Airworthiness Directives; Air Tractor, Inc. Models AT-602, AT-802, and AT-802A Airplanes

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 208 (Friday, October 27, 2006)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 62910-62912]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-17828]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2006-24228; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-22-AD; 
Amendment 39-14805; AD 2006-22-08]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Air Tractor, Inc. Models AT-602, AT-
802, and AT-802A Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The FAA adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Air 
Tractor, Inc. Models AT-602, AT-802, and AT-802A airplanes. This AD 
requires you to repetitively inspect the engine mount for any cracks, 
repair or replace any cracked engine mount, and report any cracks found 
to the FAA. This AD results from reports of cracked engine mounts. We 
are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracks in the engine mount, 
which could result in failure of the engine mount. Such failure could 
lead to separation of the engine from the airplane.

DATES: This AD becomes effective on December 1, 2006.
    As of December 1, 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 Air Tractor, Inc., P.O. Box 485, Olney, Texas 76374; telephone: 
(940) 564-5616; facsimile: (940) 564-5612.
    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-2006-24228; Directorate 
Identifier 2006-CE-22-AD.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew McAnaul, Aerospace Engineer, 
ASW-150 (c/o MIDO-43), 10100 Reunion Place, Suite 650, San Antonio, 
Texas 78216; telephone: (210) 308-3365; facsimile: (210) 308-3370.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

    On April 26, 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 all Air Tractor, Inc. Models AT-602, AT-802, and AT-802A 
airplanes. This proposal was published in the Federal Register as a 
notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on May 2, 2006 (71 FR 25793). The 
NPRM proposed to require you to repetitively inspect the engine mount 
for any cracks, repair or replace any cracked engine mount, and report 
any cracks found to the FAA.

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: Flight Test and Analysis

    Ronald G. Bush suggests that proper flight testing of a correctly 
instrumented engine mount and structure, combined with analysis of the 
data collected, may provide for a more efficient solution to the 
cracking problem than the repetitive inspections currently provide. He 
notes that the cost of each inspection is estimated at $120, and a 
properly substantiated terminating action may prove less costly over 
time.
    We partially agree that a properly executed flight test and 
analysis is a method to provide substantiating data that can be used to 
validate an alternate method for addressing the engine mount fatigue 
cracking. The FAA has not received any data at this time that proposes 
and substantiates a terminating action for the required inspections. If 
and when such information is received, we will consider mandating it 
through AD action.
    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:
    <bullet> Are consistent with the intent that was proposed in the 
NPRM for correcting the unsafe condition; and
    <bullet> Do not add any additional burden upon the public than was 
already proposed in the NPRM.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD affects 368 airplanes in the U.S. 
registry.
    We estimate the following costs to do each required inspection:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Total cost per      Total cost on U.S.
               Labor cost                        Parts cost            airplane per      operators for initial
                                                                        inspection            inspection
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.5 work-hours x $80 per hour = $120...  Not Applicable............            $120   368 x $120 = $44,160.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We have no way of determining the number of airplanes that may need 
replacement of the engine mount. We estimate the following costs to do 
the replacement:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                 Total cost per
                  Labor cost                      Parts cost      airplane per     Total cost on U.S. operators
                                                                   inspection         for initial inspection
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
81 work-hours x $80 per hour = $6,480........          $3,982          $10,462   368 x $10,462 = $3,850,016.
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[[Page 62911]]

    Any required ``upon-condition'' repairs would vary depending upon 
the damage found during each inspection. Based on this, we have no way 
of determining the potential repair costs for each 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 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-2006-24228; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-22-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:

2006-22-08 Air Tractor, Inc.: Amendment 39-14805; Docket No. FAA-
2006-24228; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-22-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This AD becomes effective on December 1, 2006.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD affects all Models AT-602, AT-802, and AT-802A 
airplanes, all serial numbers, that are certificated in any 
category.

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from reports of cracked engine mounts. We 
are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracks in the engine 
mount, which could result in failure of the engine mount. Such 
failure could lead to separation of the engine from the airplane.

Compliance

    (e) To address this problem, you must do the following:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Actions                 Compliance            Procedures
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Visually inspect the      Initially inspect     Follow Snow
 engine mount for any cracks.  upon accumulating     Engineering Co.
                               4,000 hours time-in-  Service Letter
                               service (TIS) or      <greek-i>253, dated
                               within the next 100   December 12, 2005.
                               hours TIS after
                               December 1, 2006
                               (the effective date
                               of this AD),
                               whichever occurs
                               later, unless
                               already done.
                               Thereafter,
                               repetitively
                               inspect every 300
                               hours TIS.
(2) If you find any crack     Before further        For obtaining a
 damage, do one of the         flight after any      repair scheme:
 following:                    inspection required   Follow Snow
(i) Obtain an FAA-approved     by paragraph (e)(1)   Engineering Co.
 repair scheme and             of this AD where      Service Letter
 incorporate this repair       crack damage is       <greek-i>253, dated
 scheme; or                    found. If you         December 12, 2005.
(ii) Replace the engine        repair the cracked    For the
 mount with a new engine       engine mount, then    replacement: The
 mount.                        continue to           maintenance manual
                               reinspect at          includes
                               intervals not to      instructions for
                               exceed 300 hours      the replacement.
                               TIS, unless the
                               repair scheme
                               states differently.
                               If you replace the
                               engine mount, then
                               initially inspect
                               upon accumulating
                               4,000 hours TIS and
                               repetitively at
                               intervals not to
                               exceed 300 hours
                               TIS thereafter.
(3) Report any cracks that    Within the next 10    The Office of
 you find to the FAA at the    days after you find   Management and
 address specified in          the cracks or         Budget (OMB)
 paragraph (f) of this AD.     within the next 10    approved the
 Include in your report:       days after December   information
(i) Airplane serial number;    1, 2006 (the          collection
(ii) Airplane and engine       effective date of     requirements
 mount hours TIS;              this AD), whichever   contained in this
(iii) Crack location(s) and    occurs later.         regulation under
 size(s);                                            the provisions of
(iv) Corrective action                               the Paperwork
 taken; and                                          Reduction Act and
(v) Point of contact name                            assigned OMB
 and telephone number.                               Control Number 2120-
                                                     0056.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 62912]]

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (f) The Manager, Fort Worth Airplane Certification Office, FAA, 
Attn: Andrew McAnaul, Aerospace Engineer, ASW-150 (c/o MIDO-43), 
10100 Reunion Place, Suite 650, San Antonio, Texas 78216; telephone: 
(210) 308-3365; facsimile: (210) 308-3370, 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 Snow Engineering Co. Service Letter <greek-i>253, 
dated December 12, 2005. 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 Air Tractor, Inc., P.O. Box 485, 
Olney, Texas 76374; telephone: (940) 564-5616; facsimile: (940) 564-
5612. 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-2006-24228; Directorate 
Identifier 2006-CE-22-AD.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on October 13, 2006.
James E. Jackson,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
 [FR Doc. E6-17828 Filed 10-26-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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