Airworthiness directives: AlliedSignal Inc.,
[Federal Register: December 22, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 245)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 70698-70700]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22de98-23]
Proposed Rules Federal Register
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
[[Page 70698]]
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. 95-CE-91-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; AlliedSignal Inc. VN 411B Very High Frequency (VHF) Navigation Receivers
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM); Reopening of the comment period.
SUMMARY: This document proposes to revise an earlier proposed airworthiness directive (AD) that would have required replacing certain AlliedSignal Inc. VN 411B VHF navigation receivers installed on aircraft if the receivers do not have Modification 20 incorporated. The proposed AD was the result of a report of navigation receiver interference during landing operations. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent VHF navigation receiver interference from frequency modulation (FM) radio station broadcasts, which could cause distortion of the navigation audio and deflection of the desired flight path of the airplane during landing operations with possible loss of control of the airplane. Since issuing the NPRM, the applicable service information has been revised to incorporate additional procedures for modifying the affected navigation receivers (Modification 21). The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has determined that these procedures are necessary to correct the unsafe condition; that the revised service information should be incorporated into the proposed AD; and that the comment period for the proposal should be reopened and the public should have additional time to comment.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before February 15, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the FAA, Central Region, Office of the Regional Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket No. 95-CE-91- AD, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. Comments may be inspected at this location between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, holidays excepted.
Service information that applies to the proposed AD may be obtained from AlliedSignal, Inc. 23500 W. 105th Street, Olathe, Kansas 66051- 1950. This information also may be examined at the Rules Docket at the address above.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Roger Souter, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, Wichita Aircraft Certification Office, 1801 Airport Road, Room 100, Wichita, Kansas 67209; telephone: (316) 946-4134, facsimile: (316) 946-4407.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
Interested persons are invited to participate in the making of the proposed rule by submitting such written data, views, or arguments as they may desire. Communications should identify the Rules Docket number and be submitted in triplicate to the address specified above. All communications received on or before the closing date for comments, specified above, will be considered before taking action on the proposed rule. The proposals contained in this supplemental notice may be changed in light of the comments received.
Comments are specifically invited on the overall regulatory, economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the proposed rule. All comments submitted will be available, both before and after the closing date for comments, in the Rules Docket for examination by interested persons. A report that summarizes each FAA-public contact concerned with the substance of this proposal will be filedin the Rules Docket.
Commenters wishing the FAA to acknowledge receipt of their comments submitted in response to this supplemental notice must submit a self- addressed, stamped postcard on which the following statement is made: ``Comments to Docket No. 95-CE-91-AD.'' The postcard will be date stamped and returned to the commenter.
Availability of Supplemental NPRM's
Any person may obtain a copy of this supplemental NPRM by submitting a request to the FAA, Central Region, Office of the Regional Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket No. 95-CE-91-AD, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106.
Discussion
A proposal to amend part 39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) to include an AD that would apply to certain AlliedSignal Inc. VN 411B very high frequency (VHF) navigation receivers installed in aircraft was published in the Federal Register as a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on June 11, 1996 (61 FR 29499). The NPRM proposed to require replacing any VHF navigation receiver that does not have Modification 20 incorporated with one where an AlliedSignal Bendix/King-owned service center has incorporated Modification 20. Accomplishment of the proposed action as specified in the NPRM would be required in accordance with Bendix/King Service Bulletin VN 411B-20, dated January 1996.
The NPRM was the result of a report of navigation receiver interference during landing operations. Modification 20 incorporates the standards, intermodulation, and desensitization that were deemed necessary to meet International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) compliance.
Interested persons have been afforded an opportunity to participate in the making of this amendment. No comments were received on the proposed rule or the FAA's determination of the cost to the public.
Events Since Issuance of the NPRM
Since issuance of the NPRM, Allied Signal has informed the FAA that features of Modification 20 fail to consider spurious responses that may occur at strong FM broadcast signal levels. Based on this, Allied Signal has issued Service Bulletin No. SB VN 411B-21, dated November 1996. This service bulletin includes procedures for incorporating modifications that account for all the necessary features of Modification 20 and the features necessary to prevent spurious responses that may occur at strong FM broadcast signal levels. This is known as Modification 21.
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The FAA's Determination
After examining all information related to the subject described in this document, the FAA has determined that:
--Modification 21 should be required on aircraft equipped with the affected VHF navigation receivers required to conform to ICAO standards, and that Allied Signal Service Bulletin No. SB VN 411B-21, dated November 1996, should be incorporated into the AD; and
--AD action should be taken to incorporate these changes to continue to prevent VHF navigation receiver interference from FM radio station broadcasts, which could cause distortion of the navigation audio and deflection of the desired flight path of the airplane during landing operations with possible loss of control of the airplane.
The Supplemental NPRM
Since adding the requirement of incorporating Modification 21 on the affected VHF navigation receivers proposes actions that go beyond the scope of what was already proposed, the FAA is reopening the comment period to allow the public additional time to comment on this proposed action.
Cost Impact
The FAA estimates that 19 VHF navigation receivers in the U.S. registry would be affected by the proposed AD, that it would take approximately 2 workhours per receiver to accomplish the proposed action, and that the average labor rate is approximately $60 an hour. The manufacturer is not charging the owner/operator for exchanging the navigation receiver unit and is offering 2 workhours of labor warranty credit to accomplish the proposed action. Based on these figures, the proposed AD imposes no cost impact on U.S. operators. The FAA has no way of determining if any of the affected airplanes have navigation receivers with Modification 21 incorporated.
Compliance Time of The Proposed AD
The condition specified by the proposed AD is not caused by actual hours time-in-service (TIS) of the aircraft where the affected VHF navigation receivers are installed. The need for replacing the VHF navigation receiver with one that incorporates hardware modifications has no correlation to the number of times the equipment is utilized or the age of the equipment. For this reason, the compliance time of the proposed AD is presented in calendar time instead of hours TIS.
Regulatory Impact
The regulations proposed herein would not have substantial direct effects 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. Therefore, in accordance with Executive Order 12612, it is determined that this proposal would not have sufficient federalism implications to warrant the preparation of a Federalism Assessment.
For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this action (1) is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive Order 12866; (2) is not a ``significant rule'' under DOT Regulatory Policies and Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979); and (3) if promulgated, 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. A copy of the draft regulatory evaluation prepared for this action has been placed in the Rules Docket. A copy of it may be obtained by contacting the Rules Docket at the location provided under the caption ADDRESSES.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Safety.
The Proposed Amendment
Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration proposes to amend part 39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) as follows:
PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
-
The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.
Sec. 39.13 [Amended]
-
Section 39.13 is amended by adding a new airworthiness directive (AD) to read as follows:
AlliedSignal Inc.: Docket No. 95-CE-91-AD.
Applicability: The following very high frequency (VHF) navigation receivers that are installed on, but not limited to, Learjet Model 31A, Fokker Model F27-50, and British Aerospace Model ATP airplanes:
--VN 411B, BPN 3614004-4101, all serial numbers, that are currently at Modification Status 18, 19, or 20;
--VN 411B, BPN/KPN 3614004-4101/066-1101-00, all serial numbers, that are currently at Modification Status 18, 19, or 20;
--VN 411B, P/N 066-1101-00, serial numbers up to and including 4229, that are currently at Modification Status 18, 19, or 20; and
--VN 411B, P/N 066-1101-/31/40/50, serial numbers up to and including 10799, that are currently at Modification Status 19 or 20.
Note 1: This AD applies to each airplane identified in the preceding applicability provision that is equipped with one of the affected VHF navigation receivers, regardless of whether the airplane has been modified, altered, or repaired in the area subject to the requirements of this AD. For airplanes that have been modified, altered, or repaired so that the performance of the requirements of this AD is affected, the owner/operator must request approval for an alternative method of compliance in accordance with paragraph (d) of this AD. The request should include an assessment of the effect of the modification, alteration, or repair on the unsafe condition addressed by this AD; and, if the unsafe condition has not been eliminated, the request should include specific proposed actions to address it.
Compliance: Required as indicated in the body of this AD, unless already accomplished.
To prevent VHF navigation receiver interference from frequency modulation (FM) radio station broadcast frequencies, which could cause distortion of the navigation audio and deflection of the desired flight path of the airplane during landing operations with possible loss of control of the airplane, accomplish the following:
(a) Within the next 90 calendar days after the effective date of this AD or upon replacement or repair of any affected AlliedSignal VHF navigation receiver, whichever occurs first, remove the navigation receiver and install one where an AlliedSignal Bendix/ King service center has incorporated Modification 21, in accordance with AlliedSignal Bendix/King Service Bulletin VN 411B-21, dated November 1996.
(b) As of the effective date of this AD, no person may install, on any airplane, one of the affected VHF navigation receivers that does not have Modification 21 incorporated in accordance with AlliedSignal Bendix/King Service Bulletin VN 411B-21, dated November 1996.
(c) Special flight permits may be issued in accordance with sections 21.197 and 21.199 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 21.197 and 21.199) to operate the airplane to a location where the requirements of this AD can be accomplished.
(d) An alternative method of compliance or adjustment of the compliance time that provides an equivalent level of safety may be approved by the Manager, Wichita Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), 1801 Airport Road, Room 100, Wichita, Kansas 67209. The request shall be forwarded through an appropriate FAA Maintenance Inspector, who may add comments and then send it to the Manager, Wichita ACO.
Note 2: Information concerning the existence of approved alternative methods of compliance with this AD, if any, may be obtained from the Wichita ACO.
(e) All persons affected by this directive may obtain copies of the documents referred to herein upon request to AlliedSignal, Inc.,
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23500 W. 105th Street, Olathe, Kansas 66051-1950; or may examine this document at the FAA, Central Region, Office of the Regional Counsel, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106.
Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on December 15, 1998. Michael Gallagher, Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 98-33790Filed12-21-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
