[Federal Register: January 25, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 16)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 3355-3357]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25ja07-5]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2006-26597; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-86-AD;
Amendment 39-14900; AD 2007-02-13]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; DORNIER LUFTFAHRT GmbH Model 228-212
Airplanes
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for
DORNIER LUFTFAHRT GmbH Model 228-212 airplanes. This AD requires you to
inspect the landing gear carbon brake assembly. This AD results from
mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the
European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the airworthiness
authority for the European Union. We are issuing this AD to inspect the
landing gear carbon brake assembly to detect and replace loose bolts or
self-locking nuts, which could result in the brake assembly detaching
and malfunctioning, degrade brake performance and potentially cause
loss of control of the aircraft during landing and roll-out.
DATES: This AD becomes effective on March 1, 2007.
As of March 1, 2007, the Director of the Federal Register approved
the incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in the
regulation.
We must receive any comments on this AD by February 26, 2007.
ADDRESSES: Use one of the following addresses to comment on this AD.
DOT Docket Web site: Go to http://dms.dot.gov and follow
the instructions for sending your comments electronically.
Fax: (202) 493-2251.
Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, Room PL-401,
Washington, DC 20590-0001.
[[Page 3356]]
Hand Delivery: Room PL-401 on the plaza level of the
Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, between 9
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
To get the service information identified in this AD, contact RVAG
Aerospace Services GmbH, Dornier 228 Customer Support, PO Box 1253, D-
82231Wessling, Federal Republic of Germany; telephone: 49 8153 302280.
To view the comments to this AD, go to http://dms.dot.gov. The
docket number is FAA-2006-26597; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-86-AD.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karl Schletzbaum, Aerospace Engineer,
FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City,
Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 329-4146; fax: (816) 329-4090.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Discussion
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the
airworthiness authority for the European Union, recently notified the
FAA that an unsafe condition may exist on certain DORNIER LUFTFAHRT
GmbH Dornier Model 228-212 airplanes. The EASA reports that during a
maintenance inspection, loose bolts and nuts were detected on the
landing gear carbon brake assembly.
This condition, if not corrected, could result in the brake
assembly detaching and malfunctioning, degrading brake performance, and
potentially causing loss of control of the aircraft during landing or
roll-out.
Relevant Service Information
We reviewed DORNIER LUFTFAHRT GmbH Dornier 228 Alert Service
Bulletin (ASB) No. ASB-228-265, dated November 17, 2006. The service
information describes procedures for a visual inspection of the landing
gear to detect loose bolts and self-locking nuts at the carbon brake
assembly.
The EASA classified this service bulletin as mandatory and issued
EASA AD Number EAD 2006-0352-E, dated November 24, 2006, to ensure the
continued airworthiness of these airplanes in Germany.
FAA's Determination and Requirements of This AD
These DORNIER LUFTFAHRT GmbH Model 228-212 airplanes are
manufactured in Germany and are type-certificated for operation in the
United States under the provisions of section 21.29 of the Federal
Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 21.29) and the applicable bilateral
airworthiness agreement.
Under this bilateral airworthiness agreement, the EASA has kept us
informed of the situation described above. We are issuing this AD
because we evaluated all the information and determined the unsafe
condition described previously is likely to exist or develop on other
products of the same type design. This AD requires an inspection of the
landing gear carbon brake assembly to detect and replace loose bolts or
self-locking nuts.
Cost Impact
None of the DORNIER LUFTFAHRT GmbH Model 228-212 airplanes affected
by this action are currently on the U.S. Registry. All airplanes
included in the applicability of this rule currently are operated by
non-U.S. operators under foreign registry; therefore, they are not
directly affected by this AD action at this time. However, the FAA
considers this rule necessary to ensure that the unsafe condition is
addressed in the event that any of these subject airplanes are imported
and placed on the U.S. Registry.
Should an affected airplane be imported and placed on the U.S.
Registry, accomplishment of the required action would take
approximately 10 workhours at an average labor rate of $80 per
workhour. Based on these figures, the total cost impact of this AD
would be $800 per airplane.
Comments Invited
Because there are no affected airplanes on the U.S. Registry, it
has no adverse economic impact and imposes no additional burden on any
person. Therefore, prior notice and public procedures hereon are
unnecessary. We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or
arguments regarding this AD. Send your comments to an address listed
under the ADDRESSES section. Include the docket number ``FAA-2006-
26597; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-86-AD'' at the beginning of your
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory,
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the AD. We will consider
all comments received by the closing date and may amend the AD in light
of those comments.
We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://dms.dot.gov
, including any personal information you provide. We will
also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact we
receive concerning this AD.
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 AD will not have federalism implications
under Executive Order 13132. This AD will 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 that this AD:
(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) 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.
We prepared a regulatory evaluation of the estimated costs to
comply with this AD and placed it in the AD docket.
Examining the AD Docket
You may examine the AD docket that contains the AD, the regulatory
evaluation, any comments received, and other information on the
Internet at http://dms.dot.gov; or in person at the Docket Management
Facility between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except
Federal holidays. The Docket Office (telephone (800) 647-5227) is
located at the street address stated in the ADDRESSES section. Comments
will be available in the AD docket shortly after receipt.
[[Page 3357]]
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by
reference, Safety.
Adoption of the Amendment
0
Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator,
the FAA amends 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):
2007-02-13 DORNIER LUFTFAHRT: Amendment 39-14900; Docket No. FAA-
2006-26597; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-86-AD.
Effective Date
(a) This AD becomes effective on March 1, 2007.
Affected ADs
(b) None.
Applicability
(c) This AD applies to DORNIER LUFTFAHRT GmbH Model 228-212
airplanes, all serial numbers, if Carbon Brake Assemblies with Part
Number (P/N) 5009850-1, 5009850-2, 5009850-3 or 5009850-4 are
installed, that are certificated in any category.
Unsafe Condition
(d) This AD is the result of loose bolts and nuts being detected
on the landing gear carbon brake assembly during a maintenance
inspection. We are issuing this AD to require an inspection to
detect loose bolts and self-locking nuts on the landing gear carbon
brake assembly, which, if not corrected, could result in the brake
assembly detaching and malfunctioning, degrading brake performance,
and potentially causing loss of control of the aircraft during
landing or roll-out.
Compliance
(e) To address this problem, you must do the following, unless
already done, before the next flight after the effective date of
this AD: Inspect the landing gear carbon brake assembly in
accordance with the instructions contained in DORNIER LUFTFAHRT GmbH
Dornier 228 Alert Service Bulletin ASB-228-265 dated November 17,
2006, and, if necessary, replace the affected brake assembly.
Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)
(f) The Manager, Standards Staff, FAA, ATTN: Karl Schletzbaum,
Aerospace Engineer, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Room
301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 329-4146; fax:
(816) 329-4090, has the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if
requested using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19.
Related Information
(g) This AD is related to EASA EAD No. 2006-0352-E, dated
November 24, 2006, which references Dornier Luftfahrt GmbH ASB-228-
265, dated November 17, 2006.
Material Incorporated by Reference
(h) You must use DORNIER LUFTFAHRT GmbH Service Bulletin No.
ASB-228-265, dated November 17, 2006, to do the actions required by
this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise.
(1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the
incorporation by reference of this service information under 5
U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
(2) For service information identified in this AD, contact RVAG
Aerospace Services GmbH, Dornier 228 Customer Support, P.O. Box
1253, D-82231 Wessling, Federal Republic of Germany.
(3) You may review copies at the FAA, Central Region, Office of
the Regional Counsel, 901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; or at
the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For
information on the availability of this material at NARA, call 202-
741-6030, or go to: http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html
.
Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on January 12, 2007.
Kim Smith,
Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. E7-900 Filed 1-24-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P