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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2018-0326; Product Identifier 2018-CE-006-AD; Amendment
39-19464; AD 2018-21-06]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; SOCATA Airplanes
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: We are superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 98-16-03
for
SOCATA Model TB 9 and Model TB 10 airplanes. This AD results from
mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued 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 fatigue cracking of the wing front attachments on the wing
and fuselage sides. We are issuing this AD to require actions to
address the unsafe condition on these products.
DATES: This AD is effective December 10, 2018.
The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by
reference of a certain publication listed in the AD as of December 10,
2018.
ADDRESSES: You may examine the AD docket on the internet at http://www.
regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2018-
0326; or in person at Docket Operations, 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 service information identified in this AD, contact SOCATA,
Direction des services, 65921 Tarbes Cedex 9, France; phone: +33 (0) 5
62 41 73 00; fax: +33 (0) 5 62 41 76 54; email: info@socata.daher.com;
internet: https://www.mysocata.com/login/accueil.php. You may view this
referenced 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 Docket No. FAA-2018-0326.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Quentin Coon, Aerospace Engineer,
901
Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 329-
4168; fax: (816) 329-4090; email: quentin.coon@faa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Discussion
We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR
part 39 to supersede AD 98-16-03, Amendment 39-10677 (63 FR 40359, July
29, 1998) (``AD 98-16-03''). The NPRM was published in the Federal
Register on May 9, 2018 (83 FR 21199), and proposed to correct an
unsafe condition for SOCATA Model TB 9, Model TB 10, and Model TB 200
airplanes. We based the NPRM on MCAI originated by an aviation
authority of another country. The European Aviation Safety Agency
(EASA), which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the
European Community, issued EASA AD No. 2018-0030, dated January 31,
2018 (referred to after this as ``the MCAI''). The MCAI states that:
During a scheduled maintenance inspection, cracks were found on
the wing front attachments of a TB 10 aeroplane.
This condition, if not detected and corrected, could affect the
structural integrity of the aeroplane.
Prompted by these findings, SOCATA issued SB 10-081-57 to
provide inspection and modification instructions, and DGAC France
issued AD 94-264(A), later revised, to require repetitive
inspections of wing front attachments of TB 9 and TB 10 aeroplanes
(all MSN up to 822 inclusive, with some excluded). That [DGAC
France] AD also required installation of reinforcement kits, applied
as repair (if cracks were found) or as modification (if no cracks
were found), of the wing front attachments, on both wing and
fuselage sides, and repetitive replacement of those reinforcements
afterwards.
Since DGAC France AD 94-264(A) R1 was issued, cracks have been
found on wing front attachments, on the wing side, on TB10
aeroplanes to which the AD did not apply, i.e. which were not
subject to repetitive inspections as required by that [DGAC France]
AD. Consequently, SOCATA revised SB 10-081-57 (now at revision (rev)
3), extending the Applicability to all TB 10 aeroplanes, as well as
to TB 200 aeroplanes, and improving the repair solution of the wing
front attachment on wing side.
For the reason described above, this [EASA] AD retains the
requirements of DGAC France AD 94-264(A) R1, which is superseded,
expands the Applicability to all MSN for TB 9 and TB 10 aeroplanes
and includes TB 200 aeroplanes, and requires an improved repair
solution of the wing front attachment on wing side.
The MCAI can be found in the AD docket on the internet at: https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=FAA-2018-0326-0003.
Comments
We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing
this AD. The following presents the comment received on the proposal
and the FAA's response to the comment.
Request for an Explanation of Compliance Time
Daher requested that we explain why the compliance times in the
NPRM are presented in landings and do not match the compliance times in
the EASA AD, which uses both hours time-in-service (TIS) and number of
landings.
The NPRM retained the compliance times from AD 98-16-03, which were
based in landings instead of hours TIS. The NPRM also retained the
formula for converting hours TIS to landings from AD 98-16-03 for
airplanes with an unknown number of landings. Because we also retained
the effective date of AD 98-16-03 for certain actions, we determined the
NPRM would not use both landings and hours TIS, as in the EASA AD.
Change to the Final Rule
In the NPRM, in table 1 to paragraph (g)(1) and table 4 to
paragraph (i)(1), we inadvertently referenced the incorrect paragraph
designator in the retained compliance times as, ``See paragraph (g) of
this AD.'' In this AD, we corrected the paragraph designator to read,
``See paragraph (k) of this AD.''
We also revised the incorporation by reference of the service
information to specify the provisions required for each action, instead
of the entire service document.
Conclusion
We reviewed the relevant data, considered the comment received, and
determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting the
AD as proposed except for the changes previously described and other
minor editorial changes. We have determined that these 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
We reviewed Daher Service Bulletin SB 10-081, Revision 3, dated
December 2017. The service bulletin describes procedures for inspecting
the front attachments and installing modification kits. 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 will affect 126 products of U.S. registry.
We also estimate that it would take about 3 work-hours per product to
comply with the inspection requirements of this AD. We also estimate
that it would take about 25 work-hours per product to comply with the
replacement/modification (wing and fuselage sides) requirements of this
AD. The average labor rate is $85 per work-hour. Required parts would
cost about $3,000 per product.
Based on these figures, we estimate the cost of this AD on U.S.
operators to be $677,880, or $5,380 per product.
In addition, we estimate that any necessary follow-on actions to
replace the wing attachment on the wing side, resulting from the
repetitive inspections, would take about 9 work-hours and require parts
costing $3,000, for a cost of $3,765 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,
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 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 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.
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-
0326; or in person at Docket Operations between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD docket contains
the NPRM, the regulatory evaluation, any comments received, and other
information. The street address for Docket Operations (telephone (800)
647-5527) is in the ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in
the AD docket shortly after receipt.
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 removing Airworthiness Directive (AD)
98-16-03, Amendment 39-10677 (63 FR 40359, July 29, 1998) and adding
the following new AD:
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