DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2020-0898; Project Identifier AD-2020-01284-T;
Amendment 39-21320; AD 2020-23-04]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation
Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for
certain Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation (Gulfstream) Model GVII-G500
and Model GVII-G600 airplanes. This AD requires revising your existing
airplane flight manual (AFM) and airplane maintenance manual (AMM) to
include information pertaining to the fuel boost pump. This AD was
prompted by a report of misassembled impellers onto the shaft of the
fuel boost pump during production. The FAA is issuing this AD to
address the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: This AD is effective November 24, 2020.
The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by
reference of certain publications listed in this AD as of November 24,
2020.
The FAA must receive comments on this AD by December 24, 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 in-
structions 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 final rule, contact
Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, Technical Publications Dept., P.O.
Box 2206, Savannah, GA 31402; phone: (800) 810-4853; email:
pubs@gulfstream.com; website: https://www.gulfstream.com/en/customer-
support/. 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. It is also available on
the internet at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and
locating Docket No. FAA-2020-0898.

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-
0898; 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, 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: Jared Meyer, Aerospace Engineer,
Atlanta ACO Branch, FAA, 1701 Columbia Avenue, College Park, Georgia
30337; phone: (404) 474-5534; fax: (404) 474-5605; email:
jared.meyer@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

The FAA was notified by Gulfstream of the possibility of
misassembled impellers onto the shaft of fuel boost pumps used in the
production of GVII-G500 and GVII-G600 airplanes. The supplier of fuel
boost pumps discovered two misassembled fuel boost pumps on two
different make/models of non-Gulfstream aircraft. The Gulfstream GVII-
G500 and GVII-G600 fuel boost pumps are very similar in design and are
manufactured in the same facility using the same manufacturing
processes, so the same condition could exist on the Gulfstream fuel
boost pumps.
A misassembled fuel boost pump could result in a woodruff key
becoming dislodged and causing friction between static and rotating
components internal to the fuel boost pump. This friction could
generate heat or sparks inside the fuel tank, which, if the pump were
to run dry, could result in a fuel tank fire or fuel tank explosion.
The unsafe condition, if not addressed, could result in a potential
source of ignition in the fuel tank and may lead to fire or explosion.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

The FAA reviewed the following AFM supplements, which contain new
warnings about operating the boost pumps with empty fuel tanks for the
Abnormal Procedures and Emergency Procedures sections of the AFM. These
documents are distinct because they pertain to different airplane
models:
Gulfstream Aerospace GVII-G500 Airplane Flight Manual
Supplement No. GVII-G500 (Issue 1)-2020-05, dated September 8, 2020;
Gulfstream Aerospace GVII-G500 Airplane Flight Manual
Supplement No. GVII-G500-2020-06, dated September 8, 2020; and
Gulfstream Corporation GVII-G600 Airplane Flight Manual
Supplement No. GVII-G600-2020-06 dated September 8, 2020.
The FAA also reviewed the following AMM documents, which contain
revised maintenance procedures pertaining to the fuel boost pump. These
documents are distinct since they apply to different airplane models.
Although the documents have the watermarked words ``advance copy'' on
each page of the document, these are not advance draft copies but final
versions of temporary revisions to the AMM, pending incorporation into
the AMM at the next revision.
GVII-G500 Maintenance Manual 12-13-01 Defueling
Procedure--Defuel, dated August 31, 2020;
GVII-G500 Maintenance Manual 28-26-04 Fuel Boost Pump--
Prime, dated August 31, 2020;
GVII-G600 Maintenance Manual 12-13-01 Defueling
Procedure--Defuel, dated August 31, 2020;
GVII-G600 Maintenance Manual 28-26-04 Fuel Boost Pump--
Prime, dated August 31, 2020;
GVII-G600 Maintenance Manual 28-26-04 Fuel Boost Pump--
Removal/Installation, dated August 31, 2020; and
GVII-G600 Maintenance Manual 28-26-05 Fuel Boost Pump
Canister--Removal/Installation, dated August 31, 2020.

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

The FAA is issuing this AD because it evaluated all the relevant
information and determined the unsafe condition described previously is
likely to exist or develop in other products of this same type design.

AD Requirements

This AD requires revising the existing AFM for your airplane by
adding new warnings to the Abnormal Procedures and Emergency Procedures
sections. Revising the existing AFM for your airplane is not considered
a maintenance action and therefore may be performed by the owner/
operator (pilot) holding at least a private pilot certificate. The
pilot must record compliance in the aircraft maintenance records in
accordance with 14 CFR 43.9(a)(1) through (4) and 14 CFR
91.417(a)(2)(v). The record must be maintained as required by 14 CFR
91.417.
This AD also requires revising the existing AMM for your airplane
by replacing maintenance procedures pertaining to the fuel boost pump.

Interim Action

The FAA considers this AD an interim action. The design approval
holder is currently working on a modification that will address the
unsafe condition identified in this AD. Once this modification action
is developed, FAA-approved, and available, the FAA will consider
additional rulemaking.

Justification For Immediate Adoption and Determination of the Effective
Date

Section 553(b)(3)(B) of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) (5
U.S.C. 551 et seq.) authorizes agencies to dispense with notice and
comment procedures for rules when the agency, for ``good cause,'' finds
that those procedures are ``impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to
the public interest.'' Under this section, an agency, upon finding good
cause, may issue a final rule without providing notice and seeking
comment prior to issuance. Further, section 553(d) of the APA
authorizes agencies to make rules effective in less than thirty days,
upon a finding of good cause.
An unsafe condition exists that requires the immediate adoption of
this AD without providing an opportunity for public comments prior to
adoption. The FAA has found that the risk to the flying public
justifies foregoing notice and comment prior to adoption of this rule
because misassembled fuel boost pump components could generate heat or
sparks leading to a potential fuel tank explosion. If an operator or
maintenance personnel were to run fuel boost pump dry, it could result
in fuel tank fire or explosion. The FAA determined that the actions
necessary to correct this condition must be accomplished within 14
days. Therefore, the FAA finds good cause that notice and opportunity
for prior public comment are impracticable pursuant to 5 U.S.C.
553(b)(3)(B).
In addition, the FAA finds that good cause exists pursuant to 5
U.S.C. 553(d) for making this amendment effective in less than 30 days,
for the same reasons the FAA found good cause to forgo notice and
comment.

Comments Invited

This AD is a final rule that involves requirements affecting flight
safety and was not preceded by notice and an opportunity for public
comment. The FAA invites you to send any written relevant data, views,
or arguments about this final rule. Send your comments to an address
listed under ADDRESSES. Include Docket No. FAA-2020-0898 and Project
Identifier AD-2020-01284-T at the beginning of your comments. The most
helpful comments reference a specific portion of the final rule,
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 final rule 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 final rule.

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 AD 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 AD, 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 AD. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to Jared
Meyer, Aerospace Engineer, Atlanta ACO Branch, FAA, 107 Charles W.
Grant Pkwy, Atlanta, GA 30354. Any commentary that the FAA receives
which is not specifically designated as CBI will be placed in the
public docket for this rulemaking.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this AD affects 80 airplanes of U.S.
registry.
The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this 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.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

The requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) do not
apply when an agency finds good cause pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553 to adopt
a rule without prior notice and comment. Because the FAA has determined
that it has good cause to adopt this rule without notice and comment,
RFA analysis is not required.

Regulatory Findings

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, and
(2) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska.

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 adding the following new airworthiness
directive: