DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2018-0245; Product Identifier 2018-CE-012-AD; Amendment
39-19234; AD 2018-07-03]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Piper Aircraft, Inc.
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: We are superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2018-02-05
for
certain Piper Aircraft, Inc. Models PA-28-140, PA-28-150, PA-28-151,
PA-28-160, PA-28-161, PA-28-180, PA-28-181, PA-28-236, PA-28-201T, PA-
28R-180, PA-28R-200, PA-28R-201, PA-28R-201T, PA-28RT-201, and PA-28RT-
201T airplanes. AD 2018-02- 05 required inspecting the fuel tank selector
cover
to verify the left and right fuel tank selector placards are located at
the proper
positions and replacing those that are improperly located with new
placards. This AD addresses the same unsafe condition and requires the
same actions as AD 2018-02-05, but changes the inspection of the fuel
tank selector cover to a preflight check and allows for various fuel
selector clocking configurations. This AD was prompted by our
determination to allow the owner/operator (pilot) holding at least a
private pilot certificate to perform the preflight check. We are
issuing this AD to allow the pilot to do a preflight check of the fuel
selector placards.
DATES: This AD is effective April 20, 2018.
The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by
reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of April 20,
2018.
We must receive any comments on this AD by May 21, 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: 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 final rule, contact
Piper Aircraft, Inc., 2926 Piper Drive, Vero Beach, FL 32960;
telephone: (772) 567-4361; internet: www.piper.com/technical-publications-
documents/. 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. It is also available on the internet at http://www.
regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2018-0245.
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-
0245; 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 final rule, the regulatory evaluation, any comments received, and
other information. The street address for Docket Operations (phone:
800-647-5527) is listed above. Comments will be available in the AD
docket shortly after receipt.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Boyce Jones, Aerospace Engineer,
Atlanta ACO Branch, FAA, 1701 Columbia Avenue, College Park, Georgia
30337; phone: (404) 474-5535; fax: (404) 474-5606; email:
boyce.jones@faa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Discussion
We issued AD 2018-02-05, Amendment 39-19158 (83 FR 3064, January
23, 2018), (``AD 2018-02-05''), for certain Piper Aircraft, Inc. Models
PA-28-140, PA-28-150, PA-28-151, PA-28-160, PA-28-161, PA-28-180, PA-
28-181, PA-28-236, PA-28-201T, PA-28R-180, PA-28R-200, PA-28R-201, PA-
28R-201T, PA-28RT-201, and PA-28RT-201T airplanes. AD 2018-02-05
required inspecting the fuel tank selector cover to verify the left and
right fuel tank selector placards are located at the 12:00 and 3:00
clock positions, respectively, and replacing those that are improperly
located with new placards. AD 2018-02-05 resulted from a quality
control issue that resulted in the installation of fuel tank selector
covers with the placement of the left and right fuel tank selector
placards installed in reverse. We issued AD 2018-02-05 to prevent fuel
management error. The unsafe condition, if not addressed, could result
in fuel starvation and loss of engine power in flight.
Actions Since AD 2018-02-05 Was Issued
Since we issued AD 2018-02-05, we have determined that the owner/
operator (pilot) holding at least a private pilot certificate will be
allowed to perform the preflight check of the fuel tank selector
placards.
Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51
We reviewed Piper Aircraft, Inc. Service Bulletin No. 1309A, dated
March 6, 2018. The service bulletin describes procedures for doing a
preflight check of the fuel tank selector cover to verify the left and
right fuel tank selector placards are located in the proper positions,
and replacing those that are improperly located with a new placard.
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 issuing 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.
AD Requirements
This AD requires doing a preflight check of the fuel tank selector
cover to verify the left and right fuel tank selector placards are
located at the proper positions and replacing those that are improperly
located with new placards. The preflight check required in this AD may
be performed by the owner/operator (pilot) holding at least a private
pilot certificate and must be entered into the airplane records showing
compliance with this AD in accordance with 14 CFR 43.9 (a)(1)-(4) and
14 CFR 91.417(a)(2)(v). The record must be maintained as required by 14
CFR 91.417, 121.380, or 135.439.
FAA's Justification and Determination of the Effective Date
The FAA previously determined that the risk to the flying public
justified waiving notice and comment prior to the adoption of AD 2018-
02-05. This AD is being issued to relieve the maintenance requirements
found in 2018-02-05, by changing the inspection of the fuel tank
selector cover to a preflight check, while also allowing for various
fuel selector clocking configurations. Because the substance of AD
2018-02-05 remains the same, but for the relieving aspects noted in
this AD, we find good cause that notice and opportunity for prior
public comment are unnecessary. In addition, for the reasons stated
above, we find that good cause exists for making this amendment
effective in less than 30 days.
Comments Invited
This AD is a final rule that involves requirements affecting flight
safety, and we did not provide you with notice and an opportunity to
provide your comments before it becomes effective. However, we invite
you to send any written data, views, or arguments about this final
rule. Send your comments to an address listed under the ADDRESSES
section. Include the docket number FAA-2018-0245 and product identifier
2018-CE-012-AD at the beginning of your comments. We specifically
invite comments on the overall regulatory, economic, environmental, and
energy aspects of this final rule. We will consider all comments received
by
the closing date and may amend this final rule 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 final rule.
Costs of Compliance
We estimate that this AD affects 17,957 airplanes, of U.S.
registry.
We estimate the following costs to comply with this AD:
Since this AD allows the owner/operator (pilot) holding at least a
private pilot certificate to perform the required preflight check of
the fuel tank selector placards, there is a reduction in cost
associated with this AD.
We estimate the following costs to do any necessary replacements
that will be required based on the results of the preflight check of
the left and right fuel tank selector placards for proper installation
inspection. We have no way of determining the number of aircraft that
might need this replacement:
On-Condition Costs
Action |
Labor cost |
Parts cost |
Cost per product |
Install new fuel selector placards
on the fuel selector cover. |
.5 work-hour x $85 per hour =
$42.50
|
$9.26 |
$51.76 |
According to the manufacturer, some
of the costs of this AD may be
covered under warranty, thereby reducing the cost impact on affected
individuals. We do not control warranty coverage for affected
individuals. As a result, we have included all costs in our cost
estimate.
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
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 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 part 39 of the Federal Aviation
Regulations (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)
2018-02-05, Amendment 39-19158 (83 FR 3064, January 23, 2018) and
adding the following new AD:
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