DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2018-0117; Product Identifier 2017-NM-104-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Dassault Aviation Airplanes
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: We propose to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2017-01-
07, which applies to all Dassault Aviation Model FAN JET FALCON
airplanes, FAN JET FALCON SERIES C, D, E, F, and G airplanes; Model
MYSTERE-FALCON 200 airplanes; Model MYSTERE-FALCON 20-C5, 20-D5, 20-E5,
and 20-F5 airplanes; and MYSTERE-FALCON 50 airplanes. AD 2017-01-07
requires a functional test or check of the main entry door closure and
warning system, and applicable door closing inspections, adjustments,
operational tests, and corrective actions if necessary. Since we issued
AD 2017-01-07, we have determined that the required actions must be
repetitively performed to ensure continued safety. This proposed AD
would require repetitive door closing inspections, adjustments,
operational tests, and corrective actions if necessary. We are
proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by April 16,
2018.
ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in
14 CFR
11.43 and 11.45, 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: Deliver to Mail address above between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
For service information identified in this NPRM, 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, 2200 South 216th
St., Des Moines, WA. For information on the availability of this
material at the FAA, call 206-231-3195.
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-2018-0117;
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 NPRM, the regulatory evaluation, any comments received,
and other information. The street address for the Docket Operations
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: Tom Rodriguez, Aerospace Engineer,
International Section, Transport Standards Branch, FAA, Transport
Standards Branch, FAA, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198;
telephone: 206-231-3226; fax: 206-231-3398.
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-2018-0117;
Product Identifier 2017-NM-104-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 based on 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 issued AD 2017-01-07, Amendment 39-18774 (82 FR 1595, January 6,
2017) ("AD 2017-01-07"), for all Dassault Aviation Model FAN JET
FALCON airplanes, FAN JET FALCON SERIES C, D, E, F, and G airplanes;
Model MYSTERE-FALCON 200 airplanes; Model MYSTERE-FALCON 20-C5, 20-D5,
20-E5, and 20-F5 airplanes; and MYSTERE-FALCON 50 airplanes. AD 2017-
01-07 requires a functional test or check of the main entry door
closure and warning system, and applicable door closing inspections,
adjustments, operational tests, and corrective actions if necessary. AD
2017-01-07 resulted from a report that, during approach for landing,
the main entry door detached from an airplane. We issued AD 2017-01-07
to detect and correct defective crew/passenger doors. Such a condition
could result in the in-flight opening or detachment of the crew/
passenger door, which could result in loss of control of the airplane
and injury to persons on the ground.
Actions Since AD 2017-01-07 Was Issued
Since we issued AD 2017-01-07, we have determined that repetitive
door closing inspections, adjustments, operational tests, and
corrective actions if necessary, must be repetitively performed to
ensure continued safety.
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical
Agent for the Member States of the European Union, has issued EASA AD
2017-0123, dated July 20, 2017 (referred to after this as the Mandatory
Continuing Airworthiness Information, or "the MCAI"), to correct an
unsafe condition for all Dassault Aviation Model FAN JET FALCON, FAN
JET FALCON SERIES C, D, E, F, and G airplanes; Model MYSTERE-FALCON 200
airplanes; Model MYSTERE-FALCON 20-C5, 20-D5, 20-E5, and 20-F5
airplanes; and Model MYSTERE-FALCON 50 airplanes. The MCAI states:
During approach for landing, at an altitude of 7,000 feet, a
MF20-D5 lost the main entry door (MED). The flight crew maintained
control of the aeroplane to land uneventfully. The results of the
preliminary technical investigations concluded that the cause of
this event could be either a broken cable, or an unlocked safety
catch, associated with one or two deficient micro switches.
This condition, if not detected and corrected, could lead to in-
flight opening and/or detachment of the MED, possibly resulting in
loss of control of the aeroplane, and/or injury to persons on the
ground.
To address this potential unsafe condition, Dassault issued
Service Bulletin (SB) F20-789, SB F200-133 and SB MF50-531,
providing instructions for inspection/adjustment, and an operational
test of the MED closure. Consequently, EASA issued AD 2015-0007
[which corresponds to FAA AD 2017-01-07] to require a one-time
accomplishment of a functional test/check of the MED closure/warning
system. It also required [a general visual] inspection and
operational test of the MED [including the control and latching
mechanisms] and, depending on findings, accomplishment of applicable
corrective action(s).
Since that [EASA] AD was issued, EASA determined that the
inspection and operational test of the MED must be repeated to
ensure continued safety.
For the reasons described above, this [EASA] AD retains the
requirements of EASA AD 2015-0007, which is superseded, and
additionally requires repetitive inspections and operational tests
of the MED.
Corrective actions include adjusting the telescopic rod bolts on
the door until the clearance between the lower part of the door and the
fuselage is within the specified tolerances. The corrective actions for
the control and latching mechanisms include adjusting components and
replacing damaged components (including pull latches, microswitches,
pulleys, and cables). Signs of damage include cracks, corrosion, wear,
and distortion. 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-2018-0117.
Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51
Dassault Aviation has issued the following service information.
Dassault Service Bulletin F20-789, also referred to as 789, dated
December 9, 2014.
Dassault Service Bulletin F50-531, also referred to as 531, dated
December 9, 2014.
Dassault Service Bulletin F200-133, also referred to as 133, dated
December 9, 2014.
This service information describes procedures for inspections,
adjustments, and operational tests of certain doors and corrective
actions. These documents are distinct since they apply to different
airplane models. 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 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 the State of Design Authority, we have
been notified of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI and service
information referenced above. We are proposing this AD because we
evaluated all pertinent information and determined an unsafe condition
exists and is likely to exist or develop on other products of these
same type designs.
Costs of Compliance
We estimate that this proposed AD affects 392 airplanes of U.S.
registry.
We estimate the following costs to comply with this proposed AD:
Estimated Costs
Action |
Labor cost |
Parts cost |
Cost per product |
Cost on U.S. operators |
Inspections/adjustments/operational
tests (retained actions from AD 2017-01-07) |
4 work-hours x $85 per hour =
$340 |
$0 |
$340 |
$133,280 |
Inspections/adjustments/operational
tests (new proposed action) |
4 work-hours x $85 per hour =
$340 per inspection cycle |
0 |
$340 per inspection cycle |
$133,280 per inspection cycle |
We have received no definitive data
that would enable us to provide
cost estimates for the on-condition actions specified in this proposed
AD.
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 proposed 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 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)
2017-01-07, Amendment 39-18774 (82 FR 1595, January 6, 2017), and
adding the following new AD:
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