DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2016-8161; Directorate Identifier 2016-CE-018-AD;
Amendment 39-18664; AD 2016-19-15]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; REIMS AVIATION S.A. Airplanes

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

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain
REIMS AVIATION S.A. Model F406 airplanes. 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 cracks found in the horizontal stabilizer rear attach
structure and the vertical fin rear spar attach structure. We are
issuing this AD to prevent structural failure of the horizontal
stabilizer and/or the vertical fin rear spar attach structure, which
could result in damage to the airplane and loss of control.

DATES: This AD is effective November 2, 2016.
The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by
reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of November 2,
2016.

ADDRESSES: You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://
www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2016-
8161; 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 service information identified in this AD, contact ASI
Aviation, A[eacute]rodrome de Reims Prunay, 51360 Prunay, France;
telephone: +33 3 26 48 46 84; fax: +33 3 26 49 18 57; email:
contact@asi-aviation.fr; Internet: http://asi-aviation.fr/page-Accueil.html.
You may view this referenced service information at the
FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri
64106. For information on the availability of this material at the FAA,
call (816) 329-4148. It is also available on the Internet at http://www.
regulations.gov by searching for Docket No. FAA-2016-8161.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Albert Mercado, Aerospace Engineer,
FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City,
Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 329-4119; fax: (816) 329-4090; email:
albert.mercado@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR
part 39 by adding an AD that would apply to certain REIMS AVIATION S.A.
Model F406 airplanes. The NPRM was published in the Federal Register on
July 7, 2016 (81 FR 44244). The NPRM proposed to correct an unsafe
condition for the specified products and was based on mandatory
continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) originated by an aviation
authority of another country. The MCAI states:

Fatigue cracks and holes elongation were found on horizontal
stabilizer fittings on F406 aeroplanes having accumulated more than
2 500 flight hours (FH).

This condition, if not detected and corrected, could result in
loss of structural integrity of the horizontal stabilizer fittings.
To initially address this issue, DGAC France published AD 2001-
161 to require repetitive visual inspections of the fittings, and,
dependings on findings, replacement with a serviceable part.
Since that AD was issued, during maintenance, cracks were found
on a slice plate of horizontal stabilizer fittings. Consequently,
ASI Aviation issued Service Bulletin (SB) CAB01-5 Revision 2 to
provide instructions for additional eddy-current non-destructive
test (NDT) inspections.
For the reasons described above, this AD retains the
requirements of DGAC France AD 2001-161, which is superseded, and
requires the additional NDT inspections.

The MCAI can be found in the AD docket on the Internet at https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=FAA-2016-8161-0002.

Comments

We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing
this AD. We received no comments on the NPRM (81 FR 44244, July 7,
2016) or on the determination of the cost to the public.

Conclusion

We reviewed the relevant data and determined that air safety and
the public interest require adopting this AD as proposed except for
minor editorial changes. We have determined that these minor changes:
Are consistent with the intent that was proposed in the
NPRM (81 FR 44244, July 7, 2016) for correcting the unsafe condition;
and
Do not add any additional burden upon the public than was
already proposed in the NPRM (81 FR 44244, July 7, 2016).

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

We reviewed ASI Aviation Service Bulletin CAB01-5 Rev 2, dated
December 3, 2015. The service information describes procedures for
inspecting the horizontal stabilizer rear attach structure and the
vertical fin rear spar attach structure for cracks and oversized bolt
holes and making all necessary repairs and replacements. This service
information 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 of this AD.

Costs of Compliance

We estimate that this AD will affect 7 products of U.S. registry.
We also estimate that it will take about 20.5 work-hours per product to
comply with the basic inspections requirements of this AD (18 work-
hours to remove the horizontal stabilizer to gain access for the
inspection and 2.5 work-hours to do the inspection). The average labor
rate is $85 per work-hour.
Based on these figures, we estimate the cost of the inspection on
U.S. operators to be $12,197.50, or $1,742.50 per product.
We estimate that it will take about 25 work-hours per product to
reinstall the horizontal stabilizer after doing the inspection and any
necessary repairs or replacements. Based on these figures, we estimate
the cost of this action on U.S. operators to be $14,875, or $2,125 per
product.
In addition, we estimate any necessary corrective actions as
follows:

--Installing Service Kit SKRA406-11-Rev. 2 will take about 3 work-hours
and require parts costing $65, for a cost of $320 per product. We have
no way of determining the number of products that may need this action.
--Installing Service Kit SK406-137 (which superseded Service Kit
SKRA406-12-Rev. 2) will take about 20 work-hours and require parts
costing $2,000, for a cost of $3,800 per product. We have no way of
determining the number of products that may need this action.
--Installing Service Kit SKRA406-13-Rev. 2 will take about 8 work-hours
and require parts costing $1,800, for a cost of $2,480 per product. We
have no way of determining the number of products that may need this
action.

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 the 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.

Examining the AD Docket

You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov
by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2016-
8161; 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: