Airworthiness Directives; ATR-GIE Avions de Transport Régional Airplanes
| Published date | 31 July 2020 |
| Citation | 85 FR 46010 |
| Record Number | 2020-16282 |
| Section | Proposed rules |
| Court | Federal Aviation Administration |
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.
Proposed Rules Federal Register
46010
Vol. 85, No. 148
Friday, July 31, 2020
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA–2020–0676; Product
Identifier 2020–NM–085–AD]
RIN 2120–AA64
Airworthiness Directives; ATR—GIE
Avions de Transport Re
´gional
Airplanes
AGENCY
: Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION
: Notice of proposed rulemaking
(NPRM).
SUMMARY
: The FAA proposes to adopt a
new airworthiness directive (AD) for all
ATR—GIE Avions de Transport
Re
´gional Model ATR72 airplanes. This
proposed AD was prompted by reports
of main landing gear (MLG) hinge pins
found cracked or thermally abused. This
proposed AD would require replacing
certain MLG hinge pins with serviceable
parts, or replacing an MLG equipped
with any affected MLG hinge pin with
an MLG equipped with serviceable MLG
hinge pins, as specified in a European
Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)
AD, which will be incorporated by
reference. 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 September 14,
2020.
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 material incorporated by reference
(IBR) in this AD, contact the EASA,
Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668
Cologne, Germany; telephone +49 221
8999 000; email ADs@easa.europa.eu;
internet www.easa.europa.eu. You may
find this IBR material on the EASA
website at https://ad.easa.europa.eu.
You may view this IBR material at the
FAA, Airworthiness Products Section,
Operational Safety Branch, 2200 South
216th St., Des Moines, WA. For
information on the availability of this
material at the FAA, call 206–231–3195.
It is also available in the AD docket on
the internet at https://
www.regulations.gov by searching for
and locating Docket No. FAA–2020–
0676.
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–
0676; 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.
Comments will be available in the AD
docket shortly after receipt.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
:
Shahram Daneshmandi, Aerospace
Engineer, Large Aircraft Section,
International Validation Branch, FAA,
2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA
98198; telephone and fax 206–231–
3220; email Shahram.Daneshmandi@
faa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
:
Comments Invited
The FAA invites you to participate in
this rulemaking by submitting written
comments, data, or views about this
proposal. The most helpful comments
reference a specific portion of the
proposal, explain the reason for any
recommended change, and include
supporting data. To ensure the docket
does not contain duplicate comments,
commenters should send only one copy
of written comments, or if comments are
filed electronically, commenters should
submit only one time. Send your
comments to an address listed under the
ADDRESSES
section. Include ‘‘Docket No.
FAA–2020–0676; Product Identifier
2020–NM–085–AD’’ at the beginning of
your 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, as well as a
report summarizing each substantive
public contact with FAA personnel
concerning this proposed rulemaking.
Before acting on this proposal, the FAA
will consider all comments received by
the closing date for comments. The FAA
will consider comments filed after the
comment period has closed if it is
possible to do so without incurring
expense or delay. The FAA may change
this NPRM because of those comments.
Confidential Business Information
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 the person identified
in the
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT
section. 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 EASA, which is the Technical
Agent for the Member States of the
European Union, has issued EASA AD
2020–0101, dated May 5, 2020 (‘‘EASA
AD 2020–0101’’) (also referred to as the
Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness
Information, or ‘‘the MCAI’’), to correct
an unsafe condition for all ATR—GIE
Avions de Transport Re
´gional Model
ATR72 airplanes.
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 148 / Friday, July 31, 2020 / Proposed Rules
This proposed AD was prompted by
reports of MLG hinge pins found
cracked or thermally abused. The FAA
is proposing this AD to address MLG
hinge pins subjected to a non-detected
thermal abuse during production, which
could lead to structural failure and
consequent collapse of the MLG,
resulting in damage to the airplane and
injury to the occupants. See the MCAI
for additional background information.
Related IBR Material Under 1 CFR Part
51
EASA AD 2020–0101 describes
procedures for replacing certain MLG
hinge pins with serviceable parts or
replacing an MLG equipped with any
affected MLG hinge pin with an MLG
equipped with serviceable MLG hinge
pins. This material 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 the
FAA’s bilateral agreement with the State
of Design Authority, the FAA has been
notified of the unsafe condition
described in the MCAI referenced
above. The FAA is proposing this AD
because the FAA evaluated all the
relevant information and determined
the unsafe condition described
previously is likely to exist or develop
in other products of the same type
design.
Proposed AD Requirements
This proposed AD would require
accomplishing the actions specified in
EASA AD 2020–0101 described
previously, as incorporated by
reference, except for any differences
identified as exceptions in the
regulatory text of this AD.
Explanation of Required Compliance
Information
In the FAA’s ongoing efforts to
improve the efficiency of the AD
process, the FAA initially worked with
Airbus and EASA to develop a process
to use certain EASA ADs as the primary
source of information for compliance
with requirements for corresponding
FAA ADs. The FAA has since
coordinated with other manufacturers
and civil aviation authorities (CAAs) to
use this process. As a result, EASA AD
2020–0101 will be incorporated by
reference in the FAA final rule. This
proposed AD would, therefore, require
compliance with EASA AD 2020–0101
in its entirety, through that
incorporation, except for any differences
identified as exceptions in the
regulatory text of this proposed AD.
Using common terms that are the same
as the heading of a particular section in
the EASA AD does not mean that
operators need comply only with that
section. For example, where the AD
requirement refers to ‘‘all required
actions and compliance times,’’
compliance with this AD requirement is
not limited to the section titled
‘‘Required Action(s) and Compliance
Time(s)’’ in the EASA AD. Service
information specified in EASA AD
2020–0101 that is required for
compliance with EASA AD 2020–0101
will be available on the internet at
https://www.regulations.gov by
searching for and locating Docket No.
FAA–2020–0676 after the FAA final
rule is published.
Costs of Compliance
The FAA estimates that this proposed
AD affects 23 airplanes of U.S. registry.
The FAA estimates the following costs
to comply with this proposed AD:
E
STIMATED
C
OSTS FOR
R
EQUIRED
A
CTIONS
Labor cost Parts cost Cost per
product Cost on U.S.
operators
4 work-hours × $85 per hour = $340 .......................................................................................... $* $340 $7,820
* The FAA has received no definitive data that would enable providing parts cost estimates for the replacements specified in this proposed AD.
According to the manufacturer, some
or all 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 has
included all known costs in the 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
(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
■1. The authority citation for part 39
continues to read as follows:
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 148 / Friday, July 31, 2020 / Proposed Rules
§ 39.13 [Amended]
■2. The FAA amends § 39.13 by adding
the following new airworthiness
directive (AD):
ATR—GIE Avions de Transport Re
´gional:
Docket No. FAA–2020–0676; Product
Identifier 2020–NM–085–AD.
(a) Comments Due Date
The FAA must receive comments by
September 14, 2020.
(b) Affected ADs
None.
(c) Applicability
This AD applies to ATR—GIE Avions de
Transport Re
´gional Model ATR72–101, –102,
–201, –202, –211, –212, and –212A airplanes,
certificated in any category, all manufacturer
serial numbers.
(d) Subject
Air Transport Association (ATA) of
America Code 32, Landing gear.
(e) Reason
This AD was prompted by reports of main
landing gear (MLG) hinge pins found cracked
or thermally abused. The FAA is issuing this
AD to address MLG hinge pins subjected to
a non-detected thermal abuse during
production, which could lead to structural
failure and consequent collapse of the MLG,
resulting in damage to the airplane and
injury to the occupants.
(f) Compliance
Comply with this AD within the
compliance times specified, unless already
done.
(g) Requirements
Except as specified in paragraph (h) of this
AD: Comply with all required actions and
compliance times specified in, and in
accordance with, European Union Aviation
Safety Agency (EASA) AD 2020–0101, dated
May 5, 2020 (‘‘EASA AD 2020–0101’’).
(h) Exceptions to EASA AD 2020–0101
(1) Where EASA AD 2020–0101 refers to its
effective date, this AD requires using the
effective date of this AD.
(2) The ‘‘Remarks’’ section of EASA AD
2020–0101 does not apply to this AD.
(i) No Reporting or Returning Parts
Requirement
Although the service information
referenced in EASA AD 2020–0101 specifies
to submit certain information and to return
affected parts to the manufacturer, this AD
does not include those requirements.
(j) Other FAA AD Provisions
The following provisions also apply to this
AD:
(1) Alternative Methods of Compliance
(AMOCs): The Manager, Large Aircraft
Section, International Validation 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 Large Aircraft
Section, International Validation Branch,
send it to the attention of the person
identified in paragraph (k)(2) of this AD.
Information may be emailed to: 9-AVS-AIR-
730-AMOC@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 instructions
from a manufacturer, the instructions must
be accomplished using a method approved
by the Manager, Large Aircraft Section,
International Validation Branch, FAA; or
EASA; or ATR—GIE Avions de Transport
Re
´gional’s EASA Design Organization
Approval (DOA). If approved by the DOA,
the approval must include the DOA-
authorized signature.
(k) Related Information
(1) For information about EASA AD 2020–
0101, contact the EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-
Ufer 3, 50668 Cologne, Germany; telephone
+49 221 8999 000; email ADs@
easa.europa.eu; internet
www.easa.europa.eu. You may find this
EASA AD on the EASA website at https://
ad.easa.europa.eu. You may view this
material at the FAA, Airworthiness Products
Section, Operational Safety Branch, 2200
South 216th St., Des Moines, WA. For
information on the availability of this
material at the FAA, call 206–231–3195. This
material may be found in the AD docket on
the internet at https://www.regulations.gov
by searching for and locating Docket No.
FAA–2020–0676.
(2) For more information about this AD,
contact Shahram Daneshmandi, Aerospace
Engineer, Large Aircraft Section,
International Validation Branch, FAA, 2200
South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198;
telephone and fax 206–231–3220; email
Shahram.Daneshmandi@faa.gov.
Issued on July 22, 2020.
Lance T. Gant,
Director, Compliance & Airworthiness
Division, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2020–16282 Filed 7–30–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–13–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA–2020–0674; Product
Identifier 2020–NM–070–AD]
RIN 2120–AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Airbus SAS
Airplanes
AGENCY
: Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION
: Notice of proposed rulemaking
(NPRM).
SUMMARY
: The FAA proposes to adopt a
new airworthiness directive (AD) for
certain Airbus SAS Model A330–200
and A330–300 series airplanes, and all
Model A340–200 and A340–300 series
airplanes. This proposed AD was
prompted by reports of hydraulic
system failure due to fatigue failure of
the screws attaching the manual valve to
the ground service manifold (GSM).
This proposed AD would require, for
certain GSMs, repetitive replacement of
the hydraulic system GSM manual valve
attachment screws having certain part
numbers; and, for certain other GSMs
with certain screws installed,
replacement of those screws, as
specified in a European Union Aviation
Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which will
be incorporated by reference. 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 September 14,
2020.
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 material incorporated by reference
(IBR) in this AD, contact the EASA,
Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668
Cologne, Germany; telephone +49 221
8999 000; email ADs@easa.europa.eu;
internet www.easa.europa.eu. You may
find this IBR material on the EASA
website at https://ad.easa.europa.eu.
You may view this IBR material at the
FAA, Airworthiness Products Section,
Operational Safety Branch, 2200 South
216th St., Des Moines, WA. For
information on the availability of this
material at the FAA, call 206–231–3195.
It is also available in the AD docket on
the internet at https://
www.regulations.gov by searching for
and locating Docket No. FAA–2020–
0674.
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–
0674; or in person at Docket Operations
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