Airworthiness Directives; Raytheon (Beech) Model 400 and 400A Series Airplanes

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 146 (Monday, July 31, 2006)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 43039-43041]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-12107]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2006-24694; Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-018-AD; 
Amendment 39-14697; AD 2006-15-16]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Raytheon (Beech) Model 400 and 400A 
Series Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
certain Raytheon (Beech) Model 400 and 400A series airplanes. This AD 
requires, among other actions, reviewing the airplane logbook to 
determine whether certain generator control unit (GCU) installation 
kits are installed, and replacing any incorrect GCU. This AD results 
from reports of over-voltage conditions of the direct current (DC) 
starter generator. We are issuing this AD to prevent such over-voltage 
conditions due to the incompatibility between certain GCUs, which could 
result in the loss of normal electrical power, damage to some 
electrical components, or blown fuses during flight, and consequent 
unrecoverable loss of some or all essential equipment.

DATES: This AD becomes effective September 5, 2006.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain publication listed in the AD as of September 5, 
2006.

ADDRESSES: You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov or in person at the Docket Management Facility, U.S. 
Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, 
Room PL-401, Washington, DC.
    Contact Raytheon Aircraft Company, Department 62, P.O. Box 85, 
Wichita, Kansas 67201-0085, for service information identified in this 
AD.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Philip Petty, Aerospace Engineer,

[[Page 43040]]

Electrical Systems and Avionics, ACE-119W, FAA, Wichita Aircraft 
Certification Office, 1801 Airport Road, room 100, Mid-Continent 
Airport, Wichita, Kansas 67209; telephone (316) 946-4139; fax (316) 
946-4107.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Examining the Docket

    You may examine the airworthiness directive (AD) docket on the 
Internet at http://dms.dot.gov or in person at the Docket Management 
Facility office between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays. The Docket Management Facility office 
(telephone (800) 647-5227) is located on the plaza level of the Nassif 
Building at the street address stated in the ADDRESSES section.

Discussion

    The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 
CFR part 39 to include an AD that would apply to certain Raytheon 
(Beech) Model 400 and 400A series airplanes. That NPRM was published in 
the Federal Register on May 9, 2006 (71 FR 26877). That NPRM proposed 
to require, among other actions, reviewing the airplane logbook to 
determine whether certain generator control unit (GCU) installation 
kits are installed, and replacing any incorrect GCU.

Comments

    We provided the public the opportunity to participate in the 
development of this AD. We received no comments on the NPRM or on the 
determination of the cost to the public.

Conclusion

    We have carefully reviewed the available data and determined that 
air safety and the public interest require adopting the AD as proposed.

Costs of Compliance

    There are about 43 airplanes of the affected design in the 
worldwide fleet. This AD will affect about 40 airplanes of U.S. 
registry. The required inspection will take about 1 work hour per 
airplane, at an average labor rate of $80 per work hour. Based on these 
figures, the estimated cost of the AD for U.S. operators is $3,200, or 
$80 per airplane.

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 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 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. See the ADDRESSES 
section for a location to examine the regulatory evaluation.

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 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 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) amends Sec.  39.13 by 
adding the following new airworthiness directive (AD):

2006-15-16 Raytheon Aircraft Company (Formerly Beech): Amendment 39-
14697. Docket No. FAA-2006-24694; Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-
018-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This AD becomes effective September 5, 2006.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to the airplanes identified in Table 1 of 
this AD, certificated in any category.

                         Table 1.--Applicability
------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Raytheon (Beech) model--         Serials--            On which--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) 400 series airplanes......  RJ-1 through RJ-   Kit part number (P/N)
                                 65 inclusive.      128-3004-1 P or 128-
                                                    3004-3 P has been
                                                    incorporated (Lucas
                                                    Aerospace/Goodrich
                                                    Direct Current (DC)
                                                    Starter Generator).
(2) 400A series airplanes.....  RK-1 through RK-   Kit P/N 128-3004-1 P
                                 23 inclusive.      or 128-3004-3 P has
                                                    been incorporated
                                                    (Lucas Aerospace/
                                                    Goodrich DC Starter
                                                    Generator).
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from reports of over-voltage conditions of 
the DC starter generator. We are issuing this AD to prevent over-
voltage conditions of the DC starter generator due to the 
incompatibility between certain generator control units (GCUs), 
which could result in the loss of normal electrical power, damage to 
some electrical components, or blown fuses during flight, and 
consequent unrecoverable loss of some or all essential equipment.

Compliance

    (e) You are responsible for having the actions required by this 
AD performed within the compliance times specified, unless the 
actions have already been done.

[[Page 43041]]

Service Bulletin

    (f) The term ``service bulletin,'' as used in this AD, means the 
Accomplishment Instructions of Raytheon Service Bulletin SB 24-3713, 
dated November 2005.

Review of Logbook

    (g) Within 200 flight hours or 6 months after the effective date 
of this AD, whichever occurs first, review the airplane logbook to 
determine whether GCU installation kit, P/N 128-3001-1 P or 128-
3001-3 P, is installed, in accordance with the service bulletin.

Installation Kit Not Found Installed: Replacement of Shinko GCUs

    (h) If no GCU installation kit, P/N 128-3001-1 P or 128-3001-3 
P, is found installed or if the kit P/N cannot be conclusively 
determined during the review required by paragraph (g) of this AD: 
Within 200 flight hours or 6 months after the effective date of this 
AD, whichever occurs first, replace the Shinko GCUs with new Lucas 
Aerospace/Goodrich GCUs (installation kit P/N 128-3001-1 P or 128-
3001-3 P), in accordance with the service bulletin.

Installation Kit Found Installed: Inspections of GCUs and Current Sense 
Transformers and Replacement of Transformers as Applicable

    (i) If any GCU installation kit, P/N 128-3001-1 P or 128-3001-3 
P is found installed during the review required by paragraph (g) of 
this AD: Within 200 flight hours or 6 months after the effective 
date of this AD, whichever occurs first, inspect to determine the P/
N of both GCUs, in accordance with the service bulletin; and at the 
times specified in Table 2 of this AD, do the applicable action(s) 
in that table.

                       Table 2.--Inspection and Replacement of Current Sense Transformers
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       Then, within 200 flight
                                       hours or 6 months after
                                        the effective date of
                 If--                     this AD, whichever              If--                    Then--
                                            occurs first--
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Both GCUs have P/N 45AS88801-19    Inspect to determine     Both current sense       No further action is
 or -25.                                the P/N of both          transformers have P/N    required by this AD.
                                        current sense            45AS88801-21.           Within 200 flight hours
                                        transformers on the     Either current sense      or 6 months after the
                                        lower inboard quadrant   transformer is not       effective date of this
                                        of the left-hand and     identified with P/N      AD, whichever occurs
                                        right-hand engine        45AS88801-21.            first, replace the
                                        inlets, in accordance                             current sense
                                        with the service                                  transformer with a new
                                        bulletin.                                         transformer, P/N
                                                                                          45AS88801-21, in
                                                                                          accordance with the
                                                                                          service bulletin.
(2) Either GCU does not have P/N       Replace the GCU with a   Both current sense       No further action is
 45AS88801-19 or -25.                   new GCU, P/N 45AS88801-  transformers have P/N    required by this AD.
                                        19 or -25, and inspect   45AS88801-21.           Within 200 flight hours
                                        to determine the P/N    Either current sense      or 6 months after the
                                        of both current sense    transformer is not       effective date of this
                                        transformers on the      identified with P/N      AD, whichever occurs
                                        lower inboard quadrant   45AS88801-21.            first, replace the
                                        of the left-hand and                              current sense
                                        right-hand engine                                 transformer with a new
                                        inlets, in accordance                             transformer, P/N
                                        with the service                                  45AS88801-21, in
                                        bulletin.                                         accordance with the
                                                                                          service bulletin.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (j)(1) The Manager, Wichita Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, 
has the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested in 
accordance with the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19.
    (2) Before using any AMOC approved in accordance with Sec.  
39.19 on any airplane to which the AMOC applies, notify the 
appropriate principal inspector in the FAA Flight Standards 
Certificate Holding District Office.

Material Incorporated by Reference

    (k) You must use Raytheon Service Bulletin SB 24-3713, dated 
November 2005, to perform the actions that are required by this AD, 
unless the AD specifies otherwise. The Director of the Federal 
Register approved the incorporation by reference of this document in 
accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. Contact Raytheon 
Aircraft Company, Department 62, P.O. Box 85, Wichita, Kansas 67201-
0085, for a copy of this service information. You may review copies 
at the Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Room PL-401, Nassif 
Building, Washington, DC; on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov; or 
at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For 
information on the availability of this material at the NARA, call 
(202) 741-6030, or go to http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on July 20, 2006.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. E6-12107 Filed 7-28-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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