Document ID: FAA-2020-0813-0001
Agency: faa
Document Type: Proposed Rule
Title: Airworthiness Directives: Pilatus Aircraft Limited Airplanes
Posted Date: 2020-09-16T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 180 (Wednesday, September 16, 2020)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 57804-57806]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-20310]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2020-0813; Product Identifier 2019-CE-040-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Pilatus Aircraft Limited Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) 
for Pilatus Aircraft Limited Model PC-12/47E airplanes. This proposed 
AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) 
originated by an aviation authority of another country to identify and 
correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes 
the unsafe condition as inboard flap fairings aft (IFFAs) having an 
incorrect shape, which may result in chafing between the IFFA and the 
associated front inboard tension rod could occur. This proposed AD 
would require an inspection of the IFFAs for the correct shape and 
chafing between the IFFA and the associated front inboard tension rod, 
with corrective action as necessary. This condition could lead to 
failure of the inboard flap drive arm with consequent asymmetric flap 
extension, resulting in reduced control of the airplane. The FAA is 
proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: The FAA must receive comments on this proposed AD by November 2, 
2020.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://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 proposed AD, contact 
Pilatus Aircraft, Ltd., Customer Support PC-12, CH-6371 Stans, 
Switzerland; telephone: +41 41 619 33 33; fax: +41 41 619 73 11; email: 
exception occurred on : 2020-20310.htm
exception occurred on : 2020-20310.htm
aircraft.com">[email protected]aircraft.com; internet: https://www.pilatus-
aircraft.com. You may review this referenced service information at the 
FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 901 
Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. For information on the 
availability of this material at the FAA, call (816) 329-4148.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2020-
0813; or in person at Docket Operations between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD docket contains 
this proposed AD, any comments received, and other information. The 
street address for Docket Operations is listed above. Comments will be 
available in the AD docket shortly after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Doug Rudolph, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, 
General Aviation & Rotorcraft Section, International Validation Branch, 
901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 
329-4059; fax: (816) 329-4090; email: doug.rudolph@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    The FAA invites 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-2020-0813; 
Product Identifier 2019-CE-040-AD'' at the beginning of your comments. 
The FAA will consider all comments received by the closing date and may 
amend this proposed AD because of those comments.
    Except for Confidential Business Information (CBI) as described in 
the following paragraph, and other information as described in 14 CFR 
11.35, the FAA will post all comments

[[Page 57805]]

received, without change, to https://www.regulations.gov, including any 
personal information you provide. The FAA will also post a report 
summarizing each substantive verbal contact it receives about this 
proposed AD.

Confidential Business Information

    CBI is commercial or financial information that is both customarily 
and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the Freedom of 
Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public 
disclosure. If your comments responsive to this NPRM contain commercial 
or financial information that is customarily treated as private, that 
you actually treat as private, and that is relevant or responsive to 
this NPRM, it is important that you clearly designate the submitted 
comments as CBI. Please mark each page of your submission containing 
CBI as ``PROPIN.'' The FAA will treat such marked submissions as 
confidential under the FOIA, and they will not be placed in the public 
docket of this NPRM. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to Doug 
Rudolph, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, General Aviation & Rotorcraft 
Section, International Validation Branch, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas 
City, Missouri 64106. Any commentary that the FAA receives which is not 
specifically designated as CBI will be placed in the public docket for 
this rulemaking.

Discussion

    The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the 
Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Community, has 
issued AD No.: 2019-0231, dated September 13, 2019 (referred to after 
this as the MCAI), to correct an unsafe condition for Pilatus Aircraft, 
Ltd., Model PC-12/47E airplanes. The MCAI states:

    On the final assembly line of PC-12/47E aeroplanes, IFFAs were 
detected having an incorrect shape. As a consequence, chafing 
between the IFFA and the associated front inboard tension rod could 
occur, may cause corrosion of the bare rod aluminium tube and reduce 
aluminium thickness.
    This condition, if not detected and corrected, could lead to 
failure of the inboard flap drive arm with consequent asymmetric 
flap extension, possibly resulting in reduced control of the 
aeroplane.
    To address this potential unsafe condition, Pilatus issued the 
[service bulletin] SB to provide inspection and modification 
instructions.
    For the reason described above, this [EASA] AD requires a one-
time inspection of both IFFA and, depending on findings, a follow-on 
inspection of the associated front inboard tension rod for chafing, 
and modification or replacement of affected parts.

    You may examine the MCAI on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2020-
0813.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    Pilatus Aircraft Limited has issued Pilatus PC-12 Service Bulletin 
No: 27-026, dated July 10, 2019 (Pilatus SB No. 27-026). The service 
information specifies procedures for inspecting and correcting chafing 
between the left and right IFFAs and the associated front inboard 
tension rods. 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 the 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 this State of Design Authority, it has 
notified the FAA of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI and 
service information referenced above. The FAA is proposing this AD 
because it evaluated all information and determined the unsafe 
condition exists and is likely to exist or develop on other products of 
the same type design.

Proposed AD Requirements

    This proposed AD would require accomplishing the actions specified 
in the service information described previously except as discussed 
under ``Differences Between this AD and the Service Information.''

Differences Between This Proposed AD and the MCAI

    Pilatus SB No. 27-026 only requires inspection of airplanes that 
were potentially manufactured with the IFFAs that have the incorrect 
shape and requires inspection of the tension rods if the IFFAs are 
modified because they have been found to have the incorrect shape. Due 
to the length of time between manufacture and this proposed AD, 
operators having multiple Model PC-12/47E airplanes could have 
installed defective parts, either the IFFAs or affected tension rods, 
from one airplane into an airplane that was not manufactured with the 
defective part. Therefore, this proposed AD would require inspection of 
the IFFAs for correct shape, verification of proper clearance with the 
tension rods, and inspection for chafing damage on the tension rods on 
all Model PC-12/47E airplanes.

Costs of Compliance

    The FAA estimates that this proposed AD would affect 18 products of 
U.S. registry. The FAA also estimates that it would take about 2.5 
work-hours per product to comply with the requirements of this proposed 
AD. The average labor rate is $85 per work-hour. Required parts would 
cost about $1,600 per product.
    Based on these figures, the FAA estimates the cost of the proposed 
AD on U.S. operators would be $32,634 or $1,813 per product.
    According to the manufacturer, all or some of the costs of this 
proposed AD may be covered under warranty, thereby reducing the cost 
impact on affected individuals. The FAA does not control warranty 
coverage for affected individuals. As a result, the FAA included all 
costs in this cost estimate.

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.
    The FAA is 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

    The FAA 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) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and

[[Page 57806]]

    (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.

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):

Pilatus Aircraft Limited: Docket No. FAA-2020-0813; Product 
Identifier 2019-CE-040-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

    The FAA must receive comments by November 2, 2020.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Pilatus Aircraft Limited Model PC-12/47E 
airplanes, all serial numbers, certificated in any category.

(d) Subject

    Air Transport Association of America (ATA) Code 27: Flight 
Controls.

(e) Reason

    This AD was prompted by mandatory continuing airworthiness 
information (MCAI) originated by an aviation authority of another 
country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation 
product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as inboard flap 
fairings aft (IFFAs) having an incorrect shape, which could lead to 
chafing between the IFFA and the front inboard tension rod, and 
consequently corrosion of the bare rod aluminum tube and reduced 
aluminum thickness. This condition, if not corrected, could lead to 
failure of the inboard flap drive arm, asymmetric flap extension, 
and reduced control of the airplane.

(f) Actions and Compliance

    (1) Unless already done, within 100 hours time-in-service (TIS) 
after the effective date of this AD or within 6 months after the 
effective date of this AD, whichever occurs first, inspect the left-
hand (LH) and right-hand (RH) IFFAs for correct shape and clearance 
with the LH and RH tension rods by following step 3.B.(1) and 
Figures 2 and 3 of the Accomplishment Instructions--Aircraft in 
Pilatus PC-12 Service Bulletin No: 27-026, dated July 10, 2019 
(Pilatus SB 27-026).
    (i) If the shape of the LH or RH IFFA is incorrect or if the 
clearance between the IFFA and the tension rod is less than 5 mm 
(0.2 inch), before further flight, modify the IFFA and inspect the 
tension rods for chafing by following section 3.C. of the 
Accomplishment Instructions--Aircraft in Pilatus SB 27-026.
    (ii) If the shape of the LH and RH IFFAs is correct and the 
clearance between the IFFA and the tension rod is at least 5 mm (0.2 
inch), before further flight, inspect the front inboard LH and RH 
tension rods for chafing by following step 3.C.(12)(a) of the 
Accomplishment Instructions--Aircraft in Pilatus SB 27-026. If the 
LH or RH tension rod has any chafing, before further flight, replace 
the tension rod by following step 3.C.(12)(b) of the Accomplishment 
Instructions--Aircraft in Pilatus SB 27-026.
    (2) As of the effective date of this AD, do not install on any 
airplane a LH IFFA part number (P/N) 557.52.12.223, RH IFFA P/N 
557.52.12.224, or tension rod P/N 527.52.12.135 unless the part has 
been inspected and all corrective actions have been taken as 
required by this AD.

(g) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs):

    The Manager, International Validation Branch, FAA, has the 
authority to approve AMOCs for this AD if requested using the 
procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. Send information to ATTN: Doug 
Rudolph, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, General Aviation & Rotorcraft 
Section, International Validation Branch, 901 Locust, Room 301, 
Kansas City, Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 329-4059; fax: (816) 
329-4090; email: doug.rudolph@faa.gov. 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.

(h) Related Information

    (1) Refer to MCAI European Union Aviation Safety Agency AD No. 
2019-0231, dated September 13, 2019, for related information. You 
may examine the MCAI on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov 
by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2020-0813.
    (2) For service information related to this AD, contact Pilatus 
Aircraft, Ltd., Customer Support PC-12, CH-6371 Stans, Switzerland; 
telephone: +41 41 619 33 33; fax: +41 41 619 73 11; email: 
exception occurred on : 2020-20310.htm
exception occurred on : 2020-20310.htm
aircraft.com">[email protected]aircraft.com; internet: https://www.pilatus-
aircraft.com. You may review this referenced service information at 
the FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 
901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. For information on the 
availability of this material at the FAA, call (816) 329-4148.

    Issued on September 9, 2020.
Lance T. Gant,
Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-20310 Filed 9-15-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P