AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.

SUMMARY: We are superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD)
for Superior Air Parts and Lycoming Engines fuel-injected reciprocating
engines. That AD currently requires removing AVStar Fuel Systems, Inc.
(AFS) fuel servos installed after May 20, 2010, if the servo contained
an AFS diaphragm, part number (P/N) AV2541801 or P/N AV2541803, from
certain production lots. This AD expands the applicability, and changes
the compliance interval for all affected Superior Air Parts, Lycoming
Engines, and Continental Motors, Inc., fuel-injected reciprocating
engines. This AD was prompted by an accident involving a Piper PA32R-
301 airplane, and by the discovery of additional engines being affected
by the unsafe condition since we issued the existing AD. We are issuing
this AD to prevent an in-flight engine shutdown due to a failed fuel
servo diaphragm, and damage to the airplane.

DATES: This AD is effective February 24, 2012.
The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by
reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of August 16,
2011 (76 FR 45655, August 1, 2011).
We must receive any comments on this AD by March 26, 2012.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by any of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://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: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
For service information identified in this AD, contact AVStar Fuel
Systems, Inc., 1365 Park Lane South, Jupiter, FL 33458; phone: (561)
575-1560; Web site: www.avstardirect.com. You may review copies of the
referenced service information at the FAA, Engine & Propeller
Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803. For
information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call (781)
238-7125.

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 this AD, the regulatory evaluation, any comments
received, and other information. The street address for the Docket
Office (phone: (800) 647-5527) is in the ADDRESSES section. Comments
will be available in the AD docket shortly after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kevin Brane, Aerospace Engineer,
Atlanta Certification Office, FAA, 1701 Columbia Avenue, College Park,
GA 30337; phone: (404) 474-5582; fax: (404) 474-5606; email:
kevin.brane@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

On July 13, 2011, we issued AD 2011-15-10, Amendment 39-16757 (76
FR 45655, August 1, 2011), for Superior Air Parts and Lycoming Engines
fuel-injected reciprocating engines. That AD requires, before further
flight, removing AFS fuel servos installed after May 20, 2010, if the
servo contained an AFS diaphragm, P/N AV2541801 or P/N AV2541803, from
certain production lots. That AD resulted from an accident involving a
Piper PA32R-301 airplane. We issued that AD to prevent an in-flight
engine shutdown due to a failed fuel servo diaphragm, and damage to the
airplane.

Actions Since AD Was Issued

Since we issued AD 2011-15-10, Amendment 39-16757 (76 FR 45655,
August 1, 2011), five commenters made us aware of eight additional
engine models affected by the unsafe condition. We concur with the
commenters. Discussions with AFS as a result of the comments indicated
that the diaphragm problem extended to other reciprocating engines. AFS
also indicated that the problem diaphragms could be installed on other
unknown fuel injected engines. Therefore, we determined that we need to
change the applicability from a table of specific engine models, to all
Superior Air Parts, Lycoming Engines, and Continental Motors, Inc.,
fuel injected reciprocating engine models with an AFS fuel servo
diaphragm, P/N AV2541801 or P/N AV2541803, installed.
Also since we issued AD 2011-15-10, Amendment 39-16757 (76 FR
45655, August 1, 2011), we relaxed the compliance from before further
flight to within 5 flight hours after the effective date of the AD.

Relevant Service Information

We reviewed AFS Mandatory Service Bulletin (MSB) No. AFS-SB6,
Revision 2, dated April 6, 2011. The MSB provides P/Ns and serial
numbers (S/Ns) of affected servos.

FAA's Determination

We conducted an updated risk analysis using the known number of
diaphragms potentially still in service and concluded that an
unacceptable risk of an in-flight engine shutdown still exists. We are
issuing this AD because we 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.

AD Requirements

This AD requires within 5 flight hours after the effective date of
this AD, that you determine if an AFS fuel servo diaphragm P/N
AV2541801 or P/N AV2541803 from specific production lots, as identified
in AFS MSB No. AFS-SB6, Revision 2, dated April 6, 2011, was installed
in your fuel servo at any time after May 20, 2010, and if installed,
that you remove the fuel servo from service before further flight.
This AD also replaces Table 1 of the existing AD with the statement
that this AD applies to all Superior Air Parts, Lycoming Engines, and
Continental Motors, Inc., fuel injected reciprocating engine models
with an AFS fuel servo diaphragm, P/N AV2541801 or P/N AV2541803,
installed.

Differences Between the AD and the Service Information

AFS MSB No. AFS-SB6, Revision 2, dated April 6, 2011, does not
specify a compliance time and recommends limiting special flight
permits to delivery to a service location. This AD requires performing
the actions within 5 flight hours and prohibits special flight permits.

FAA's Justification and Determination of the Effective Date

An unsafe condition exists that requires the immediate adoption of
this AD. The FAA has found that the risk to the flying public justifies
waiving notice and comment prior to adoption of this rule because of
the compliance requirement of 5 flight hours. Therefore, we find that
notice and opportunity for prior public comment are impracticable and
that good cause exists for making this amendment effective in less than
30 days.

Comments Invited

This AD is a final rule that involves requirements affecting flight
safety, and we did not provide you with notice and an opportunity to
provide your comments before it becomes effective. However, we invite
you to send any written data, views, or arguments about this AD. Send
your comments to an address listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include
the docket number FAA-2011-0547 and directorate identifier 2011-NE-13-
AD at the beginning of your comments. We specifically invite comments
on the overall regulatory, economic, environmental, and energy aspects
of this AD. We will consider all comments received by the closing date
and may amend this AD because of those comments.
We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. We
will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact we
receive about this AD.

Costs of Compliance

We estimate that this AD will affect 61,000 engines installed on
aircraft of U.S. registry. We also estimate that it will take about 0.5
work-hour per engine to perform the inspection, 2.0 work-hours per
engine to remove the servo from 261 engines with a discrepant AFS
diaphragm, P/N AV2541801 or P/N AV2541803 installed, and that the
average labor rate is $85 per work-hour. We estimate the parts cost to
be $565 per servo. Based on these figures, we estimate the total cost
of the AD to U.S. operators to be $2,784,335.

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

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),
(3) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
(4) 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.

Adoption of the Amendment

Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the
Administrator, the FAA amends part 39 of the Federal Aviation
Regulations (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 removing airworthiness directive (AD)
2011-15-10, Amendment 39-16757 (76 FR 45655, August 1, 2011) and adding
the following new AD: