DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2017-0867; Product Identifier 2017-CE-021-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Viking Air Limited Airplanes

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

ACTION: Supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNPRM); reopening
of the comment period.

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SUMMARY: We are revising an earlier proposal for all Viking Air Limited
Models DHC-2 Mk. I, DHC-2 Mk. II, and DHC-2 Mk. III airplanes. This
proposed airworthiness directive (AD) results from mandatory continuing
airworthiness information (MCAI) originated by an aviation authority of
another country to identify and address an unsafe condition on an
aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as cracking
found in the wing rear spar web at the wing station where the flap
outboard hinge is attached. This action revises the proposal by issuing
an SNPRM that changes the compliance times to more closely match the
compliance times in the MCAI. We are proposing this AD to address the
unsafe condition on these products. Since these actions may impose an
additional burden over those in the notice of proposed rulemaking
(NPRM), we are reopening the comment period to allow the public the
opportunity to comment on these changes.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by June 21, 2018.

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
Viking Air Limited Technical Support, 1959 De Havilland Way, Sidney,
British Columbia, Canada, V8L 5V5; telephone: (North America) (800)
663-8444; fax: (250) 656-0673; email: technical.support@vikingair.com;
internet: http://www.vikingair.com/support/service-bulletins. You may
view this service information at the FAA, Policy and Innovation
Division, 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-2017-0867;
or in person at Docket Operations 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 Docket Operations (telephone
(800) 647-5527) is in the ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available
in the AD docket shortly after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Aziz Ahmed, Aerospace Engineer, FAA,
New York ACO Branch, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, New York
11590; telephone: (516) 228-7329; fax: (516) 794-5531; email:
aziz.ahmed@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-2017-0867;
Product Identifier 2017-CE-021-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://www.
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

We proposed to amend 14 CFR part 39 with an NPRM for all Viking Air
Limited Models DHC-2 Mk. I, DHC-2 Mk. II, and DHC-2 Mk. III airplanes,
which was published in the Federal Register on September 8, 2017 (82 FR
42489). The NPRM proposed to require actions intended to address the
unsafe condition for the products listed above and was based on MCAI
originated by another country.

Since the NPRM was issued, we received a comment to change the
compliance time for the inspections in the NPRM to be in line with the
compliance times stated in Transport Canada, which is the aviation
authority for Canada, AD Number CF-2017-17, dated May 18, 2017
(referred to after this as "the MCAI").

Comments

We have considered the following comment received on the NPRM.

Request To Change the Compliance Times for the Inspections

Adam Geber stated that the compliance times in the NPRM for the
inspections specified in paragraphs (f)(1) and (f)(2) should be changed
to match the compliance times stated in the MCAI AD and the related
service information.

Adam Geber requested including the 6-month compliance time from the
MCAI AD into the proposed AD.

We agree with the commenter. We have changed paragraphs (f)(1) and
(f)(2) in this SNPRM from "within the next 400 hours TIS after the
effective date of this AD" to "within the next 400 hours TIS after
the effective date of this AD or within the next 6 months after the
effective date of this AD, whichever occurs first."

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

Viking Air Limited has issued DHC-2 Beaver Service Bulletin Number:
V2/0009, Revision A, dated February 10, 2017. The service information
describes procedures for inspecting the left-hand and right-hand wing
rear spars, the flap/aileron hinge brackets, and the exterior store
support bracket for cracks, damage, and discrepancies and specifies
repairing or replacing any cracked, damaged, or discrepant parts. 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.

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.

The change described above expands the scope of the NPRM. As a
result, we have determined that it is necessary to reopen the comment
period to provide additional opportunity for the public to comment on
the proposed AD.

Interim Action

We consider this SNPRM interim action. The inspection report
required by this SNPRM allows us to obtain better information into the
nature, cause, and extent of the damage to the wing rear spars and
flap/aileron hinge arm support brackets and to develop final action to
address the unsafe condition. Once final action has been identified, we
may consider further rulemaking.

Costs of Compliance

We estimate that this SNPRM will affect 140 products of U.S.
registry. We also estimate that it would take about 11 work-hours per
product to comply with the basic inspection requirements of this SNPRM.
The average labor rate is $85 per work-hour.

Based on these figures, we estimate the basic cost of this proposed
AD on U.S. operators to be $130,900, or $935 per product.

In addition, the following is an estimate of possible necessary
follow-on replacement actions. We have no way of determining the number
of products that may need these actions.

*To replace any wing spar section takes 60 work-hours.

To replace all four wing spar sections per wing takes 240 work-hours.

There has been no change in the Cost of Compliance section in this SNPRM.

Paperwork Reduction Act

A federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not
required to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to penalty for
failure to comply with a collection of information subject to the
requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act unless that collection of
information displays a current valid OMB control number. The control
number for the collection of information required by this AD is 2120-
0056. The paperwork cost associated with this AD has been detailed in
the Costs of Compliance section of this document and includes time for
reviewing instructions, as well as completing and reviewing the
collection of information. Therefore, all reporting associated with
this AD is mandatory. Comments concerning the accuracy of this burden
and suggestions for reducing the burden should be directed to the FAA
at 800 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20591. ATTN: Information
Collection Clearance Officer, AES-200.

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.

This AD is issued in accordance with authority delegated by the
Executive Director, Aircraft Certification Service, as authorized by
FAA Order 8000.51C. In accordance with that order, issuance of ADs is
normally a function of the Compliance and Airworthiness Division, but
during this transition period, the Executive Director has delegated the
authority to issue ADs applicable to small airplanes, gliders, balloons,
airships, domestic business jet transport airplanes, and associated
appliances to the Director of the Policy and Innovation Division.

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 adding the following new AD: