Airworthiness Directives; BRP-Powertrain GmbH & Co. KG Rotax 912 F3, 912 S2, 912 S3, 912 S4, 914 F2, 914 F3, and 914 F4 Reciprocating Engines

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 112 (Friday, June 10, 2011)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 33984-33986]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-14239]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2011-0456; Directorate Identifier 2011-NE-15-AD; 
Amendment 39-16711; AD 2011-12-04]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; BRP-Powertrain GmbH & Co. KG Rotax 912 
F3, 912 S2, 912 S3, 912 S4, 914 F2, 914 F3, and 914 F4 Reciprocating 
Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the 
products listed above. This AD results from mandatory continuing 
airworthiness information (MCAI) issued 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:

    During a production process review, a deviation in hardening of 
certain Part Number (P/N) 944072 washers has been detected, which 
exceeds the hardness of the design specification.
    The affected washers are part of the magneto ring flywheel hub 
installation and have been installed on a limited number of engines. 
No defective washers have been shipped as spare parts.
    This condition, if not corrected, could lead to cracks in the 
washer, loosening of the magneto flywheel hub and consequent 
ignition failure, possibly resulting in damage to the engine, in-
flight engine shutdown and forced landing, damage to the aeroplane 
and injury to occupants.


[[Page 33985]]


    We are issuing this AD to prevent engine in-flight shutdown, and 
damage to the airplane.

DATES: This AD becomes effective June 27, 2011.
    We must receive comments on this AD by July 11, 2011.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of BRP-Powertrain GmbH & Co. KG Rotax Mandatory Service 
Bulletins No. SB-912-058 and No. SB-914-041 (combined in one document), 
dated April 15, 2011, listed in the AD as of June 27, 2011.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by any of the following methods:
    <bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the instructions for sending your 
comments electronically.
    <bullet> Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue, SE., West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 
20590-0001.
    <bullet> Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail address above between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    <bullet> Fax: (202) 493-2251.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov; or in person at the Docket Operations office 
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. The AD docket contains this AD, the regulatory evaluation, 
any comments received, and other information. The street address for 
the Docket Operations office (phone: (800) 647-5527) is the same as the 
Mail address provided in the ADDRESSES section. Comments will be 
available in the AD docket shortly after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alan Strom, Aerospace Engineer, Engine 
Certification Office, FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 New 
England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; e-mail: 
[email protected]; phone: (781) 238-7143; fax: (781) 238-7199.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

    The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical 
Agent for the Member States of the European Community, has issued EASA 
Airworthiness Directive 2011-0067-E, dated April 15, 2011 (referred to 
after this as ``the MCAI''), to correct an unsafe condition for the 
specified products. The MCAI states:

    During a production process review, a deviation in hardening of 
certain Part Number (P/N) 944072 washers has been detected, which 
exceeds the hardness of the design specification.
    The affected washers are part of the magneto ring flywheel hub 
installation and have been installed on a limited number of engines. 
No defective washers have been shipped as spare parts.
    This condition, if not corrected, could lead to cracks in the 
washer, loosening of the magneto flywheel hub and consequent 
ignition failure, possibly resulting in damage to the engine, in-
flight engine shutdown and forced landing, damage to the aeroplane 
and injury to occupants.

    You may obtain further information by examining the MCAI in the AD 
docket.

Relevant Service Information

    BRP-Powertrain GmbH & Co. KG has issued Rotax Mandatory Service 
Bulletins No. SB-912-058 and No. SB-914-041 (combined in one document), 
dated April 15, 2011. The actions described in this service information 
are intended to correct the unsafe condition identified in the MCAI.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of this AD

    This product has been approved by the aviation authority of Austria 
and is approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant to our 
bilateral agreement with Austria, EASA has notified us of the unsafe 
condition described in the MCAI and service information referenced 
above. We are issuing this AD because we evaluated all information 
provided by EASA and determined the unsafe condition exists and is 
likely to exist or develop on other products of the same type design. 
This AD requires replacing the washer securing the magneto ring 
flywheel hub with a new washer of the same part number, on certain 
serial number BRP-Powertrain GmbH & Co. KG Rotax 912 and 914 
reciprocating engines.

FAA's Determination of the Effective Date

    An unsafe condition exists that requires the immediate adoption of 
this AD. The FAA has found that the risk to the flying public justifies 
waiving notice and comment prior to adoption of this rule because of 
the short compliance time in this AD of within 10 flight hours or at 
next maintenance after the effective date of the AD, whichever occurs 
first. Therefore, we determined that notice and opportunity for public 
comment before issuing this AD are impracticable and that good cause 
exists for making this amendment effective in fewer than 30 days.

Comments Invited

    This AD is a final rule that involves requirements affecting flight 
safety, and we did not precede it by notice and opportunity for public 
comment. We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments about this AD. Send your comments to an address listed under 
the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2011-0456; Directorate 
Identifier 2011-NE-15-AD'' at the beginning of your comments. We 
specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, economic, 
environmental, and energy aspects of this AD. We will consider all 
comments received by the closing date and may amend this AD because of 
those comments.
    We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. We 
will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact 
with FAA personnel concerning this AD. Using the search function of the 
Web site, anyone can find and read the comments in any of our dockets, 
including, if provided, the name of the individual who sent the comment 
(or signed the comment on behalf of an association, business, labor 
union, etc.). You may review the DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement 
in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78).

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 
rulemaking action.

Regulatory Findings

    We 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

[[Page 33986]]

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 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 regulatory evaluation of the estimated costs to 
comply with this AD and placed it in the AD docket.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

    Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by 
reference, Safety.

Adoption of 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

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. The FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by adding the following new AD:

2011-12-04 BRP-Powertrain GmbH & Co. KG (Formerly Bombardier-Rotax 
GmbH): Amendment 39-16711.; Docket No. FAA-2011-0456; Directorate 
Identifier 2011-NE-15-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This airworthiness directive (AD) becomes effective June 27, 
2011.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to the following BRP-Powertrain GmbH & Co. 
KG Rotax reciprocating engines:
    (1) Model 912 F3--serial number (S/N) 4,412.986 and S/N 
4,412.987.
    (2) Models 912 S2, 912 S3, and 912 S4--S/N 4,924.087 through S/N 
4,924.139 inclusive, and S/N 4,924.141 through 4,924.166 inclusive.
    (3) Models 914 F2, 914 F3, and 914 F4--S/N 4,420.970 through 
4,420.990 inclusive, S/N 4,420.997, and S/N 4,421.001 through 
4,421.003 inclusive.

Reason

    (d) This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness 
information (MCAI) issued 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:

    During a production process review, a deviation in hardening of 
certain Part Number (P/N) 944072 washers has been detected, which 
exceeds the hardness of the design specification.
    The affected washers are part of the magneto ring flywheel hub 
installation and have been installed on a limited number of engines. 
No defective washers have been shipped as spare parts.
    This condition, if not corrected, could lead to cracks in the 
washer, loosening of the magneto flywheel hub and consequent 
ignition failure, possibly resulting in damage to the engine, in-
flight engine shutdown and forced landing, damage to the aeroplane 
and injury to occupants.
    We are issuing this AD to prevent engine in-flight shutdown, and 
damage to the airplane.

Actions and Compliance

    (e) Unless already done, do the following actions within 10 
flight hours or at next maintenance after the effective date of this 
AD, whichever occurs first:
    (1) Replace the magneto ring flywheel hub washer, P/N 944072.
    (2) Use paragraph 3.1 of BRP-Powertrain GmbH & Co. KG Rotax 
Mandatory Service Bulletin SB-912-058, dated April 15, 2011 or SB-
914-041 dated April 15, 2011, to do the replacement.

Prohibition

    (f) After the effective date of this AD, do not install any 
washer P/N 944072 removed as specified in paragraph (e)(1) of this 
AD into any magneto or onto any engine.

FAA AD Differences

    (g) This AD differs from the Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness 
Information (MCAI) as follows:
    (1) European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 2011-0067-E 
requires compliance within 10 flight hours or 4 calendar months 
after the effective date of the AD, whichever occurs first. This AD 
requires compliance within 10 flight hours or at next maintenance 
after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs first.
    (2) EASA AD 2011-0067-E requires operators to return the washer 
removed from service to BRP-Powertrain GmbH & Co. KG. This AD does 
not.

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (h) The Manager, Engine Certification Office, FAA, has the 
authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the 
procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19.

Related Information

    (i) Refer to MCAI EASA AD 2011-0067-E, dated April 15, 2011, for 
related information.
    (j) Contact Alan Strom, Aerospace Engineer, Engine Certification 
Office, FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 New England 
Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; e-mail: [email protected]; 
phone (781) 238-7143; fax (781) 238-719, for more information about 
this AD.

Material Incorporated by Reference

    (k) You must use BRP-Powertrain GmbH & Co. KG Rotax Mandatory 
Service Bulletins No. SB-912-058 and No. SB-914-041 (combined in one 
document), dated April 15, 2011, to do the actions required by this 
AD.
    (1) For service information identified in this AD, contact BRP-
Powertrain GmbH & Co. KG, Welser Strasse 32, A-4623 Gunskirchen, 
Austria, or go to: http://www.rotax-aircraft-engines.com.
    (2) You may review copies at the FAA, New England Region, 12 New 
England Executive Park, Burlington, MA; or at the National Archives 
and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the 
availability of this material at NARA, call (202) 741-6030, or go 
to: http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.

    Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on May 26, 2011.
Peter A. White,
Acting Manager, Engine and Propeller Directorate, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-14239 Filed 6-9-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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