DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2019-0557; Product Identifier 2019-NE-17-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Aviointeriors S.p.A. Centaurus
Passenger Seats

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD)
for certain Aviointeriors S.p.A. (Aviointeriors) Centaurus passenger
seats with a specific life vest pouch assembly installed. This proposed
AD was prompted by reports of life vest pouches that were installed
incorrectly on certain seats. This proposed AD would require inspection
of the life vest pouch assembly and, depending on the results of the
inspection, replacement of the life vest pouch assembly. The FAA is
proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: The FAA must receive comments on this proposed AD by September 30,
2019.

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
Aviointeriors S.p.A., Customer Support, Via Appia Km. 66,4; 04013
Latina, Italy; phone: +39 0773 6891; fax: +39 0773 631546; email:
customer-support@aviointeriors.it; internet: http://www.aviointeriors.it.
You may view this service information at the FAA,
Engine and Propeller Standards Branch, 1200 District Avenue,
Burlington, MA, 01803. For information on the availability of this
material at the FAA, call 781-238-7759.

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-2019-
0557; 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 mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI),
the regulatory evaluation, any comments received, and other
information. The street address for Docket Operations is listed above.
Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dorie Resnik, Aerospace Engineer,
Boston ACO Branch, FAA, 1200 District Avenue, Burlington, MA, 01803;
phone: 781-238-7693; fax: 781-238-7199; email: dorie.resnik@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

The FAA invites 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-2019-0557;
Product Identifier 2019-NE-17-AD" at the beginning of your comments.
The FAA specifically invites comments on the overall regulatory,
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this NPRM. The FAA will
consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend this
NPRM because of those comments.

The FAA will post all comments received, without change, to http://www.
regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide.
The FAA will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal
contact received about this NPRM.

Discussion

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the
Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Community, has
issued EASA AD 2018-0264R1, dated April 4, 2019 (referred to after this
as "the MCAI"), to address the unsafe condition on these products.
The MCAI states:

Incorrect installation of the affected pouch was found on
certain affected seats. Subsequent investigation determined that
those pouches have been (re)installed in service. This condition, if
not detected and corrected, could prevent extraction of the life
vest from the pouch, leading to evacuation of the aeroplane without
a life vest, possibly resulting in injury to passengers.

To address this potential unsafe condition, Aviointeriors issued
the SB to provide inspection instructions and the modification SB to
provide instructions to modify the affected seats. Aviointeriors
also revised the Component Maintenance Manuals (CMM) to include
updated instructions for installing an affected pouch.

For the reason described above, EASA issued AD 2018-0264,
requiring inspection of the affected seats and, depending on
findings, accomplishment of applicable corrective action(s). Since
that [EASA] AD was issued, it was determined that affected seats may
have received an additional P/N related to the aircraft modification
addressing the installation of the seats. This [EASA] AD is revised
to clarify the Applicability by inserting Note 1 into Appendix 1 of
this [EASA] AD.

You may obtain further information by examining the MCAI in the AD
docket on the internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for
and locating Docket No. FAA-2019-0557.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

The FAA reviewed Aviointeriors Mandatory Service Bulletin (MSB) No.
16/18, Rev. 1, dated October 11, 2019, and Aviointeriors Optional
Service Bulletin (OSB) No. 18/18, Rev. 2, dated March 11, 2019. The MSB
describes procedures for inspection and horizontal installation of the
life vest pouch assembly. The OSB describes procedures for an
alternative (vertical) inspection and installation of the life vest
pouch assembly. 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

This product has been approved by EASA, and is approved for
operation in the United States. Pursuant to our bilateral agreement
with the European Community, EASA has notified us of the unsafe
condition described in the MCAI and service information referenced
above. The FAA is proposing this AD because it evaluated all the relevant
information provided by EASA 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 inspection of the life vest pouch
assembly and, depending on the results of the inspection, replacement
of the life vest pouch.

Differences Between This Proposed AD and the MCAI

EASA AD 2018-0264R1, dated April 4, 2019, refers to Aviointeriors
OSB No. 18/18, Rev. 1, dated October 16, 2018. This FAA AD refers to
Aviointeriors OSB No. 18/18, Rev. 2, dated March 11, 2019. EASA
reasoned that they are aware of Aviointeriors OSB No. 18/18, Rev. 2,
but because none of their operators opted to implement the optional
vertical installation modification within Aviointeriors OSB No. 18/18,
EASA determined it was not necessary to refer to the latest revision of
the service bulletin.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this proposed AD affects an unknown number
of passenger seats installed on, but not limited to, Boeing 777-200 and
777-300 airplanes of U.S. registry.

The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this proposed
AD:

Estimated Costs

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.

The FAA is 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 engines, propellers, and
associated appliances to the Manager, Engine and Propeller Standards
Branch, Policy and Innovation Division.

Regulatory Findings

The FAA 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) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and

(3) 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):