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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2018-0180; Product Identifier 2017-CE-043-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Quest Aircraft Design, LLC Airplanes
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD)
for all
Quest Aircraft Design, LLC Model KODIAK 100 airplanes. This proposed AD
was prompted by reports of cracks found in certain nose landing gear
forks. This proposed AD would require a one-time inspection to
determine if the affected nose landing gear fork is installed,
repetitive inspections of the affected nose landing gear fork for
cracks, repetitive inspections of the shimmy damper bracket for
looseness if the affected nose landing gear fork is installed, and
rework/replacement of parts as 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 23,
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 Quest
Aircraft Company LLC, 1200 Turbine Drive, Sandpoint, Idaho 83864;
phone: (208) 263-1111 or 1 (866) 263-1112; email:
customerservice@questaircraft.com; internet: http://customercare.
questaircraft.com/. 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-2018-0180;
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 NPRM, the regulatory evaluation, any comments received, and other
information. The street address for Docket Operations (phone: 800-647-
5527) is in the ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in the AD
docket shortly after receipt.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wade Sullivan, Aerospace Engineer,
Seattle ACO Branch, FAA, 1601 Lind Avenue SW, Renton, WA 98057; phone:
425-917-6430; fax: 425-917-6590; email: wade.sullivan@faa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or
arguments about this proposal. Send your comments to an address listed
under the ADDRESSES section. Include "Docket No. FAA-2018-0180;
Product Identifier 2017-CE-043-AD" at the beginning of your comments.
We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, economic,
environmental, and energy aspects of this NPRM. We will consider all
comments received by the closing date and may amend this NPRM 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 NPRM.
Discussion
We received reports from the manufacturer of fatigue cracks on the
nose landing gear (NLG) fork on Quest Aircraft Design, LLC Model KODIAK
100 airplanes. In one report, the NLG fork failed during landing. On
unimproved surfaces, the NLG shimmy damper system can wear and loosen,
reducing the resistance of the nose gear to shimmy. Shimmying puts side
loads on the NLG fork that it was not designed for, which could cause
fatigue cracks. This condition, if not corrected, could result in
separation of the fork with consequent reduced control on landing. If
the fork separates on an unimproved surface, the risk of the NLG
digging in and the airplane overturning on the ground increases.
Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51
We reviewed Quest Aircraft Field Service Instruction FSI-147,
Revision 00 (not dated), which provides instructions for inspection
and, if necessary, replacement of the NLG fork. We reviewed pages
32_110 and 32_111, section 3252, Shimmy Damper, found in Chapter 32,
Landing Gear, of Quest Aircraft Company Kodiak 100 Maintenance Manual,
Revision No. 21, dated February 15, 2017, which describes procedures
for inspecting the shimmy damper system. We also reviewed Quest
Aircraft Field Service Instruction FSI-146, Revision 00 (not dated),
which provides instructions for modifying the shimmy damper attach
bracket. 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
We are proposing this AD because we evaluated all the relevant
information and determined the unsafe condition described previously is
likely to exist or develop in other products of the same type design.
Proposed AD Requirements
This proposed AD would require accomplishing the actions specified
in the service information described previously.
Costs of Compliance
We estimate that this proposed AD affects 116 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 |
| Determine if type A or type B
NLG fork is installed. |
1 work-hour x $85 per hour =
$85 |
Not applicable |
$85 |
$9,860 |
We estimate the following costs to
do any necessary additional
inspections, replacements, and modifications that would be required
based on the results of the proposed NLG fork type determination. We
have no way of determining the number of airplanes that might need
these inspections, replacements, and modifications:
On-Condition Costs
| Action |
Labor cost |
Parts cost |
Cost per product |
| Inspection of the NLG fork for
cracks |
4 work-hours x $85 per hour =
$340 |
Not applicable |
$340 |
| Replacement of the NLG fork |
4 work-hours x $85 per hour =
$340 |
$7,002.36 |
7,342.36 |
| Inspection of the shimmy damper
bracket |
1 work-hour x $85 per hour =
$85 |
Not applicable |
85 |
| Rework of the shimmy damper bracket |
4 work-hours x $85 per hour =
$340 |
$127.33 |
467.33 |
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 airworthiness
directive (AD):
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