Airworthiness Directives; Fokker Services B.V. Airplanes

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 226 (Monday, November 27, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 55939-55941]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-25382]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2017-1095; Product Identifier 2012-NM-215-AD; Amendment 
39-19108; AD 2017-24-04]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Fokker Services B.V. Airplanes

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 certain 
Fokker Services B.V. Model F.27 airplanes. This AD requires contacting 
the FAA to obtain instructions for addressing the unsafe condition on 
these products, and doing the actions specified in those instructions. 
This AD was prompted by reports indicating that certain exit signs have 
a hydrogen isotope that decays over time, causing the signs to lose 
their brightness. We are issuing this AD to address the unsafe 
condition on these products.

DATES: This AD becomes effective December 12, 2017.
    We must receive comments on this AD by January 11, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR 
11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods:
    <bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
    <bullet> Fax: 202-493-2251.
    <bullet> 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.
    <bullet> Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket 
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, except Federal holidays.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2017-
1095; 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 
(telephone 800-647-5527) is in the ADDRESSES section. Comments will be 
available in the AD docket shortly after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Rodriguez, Aerospace Engineer, 
International Section, Transport Standards Branch, FAA, 1601 Lind 
Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98057-3356; telephone 425-227-1137; fax 425-227-
1149.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion

    The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical 
Agent for the Member States of the European Union, has issued EASA AD 
2012-0238, dated November 9, 2012 (referred to after this as the 
Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information, or ``the MCAI''), to 
correct an unsafe condition for certain Fokker Services B.V. Model F.27 
airplanes. The MCAI states:

    A number of Fokker F.27 aeroplanes have exit signs installed to 
locate the emergency exits. A number of these signs are not 
electrically powered, but are self-illuminated by means of a 
hydrogen isotope known as Tritium. As this isotope decays over time, 
these signs will lose their brightness.
    To remain compliant with regulations, Tritium exit signs should 
be replaced when their brightness has deteriorated below accepted 
levels. The established service life for the Tritium powered exit 
signs is 7 years. Currently, the F.27 maintenance program does not 
include a replacement task for exit signs containing Tritium.
    This condition, if not corrected, could result in insufficiently 
bright exit signs, possibly preventing safe evacuation during an 
emergency, which could result in injury to occupants.
    For the reasons described above, this [EASA] AD requires the 
replacement of the affected Tritium powered exit signs. Depending on 
the aeroplane configuration, the replacement exit signs must be 
either photo-luminescent or Tritium powered. In addition, this 
[EASA] AD introduces a life limit for the Tritium signs and requires 
repetitive maintenance tasks for the photo-luminescent signs. [The 
EASA AD provides an option to revise the airplane maintenance 
program.]

    You may examine the MCAI on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2017-
1095.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of This AD

    This product has been approved by the aviation authority of another 
country, and is approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant 
to our bilateral agreement with the State of Design Authority, we have 
been notified of the unsafe condition described in the

[[Page 55940]]

MCAI. We are issuing this AD because we evaluated all pertinent 
information and determined the unsafe condition exists and is likely to 
exist or develop on other products of the same type design.

FAA's Determination of the Effective Date

    Since there are currently no domestic operators of this product, we 
find good cause that notice and opportunity for prior public comment 
are unnecessary. In addition, for the reason(s) stated above, we find 
that good cause exists for making this amendment effective in less 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-2017-1095; Product 
Identifier 2012-NM-215-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 based on 
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 we 
receive about this AD.

Costs of Compliance

    Currently, there are no affected U.S.-registered airplanes. This AD 
requires contacting the FAA to obtain instructions for addressing the 
unsafe condition, and doing the actions specified in those 
instructions. Based on the actions specified in the MCAI, we are 
providing the following cost estimates for an affected airplane that is 
placed on the U.S. Register in the future:

                                                 Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                     Cost per
                Action                          Labor cost                   Parts cost               product
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Replacement...........................  1 work-hour x $85 per      Unavailable..................             $85
                                         hour = $85.
Inspection............................  1 work-hour x $85 per      $0...........................              85
                                         hour = $85.
Maintenance or inspection program       1 work-hour x $85 per      $0...........................              85
 revision.                               hour = $85.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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.
    This AD is issued in accordance with authority delegated by the 
Executive Director, Aircraft Certification Service, as authorized by 
FAA Order 8000.51C. In accordance with that order, issuance of ADs is 
normally a function of the Compliance and Airworthiness Division, but 
during this transition period, the Executive Director has delegated the 
authority to issue ADs applicable to transport category airplanes to 
the Director of the System Oversight Division.

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 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);
    3. Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska; and
    4. 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.

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 airworthiness 
directive (AD):

2017-24-04 Fokker Services B.V.: Amendment 39-19108; Docket No. FAA-
2017-1095; Product Identifier 2012-NM-215-AD.

(a) Effective Date

    This AD becomes effective December 12, 2017.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Fokker Services B.V. Model F.27 airplanes, 
certificated in any category, serial numbers 10425 through 10692 
inclusive.

(d) Subject

    Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 11, Placards and 
markings.

(e) Reason

    This AD was prompted by reports indicating that certain exit 
signs have a hydrogen isotope that decays over time, causing the 
signs to lose their brightness. We are issuing this AD to prevent 
insufficiently illuminated exit signs, which could possibly prevent 
safe evacuation during an emergency and cause injury to occupants.

[[Page 55941]]

(f) Compliance

    Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified, 
unless already done.

(g) Required Actions

    Within 30 days after the effective date of this AD, request 
instructions from the Manager, International Section, Transport 
Standards Branch, FAA, to address the unsafe condition specified in 
paragraph (e) of this AD; and accomplish the actions at the times 
specified in, and in accordance with, those instructions. Guidance 
can be found in Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information 
(MCAI) European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 2012-0238, dated 
November 9, 2012.

(h) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    The Manager, International Section, Transport Standards Branch, 
FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested 
using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. In accordance with 14 
CFR 39.19, send your request to your principal inspector or local 
Flight Standards District Office, as appropriate. If sending 
information directly to the International Section, send it to the 
attention of the person identified in paragraph (i)(2) of this AD. 
Information may be emailed to: [email protected]. 
Before using any approved AMOC, notify your appropriate principal 
inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the manager of the 
local flight standards district office/certificate holding district 
office.

(i) Related Information

    (1) Refer to MCAI EASA AD 2012-0238, dated November 9, 2012, for 
related information. You may examine the MCAI on the Internet at 
http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. 
FAA-2017-1095.
    (2) For more information about this AD, contact Tom Rodriguez, 
Aerospace Engineer, International Section, Transport Standards 
Branch, FAA, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98057-3356; telephone 
425-227-1137; fax 425-227-1149.

(j) Material Incorporated by Reference

    None.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on November 14, 2017.
Chris Spangenberg,
Acting Director, System Oversight Division, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-25382 Filed 11-24-17; 8:45 am]
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