DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2020-0582; Product Identifier 2020-NM-059-AD; Amendment
39-21326; AD 2020-23-10]
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 Directive (AD) 2014-26-07
and AD 2019-07-01 which apply to Dassault Aviation Model FAN JET FALCON
and FAN JET FALCON SERIES C, D, E, F, and G airplanes. AD 2019-07-01
required revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as
applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness
limitations. This AD requires 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 is incorporated by reference.
This AD was prompted by a determination that new or more restrictive
airworthiness limitations are necessary. The FAA is issuing this AD to
address the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: This AD is effective December 23, 2020.
The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by
reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of December 23,
2020.
The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by
reference of a certain other publication listed in this AD as of May
24, 2019 (84 FR 16390, April 19, 2019).

ADDRESSES: For EASA material incorporated by reference (IBR) in this
AD, contact the EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 Cologne, Germany;
telephone +49 221 8999 000; 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. For the Dassault Aviation material
identified in this AD that continues to be IBR, 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 IBR material at the FAA, Airworthiness Products
Section, Operational Safety 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-2020-0582.

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-
0582; 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
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,
Large Aircraft Section, International Validation Branch, FAA, 2200
South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; telephone and fax 206-231-3226;
email tom.rodriguez@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

The EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the
European Union, has issued EASA AD 2019-0141, dated June 17, 2019
(``EASA AD 2019-0141'') (also referred to as the Mandatory Continuing
Airworthiness Information, or ``the MCAI''), to correct an unsafe
condition for certain Dassault Aviation Model FAN JET FALCON and FAN
JET FALCON SERIES C, D, E, F, and G airplanes.
The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14
CFR part 39 to supersede AD 2019-07-01, Amendment 39-19612 (84 FR
16390, April 19, 2019) (``AD 2019-07-01'') and AD 2014-26-07, Amendment
39-18058 (80 FR 2815, January 21, 2015) (``AD 2014-26-07''). AD 2019-
07-01 applied to certain Dassault Aviation Model FAN JET FALCON and FAN
JET FALCON SERIES C, D, E, F, and G airplanes. The NPRM published in
the Federal Register on July 15, 2020 (85 FR 42746). The NPRM was
prompted by a 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, as
specified in an EASA AD.
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 has 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 IBR Material Under 1 CFR Part 51

EASA AD 2019-0141 describes new or more restrictive airworthiness
limitations for airplane structures and safe life limits.
This AD also requires Chapter 5-40, Airworthiness Limitations, DGT
131028, Revision 17, dated September 2017, of the Dassault Aviation
Falcon 20 Maintenance Manual, which the Director of the Federal
Register approved for incorporation by reference as of May 24, 2019 (84
FR 16390, April 19, 2019).
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.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this AD affects 168 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 2019-07-01 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 agency 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 proposed 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.

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,
(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) 2014-26-07, Amendment 39-18058
(80 FR 2815, January 21, 2015); and AD 2019-07-01, Amendment 39-19612
(84 FR 16390, April 19, 2019); and

b. Adding the following new AD: