Document ID: FAA-2021-0216-0001
Agency: faa
Document Type: Proposed Rule
Title: Airworthiness Directives: Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Airplanes
Posted Date: 2021-09-17T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 178 (Friday, September 17, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 51842-51844]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-20033]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2021-0216; Project Identifier 2018-CE-061-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation 
Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) 
for all Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation (Gulfstream) Models GV and GV-
SP airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by the omission of a life 
limit in the airworthiness limitations section (ALS) of the maintenance 
manual for a certain main landing gear (MLG) trunnion pin. This 
proposed AD would require revising the ALS of your existing 
instructions for continued airworthiness (ICA) or inspection program 
for the airplane to establish a life limit of 20,000 flight cycles for 
the affected MLG trunnion pin. 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 1, 
2021.

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 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: 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 Gulfstream 
Aerospace Corporation, Technical Publications Dept., 500 Gulfstream 
Road, Savannah, GA 31402-2206; phone: (800) 810-4853; fax: (912) 965-
3520; email: pubs@gulfstream.com; website: https://www.gulfstream.com/en/customer-support/. You may view this service information at the FAA, 
Airworthiness Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 901 Locust, 
Kansas City, MO 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 at https://www.regulations.gov by 
searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2021-0216; 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 NPRM, any comments 
received, and other information. The street address for Docket 
Operations is listed above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Miral Patel, Aviation Safety Engineer, 
Atlanta ACO Branch, FAA, 1701 Columbia Avenue, College Park, GA 30337; 
phone: (404) 474-5590; fax: (404) 474-5606; email: miral.patel@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    The FAA invites you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments about this proposal. Send your comments to an address listed 
under ADDRESSES. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2021-0216; Project Identifier 
2018-CE-061-AD'' at the beginning of your comments. The most helpful 
comments reference a specific portion of the proposal, explain the 
reason for any recommended change, and include supporting data. The FAA 
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend 
this proposal 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 received, without change, to 
https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you 
provide. The agency will also post a report summarizing each 
substantive verbal contact received about this NPRM.

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

[[Page 51843]]

placed in the public docket of this NPRM. Submissions containing CBI 
should be sent to Miral Patel, Aviation Safety Engineer, Atlanta ACO 
Branch, FAA, 1701 Columbia Avenue, College Park, GA 30337. Any 
commentary that the FAA receives which is not specifically designated 
as CBI will be placed in the public docket for this rulemaking.

Background

    Gulfstream notified the FAA that a life limit for replacing MLG 
trunnion pin part number (P/N) 1159SCL566-15 had been omitted from the 
ALS of the maintenance manual for Models GV and GV-SP airplanes. 
Gulfstream revised the ALS for the applicable airplanes to establish a 
life limit of 20,000 flight cycles for the affected MLG trunnion pin. A 
trunnion pin remaining in service beyond its fatigue life could lead to 
fracture and failure of the trunnion pin. This condition, if 
unaddressed, could result in MLG failure and could lead to a runway 
excursion.

FAA's Determination

    The FAA is issuing this NPRM after determining that the unsafe 
condition described previously is likely to exist or develop on other 
products of the same type design.

Related Service Information

    The FAA reviewed Gulfstream GV Aircraft Maintenance Manual, 
Revision 53, dated March 15, 2021; Gulfstream G550 Aircraft Maintenance 
Manual, Revision 34, dated March 15, 2021; and Gulfstream G500-5000 
Aircraft Maintenance Manual, Revision 34, dated March 15, 2021. For the 
applicable marketing designation specified on each document, the 
revised service information adds a life limit for MLG trunnion pin P/N 
1159SCL566-15.

Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM

    This proposed AD would require revising the ALS of the existing ICA 
or inspection program for the airplane to establish a life limit of 
20,000 flight cycles for MLG trunnion pin P/N 1159SCL566-15.

Costs of Compliance

    The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would 
affect 516 airplanes of U.S. registry.
    The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this proposed 
AD:

                                                 Estimated Costs
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                                                                                     Cost per      Cost on U.S.
             Action                   Labor cost              Parts cost              product        operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Revise the ALS..................  1 work-hour x $85   Not applicable............             $85         $43,860
                                   per hour = $85.
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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.
    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) Would not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
    (3) Would 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:

Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation: Docket No. FAA-2021-0216; Project 
Identifier 2018-CE-061-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

    The FAA must receive comments on this airworthiness directive 
(AD) by November 1, 2021.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Models GV 
and GV-SP airplanes, all serial numbers, certificated in any 
category.

(d) Subject

    Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) Code 3200, Landing Gear 
System.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by the omission of a life limit in the 
airworthiness limitations section (ALS) for a certain main landing 
gear (MLG) trunnion pin. The FAA is issuing this AD to prevent a MLG 
trunnion pin from remaining in service beyond its fatigue life. This 
unsafe condition, if not addressed, could result in MLG failure and 
could lead to a runway excursion.

(f) Compliance

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

(g) Revise the ALS

    Within 12 months after the effective date of this AD, revise the 
existing ALS of the instructions for continued airworthiness or 
aircraft inspection program for your airplane by establishing a life 
limit of 20,000 flight cycles for each MLG trunnion pin part number 
1159SCL566-15.

    Note 1 to paragraph (g) of this AD: Table 5 in Section 05-10-10 
of the following aircraft maintenance manuals contains the life 
limit in paragraph (g) of this AD: Gulfstream GV Aircraft 
Maintenance Manual,

[[Page 51844]]

Revision 53, dated March 15, 2021; Gulfstream G550 Aircraft 
Maintenance Manual, Revision 34, dated March 15, 2021; or Gulfstream 
G500-5000 Aircraft Maintenance Manual, Revision 34, dated March 15, 
2021.

(h) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (1) The Manager, Atlanta ACO 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 
manager of the certification office, send it to the attention of the 
person identified in paragraph (i)(1) of this AD.
    (2) 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.

(i) Related Information

    (1) For more information about this AD, contact Miral Patel, 
Aviation Safety Engineer, Atlanta ACO Branch, FAA, 1701 Columbia 
Avenue, College Park, GA 30337; phone: (404) 474-5590; fax: (404) 
474-5606; email: miral.patel@faa.gov.
    (2) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, Technical Publications Dept., 500 
Gulfstream Road, Savannah, GA 31402-2206; phone: (800) 810-4853; 
fax: (912) 965-3520; email: pubs@gulfstream.com; website: https://www.gulfstream.com/en/customer-support/. You may view this 
referenced service information at the FAA, Airworthiness Products 
Section, Operational Safety Branch, 901 Locust, Kansas City, MO 
64106. For information on the availability of this material at the 
FAA, call (816) 329-4148.

    Issued on September 13, 2021.
Lance T. Gant,
Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-20033 Filed 9-16-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P