DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2022-0991; Project Identifier AD-2022-00155-T]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Learjet, Inc., Airplanes
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNPRM).
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SUMMARY: The FAA is revising a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM)
that applied to certain Learjet, Inc., Model 45 airplanes. This action
revises the NPRM by adding airplanes to the applicability. The FAA is
proposing this airworthiness directive (AD) to address the unsafe
condition on these products. Since these actions would impose an
additional burden over that in the NPRM, the FAA is requesting comments
on this SNPRM.
DATES: The comment period for the NPRM published in the Federal
Register on August 11, 2022 (87 FR 49556), is reopened.
The FAA must receive comments on this SNPRM by December 27, 2022.
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 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.
AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at regulations.gov under
Docket No. FAA-2022-0991; 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 SNPRM, any comments received, and other
information. The street address for Docket Operations is listed above.
Material Incorporated by Reference:
For service information identified in this SNPRM, contact
Learjet, Inc., One Learjet Way, Wichita, KS 67209-2942; telephone 316-
946-2000; fax 316-946-2220; email ac.ict@aero.bombardier.com; website
bombardier.com.
You may view this service information 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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Adam Hein, Aerospace Engineer,
Mechanical Systems and Propulsion Section, FAA, Wichita ACO Branch,
1801 S Airport Road, Wichita, KS 67209; telephone (316) 946-4116;
email: adam.hein@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-2022-0991; Project Identifier
AD-2022-00155-T'' 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 again
revise 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
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 SNPRM 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 SNPRM, 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 SNPRM. Submissions containing CBI should
be sent to Adam Hein, Aerospace Engineer, Mechanical Systems and
Propulsion Section, FAA, Wichita ACO Branch, 1801 S Airport Road,
Wichita, KS 67209; telephone (316) 946-4116; email: adam.hein@faa.gov.
Any commentary that the FAA receives that is not specifically
designated as CBI will be placed in the public docket for this
rulemaking.
Background
The FAA issued an NPRM to amend 14 CFR part 39 by adding an AD that
would apply to certain Learjet, Inc., Model 45 airplanes airplanes. The
NPRM published in the Federal Register on August 11, 2022 (87 FR
49556). The NPRM was prompted by a determination that new or more
restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. In the NPRM, the
FAA proposed to require revising the existing inspection program to
incorporate reduced inspection intervals for the anti-ice manifold
assembly.
Related Rulemaking
The FAA issued AD 2001-03-05, Amendment 39-12109 (66 FR 10353,
February 15, 2001) (AD 2001-03-05), for certain Learjet Model 45
airplanes. AD 2001-03-05 requires, among other actions, revising the
existing Learjet 45 maintenance program to incorporate additional
inspections and maintenance practices for the anti-ice manifold
assembly, including a 600-hour repetitive inspection interval of an
earlier design/part number of the anti-ice manifold. Since the FAA
issued AD 2001-03-05, the anti-ice manifold was redesigned and the inspection
interval was extended to 1,200 flight hours. The design approval holder
subsequently determined that the design improvements made to the anti-
ice manifold assembly did not fully address the original issue of vane
cracking, so the 1,200-hour inspection on the redesigned part is
insufficient. However, the FAA determined that a repetitive inspection
interval of 600 flight hours is sufficient to address the unsafe
condition. Therefore, this proposed AD would require revising the
existing inspection program to incorporate a reduced 600-hour
inspection interval for the redesigned part. Accomplishing the required
actions in this proposed AD would terminate the requirements of
paragraph (c) of AD 2001-03-05.
Actions Since the NPRM Was Issued
Since the FAA issued the NPRM, the FAA determined that the list of
affected serial numbers specified in paragraph (c) of the proposed AD
was incomplete. The FAA has determined that this proposed AD should
apply to airplanes with an original airworthiness certificate or
original export certificate of airworthiness issued on or before
January 18, 2022. Airplanes with an original airworthiness certificate
or original export certificate of airworthiness issued after January
18, 2022 must comply with the airworthiness limitations specified as
part of the approved type design and referenced on the type certificate
data sheet; this proposed AD therefore does not include those airplanes
in the applicability.
Comments
The FAA received no comments on the NPRM or on the determination of
the cost to the public.
FAA's Determination
The FAA is proposing this AD after determining the unsafe condition
described previously is likely to exist or develop in other products of
the same type design. Certain changes described above expand the scope
of the NPRM. As a result, it is necessary to reopen the comment period
to provide additional opportunity for the public to comment on this
SNPRM.
Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51
The FAA reviewed Learjet 40 Maintenance Manual Temporary Revision
(TR) 04-33 and Learjet 45 Maintenance Manual TR 04-48, both dated
January 18, 2022. This service information specifies reduced inspection
intervals for the anti-ice manifold assembly. These documents are
distinct since they apply to different airplane configurations. 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 ADDRESSES.
Proposed AD Requirements in This SNPRM
This proposed AD would require revising the existing inspection
program to incorporate reduced inspection intervals for the anti-ice
manifold assembly.
This proposed AD would require revisions to certain operator
maintenance documents to include new actions (e.g., inspections).
Compliance with these actions is required by 14 CFR 91.403(c). For
airplanes that have been previously modified, altered, or repaired in
the areas addressed by this proposed AD, the operator may not be able
to accomplish the actions described in the revisions. In this
situation, to comply with 14 CFR 91.403(c), the operator must request
approval for an alternative method of compliance according to paragraph
(k) of this proposed AD.
Costs of Compliance
The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would
affect 481 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
|
Inspection program revision |
1 work-hour x $85 per hour =
$85 |
$0
|
$85
|
$40,885
|
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:
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