DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2017-1078; Product Identifier 2017-CE-038-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Various Aircraft Equipped With BRP-
Rotax GmbH & Co KG 912 A Series Engine

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

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for
various aircraft equipped with a BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co. KG (formerly BRP-
Powertrain GmbH & Co. KG; Bombardier-Rotax GmbH & Co. KG; Bombardier-
Rotax GmbH) 912 A series engine. 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 defective valve push-rod assemblies manufactured from June
8, 2016, through October 2, 2017. 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 January 8, 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
BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co. KG, Rotaxstrasse 1, A-4623 Gunskirchen, Austria;
phone: +43 7246 601 0; fax: +43 7246 6370; Internet: http://www.flyrotax.
com. You may review this referenced service information at the FAA, Policy
and Innovation Division, 901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. For in-
formation 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-2017-1078;
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: Jim Rutherford, Aerospace Engineer,
FAA, Small Airplane Standards Branch, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas
City, Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 329-4165; fax: (816) 329-4090;
email: jim.rutherford@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-2017-1078;
Product Identifier 2017-CE-038-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

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical
Agent for the Member States of the European Community, has issued AD
No. 2017-0208, dated October 13, 2017 (referred to after this as "the
MCAI"), to correct an unsafe condition for the specified products. The
MCAI states:

Power loss and engine RPM drop have been reported on Rotax 912/
914 engines in service. It has been determined that, due to a
quality control deficiency in the manufacturing process of certain
valve push-rod assemblies, manufactured between 08 June 2016 and 02
October 2017 inclusive, partial wear on the rocker arm ball socket
may occur, which may lead to malfunction of the valve train.

This condition, if not detected and corrected, may lead to rough
engine operation and loss of power, possibly resulting in a forced
landing, with consequent damage to the aeroplane and injury to
occupants.

To address this potential unsafe condition, BRP-Rotax issued
Service Bulletin (SB) SB-912 i-008/SB-912-070/SB-914-052 (single
document), providing applicable instructions.

For the reason described above, this [EASA] AD requires a one-
time inspection and, depending on findings, replacement of affected
parts. This [EASA] AD also prohibits installation of affected parts
on an engine.

You may examine the MCAI on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov
by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2017-1078.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co KG has issued Rotax Aircraft Engines BRP
Service Bulletin SB-912 i-008 R1/SB-912-070 R1/SB-914-052 R1 (co-
published as one document), Revision 1, dated October 12, 2017. The
service information describes procedures for inspecting and, if
necessary, replacing the valve push-rod assembly on the left and/or
right rocker arms. 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 This 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.

Costs of Compliance

We estimate that this proposed AD will affect 63 products of U.S.
registry. We also estimate that it would take about 1 work-hour per
product to comply with the basic inspection requirement of this
proposed AD. The average labor rate is $85 per work-hour. Required
parts would cost about $70 per product.

Based on these figures, we estimate the cost of this proposed AD on
U.S. operators to be $9,765, or $155 per product.

In addition, we estimate that any necessary follow-on actions would
take about 2 work-hours to replace all 8 valve push-rod assemblies and
associated parts on all 4 cylinders and require parts costing $3,093,
for a cost of $3,263 per product. We have no way of determining the
number of products that may need these actions.

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, and
domestic business jet transport airplanes 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: