Document ID: FAA-2014-0759-0001
Agency: faa
Document Type: Proposed Rule
Title: Airworthiness Directives: Alpha Aviation Concept Limited Airplanes
Posted Date: 2014-10-02T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 191 (Thursday, October 2, 2014)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 59465-59467]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-23554]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2014-0759; Directorate Identifier 2014-CE-028-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Alpha Aviation Concept Limited 
Airplanes

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

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
certain Alpha Aviation Concept Limited Model R2160 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 paint adherence defects inside 
the engine air intake box and cohesion defects inside the laminated 
ducting from the filter to the air intake box. We are issuing this 
proposed AD to require actions to address the unsafe condition on these 
products.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by November 17, 
2014.

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 proposed AD, contact 
Alpha Aviation, 59 Hautapu Road, RD 1, Cambridge 3493, New Zealand; 
telephone: +64 7 827 0528; fax: +64 7 929 2878; Internet: 
www.alphaaviation.co.nz. You may review this referenced service 
information at the FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 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 http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2014-
0759; 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 
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: Karl Schletzbaum, Aerospace Engineer, 
FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, 
Missouri 64106; phone: (816) 329-4123; fax: (816) 329-4090; email: 
karl.schletzbaum@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited

    We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments about

[[Page 59466]]

this proposed AD. Send your comments to an address listed under the 
ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2014-0759; Directorate 
Identifier 2014-CE-028-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 because of those comments.
    We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://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 Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which is the aviation authority 
for New Zealand, has issued AD DCA/R2000/25A, dated August 28, 2014 
(referred to after this as ``the MCAI''), to correct an unsafe 
condition for Alpha Aviation Concept Limited Model R2160 airplanes and 
was based on mandatory continuing airworthiness information originated 
by an aviation authority of another country. The MCAI states:

    To prevent loss of engine power due to a possible paint 
adherence defect inside the engine air intake box, accomplish the 
following:
    Inspect the engine air intake box (including the deflection 
flap) and the engine air intake ducting (include the area downstream 
of the filter) per Alpha Aviation Service Bulletin No. AA-SB-71-007 
dated August 2014 or later approved revisions.
    If any defects are found, replace affected parts per SB No. AA-
SB-71-007 before further flight.

You may examine the MCAI on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov 
by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2014-0759.

Relevant Service Information

    Alpha Aviation Concept Limited has issued Alpha Aviation Service 
Bulletin AA-SB-71-007, Revision 0, dated August 2014. The actions 
described in this service information are intended to correct the 
unsafe condition identified in the MCAI.

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, they 
have notified us of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI and 
service information referenced above. We are proposing this AD because 
we evaluated all information and determined the 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 will affect 10 products of U.S. 
registry. We also estimate that it would take about 1 work-hour per 
product to comply with the basic requirements of this proposed AD. The 
average labor rate is $85 per work-hour.
    Based on these figures, we estimate the cost of the proposed AD on 
U.S. operators to be $850, or $85 per product.
    In addition, we estimate that any necessary follow-on actions would 
take about 6 work-hours and require parts costing $1,000, for a cost of 
$1,510 per product. We have no way of determining the number of 
products that may need these actions.

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 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. Amend Sec.  39.13 by adding the following new AD:

Alpha Aviation Concept Limited: Docket No. FAA-2014-0759; 
Directorate Identifier 2014-CE-028-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

    We must receive comments by November 17, 2014.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Alpha Aviation Concept Limited Model R2160 
airplanes, serial numbers 001 to 378, certificated in any category.

(d) Subject

    Air Transport Association of America (ATA) Code 73: Engine Fuel 
& Control.

(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 paint adherence 
defects inside the engine air intake box and cohesion defects inside 
the laminated ducting from the filter to the air intake box. We are 
issuing this proposed AD to prevent paint defects from entering the 
engine which could cause loss of power.

 (f) Actions and Compliance

    Unless already done, do the actions in paragraphs (f)(1) through 
(f)(4) of this AD: (1) Within the next 100 hours time-in-service 
(TIS) after the effective date of this AD and repetitively 
thereafter every 100 hours TIS, inspect any painted engine air 
intake box (including the deflection flap) and the air

[[Page 59467]]

intake ducting (including the area downstream of the filter) for 
paint adherence defects such as peeling, blistering, or bubbling 
following Alpha Aviation Service Bulletin (SB) No. AA-SB-71-007, 
Revision 0, dated August 2014.
    (2) If any defects are found during the inspection required in 
paragraph (f)(1) of this AD, before further flight, replace the 
affected parts with airworthy parts following Alpha Aviation Service 
Bulletin No. AA-SB-71-007, Revision 0, dated August 2014.
    (3) As of the effective date of this AD, only install new 
unpainted steel assembly air intake boxes.
    (4) The replacement of defective parts is not a terminating 
action to the repetitive inspection of painted engine intake 
components required in paragraph (f)(1) of this AD.

(g) Other FAA AD Provisions

    The following provisions also apply to this AD:
    (1) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs): The Manager, 
Standards Office, 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: Karl Schletzbaum, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, 
Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, 
Missouri 64106; phone: (816) 329-4123; fax: (816) 329-4090; email: 
karl.schletzbaum@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.
    (2) Airworthy Product: For any requirement in this AD to obtain 
corrective actions from a manufacturer or other source, use these 
actions if they are FAA-approved. Corrective actions are considered 
FAA-approved if they are approved by the State of Design Authority 
(or their delegated agent). You are required to assure the product 
is airworthy before it is returned to service.

(h) Related Information

    Refer to MCAI Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) AD DCA/R2000/25A, 
dated August 28, 2014, for related information. You may examine the 
MCAI on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for 
and locating Docket No. FAA-2014-0759. For service information 
related to this AD, contact Alpha Aviation, 59 Hautapu Road, RD 1, 
Cambridge 3493, New Zealand; telephone: +64 7 827 0528; fax: +64 7 
929 2878; Internet: www.alphaaviation.co.nz. You may review this 
referenced service information at the FAA, Small Airplane 
Directorate, 901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. For 
information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 
(816) 329-4148.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on September 26, 2014.
Kelly A. Broadway,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-23554 Filed 10-1-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P