[Federal Register: July 17, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 136)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 40389-40391]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr17jy06-3]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2006-23644; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-03-AD;
Amendment 39-14679; AD 2006-14-08]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Mitsubishi Heavy Industries MU-2B
Series Airplanes
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: The FAA adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for some
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) MU-2B series airplanes. This AD
requires you to verify that the current flight idle blade angles are
set at 12 degrees. If not already set at that angle, set the flight
idle blade angles to 12 degrees. This AD results from a recent safety
evaluation that used a data-driven approach to analyze the design,
operation, and maintenance of the MU-2B series airplanes in order to
determine their safety and define what steps, if any, are necessary for
their safe operation. Part of that evaluation was the identification of
unsafe conditions that exist or could develop on the affected type
design airplanes. We are issuing this AD to prevent incorrect flight
idle blade angle settings. This unsafe condition, if not corrected,
could lead to an asymmetric thrust situation in certain flight
conditions, which could result in airplane controllability problems.
DATES: This AD becomes effective on August 21, 2006.
As of August 21, 2006, the Director of the Federal Register
approved the incorporation by reference of certain publications listed
in the regulation.
ADDRESSES: To get the service information identified in this AD,
contact Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America, Inc., 4951 Airport
Parkway, Suite 800, Addison, Texas 75001; telephone: 972-934-5480;
facsimile: 972-934-5488.
To view the AD docket, go to the Docket Management Facility; U.S.
Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building,
Room PL-401, Washington, DC 20590-001 or on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov.
The docket number is FAA-2006-23644; Directorate
Identifier 2006-CE-03-AD.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rao Edupuganti, Aerospace Engineer,
Fort Worth ACO, ASW-150, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 2601 Meacham
Boulevard, Fort Worth, Texas 76137-4298; telephone: 817-222-5284;
facsimile: 817-222-5960.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Discussion
On February 3, 2006, we issued a proposal to amend part 39 of the
Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) to include an AD that
would apply to some MHI MU-2B series airplanes. This proposal was
published in the Federal Register as a notice of proposed rulemaking
(NPRM) on February 9, 2006 (71 FR 6685). The NPRM proposed to require
you to check the flight idle blade angle setting and set to 12 degrees
if not already.
Comments
We provided the public the opportunity to participate in developing
this AD. The following presents the comment received on the proposal
and FAA's response to the comment:
Comment Issue: Need for Issuance of This AD After 25 Years Since the
Issuance of the Service Bulletin
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America, Inc. questions the need for an
AD 25 years after the service bulletin has been issued. In 1980, MHI
(Mitsubishi Aircraft International, Inc. at the time of issuance)
issued Service Bulletin No. SB016/61-001, dated March 18, 1980, to
change the flight blade angles from 16 degrees to 12 degrees. The type
certificate data sheet for the affected airplanes was also revised to
incorporate this change, which included Note 3 to indicate a small
group of airplanes that may not have incorporated Service Bulletin No.
SB016/61-001. No Japanese AD was issued because no airplanes on the
Japanese type certificate were affected by this change. The Japanese
airplanes had already incorporated the intent of the service bulletin.
At the time the service bulletin was issued, the FAA evaluated the
available information and found that there were no reports of problems
or incidents of flight idle blade angle settings with airplanes of U.S.
registry. Therefore, we did not issue an airworthiness directive at
that time.
Based on information received from the safety evaluation done in
2005 for the MU-2B series airplanes, we identified flight idle blade
angles set at 16 degrees instead of 12 degrees as a potential problem.
After analyzing this issue using our risk-based methodology and the
information received from the safety evaluation, we identified that an
unsafe
[[Page 40390]]
condition is likely to exist or develop on certain type design MU-2B
series airplanes. Therefore, we determined that AD action was necessary
to ensure that all affected airplanes had flight idle blade angles set
to 12 degrees.
We are not changing the AD as a result of this comment.
Conclusion
We have carefully reviewed the available data and determined that
air safety and the public interest require adopting the AD as proposed
except for minor editorial corrections. We have determined that these
minor corrections:
Are consistent with the intent that was proposed in the
NPRM for correcting the unsafe condition; and
Do not add any additional burden upon the public than was
already proposed in the NPRM.
The Administration is committed to updating the aviation community
of expected costs associated with the MU-2B series airplane safety
evaluation conducted in 2005. As a result of that commitment, the
accumulating expected costs of all ADs related to the MU-2B series
airplane safety evaluation may be found in the Final Report section at
the following Web site: http://www.faa.gov/aircraft/air_cert/design_approvals/small_airplanes/cos/mu2_foia_reading_library/
.
Costs of Compliance
We estimate that this AD affects 148 airplanes in the U.S.
registry.
We estimate the following costs to do the modification to change
the flight idle blade angle:
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Total cost per Total cost on
Labor cost Parts cost airplane U.S. operators
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6 work-hours x $80 = $480..................... Not applicable.................. $480 $71,040
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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.
We are 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 AD.
Regulatory Findings
We have determined that 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. Is not a ``significant rule'' under the DOT Regulatory Policies
and Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979); 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.
We prepared a summary of the costs to comply with this AD (and
other information as included in the Regulatory Evaluation) and placed
it in the AD Docket. You may get a copy of this summary by sending a
request to us at the address listed under ADDRESSES. Include ``Docket
No. FAA-2006-23644; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-03-AD'' in your
request.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by
reference, Safety.
Adoption of the Amendment
0
Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator,
the Federal Aviation Administration amends part 39 of the Federal
Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) as follows:
PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
0
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]
0
2. FAA amends Sec. 39.13 by adding a new AD to read as follows:
2006-14-08 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries: Amendment 39-14679; Docket
No. FAA-2006-23644; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-03-AD.
Effective Date
(a) This AD becomes effective on August 21, 2006.
Affected ADs
(b) None.
Applicability
(c) This AD affects the following airplane models and serial
numbers that are certificated in any category:
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Model Serial No.
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(1) MU-2B-26A and MU-2B-40............. 321SA, 348SA, 350SA through
419SA, 421SA, 422SA, and
423SA.
(2) MU-2B-36A and MU-2B-60............. 661SA, 697SA through 747SA,
749SA through 757SA, and 759SA
through 773SA.
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Unsafe Condition
(d) This AD results from a recent safety evaluation that used a
data-driven approach to analyze the design, operation, and
maintenance of the MU-2B series airplanes in order to determine
their safety and define what steps, if any, are necessary for their
safe operation. Part of that evaluation was the identification of
unsafe conditions that exist or could develop on the affected type
design airplanes. The actions specified in this AD are intended to
prevent incorrect flight idle blade angle settings. This unsafe
condition, if not corrected, could lead to an asymmetric thrust
situation in certain flight conditions, which could result in
airplane controllability problems.
Compliance
(e) To address this problem, you must do the following:
[[Page 40391]]
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Actions Compliance Procedures
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Verify that the current Within the next 100 Follow Mitsubishi
flight idle blade angles hours time-in- Aircraft
are set at 12 degrees. If service after International, Inc.
not already set to 12 August 21, 2006 Service Bulletin
degrees, set the flight (the effective date No. SB016/61-001,
idle blade angles to 12 of this AD). dated March 18,
degrees. 1980.
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Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)
(f) The Manager, Forth Worth Aircraft Certification Office
(ACO), FAA, ATTN: Rao Edupuganti, Aerospace Engineer, Fort Worth
ACO, ASW-150, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 2601 Meacham Boulevard,
Fort Worth, Texas 76137-4298; telephone: 817-222-5284; facsimile:
817-222-5960, has the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if
requested using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19.
Material Incorporated by Reference
(g) You must do the actions required by this AD following the
instructions in Mitsubishi Aircraft International, Inc. Service
Bulletin No. SB016/61-001, dated March 18, 1980. The Director of the
Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of this
service bulletin in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part
51. To get a copy of this service information, contact Mitsubishi
Heavy Industries, Ltd., 4951 Airport Parkway, Suite 800, Addison,
Texas 75001 telephone: 972-934-5480; facsimile: 972-934-5488. To
review copies of this service information, go to the National
Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the
availability of this material at NARA, go to: http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html
or call (202) 741-6030. To view the AD docket,
go to the Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, Room PL-
401, Washington, DC 20590-001 or on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov.
The docket number is FAA-2006-23644; Directorate
Identifier 2006-CE-03-AD.
Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on July 5, 2006.
Kim Smith,
Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 06-6179 Filed 7-14-06; 8:45 am]
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