DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2021-0711; Project Identifier 2019-CE-024-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Pacific Aerospace Limited 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 certain Pacific Aerospace Limited Model 750XL airplanes. This
proposed AD was prompted by 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 chafing of the
engine fuel feed line hoses. This proposed AD would require inspecting
the engine fuel feed line hoses and the electrical wiring and rerouting
all fuel lines. 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 October 12, 2021.

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 the Civil
Aviation Authority of New Zealand, Level 15, Asteron Centre, 55
Featherston Street, Wellington 6011; phone: + 64 4 560 9400; fax: + 64
4 569 2024; email: info@caa.govt.nz. You may view this service
information at the FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, Operational
Safety Branch, 901 Locust, Kansas City, MO 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 at https://www.regulations.gov by
searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2021-0711; 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 MCAI,
any comments received, and other information. The street address for
Docket Operations is listed above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike Kiesov, Aviation Safety Engineer,
General Aviation & Rotorcraft Section, International Validation Branch,
FAA, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, MO 64106; phone: (816) 329-
4144; fax: (816) 329-4090; email: mike.kiesov@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 ADDRESSES. Include "Docket No. FAA-2021-0711; Project Identifier
2019-CE-024-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 NPRM.

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 Mike Kiesov, Aviation Safety Engineer, General Aviation &
Rotorcraft Section, International Validation Branch, FAA, 901 Locust,
Room 301, Kansas City, MO 64106. Any commentary that the FAA receives
which is not specifically designated as CBI will be placed in the
public docket for this rulemaking.

Background

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which is the aviation authority
for New Zealand, has issued AD No. DCA/750XL/37, effective April 25,
2019 (referred to after this as "the MCAI"), to correct an unsafe
condition for certain Pacific Aerospace Limited Model 750XL airplanes.

The MCAI states:

DCA/750XL/37 is prompted by a review of the installation of the
engine fuel lines and the electrical installation forward of the
engine firewall on aircraft fitted with an air conditioner and/or a
standby alternator, including those aircraft configured for the
installation of an air conditioner and/or a standby alternator. It
was found that the engine fuel feed lines hoses could possibly chafe
against the adjacent electrical wiring and the ignition exciter,
which could result in a fuel leak and possible fire. The [CAA] AD is
issued to introduce the corrective actions in Pacific Aerospace
Mandatory Service Bulletin (MSB) PACSB/XL/113 issue 2, dated 8 March 2019.

You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at https://www.regulations.gov
by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2021-0711.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

The FAA reviewed Pacific Aerospace Mandatory Service Bulletin
PACSB/XL/113, Issue 2, dated March 8, 2019. The service information
contains procedures for inspecting the engine fuel feed line hoses and
the electrical wiring for chafing or damage, rerouting all fuel lines
and the fuel transducer and pressure switch wiring (including
installing P clips), and inspecting the fuel hose for chafing and
replacing chafed fire sleeves or fuel hoses if necessary. 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

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 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 issuing this NPRM
after determining the unsafe condition described previously is likely
to exist or develop on other products of the same type design.

Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM

This proposed AD would require accomplishing the actions specified
in the service information described previously, except as discussed
under "Differences Between this Proposed AD and the MCAI."

Differences Between This Proposed AD and the MCAI

The MCAI requires an inspection at the next 150 hour maintenance
inspection or within the next 50 hours time-in-service (TIS), whichever
occurs later, while this proposed AD would require those actions within
50 hours TIS or at the next annual inspection after the effective date
of this AD, whichever occurs later. If there is no chafing and damage
found during the inspection, the MCAI requires certain follow-on
actions at the next 300 hour maintenance inspection or within the next
50 hours TIS, whichever is later. This proposed AD would require those
actions within 50 hours TIS or at the next annual inspection, whichever
occurs later, because there is no regulatory requirement for operators
in the U.S. to have 150-hour or 300-hour maintenance inspections.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would
affect 23 airplanes of U.S. registry. The FAA also estimates that it
would take about 5 work-hours per airplane and require parts costing
$20 per airplane to comply with the inspection and re-routing that
would be required by this proposed AD. The average labor rate is $85
per work-hour.

Based on these figures, the FAA estimates the inspection and re-
routing cost of this proposed AD on U.S. operators to be $10,235, or
$445 per airplane.

The FAA has included all known costs in its cost estimate.
According to the manufacturer, however, some of the costs of this
proposed AD may be covered under warranty, thereby reducing the cost
impact on affected operators.

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) Would not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and

(3) Would 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: