DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2021-0778; Project Identifier 2019-CE-062-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Daher Aerospace (Type Certificate
Previously Held by SOCATA) Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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

SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD)
for certain Daher Aerospace (type certificate previously held by
SOCATA) Model TBM 700 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 a non-conforming dump switch ejecting from its slot. This
proposed AD would require modifying certain dump switches. 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 29,
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 Daher
Aerospace, 601 NE 10 Street, Pompano Beach, FL 33060; phone: (954) 366-
3331; email: TBMCare@daher.com; website: https://www.daher.com/en/aircraft
-manufacturer/customer-service/. 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-2021-0778; 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: Gregory Johnson, Aviation Safety
Engineer, FAA, General Aviation & Rotorcraft Section, International
Validation Branch, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, MO 64106; phone:
(720) 626-5462; fax: (816) 329-4090; email: gregory.johnson@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-2021-0778;
Project Identifier 2019-CE-062-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 the 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 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 confiden-
tial under the FOIA, and they will not be placed in the public docket of
this NPRM. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to Gregory Johnson,
Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, General Aviation & Rotorcraft Section,
International Validation Branch, 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 European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the
Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Union, has issued
EASA AD 2019-0306, dated December 18, 2019 (referred to after this as
"the MCAI"), to address the unsafe condition on certain serial-
numbered Daher Aerospace (formerly SOCATA) Model TBM 700 airplanes. The
MCAI states:

It has been determined that, in certain conditions, an affected
switch [dump switch part number 7388475012 without a seal] may eject
from its slot. Investigations identified the root cause in a non-
conformity of the affected switch.

This condition, if not corrected, could, in case of smoke/fumes
in the cabin, prevent evacuation of the smoke/fumes, possibly
resulting in excessive flight crew workload and/or injury to
aeroplane occupants.

To address this potential unsafe condition, DAHER AEROSPACE
issued the [service bulletin] SB to provide modification
instructions.

For the reasons described above, this [EASA] AD requires
modification of the affected parts by installation of a seal, and
introduces requirements for installation of a dump switch.

You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at https://www.regulations.gov
by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2021-0778.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

The FAA reviewed Daher Aerospace Service Bulletin SB 70-271-21,
Revision 1, dated November 2019. The service information contains
procedures for modifying each dump switch part number 7388475012 by
removing the two indicator light units, installing a seal, installing a
thin layer of grease, and installing the two indicator lights. 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

This proposed AD would require accomplishing the actions specified
in the service information already described.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would
affect 150 airplanes of U.S. registry. The FAA also estimates that it
would take about 1 work-hour per airplane and require parts costing
$800 to comply with the modification 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 cost of
this proposed AD on U.S. operators to be $132,750, or $885 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: