DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2020-0910; Project Identifier 2018-CE-044-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; M7 Aerospace LLC 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 M7 Aerospace LLC Model SA26-AT and SA26-T airplanes. This proposed
AD was prompted by reports of the airplane power lever linkage
detaching from the TPE331 engine propeller pitch control (PPC) shaft.
This proposed AD would require repetitively inspecting the PPC for
proper torque and making any necessary corrections until the
replacement of the PPC assembly and the installation of a secondary
retention feature (safety wire) are done. 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
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 service information identified in this NPRM, contact Honeywell
International Inc., 111 S 34th Street, Phoenix, Arizona 85034-2802;
phone: 855-808-6500; email: AeroTechSupport@honeywell.com; internet:
https://aerospace.honeywell.com/en/services/maintenance-and-monitoring.
You may view this 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-2020-0910;
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, 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: Jonas Perez, Aerospace Engineer,
Fort
Worth ACO Branch, FAA, 10101 Hillwood Parkway, Fort Worth, Texas 76177-
1524; phone: 817-222-5145; fax: 817-222-5960; email:
jonas.perez@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-2020-0910;
Project Identifier 2018-CE-044-AD" at the beginning of your comments.
The most helpful comments reference a specific portion of the proposal,
explain the reason for any recommended change, and include supporting
data. The FAA will consider all comments received by the closing date
and may amend this proposal 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 agency will also post a report summarizing each
substantive verbal contact received about this proposal.
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 Jonas
Perez, Aerospace Engineer, Fort Worth ACO Branch, FAA, 10101 Hillwood
Parkway, Fort Worth, Texas 76177-1524; phone: 817-222-5145; fax: 817-
222-5960; email: jonas.perez@faa.gov. 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 FAA has received reports of the airplane power lever linkage
detaching from the TPE331 engine PPC shaft. In flight operations,
detachment may result in fuel flow to the engine remaining constant
regardless of the power lever movement by the pilot. The orientation of
the engine on certain M7 Aerospace LLC airplanes increases the
vulnerability of detachment. The PPC lever is an airplane part and its
detachment from the TPE331 has been the subject of previous ADs on
other airplane type designs. This condition, if not addressed, could
result in uncommanded change to the engine power settings with
consequent loss of control.
Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51
The FAA reviewed Honeywell International Inc. Service Bulletin
TPE331-72-2190, dated December 21, 2011, which contains procedures for
replacing or reworking the propeller pitch control assembly,
incorporating a threaded hole in the splined end of the shouldered
shaft, and reassembling the propeller pitch control 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.
Other Related Service Information
The FAA also reviewed paragraph j. of M7 Aerospace SA26 Series
Maintenance Manual Temporary Revision 4-02, dated July 22, 2020, which
contains information related to the installation of the secondary reten-
tion feature (safety wire) on the airplane PPC lever and the PPC assembly.
FAA's Determination
The FAA is proposing this AD because the agency 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 the service information described previously.
Costs of Compliance
The FAA estimates that this proposed AD would affect 55 airplanes
of U.S. registry. The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with
this proposed AD:
Estimated Costs
Action |
Labor cost |
Parts cost |
Cost per product |
Cost on U.S. operators |
Install secondary retention feature
(safety wire) |
1 work-hour x $85 per hour =
$85 |
$10 |
$95 |
$5,225 |
Inspect PPC lever |
1 work-hour x $85 per hour =
$85 per inspection cycle |
0 |
85 |
$4,675 per inspection cycle |
Repair, replace, and/or rework
PPC lever input shaft |
19 work-hours x $85 per hour = $1,615 |
1,000 |
2,615 |
$143,825 |
The FAA estimates the following costs
to do any adjustment that
would be required based on the results of the proposed inspection. The
FAA has no way of determining the number of aircraft that might need
the adjustment:
On-Condition Costs
Action
|
Labor cost
|
Parts cost
|
Cost per
product
|
Correct attachment of the PPC
lever |
1 work-hour x $85 per hour =
$85 |
$0
|
$85
|
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):
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