DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2022-0599; Project Identifier MCAI-2021-00456-A;
Amendment 39-22222; AD 2022-22-07]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Piaggio Aviation S.p.A. (Type
Certificate Previously Held by Piaggio Aero Industries S.p.A.)
Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for
certain Piaggio Aviation S.p.A. (type certificate previously held by
Piaggio Aero Industries S.p.A.) (Piaggio) Model P-180 airplanes. This
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 identifies the unsafe condition as corrosion in the bottom
fuselage area of the cabin compartment due to inner and outer sides of
fuselage skin panels of certain airplanes treated with the less
effective primer. This AD requires repetitively inspecting the fuselage
skin panels, visually inspecting the entire fuselage inner side skin if
necessary, and taking any necessary corrective actions. The FAA is
issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: This AD is effective December 23, 2022.
The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by
reference of certain publications listed in this AD as of December 23,
2022.

ADDRESSES:
AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at regulations.gov under
Docket No. FAA-2022-0599; 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, the MCAI, 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.
Material Incorporated by Reference:
For service information identified in this final rule,
contact Piaggio Aviation S.p.A., P180 Customer Support, via Pionieri e
Aviatori d'Italia, snc--16154 Genoa, Italy; phone: +39 331 679 74 93;
email: technicalsupport@piaggioaerospace.it.
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 (817) 222-5110. It is also available at
regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2022-0599.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike Kiesov, Aviation Safety Engineer,
FAA, General Aviation & Rotorcraft Section, International Validation
Branch, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, MO 64106; phone: (816) 329-
4144; email: mike.kiesov@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14
CFR part 39 by adding an AD that would apply to certain serial-numbered
Piaggio Model P-180 airplanes. The NPRM published in the Federal
Register on June 17, 2022 (87 FR 36415). The NPRM was prompted by MCAI
originated by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which
is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Union.
EASA issued EASA AD 2021-0104, dated April 15, 2021 (referred to after
this as ``the MCAI''), to address the unsafe condition on certain
serial-numbered Piaggio Model P.180 airplanes. The MCAI states:

Occurrences were reported where, during routine inspections,
diffused corrosion was detected on the fuselage inner side skin in
the area of the passenger cabin. Evidence indicates that the
presence of undetected (infiltrated or condensed) water, trapped in
between the inner surface of fuselage skin panels and the thermo-
acoustic insulation panels, could have started a galvanic corrosion
phenomenon, mainly in the bottom fuselage area of the cabin
compartment. Fuselage skin panels of certain aeroplanes, delivered
from 2009 to 2013, were treated with the first type of ``chromate-
free'' primer, chemically not as effective against corrosion when
compared to those containing chrome. The phenomenon has been
observed on aeroplanes subjected to prolonged inactivity and not
stored in a hangar, or those operating in an environment with high
humidity and/or frequent heavy precipitation, combined with a
possible deterioration of window sealing due to normal aging, wear
and tear.
This condition, if not corrected, could affect the structural
integrity of the fuselage.
To address this potential unsafe condition, Piaggio published
the [Piaggio Service Bulletin (SB) 80-0405, Revision 0, dated March
15, 2021] SB to provide inspection instructions.
For the reason described above, this [EASA] AD requires
repetitive inspections of
each affected area and, if necessary, an additional visual
inspection of the entire fuselage inner side skin and, depending on
findings, accomplishment of applicable repair. This [EASA] AD also
requires reporting the inspection results to Piaggio.

You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at regulations.gov under
Docket No. FAA-2022-0599.
In the NPRM, the FAA proposed to require repetitively inspecting
the fuselage skin panels, visually inspecting the entire fuselage inner
side skin if necessary, and taking any necessary corrective actions.
The FAA is issuing this AD to prevent degradation of the structural
integrity of the fuselage. The unsafe condition, if not addressed,
could lead to loss of control of the airplane.

Discussion of Final Airworthiness Directive

Comments

The FAA received a comment from one individual commenter. The
following presents the comment received on the NPRM and the FAA's
response to the comment.

Request Not To Require Repetitive 26-Month Inspection

An individual commenter requested the FAA not require a 26-month
repetitive inspection as proposed in the NPRM. The commenter stated
that all U.S. operators follow the Piaggio P.180 Avanti II Maintenance
Manual (MM) inspection program in which these areas are already being
inspected every 5 years and 3,600 flight hours. The commenter also
asserted that there could be patch repairs for previously inspected and
repaired areas, and that, if patch repairs are found with no corrosion
in previously inspected areas, no further action should be required.
Therefore, the commenter believes implementing the 26-month repetitive
inspection is excessive.
The FAA partially agrees. The FAA does not agree that all U.S.-
registered airplanes are required to comply with Chapter 5 of the MM,
which is where the inspections referenced by the commenter are located.
Owners and operators must only comply with the Airworthiness
Limitations section of the MM (located in Chapter 4 of this MM), as
well as 14 CFR part 43, unless the airplane is operated under 14 CFR
part 135 and its operating specifications require it. In addition, if
the fuselage panels affected by this AD are replaced as part of the
corrective actions required by paragraph (g)(1) of this AD, the
repetitive inspections in paragraph (g)(2)(ii) of this AD are not
required. Corrosion found outside of the affected fuselage areas of
this AD should be repaired; however, these repairs are not mandated by
this AD. Only the fuselage areas defined in the referenced service
bulletin are affected by this AD. If corrosion is found as a result of
the inspections required by this AD, this would show that the primer
coating is inadequate to protect the material from corrosion;
therefore, the repetitive inspections in this AD are necessary. The
EASA, as the state of design, determined that a repetitive inspection
interval of not to exceed 660 hours time-in-service (TIS) or 26 months,
whichever occurs first, is appropriate. The FAA has no data to dispute
this specified criteria concerning the time-in-service or calendar-
month inspection interval determination. The FAA does agree that if
repairs were previously accomplished on the areas required to be
inspected by this AD and no corrosion was found during the inspections
required by paragraph (g)(1) of this AD, the repetitive inspections in
paragraph (g)(2)(ii) of this AD are not required. The FAA has not
changed this final rule as a result of this comment.

Conclusion

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
referenced above. The FAA reviewed the relevant data, considered the
comment received, and determined that air safety requires adopting this
AD as proposed. Accordingly, the FAA is issuing this AD to address the
unsafe condition on this product. Except for updating this AD to
reflect that the type certificate holder changed from Piaggio Aero
Industries S.p.A. to Piaggio Aviation S.p.A and changing the term
``fuselage wing skin panel'' used in paragraph (g)(1) of the NPRM to
``fuselage skin panel,'' this AD is adopted as proposed in the NPRM.
None of the changes increase the economic burden on any operator.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

The FAA reviewed Piaggio SB 80-0405, Revision 0, dated March 15,
2021. This service information specifies procedures for inspecting the
fuselage skin panels and inspecting the full inner fuselage skin. It
also specifies repairing or replacing any parts where corrosion is
found.
The FAA also reviewed Piaggio SB 80-0405, Revision 0, Errata
Corrige No. 1, dated March 24, 2021, which addresses discrepancies
identified in Piaggio SB 80-0405, Revision 0, dated March 15, 2021.
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.

Differences Between This AD and the MCAI, Service Information, or NPRM

The MCAI allows credit for the fuselage inner skin inspection if
previously done using Piaggio Aviation S.p.A. Temporary Revision No.
332 to Chapter 53-00-00 of Piaggio P.180 Avanti II MM, and this AD does
not. The FAA will consider requests for an alternative method of
compliance for this under paragraph (h) of this AD.
The MCAI specifies compliance times of 8 months and 12 months
depending on when the P.180 Avanti II MM 3,600-flight-hour or 5-year
inspection was accomplished. This AD has a 12-month compliance time for
all airplanes because the 3,600-flight-hour and 5-year MM inspections
are not required for all U.S. operators by FAA regulation.
The service information specifies contacting Piaggio for certain
repair instructions, while this AD requires repair using a method
approved by the FAA or EASA.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this AD affects 14 airplanes of U.S.
registry.
The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this AD:

Estimated Costs

The FAA estimates the following costs to do any necessary actions
that may be required based on the results of the required inspections.
The FAA has no way of estimating the number of airplanes that might
need these actions:

On-Condition Costs

Paperwork Reduction Act

A federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not
required to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for
failure to comply with a collection of information subject to the
requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act unless that collection of
information displays a currently valid OMB Control Number. The OMB
Control Number for this information collection is 2120-0056. Public
reporting for this collection of information is estimated to be
approximately 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing
instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and
maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the
collection of information. All responses to this collection of
information are mandatory. Send comments regarding this burden estimate
or any other aspect of this collection of information, including
suggestions for reducing this burden, to: Information Collection
Clearance Officer, Federal Aviation Administration, 10101 Hillwood
Parkway, Fort Worth, TX 76177-1524.

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.

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: