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2017-18-07 DASSAULT AVIATION: Amendment 39-19016; Docket No. FAA-2017-0502; Product Identifier 2016-NM-120-AD.
(a) EFFECTIVE DATE

    This AD is effective October 5, 2017.

(b) AFFECTED ADS

    None.

(c) APPLICABILITY

    This  AD  applies  to Dassault  Aviation  Model  FALCON 7X  airplanes,
    certificated in any category,  manufacturer serial numbers 15  through
    89 inclusive, 92 through 94 inclusive, 97 through 101 inclusive,  105,
    and 106.

(d) SUBJECT

    Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 51, Standard practices
    /structures.

(e) REASON

    This AD  was prompted  by a  discovery of  noncompliant rivets  in the
    flight deck upper skin. We are issuing this AD to prevent interference
    between the  rivet shank  and the  flight deck  mounted overhead panel
    when the  flight deck  upper skin  deforms due  to impact  (e.g., bird
    strike),  which  could  affect  the  functioning  of  essential flight
    control systems and result in reduced control of the airplane.

(f) COMPLIANCE

    Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified,  unless al-
    ready done.

(g) MODIFICATION

    Before exceeding 99  months or 4,100  flight cycles, whichever  occurs
    first,  since the  date of  issuance  of  the original  certificate of
    airworthiness  or  the  date  of  issuance  of  the  original   export
    certificate of airworthiness, modify the airplane by replacing certain
    MGPL-type rivets installed  on the flight  deck skin panel  with solid
    type-rivets,  in accordance  with the  Accomplishment Instructions  of
    Dassault Service Bulletin 7X-176, dated February 3, 2016.

(h) OTHER FAA AD PROVISIONS

    The following provisions also apply to this AD:

(1) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs):  The Manager, International
    Section, Transport Standards Branch, FAA, has the authority to approve
    AMOCs for this AD, if requested  using the procedures found in 14  CFR
    39.19. In  accordance with  14 CFR  39.19, send  your request  to your
    principal  inspector  or  local Flight  Standards District  Office, as
    appropriate.  If  sending information  directly  to the  International
    Section,  send  it  to  the  attention  of  the  person  identified in
    paragraph (i)(2) of this AD. Information may be emailed to:  9-ANM-116
    -AMOC-REQUESTS@faa.gov. Before  using any  approved AMOC,  notify your
    appropriate principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the
    manager  of  the local  flight  standards district  office/certificate
    holding district office.

(2) Contacting the Manufacturer:  For any requirement in this AD to obtain
    corrective  actions   from  a   manufacturer,  the   action  must   be
    accomplished using  a method  approved by  the Manager,  International
    Branch,  Transport  Standards  Branch,  FAA;  or  EASA;  or   Dassault
    Aviation's EASA Design Organization Approval (DOA). If approved by the
    DOA, the approval must include the DOA-authorized signature.

(i) RELATED INFORMATION

(1) Refer  to  Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information (MCAI)  EASA
    Airworthiness Directive 2016-0124,  dated June 22, 2016,  for  related
    information.  This MCAI may be found in the AD docket  on the Internet
    at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No.
    FAA-2017-0502.

(2) For more information about this AD,  contact Tom Rodriguez,  Aerospace
    Engineer, International Section, Transport Standards Branch, FAA, 1601
    Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98057-3356;  telephone  425-227-1137;  fax
    425-227-1149.

(j) MATERIAL INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

(1) The  Director  of  the  Federal Register approved the incorporation by
    reference (IBR)  of  the  service information listed in this paragraph
    under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.

(2) You must use  this service information as applicable to do the actions
    required by this AD, unless this AD specifies otherwise.

(i) Dassault Service Bulletin 7X-176, dated February 3, 2016.

(ii) Reserved.

(3) For service information identified in this AD, contact Dassault Falcon
    Jet Corporation,  Teterboro Airport, PO Box 2000, South Hackensack, NJ
    07606; telephone 201-440-6700; Internet http://www.dassaultfalcon.com.

(4) You may view this service information at the FAA,  Transport Standards
    Branch,  1601 Lind Avenue SW.,  Renton, WA.  For  information  on  the
    availability of this material at the FAA, call 425-227-1221.

(5) You  may  view  this  service  information  that  is  incorporated  by
    reference at the National Archives and Records Administration  (NARA).
    For information on the availability of this material at NARA, call 202
    -741-6030, or go to: http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-
    locations.html.

Issued in Renton, Washington,  on August 21, 2017.  Dionne Palermo, Acting
Director, System Oversight Division, Aircraft Certification Service.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Rodriguez, Aerospace Engineer, Inter-
national Section, Transport Standards Branch,  FAA,  1601 Lind Avenue SW.,
Renton, WA 98057-3356; telephone 425-227-1137; fax 425-227-1149.
PREAMBLE 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2017-0502; Product Identifier 2016-NM-120-AD; Amendment
39-19016; AD 2017-18-07]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Dassault Aviation Airplanes

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

ACTION: Final rule.

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

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain
Dassault Aviation Model FALCON 7X airplanes. This AD was prompted by a
discovery of noncompliant rivets in the flight deck upper skin. This AD
requires replacement of noncompliant rivets. We are issuing this AD to
address the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: This AD is effective October 5, 2017.
The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by
reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of October 5,
2017.

ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this final rule,
contact Dassault Falcon Jet Corporation, Teterboro Airport, P.O. Box
2000, South Hackensack, NJ 07606; telephone 201-440-6700; Internet
http://www.dassaultfalcon.com. You may view this referenced service
information at the FAA, Transport Standards Branch, 1601 Lind Avenue
SW., Renton, WA. For information on the availability of this material
at the FAA, call 425-227-1221. It is also available on the Internet at
http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No.
FAA-2017-0502.

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-
0502; 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 (telephone
800-647-5527) is Docket 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 FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Rodriguez, Aerospace Engineer,
International Section, Transport Standards Branch, FAA, 1601 Lind
Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98057-3356; telephone 425-227-1137; fax 425-227-
1149.

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 Dassault Aviation
Model FALCON 7X airplanes. The NPRM published in the Federal Register
on May 31, 2017 (82 FR 24910) (``the NPRM''). The NPRM was prompted by
a discovery of noncompliant rivets in the flight deck upper skin. The
NPRM proposed to require replacement of noncompliant rivets. We are
issuing this AD to prevent interference between the rivet shank and the
flight deck mounted overhead panel when the flight deck upper skin
deforms due to impact (e.g., bird strike). This condition, if not
corrected, could affect the functioning of essential flight control
systems, and result in reduced control of the airplane.
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical
Agent for the Member States of the European Union, has issued EASA
Airworthiness Directive 2016-0124, dated June 22, 2016 (referred to
after this as the Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information, or
``the MCAI''), to correct an unsafe condition for certain Dassault
Aviation Model FALCON 7X airplanes. The MCAI states:

During an internal review of the manufacturing files, it was
found that 20 rivets installed on the cockpit [(flight deck)] upper
skin are not compliant with the original type design. Those 20 MGPL
type rivets have a shank longer than necessary and, in case of a
bird strike under maximum energy impact, the cockpit upper skin
deformation would lead to interference between the rivet shank and
the cockpit mounted overhead panel.
This condition, if not corrected, could affect the functioning
of essential flight control systems, possibly resulting in reduced
control of the aeroplane.
To address this potential unsafe condition, Dassault Aviation
published Service Bulletin (SB) F7X-176, providing instructions for
replacement of the [noncompliant] rivets.
For the reasons described above, this [EASA] AD requires removal
of affected rivets and replacement with serviceable [solid-type]
rivets compliant with original type design.

You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket on the Internet at http://
www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2017-
0502.

Comments

We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing
this AD. We received no comments on the NPRM 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 for correcting the unsafe condition; and
Do not add any additional burden upon the public than was
already proposed in the NPRM.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51


Dassault Aviation has issued Service Bulletin 7X-176, dated
February 3, 2016. This service information describes procedures for
modifying the airplane by replacing certain blind rivets installed on
the flight deck skin panel with solid-type rivets. 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.

Costs of Compliance

We estimate that this AD affects 25 airplanes of U.S. registry.
We estimate the following costs to comply with this AD:

Estimated Costs

Action Labor cost Parts cost Cost per product Cost on U.S. operators
Modification 81 work-hours x $85 per hour = $6,885 $48 $6,933 $173,325

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 transport category airplanes to
the Director of the System Oversight Division.

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 that 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.

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 airworthiness
directive (AD):