DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2017-0417; Directorate Identifier 2017-CE-008-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; SOCATA Airplanes

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

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for
SOCATA Model TBM 700 airplanes that would supersede AD 2002-19-01. This
proposed AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information
(MCAI) originated 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 the flight control wheel
traveling beyond normal roll control limits and jamming in a position
that could cause loss of control. We are issuing this proposed AD to
require actions to address the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by June 22, 2017.

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 proposed AD, contact SOCATA,
Direction des services, 65921 Tarbes Cedex 9, France; phone: +33 (0) 5 62
41 73 00; fax: +33 (0) 5 62 41 76 54; email: info@socata.daher.com;
Internet: https://www.mysocata.com/login/accueil.php. You may review
copies of the 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.

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-2017-0417;
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 proposed AD, 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.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or
arguments about this proposed AD. Send your comments to an address
listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include "Docket No. FAA-2017-0417;
Directorate Identifier 2017-CE-008-AD" at the beginning of your
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory,
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this proposed AD. We
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend
this proposed AD because of those comments.

We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://
regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. We
will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact we
receive about this proposed AD.

Discussion

On September 6, 2002, we issued AD 2002-19-01, Amendment 39-12881
(67 FR 59137; September 20, 2002) ("AD 2002-19-01"). That AD requires
actions intended to address an unsafe condition on SOCATA Model TBM 700
airplanes and was based on mandatory continuing airworthiness
information (MCAI) originated by an aviation authority of another
country.

Since we issued AD 2002-19-01, a revision to the service
information was issued to provide instructions for replacement of the
rivets in the roll primary stops as a terminating action for the
repetitive inspections.

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical
Agent for the Member States of the European Community, has issued EASA
AD No.: 2017-0018, dated February 3, 2017 (referred to after this as
"the MCAI"), to correct an unsafe condition for the specified
products. The MCAI states:

An event occurred in 2001 on an in-service aeroplane where,
during a pre-flight check of the flight controls, the pilot control
wheel jammed in full nose up and full left position after having
exceeded the control stop of roll.

This condition, if not corrected, could lead to reduced control
of the aeroplane.

Prompted by these findings, SOCATA issued Service Bulletin (SB)
70-095-27 to provide inspection instructions.

To address this unsafe condition, DGAC France issued AD 2001-
582(A) to require repetitive inspections of the flight control
system after any maintenance operation on flight controls. That AD
was later revised to update the list of affected aeroplane MSN.

Since DGAC France AD 2001-582(A) R1 was issued, SOCATA issued
Revision 2 of SB 70-095-27 to provide instructions for replacement
of the rivets in the roll primary stops as a terminating action for
the repetitive inspections.

For the reasons described above, this [EASA] AD, which
supersedes DGAC France AD 2001-582(A) R1, requires replacement of
the rivets in the roll primary stops of the flight control wheels at
the next maintenance operation on flight controls.

You may examine the MCAI on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov
by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2017-0417.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

SOCATA has issued DAHER SOCATA Mandatory Service Bulletin SB 70-
095, Revision 2, dated October 2016, which describes procedures for
replacement of the flight control wheel primary stop rivets; and EADS
SOCATA SB 70-114-27, dated December 2004, which describes procedures
for installation of roll control emergency stops on the flight control
wheel.

SOCATA issued SOCATA TBM Aircraft Mandatory SB 70-095 27, dated
November 2001, approved for incorporation by reference on October 29,
2002 (67 FR 59137; September 20, 2002), which describes procedures for
testing the pilot and right-hand (RH) station control wheels for
jamming and procedures for adjusting the roll control stops if jamming
occurs.

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
NPRM.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of the 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 our bilateral agreement with this State of Design Authority, they
have notified us of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI and
service information referenced above. We are proposing this AD because
we evaluated all information and determined the unsafe condition exists
and is likely to exist or develop on other products of the same type
design.

Differences Between This Proposed AD and the Service Information

DAHER SOCATA Mandatory Service Bulletin SB 70-095, Revision 2,
dated October 2016, requires a modification that terminates any
repetitive inspections and also gives credit for another modification
that may have previously been done. We are retaining the repetitive
inspection requirement from AD 2002-19-01 and allowing installation of
one of the two different modifications as terminating action for the
repetitive inspections.

Costs of Compliance

We estimate that this proposed AD will affect 203 products of U.S.
registry.

For inspection of the pilot and right-hand (RH) station control
wheels we estimate that it would take about 1 hour per product to
comply with the basic requirements of this proposed AD. 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 $17,255, or $85 per
product.

In addition, we estimate that any necessary follow-on actions would
cost the following amounts. We have no way of determining the number of
products that may need these actions.

We estimate that it will take about 3 work-hours per product for
any adjustment of the roll control stops if jamming occurs on either
the pilot control wheel or the RH station control wheel. The average
labor rate is $85 per work-hour. Based on these figures, we estimate
the cost of this action on U.S. operators to be $255 per product.

For replacement of the rivets in the roll primary stops we estimate
that it would take about 3.5 work-hours per product to comply with the
basic requirements of this proposed AD. The average labor rate is $85
per work-hour. Required parts would cost about $10 per product. Based
on these figures, for replacement of the rivets we estimate the cost of
the proposed AD on U.S. operators to be $307.50 per product.

For the installation of a roll control emergency stop on each
control wheel we estimate that it would take about 19.5 work-hours per
product to comply with the basic requirements of this proposed AD. The
average labor rate is $85 per work-hour. Required parts would cost
about $1,650 per product. Based on these figures, for installation of
the roll control emergency stop, we estimate the cost of the proposed
AD on U.S. operators to be $3,307.50 per product.

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 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) 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.

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.

Sec. 39.13 [Amended]

2. The FAA amends Sec. 39.13 by removing Airworthiness Directive (AD)
2002-19-01, Amendment 39-12881 (67 FR 59137; September 20, 2002), and
adding the following new AD: