Discussion

    The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical 
Agent for the Member States of the European Union, has issued 
Airworthiness Directive 2016-0124, dated June 22, 2016 (referred to 
after this as the Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information, or 
``the MCAI''), to correct an unsafe condition for certain Dassault 
Aviation Model FALCON 7X airplanes. The MCAI states:

    During an internal review of the manufacturing files, it was 
found that 20 rivets installed on the cockpit [(flight deck)] upper 
skin are not compliant with the original type design. Those 20 MGPL 
type rivets have a shank longer than necessary and, in case of a 
bird strike under maximum energy impact, the cockpit upper skin 
deformation would lead to interference between the rivet shank and 
the cockpit mounted overhead panel.
    This condition, if not corrected, could affect the functioning 
of essential flight control systems, possibly resulting in reduced 
control of the aeroplane.
    To address this potential unsafe condition, Dassault Aviation 
published Service Bulletin (SB) 7X-176, providing instructions for 
replacement of the [noncompliant] rivets.
    For the reasons described above, this [EASA] AD requires removal 
of affected rivets and replacement with serviceable [solid-type] 
rivets compliant with original type design.

    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-
0502.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    Dassault Aviation has issued Service Bulletin 7X-176, dated 
February 3, 2016. The service information describes procedures for 
modifying the airplane by replacing certain blind rivets installed on 
the flight deck skin panel with solid-type rivets. 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 the same 
type design.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this proposed AD affects 25 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..........................  81 work-hours x $85 per              $48          $6,933        $173,325
                                         hour = $6,885.
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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

[[Page 24912]]

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 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-2017-0502; Directorate Identifier 
2016-NM-120-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

    We must receive comments by July 17, 2017.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Dassault Aviation Model FALCON 7X airplanes, 
certificated in any category, manufacturer serial numbers 15 through 
89 inclusive, 92 through 94 inclusive, 97 through 101 inclusive, 
105, and 106.

(d) Subject

    Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 51, Structures.

(e) Reason

    This AD was prompted by a discovery of noncompliant rivets in 
the flight deck upper skin. We are issuing this AD to prevent 
interference between the rivet shank and the flight deck mounted 
overhead panel when the flight deck upper skin deforms due to impact 
(e.g., bird strike); a condition, that if not corrected, could 
affect the functioning of essential flight control systems, and 
result in reduced control of the airplane.

(f) Compliance

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

(g) Modification

    Before exceeding 99 months or 4,100 flight cycles, whichever 
occurs first since the date of issuance of the original 
airworthiness certificate or the date of issuance of the original 
export certificate of airworthiness, modify the airplane by 
replacing certain MGPL type rivets installed on the flight deck skin 
panel with solid type-rivets, in accordance with the Accomplishment 
Instructions of Dassault Aviation Service Bulletin 7X-176, dated 
February 3, 2016.

(h) Other FAA AD Provisions

    The following provisions also apply to this AD:
    (1) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs): The Manager, 
International Branch, ANM-116, Transport Airplane Directorate, 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 Branch, send it to the attention of 
the person identified in paragraph (i)(2) of this AD. Information 
may be emailed to: 9-ANM-116-AMOC-REQUESTS@faa.gov. 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 
Branch, ANM-116, Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA; or EASA; or 
Dassault Aviation's EASA Design Organization Approval (DOA). If 
approved by the DOA, the approval must include the DOA-authorized 
signature.

(i) Related Information

    (1) Refer to Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information 
(MCAI) EASA AD 2016-0124, dated June 22, 2016, for related 
information. This MCAI may be found on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-
2017-0502.
    (2) For more information about this AD, contact Tom Rodriguez, 
Aerospace Engineer, International Branch, ANM-116, Transport 
Airplane Directorate, 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 Airplane Directorate, 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 May 18, 2017.
Michael Kaszycki,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-10977 Filed 5-30-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P