Airworthiness Directives; Raytheon Aircraft Company 90, 100, and 200 Series Airplanes

[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 130 (Tuesday, July 8, 2003)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 40484-40487]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-16691]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 2002-CE-45-AD; Amendment 39-13218; AD 2003-13-16]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Raytheon Aircraft Company 90, 100, and 
200 Series Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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

SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) that 
applies to certain Raytheon Aircraft Company (Raytheon) 90, 100, and 
200 series airplanes. This AD requires you to inspect the forward side 
of the aft pressure bulkhead for scoring damage and repair, if 
necessary. This AD is the result of reports of the aft pressure 
bulkhead being damaged by scoring during manufacture. The actions 
specified by this AD are intended to detect and correct damage to the 
aft pressure bulkhead of the fuselage. Such

[[Page 40485]]

damage could lead to fatigue failure of the bulkhead.

DATES: This AD becomes effective on August 25, 2003.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of certain publications listed in the regulations as of 
August 25, 2003.

ADDRESSES: You may get the service information referenced in this AD 
from Raytheon Aircraft Company, 9709 E. Central, Wichita, Kansas 67201-
0085; telephone: (800) 429-5372 or (316) 676-3140. You may view this 
information at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Central 
Region, Office of the Regional Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket No. 
2002-CE-45-AD, 901 Locust, Room 506, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; or at 
the Office of the Federal Register, 800 North Capitol Street, NW., 
suite 700, Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Steven E. Potter, Aerospace 
Engineer, Wichita Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, 1801 Airport 
Road, Wichita, Kansas 67209; telephone: (316) 946-4124; facsimile: 
(316) 946-4107.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

What Events Have Caused This AD?

    The FAA has received reports that during manufacturing, nine aft 
pressure bulkheads of Raytheon 90, 100, and 200 series airplanes may 
have been damaged by scribing or knife marks (scoring).

What Is the Potential Impact if FAA Took No Action?

    The damage to the aft pressure bulkhead may cause fatigue failure 
of the bulkhead.

Has FAA Taken Any Action to This Point?

    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 
certain Raytheon 90, 100, and 200 series airplanes. This proposal was 
published in the Federal Register as a notice of proposed rulemaking 
(NPRM) on February 14, 2003 (68 FR 7449). The NPRM proposed to require 
you to inspect the forward side of the aft pressure bulkhead for 
scoring damage and repair, if damage is found.

Was the Public Invited to Comment?

    The FAA encouraged interested persons to participate in the making 
of this amendment. The following presents the comment received on the 
proposal and FAA's response to the comment:

Comment Issue:

    AD Applicability to Model B200 Range of Serial Numbers.

What Is the Commenter's Concern?

    The commenter states that there is a typographical error in the 
range of serial numbers for the Model B200 applicability.

What Is FAA's Response to the Concern?

    We concur. The last serial number for the Model B200 applicability 
is incorrectly stated as BB-14443. The correct serial number is BB-
1443. We will change the final rule AD action to incorporate the 
correct serial number.

FAA's Determination

What Is FAA's Final Determination on This Issue?

    After careful review of all available information related to the 
subject presented above, we have determined that air safety and the 
public interest require the adoption of the rule as proposed except for 
minor editorial corrections. We have determined that these minor 
corrections:
--Provide 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.

How Does the Revision to 14 CFR Part 39 Affect This AD?

    On July 10, 2002, FAA published a new version of 14 CFR part 39 (67 
FR 47997, July 22, 2002), which governs FAA's AD system. This 
regulation now includes material that relates to special flight 
permits, alternative methods of compliance, and altered products. This 
material previously was included in each individual AD. Since this 
material is included in 14 CFR part 39, we will not include it in 
future AD actions.

Cost Impact

How Many Airplanes Does This AD Impact?

    We estimate that this AD affects 3,223 airplanes in the U.S. 
registry.

What Is the Cost Impact of This AD on Owners/Operators of the Affected 
Airplanes?

    We estimate the following costs to accomplish the inspection of the 
forward side of the aft pressure bulkhead:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                              Total cost per     Total cost on
               Labor cost                            Parts cost                  airplane        U.S. operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8 workhours x $60 per hour = $480......  Not applicable...................               $480         $1,547,040
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We estimate the following costs to accomplish any necessary repairs 
that will be required based on the results of the inspection. We have 
no way of determining the number of airplanes that may need such repair 
of the forward side of the aft pressure bulkhead:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                         Total cost per
            Labor cost                  Parts cost          airplane
------------------------------------------------------------------------
16 workhours x $60 per hour = $960                $25               $985
------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 40486]]

Compliance Time of This AD

What Will Be the Compliance Time of This AD?

    The compliance time of this AD is within the next 6 calendar months 
after the effective date of this AD.

Why Is the Compliance Time Presented in Calendar Time Instead of Hours 
Time-in-Service (TIS)?

    This unsafe condition is not a result of the number of times the 
airplane is operated. The chance of this situation occurring is the 
same for an airplane with 10 hours TIS as it would be for an airplane 
with 500 hours TIS. For this reason, FAA has determined that a 
compliance based on calendar time will be utilized in this AD in order 
to ensure that the unsafe condition is addressed on all airplanes in a 
reasonable time period.

Regulatory Impact

Does This AD Impact Various Entities?

    The regulations adopted herein 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. Therefore, it 
is determined that this final rule does not have federalism 
implications under Executive Order 13132.

Does This AD Involve a Significant Rule or Regulatory Action?

    For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this action (1) is 
not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive Order 12866; 
(2) is not a ``significant rule'' under 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. A copy of the final evaluation prepared for this 
action is contained in the Rules Docket. A copy of it may be obtained 
by contacting the Rules Docket at the location provided under the 
caption ADDRESSES.

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:

2003-13-16 Raytheon Aircraft Company: Amendment 39-13218; Docket No. 
2002-CE-45-AD.
    (a) What airplanes are affected by this AD? This AD affects the 
following airplane models and serial numbers that are certificated 
in any category:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Model                            Serial numbers
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) 65-90, 65-A90, B90, C90,   LJ-1 through LJ-1287, LJ-1289 through LJ-
 and C90A.                      1294, and LJ-1296 through LJ-1299.
(2) E90......................  LW-1 through LW-347.
(3) F90......................  LA-2 through LA-236.
(4) H90 (T-44A)..............  LL-1 through LL-61.
(5) 100 and A100.............  B-2 through B-89, B-93, and B-100 through
                                B-247.
(6) A100 (U-21F).............  B1, B-90 through B-92, and B-94 through B-
                                99.
(7) A100-1 (U-21J)...........  BB-3 through BB-5.
(8) A200 (C-12A) and (C-12C).  BC-1 through BC-61, BC-62 through BC-75,
                                and BD-1 through BD-30.
(9) A200C (UC-12B)...........  BJ-1 through BJ-66
(10) A200CT (C-12D)..........  BP-1, BP-19, and BP-24 through BP-51.
(11) A200CT (C-12F)..........  BP-52 through BP-63.
(12) B200C (C-12F)...........  BP-64 through BP-71, BL-73 through BL-
                                112, and BL-118 through BL-123.
(13) A200CT (FWC-12D)........  BP-7 through BP-11.
(14) A200CT (RC-12D).........  GR-1 through GR-12.
(15) A200CT (RC-12G).........  FC-1 through FC-3.
(16) A200CT (RC-12H).........  GR-14 through GR-19.
(17) A200CT (RC-12K).........  FE-1 through FE-9.
(18) A200CT (RC-12P).........  FE-25 through FE-31, FE-33, and FE-35.
(19) A200CT (RC-12Q).........  FE-32, F-34, and FE-36.
(20) B100....................  BE-1 through BE-137.
(21) B200C...................  BL-37 through BL-57, BL-61 through BL-72,
                                and BL-124 through BL-138.
(22) 200C....................  BL-1 through BL-23, BL-26 through BL-36.
(23) B200C (C-12F)...........  BP-64 through BP-71, BL-73 through BL-
                                112, and BL-118 through BL-123.
(24) B200C (C-12R)...........  BW-1 through BW-29.
(25) B200C (UC-12F)..........  BU 1 through BU10.
(26) B200C (UC-12M)..........  BV-1 through BV-10.
(27) B200CT and 200CT........  BN-1 through BN-4.
(28) B200T and 200T..........  BT-1 through BT-34, and BB-1314.
(29) 200.....................  BB-2, BB-6 through BB-185, BB-187 through
                                BB-202, BB-204 through BB-269, BB-271
                                through BB-407, BB-409 through BB-468,
                                BB-470 through BB-488, BB-490 through BB-
                                509, BB-511 through BB-529, BB-531
                                through BB-550, BB-552 through BB-562,
                                BB-564 through BB-572, BB-574 through BB-
                                590, BB-592 through BB-608, BB-610
                                through BB-626, BB-628 through BB-646,
                                BB-648 through BB-664, BB-666 through BB-
                                694, BB-696 through BB-733, BB-735
                                through BB-792, BB-794 through BB-797,
                                BB-799 through BB-822, BB-825 through BB-
                                828, BB-830 through BB-853, BB-872, BB-
                                873, BB-892, BB-893, and BB-912.

[[Page 40487]]

 
(30) B200....................  BB-734, BB-793, BB-829, BB-854 through BB-
                                870, BB-874 through BB-891, BB-894, BB-
                                896 though BB-911, BB-913 through BB-
                                990, BB-992 through BB-1051, BB-1053
                                through BB-1092, BB-1094, BB-1099
                                through BB-1104, BB-1106 through BB-
                                1116, BB-1118 through BB-1184, BB-1186
                                through BB-1263, BB-1265 through BB-
                                1288, BB-1290 through BB-1300, BB-1302
                                through BB-1313, BB-1315 through BB-
                                1384, BB-1389 through BB-1425, BB-1427
                                through BB-1438, and BB-1440 through BB-
                                1443.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (b) Who must comply with this AD? Anyone who wishes to operate 
any of the airplanes identified in paragraph (a) of this AD must 
comply with this AD.
    (c) What problem does this AD address? The actions specified by 
this AD are intended to detect and correct damage to the aft 
pressure bulkhead of the fuselage. Such damage could lead to fatigue 
failure of the bulkhead.
    (d) What actions must I accomplish to address this problem? To 
address this problem, you must accomplish the following:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Actions                 Compliance            Procedures
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Inspect the forward side  Within the next 6     In accordance with
 of the aft pressure           calendar months       the Accomplishment
 bulkhead for scoring damage.  after August 25,      Instructions of
                               2003 (the effective   Raytheon Aircraft
                               date of this AD),     Mandatory Service
                               unless already        Bulletin No.: SB 53-
                               accomplished.         3513, Rev. 1,
                                                     dated: October
                                                     2002.
(2) If scoring damage is      Prior to further      In accordance with
 found, repair as specified    flight after the      the Accomplishment
 in the Raytheon Aircraft      inspection required   Instructions of
 Mandatory Service Bulletin    in paragraph (d)(1)   Raytheon Aircraft
 No.: SB 53-3513, Rev. 1,      of this AD, unless    Mandatory Service
 dated: October 2002. As       already               Bulletin No.: SB 53-
 applicable, obtain a repair   accomplished.         3513, Rev. 1,
 plan from Raytheon Aircraft                         dated: October
 Company through FAA at the                          2002. As
 address specified in                                applicable, repair
 paragraph (e) of this AD                            in accordance with
 and incorporate this repair                         a repair scheme
 scheme.                                             obtained from
                                                     Raytheon Aircraft
                                                     Company. Obtain
                                                     this repair scheme
                                                     through FAA at the
                                                     address specified
                                                     in paragraph (e) of
                                                     this AD.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (e) Can I comply with this AD in any other way? To use an 
alternative method of compliance or adjust the compliance time, use 
the procedures in 14 CFR 39.19. Send these requests to the Manager, 
Wichita Aircraft Certification Office (ACO). For information on any 
already approved alternative methods of compliance, contact Mr. 
Steven E. Potter, Aerospace Engineer, Wichita Aircraft Certification 
Office, FAA, 1801 Airport Road, Wichita, Kansas 67209; telephone: 
(316) 946-4124; facsimile: (316) 946-4107.
    (f) Are any service bulletins incorporated into this AD by 
reference? Actions required by this AD must be done in accordance 
with Raytheon Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin No.: SB 53-3513, 
Rev. 1, dated: October 2002. The Director of the Federal Register 
approved this incorporation by reference under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 
CFR part 51. You may get copies from Raytheon Aircraft Company, 9709 
E. Central, Wichita, Kansas 67201-0085; telephone: (800) 429-5372 or 
(316) 676-3140. You may view copies at the FAA, Central Region, 
Office of the Regional Counsel, 901 Locust, Room 506, Kansas City, 
Missouri, or at the Office of the Federal Register, 800 North 
Capitol Street, NW., suite 700, Washington, DC.
    (g) When does this amendment become effective? This amendment 
becomes effective on August 25, 2003.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on June 25, 2003.
Dorenda D. Baker,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 03-16691 Filed 7-7-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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