DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2020-0090; Product Identifier 2019-NM-196-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; 328 Support Services GmbH (Type
Certificate Previously Held by AvCraft Aerospace GmbH; Fairchild
Dornier GmbH; Dornier Luftfahrt GmbH) Airplanes

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 all 328 Support Services GmbH Model 328-300 airplanes. This
proposed AD was prompted by a determination that new or more
restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. This proposed AD
would require revising the existing maintenance or inspection program,
as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness
limitations, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency
(EASA) AD, which will be incorporated by reference. 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 March 30,
2020.

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 https://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 the material identified in this proposed AD that will be
incorporated by reference (IBR), contact the EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer
3, 50668 Cologne, Germany; phone: +49 221 89990 1000; email:
ADs@easa.europa.eu; internet: www.easa.europa.eu. You may find this IBR
material on the EASA website at https://ad.easa.europa.eu. You may view
this IBR material 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 in the AD
docket on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for
and locating Docket No. FAA-2020-0090.

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-2020-0090;
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 is listed above.
Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Todd Thompson, Aerospace Engineer,
International Section, Transport Standards Branch, FAA, 2200 South
216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; phone and fax: 206-231-3228; email:
todd.thompson@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-2020-0090;
Product Identifier 2019-NM-196-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 based on those comments.

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

Discussion

The EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the
European Union, has issued EASA AD 2019-0271, dated October 30, 2019
("EASA AD 2019-0271") (also referred to as the Mandatory Continuing
Airworthiness Information, or "the MCAI"), to correct an unsafe
condition for all 328 Support Services GmbH Model 328-300 airplanes.

This proposed AD was prompted by a determination that new or more
restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. The FAA is
proposing this AD to address the potential failure of parts, which
could lead to reduced control of the airplane; and to address the
potential of ignition sources inside fuel tanks, which, in combination
with flammable fuel vapors, could result in fuel tank explosions and
consequent loss of the airplane. See the MCAI for additional background
information.

Relationship Between This Proposed AD and Certain Other ADs

This NPRM would not supersede AD 2009-01-06 R1, Amendment 39-16082
(74 FR 57411, November 6, 2009) ("AD 2009-01-06 R1") and AD 2012-01-
08, Amendment 39-16290 (77 FR 3583, January 25, 2012) ("AD 2012-01-
08"). Rather, the FAA has determined that a stand-alone AD would be
more appropriate to address the changes in the MCAI. AD 2009-01-06 R1
requires modifying the electrical wiring of the fuel pumps by
installing insulation at the flow control and shut-off valves, and
other components of the environmental control system; and revising the
existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to
incorporate new inspections of the fuel tank system. AD 2012-01-08
requires revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as
applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness
limitations. This NPRM would require revising the existing maintenance
or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more
restrictive airworthiness limitations. Accomplishment of the proposed
actions would then terminate all requirements of AD 2009-01-06 R1, and
all requirements of AD 2012-01-08 for Model 328-300 airplanes only.

Related IBR Material Under 1 CFR Part 51

EASA AD 2019-0271 describes airworthiness limitations for
certification maintenance requirements that include, among other items,
safe life limits and fuel tank system limitations.

This material 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 and Requirements of This Proposed AD

This product has been approved by the aviation authority of another
country, and is approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant
to the FAA's bilateral agreement with the State of Design Authority,
the FAA has been notified of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI
referenced above. The FAA is proposing this AD because the FAA
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 EASA AD 2019-0271 described previously, as incorporated by
reference, except for any differences identified as exceptions in the
regulatory text of this AD.

Explanation of Required Compliance Information

In the FAA's ongoing efforts to improve the efficiency of the AD
process, the FAA initially worked with Airbus and EASA to develop a
process to use certain EASA ADs as the primary source of information
for compliance with requirements for corresponding FAA ADs. The FAA has
since coordinated with other manufacturers and civil aviation
authorities (CAAs) to use this process. As a result, EASA AD 2019-0271
will be incorporated by reference in the FAA final rule. This proposed
AD would, therefore, require compliance with EASA AD 2019-0271 in its
entirety, through that incorporation, except for any differences
identified as exceptions in the regulatory text of this proposed AD.
Using common terms that are the same as the heading of a particular
section in the EASA AD does not mean that operators need comply only
with that section. For example, where the AD requirement refers to
"all required actions and compliance times," compliance with this AD
requirement is not limited to the section titled "Required Action(s)
and Compliance Time(s)" in the EASA AD. Service information specified
in EASA AD 2019-0271 that is required for compliance with EASA AD 2019-
0271 will be available on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov
by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2020-0090 after the FAA
final rule is published.

Airworthiness Limitation ADs Using the New Process

The FAA's new process, which uses MCAI ADs as the primary source of
information for compliance with corresponding FAA ADs, has been limited
to certain MCAI ADs (primarily those with service bulletins as the
primary source of information for accomplishing the actions required by
the FAA AD). However, the FAA is now expanding the process to include
MCAI ADs that specify the incorporation of airworthiness limitation
documents.

Although the format of the airworthiness limitation ADs using the
new process is different than the FAA's existing format for
airworthiness limitation ADs, the FAA requirements are the same:
Operators must revise the existing maintenance or inspection program,
as applicable, to incorporate the information specified in the new
airworthiness limitation document.

The previous format of the airworthiness limitation ADs included a
paragraph that specified that no alternative actions (e.g.,
inspections), or intervals may be used unless the actions and intervals
are approved as an alternative method of compliance (AMOC) in
accordance with the procedures specified in the AMOCs paragraph under
"Other FAA Provisions." This new format includes a "Provisions for
Alternative Actions, Intervals, and Critical Design Configuration
Control Limitation (CDCCLs)" paragraph that does not specifically
refer to AMOCs, but operators may still request an AMOC to use an
alternative action, or interval.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this proposed AD affects 21 airplanes of
U.S. registry. The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with
this proposed AD:

The FAA has determined that revising the maintenance or inspection
program takes an average of 90 work-hours per operator, although the
FAA 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.
Therefore, the FAA estimates the total cost per operator 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.

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):