DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2019-0697; Product Identifier 2019-NM-110-AD; Amendment
39-19796; AD 2019-23-03]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Dassault Aviation Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directives (AD) 2017-19-
14 and AD 2014-16-27, which apply to certain Dassault Aviation Model
FALCON 900EX airplanes. Those ADs require revising the existing
maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or
more restrictive maintenance requirements and/or airworthiness
limitations. Since the FAA issued AD 2017-19-14 and AD 2014-16-27, the
FAA determined that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations
are necessary. This AD requires revising the existing maintenance or
inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more
restrictive airworthiness limitations. The FAA is issuing this AD to
address the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: This AD is effective January 13, 2020.
The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by
reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of January 13,
2020.
The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by
reference of a certain other publication listed in this AD as of
October 24, 2017 (82 FR 43674, September 19, 2017).

ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this final rule,
contact Dassault Falcon Jet Corporation, Teterboro Airport, P.O. Box
2000, South Hackensack, NJ 07606; telephone 201-440-6700; internet
https://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. It is also available on the
internet at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating
Docket No. FAA-2019-0697.

Examining the AD Docket

You may examine the AD docket on the internet at https://www.regulations.
gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2019-
0697; 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 address for Docket Operations is 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 FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Rodriguez, Aerospace Engineer,
International Section, Transport Standards Branch, FAA, 2200 South
216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; telephone and fax 206-231-3226.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the
Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Union, has issued
EASA AD 2019-0134, dated June 11, 2019 (``EASA AD 2019-0134'') (also
referred to as the Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information, or
``the MCAI''), to correct an unsafe condition for certain Dassault
Aviation Model FALCON 900EX airplanes. You may examine the MCAI in the
AD docket on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov by searching
for and locating Docket No. FAA-2019-0697.
The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14
CFR part 39 to supersede AD 2017-19-14, Amendment 39-19044 (82 FR
43674, September 19, 2017) (``AD 2017-19-14''); and AD 2014-16-27,
Amendment 39-17951 (79 FR 51071, August 27, 2014) (``AD 2014-16-27'').
AD 2017-19-14 and AD 2014-16-27 applied to certain Dassault Aviation
Model FALCON 900EX airplanes. Further, AD 2014-16-27 terminates
paragraph (g)(1) of AD 2010-26-05, Amendment 39-16544 (75 FR 79952,
December 21, 2010), for certain Dassault Aviation Model FALCON 900EX
airplanes, and this terminating provision is included in this AD. The
NPRM published in the Federal Register on September 13, 2019 (84 FR
48310). The NPRM was prompted by the FAA's determination that new or
more restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. The NPRM
proposed to require revising the existing maintenance or inspection
program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive
airworthiness limitations. The FAA is issuing this AD to address, among
other things, fatigue cracking and damage in principal structural
elements; such fatigue cracking and damage could result in reduced
structural integrity of the airplane. See the MCAI for additional
background information.

Comments

The FAA gave the public the opportunity to participate in
developing this final rule. The FAA received no comments on the NPRM or
on the determination of the cost to the public.

Conclusion

The FAA reviewed the relevant data and determined that air safety
and the public interest require adopting this final rule as proposed,
except for minor editorial changes. The FAA determined that these minor
changes:
Are consistent with the intent that was proposed in the
NPRM for addressing 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

Dassault Aviation has issued Chapter 5-40, Airworthiness
Limitations, Revision 11, dated September 2018, of the Dassault Falcon
900EX EASy, Falcon 900LX, and Falcon 900DX Maintenance Manual. This
service information describes procedures, maintenance tasks, and
airworthiness limitations specified in the Airworthiness Limitations
section of the airplane maintenance manual.
This AD also requires Chapter 5-40, Airworthiness Limitations,
Revision 9, dated November 2015, of the Dassault Falcon 900EX EASy,
Falcon 900LX, and Falcon 900DX Maintenance Manual, which the Director
of the Federal Register approved for incorporation by reference as of
October 24, 2017 (82 FR 43674, September 19, 2017).
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

The FAA estimates that this AD affects 79 airplanes of U.S.
registry.
The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this AD:
The FAA estimates the total cost per operator for the retained
actions from AD 2017-19-14 to be $7,650 (90 work-hours x $85 per work-
hour).
The FAA has determined that revising the existing maintenance or
inspection program takes an average of 90 work-hours per operator,
although the agency recognizes that this number may vary from operator
to operator. In the past, the FAA has estimated that this action takes
1 work-hour per airplane. Since operators incorporate maintenance or
inspection program changes for their affected fleet(s), the FAA has
determined that a per-operator estimate is more accurate than a per-
airplane estimate. The FAA estimates the total cost per operator for
the new actions to be $7,650 (90 work-hours x $85 per work-hour).

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 transport category airplanes and
associated appliances to the Director of the System Oversight Division.

Regulatory Findings

The FAA 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 that this AD:
(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.

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

a. Removing Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2014-16-27, Amendment 39-17951
(79 FR 51071, August 27, 2014); and AD 2017-19-14, Amendment 39-19044
(82 FR 43674, September 19, 2017); and

b. Adding the following new AD: