Tdata AD

preamble attached >>>	ADs updated daily at www.Tdata.com
2008-09-01	ALPHA AVIATION DESIGN LIMITED (TYPE CERTIFICATE NO. A48EU PREVIOUSLY HELD BY APEX AIRCRAFT AND AVIONS PIERRE ROBIN): Amendment 39-15481; Docket No. FAA-2006-26490; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-075-AD.

EFFECTIVE DATE

(a) This airworthiness directive (AD) becomes effective May 27, 2008.

AFFECTED ADS

(b) None.

APPLICABILITY

(c) This AD applies to  Model R2160 airplanes, serial numbers  001 through
    378, certificated in any category.

SUBJECT

(d) Air Transport Association of America (ATA) Code: 57: Wings.

REASON

(e) The mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) states:

    To prevent failure of the  wing structure and assembly components  due
    to undetected fatigue and corrosion * * *

    The MCAI  requires that  you inspect  the wing  structure and fuselage
    attachment and repair any defects that you find.

ACTIONS AND COMPLIANCE

(f) Unless already done, do the following actions:

(1) Disassemble the wings from the fuselage and inspect the wing structure
    and  assembly components  using instruction  No. 1  in Robin  Aviation
    Service Bulletin No. 123, revision 3, dated December 23, 1999. If  any
    defects are  found, repair  following Robin  Aviation Service Bulletin
    No.  123,  revision 3,  dated  December 23,  1999.  Use the  following
    compliance times for the inspection:

(i) For airplanes with less  than 4,000 hours time-in-service (TIS):  When
    the airplane reaches a total of 3,500 hours TIS or within the next 100
    hours  TIS  after  May  27, 2008  (the  effective  date  of this  AD),
    whichever occurs later, and thereafter at intervals not to exceed  750
    hours TIS.

(ii) For airplanes  with 4,000 hours  TIS or more  that have not  complied
     with the special  instruction in paragraph  E of Avions  Pierre Robin
     Service Bulletin No. 123, revision 2, dated November 14, 1995: Within
     the next 100 hours TIS after May 27, 2008 (the effective date of this
     AD) and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 750 hours TIS.

(iii) For airplanes with 4,000 hours  TIS or more that have complied  with
      the  special  instruction  in paragraph  E  of  Avions Pierre  Robin
      Service  Bulletin  No. 123,  revision  2, dated  November  14, 1995:
      Within the next 750 hours TIS after May 27, 2008 (the effective date
      of this AD) and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 750 hours TIS.

(2) When the  airplane reaches a  total of 3,500  hours TIS with  original
    wing-to-fuselage bolts  installed or  3,500 hours  TIS of  an airplane
    since new bolts have been installed  or within the next 100 hours  TIS
    after May 27, 2008 (the  effective date of this AD),  whichever occurs
    later,  do  a  non-destructive  inspection  of  the   wing-to-fuselage
    retaining bolts and replace any bolts that do not pass this inspection
    following instruction  No. 2  in Robin  Aviation Service  Bulletin No.
    123, revision  3, dated  December 23,  1999. Thereafter,  repetitively
    inspect wing-to-fuselage retaining bolts and replace any bolts that do
    not pass this inspection every 750 hours TIS following instruction No.
    2  in  Robin Aviation  Service  Bulletin No.  123,  revision 3,  dated
    December 23, 1999.

NOTE 1: The requirement for a 3,500-hour inspection is a time since new or
time since installation (that is, the TIS of new bolts).

(3) Within  the  next  50 hours  TIS  after  re-assembling  the  wing  and
    thereafter at intervals not to exceed 100 hours TIS, inspect the  wing
    -to-fuselage  retaining bolts  for  correct  torque settings following
    instruction No. 3 in Robin Aviation Service Bulletin No. 123, revision
    3, dated December 23, 1999. The required torque value is 22 ft-lb with
    nut part number  95.24.39.010. Tighten to  16 ft-lb (pre-loading)  and
    then torque from 16 to 22 ft-lb.

FAA AD DIFFERENCES

NOTE 2: This  AD  differs  from  the  MCAI and/or  service information  as
follows: No differences.

OTHER FAA AD PROVISIONS

(g) 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;
    telephone:  (816)  329-4146;  fax: (816)  329-4090.  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.

(3) Reporting Requirements:  For any  reporting requirement  in  this  AD,
    under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et
    seq.), the  Office of  Management and  Budget (OMB)  has approved  the
    information  collection  requirements  and  has  assigned  OMB Control
    Number 2120-0056.

RELATED INFORMATION

(h) Refer  to  MCAI  Civil  Aviation  Authority  AD  DCA/R2000/28,   dated
    September 28, 2006, and Robin Aviation Mandatory Service Bulletin  No.
    123, revision 3, dated December 23, 1999, for related information.

MATERIAL INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

(i) You  must  use  Robin  Aviation Mandatory  Service  Bulletin No.  123,
    revision 3,  dated December  23, 1999,  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 Alpha Aviation,
    Ingram  Road,  Hamilton Airport,  RD  2, Hamilton  2021,  New Zealand;
    telephone:  011 64  7 843  7070; fax:  011 64  7 843  8040;  Internet:
    http://www.alphaaviation.co.nz.

(3) You may  review copies  at the  FAA, Central  Region,  Office  of  the
    Regional Counsel, 901 Locust,  Room 506, 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/cfr/ibr-locations.html.

Issued in  Kansas City,  Missouri, on  April 11,  2008. James  E. Jackson,
Acting  Manager,  Small   Airplane  Directorate,  Aircraft   Certification
Service.

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.

PREAMBLE

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

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued 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:

To prevent failure of the wing structure and assembly components due to undetected fatigue and corrosion * * *

We are issuing this AD to require actions to correct the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: This AD becomes effective May 27, 2008.
On May 27, 2008, the Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in this AD.

ADDRESSES: You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http:// www.regulations.gov or in person at Document Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590.

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

We issued a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR part 39 to include an AD that would apply to the specified products. That NPRM was published in the Federal Register on February 5, 2008 (73 FR 6634). That NPRM proposed to correct an unsafe condition for the specified products. The MCAI states:

To prevent failure of the wing structure and assembly components due to undetected fatigue and corrosion * * *

The MCAI requires that you inspect the wing structure and fuselage attachment and repair any defects that you find.

Comments

We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing this AD. We received no comments on the NPRM or on the determination of the cost to the public.

Conclusion

We reviewed the available data and determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting the AD as proposed.

Differences Between This AD and the MCAI or Service Information

We have reviewed the MCAI and related service information and, in general, agree with their substance. But we might have found it necessary to use different words from those in the MCAI to ensure the AD is clear for U.S. operators and is enforceable. In making these changes, we do not intend to differ substantively from the information provided in the MCAI and related service information.
We might also have required different actions in this AD from those in the MCAI in order to follow FAA policies. Any such differences are highlighted in a NOTE within the AD.

Costs of Compliance

Based on the service information, we estimate that this AD will affect 9 products of U.S. registry. We also estimate that it will take about 15 work-hours per product to comply with basic requirements of this AD. The average labor rate is $80 per work-hour. Required parts will cost about $1,326 per product.
Based on these figures, we estimate the cost of this AD to the U.S. operators to be $22,734 or $2,526 per product.
We have no way to determine what aircraft will need replacement parts that may be required based on the results of any inspection.

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 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 on the Internet at http:// www.regulations.gov; 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 the NPRM, 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.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by reference, Safety.

Adoption of the Amendment

Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the FAA amends 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.

Sec. 39.13 [Amended]

2. The FAA amends Sec. 39.13 by adding the following new AD: