DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2020-0813; Product Identifier 2019-CE-040-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Pilatus Aircraft Limited Airplanes
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive
(AD)
for Pilatus Aircraft Limited Model PC-12/47E airplanes. This proposed
AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI)
originated 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 inboard flap fairings aft (IFFAs) having an
incorrect shape, which may result in chafing between the IFFA and the
associated front inboard tension rod could occur. This proposed AD
would require an inspection of the IFFAs for the correct shape and
chafing between the IFFA and the associated front inboard tension rod,
with corrective action as necessary. This condition could lead to
failure of the inboard flap drive arm with consequent asymmetric flap
extension, resulting in reduced control of the airplane. 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 November
2,
2020.
ADDRESSES: You may send comments 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: 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 proposed AD, contact
Pilatus Aircraft, Ltd., Customer Support PC-12, CH-6371 Stans,
Switzerland; telephone: +41 41 619 33 33; fax: +41 41 619 73 11; email:
supportPC12@pilatus-aircraft.com; internet: https://www.pilatus-
aircraft.com. You may review this referenced service information at the
FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 901
Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. For information on the
availability of this material at the FAA, call (816) 329-4148.
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-2020-0813;
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 proposed AD, 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: Doug Rudolph, Aerospace Engineer,
FAA,
General Aviation & Rotorcraft Section, International Validation Branch,
901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; telephone: (816)
329-4059; fax: (816) 329-4090; email: doug.rudolph@faa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
The FAA invites you to send any written relevant data, views, or
arguments about this proposed AD. Send your comments to an address
listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include "Docket No. FAA-2020-0813;
Product Identifier 2019-CE-040-AD" at the beginning of your comments.
The FAA will consider all comments received by the closing date and may
amend this proposed AD because of those comments.
Except for Confidential Business Information (CBI) as described in
the following paragraph, and other information as described in 14 CFR
11.35, the FAA will post all comments received, 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 it receives about this proposed AD.
Confidential Business Information
CBI is commercial or financial information that is both customarily
and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public
disclosure. If your comments responsive to this NPRM contain commercial
or financial information that is customarily treated as private, that
you actually treat as private, and that is relevant or responsive to
this NPRM, it is important that you clearly designate the submitted
comments as CBI. Please mark each page of your submission containing
CBI as "PROPIN." The FAA will treat such marked submissions as
confidential under the FOIA, and they will not be placed in the public
docket of this NPRM. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to Doug
Rudolph, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, General Aviation & Rotorcraft
Section, International Validation Branch, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas
City, Missouri 64106. Any commentary that the FAA receives which is not
specifically designated as CBI will be placed in the public docket for
this rulemaking.
Discussion
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the
Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Community, has
issued AD No.: 2019-0231, dated September 13, 2019 (referred to after
this as the MCAI), to correct an unsafe condition for Pilatus Aircraft,
Ltd., Model PC-12/47E airplanes. The MCAI states:
On the final assembly line of PC-12/47E aeroplanes, IFFAs were
detected having an incorrect shape. As a consequence, chafing
between the IFFA and the associated front inboard tension rod could
occur, may cause corrosion of the bare rod aluminium tube and reduce
aluminium thickness.
This condition, if not detected and corrected, could lead to
failure of the inboard flap drive arm with consequent asymmetric
flap extension, possibly resulting in reduced control of the
aeroplane.
To address this potential unsafe condition, Pilatus issued the
[service bulletin] SB to provide inspection and modification
instructions.
For the reason described above, this [EASA] AD requires a one-
time inspection of both IFFA and, depending on findings, a follow-on
inspection of the associated front inboard tension rod for chafing,
and modification or replacement of affected parts.
You may examine the MCAI on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov
by
searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2020-0813.
Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51
Pilatus Aircraft Limited has issued Pilatus PC-12 Service Bulletin
No: 27-026, dated July 10, 2019 (Pilatus SB No. 27-026). The service
information specifies procedures for inspecting and correcting chafing
between the left and right IFFAs and the associated front inboard
tension rods. 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 and Requirements of the 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 our bilateral agreement with this State of Design Authority, it has
notified the FAA of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI and
service information referenced above. The FAA is proposing this AD
because it evaluated all information and determined the unsafe
condition exists and is likely to exist or develop on other products of
the same type design.
Proposed AD Requirements
This proposed AD would require accomplishing the actions specified
in the service information described previously except as discussed
under "Differences Between this AD and the Service Information."
Differences Between This Proposed AD and the MCAI
Pilatus SB No. 27-026 only requires inspection of airplanes that
were potentially manufactured with the IFFAs that have the incorrect
shape and requires inspection of the tension rods if the IFFAs are
modified because they have been found to have the incorrect shape. Due
to the length of time between manufacture and this proposed AD,
operators having multiple Model PC-12/47E airplanes could have
installed defective parts, either the IFFAs or affected tension rods,
from one airplane into an airplane that was not manufactured with the
defective part. Therefore, this proposed AD would require inspection of
the IFFAs for correct shape, verification of proper clearance with the
tension rods, and inspection for chafing damage on the tension rods on
all Model PC-12/47E airplanes.
Costs of Compliance
The FAA estimates that this proposed AD would affect 18 products of
U.S. registry. The FAA also estimates that it would take about 2.5
work-hours per product to comply with the requirements of this proposed
AD. The average labor rate is $85 per work-hour. Required parts would
cost about $1,600 per product.
Based on these figures, the FAA estimates the cost of the proposed
AD on U.S. operators would be $32,634 or $1,813 per product.
According to the manufacturer, all or some of the costs of this
proposed AD may be covered under warranty, thereby reducing the cost
impact on affected individuals. The FAA does not control warranty
coverage for affected individuals. As a result, the FAA included all
costs in this 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.
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):
|