Airworthiness Directives; Allied Ag Cat Productions, Inc. (Type Certificate No. 1A16 Formerly Held by Schweizer Aircraft Corp.) G-164 Series Airplanes

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 156 (Tuesday, August 14, 2007)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 45312-45314]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-15793]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2007-27860; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-034-AD; 
Amendment 39-15160; AD 2007-17-02]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Allied Ag Cat Productions, Inc. (Type 
Certificate No. 1A16 Formerly Held by Schweizer Aircraft Corp.) G-164 
Series Airplanes

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

ACTION: Final rule.

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

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) to 
supersede AD 82-07-04, which applies to certain Allied Ag Cat 
Productions, Inc. (Ag Cat) G-164 series airplanes. AD 82-07-04 
currently requires you to modify the fuel shut-off valve control by 
installing a new stop-plate. Since we issued AD 82-07-04, we have 
determined the need to add airplane models and serial numbers that were 
not previously included in the Applicability section. Consequently, 
this AD retains the actions of AD 82-07-04 and adds airplane models and 
serial numbers to the Applicability section. We are issuing this AD to 
prevent turning the fuel shut-off valve clockwise past the ``ON'' 
position stop which, if not corrected, could allow the fuel valve to be 
rotated to an unplacarded ``OFF'' position. This condition could lead 
to reduced fuel flow and consequent loss of engine power.

DATES: This AD becomes effective on September 18, 2007.
    On September 18, 2007, the Director of the Federal Register 
approved the incorporation by reference of certain publications listed 
in this AD.

ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Allied Ag Cat Productions, Inc., 301 West Walnut Street, P.O. Box 482, 
Walnut Ridge, Arkansas 72479; telephone: (870) 866-2111.
    To view the AD docket, go to U.S. Department of Transportation, 
Docket

[[Page 45313]]

Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, or on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov. The docket number is FAA-2007-27860; Directorate 
Identifier 2007-CE-034-AD.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matt Wilbanks, Aerospace Engineer, 
FAA, Fort Worth Airplane Certification Office, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort 
Worth, Texas 76137; telephone: (817) 222-5051; fax: (817) 222-5960.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion

    On May 9, 2007, 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 Ag Cat G-164 series airplanes. This proposal was 
published in the Federal Register as a notice of proposed rulemaking 
(NPRM) on May 16, 2007 (72 FR 27489). The NPRM proposed to retain the 
actions of AD 82-07-04 and add airplane models and serial numbers to 
the applicability.

Comments

    We provided the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD. We received no comments on the proposal 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 
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.

Differences Between This AD and the Service Information

    This AD affects additional models and serial numbers airplanes 
compared to the list in the applicability section of the service 
information. The requirements of this AD take precedence over the 
provisions in the service information.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD affects 1,400 airplanes in the U.S. 
registry, including those airplanes affected by AD 82-07-04.
    We estimate the following costs to do the modification:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                 Total cost per   Total cost on
                          Labor cost                              Parts cost        airplane      U.S. operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.5 work-hours x $80 per hour = $200.........................            $500             $700         $980,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We based our fleet cost estimate on all airplanes needing the 
modification. We have no way of knowing which airplanes already have 
modified the fuel shut-off control per AD 82-07-04. We also have no way 
of knowing how many airplanes have been retrofitted with the Gemini 
fuel shut-off valve part number 3/4-86-6-RT-6 (A3580-1) without 
incorporating AD 82-07-04.
    The estimated total cost on U.S. operators includes the cumulative 
costs associated with those airplanes affected by AD 82-07-04 and those 
airplanes being added in this AD.

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-2007-27860; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-034-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. The FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by removing Airworthiness Directive (AD) 
82-07-04, Amendment 39-4355, and adding the following new AD:

2007-17-02 Allied Ag Cat Productions, Inc. (Type Certificate No. 
1A16 formerly held by Schweizer Aircraft Corp.): Amendment 39-15160; 
Docket No. FAA-2007-27860; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-034-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This AD becomes effective on September 18, 2007.

Affected ADs

    (b) This AD supersedes AD 82-07-04, Amendment 39-4355.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to the following model and serial number 
airplanes that are certificated in any category and have Gemini fuel 
shut-off valve part number (P/N) 3/4-86-6-RT-6 (A3580-1) installed:

[[Page 45314]]

    (1) Group 1 (maintains the actions from AD 82-07-04):

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Model                             Serial Nos.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(i) G-164A..........................  1726A through 1730A.
(ii) G-164B.........................  335B through 659B.
(iii) G-164C........................  1C through 44C.
(iv) G-164D.........................  1D through 22D.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (2) Group 2:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                   Model                             Serial Nos.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(i) G-164.................................  All.
(ii) G-164A...............................  All except 1726A through
                                             1730A.
(iii) G-164B and G-164B with 73'' wing gap  All except 335B through
                                             659B.
(iv) G-164B-15T...........................  All.
(v) G-164B-20T............................  All.
(vi) G-164B-34T...........................  All.
(vii) G-164C..............................  All except 1C through 44C.
(iv) G-164D and G-164D with 73'' wing gap.  All except 1D through 22D.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from our determination to add airplane 
models and serial numbers that were not previously included in the 
applicability. We are issuing this AD to prevent turning the fuel 
shut-off valve clockwise past the ``ON'' position which, if not 
corrected, could allow the fuel valve to be rotated to an 
unplacarded ``OFF'' position.

Compliance

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

------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Actions                 Compliance            Procedures
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Modify the fuel shut-off  (i) For Group 1       Follow Schweizer
 valve control by              Airplanes: Within     Aircraft Corp. Ag-
 installation of a new stop-   the next 100 hours    Cat Service
 plate, P/N A1552-71 (or FAA-  time-in-service       Bulletin No. 78,
 approved equivalent).         (TIS) after April     dated January 26,
                               6, 1982 (the          1982.
                               effective date of
                               AD 82-07-04).
                              (ii) For Group 2
                               Airplanes: Within
                               the next 100 hours
                               TIS after September
                               18, 2007 (the
                               effective date of
                               this AD).
(2) Do not install any        For all Airplanes:    Follow Schweizer
 Gemini fuel shut-off valve    As of the next 100    Aircraft Corp. Ag-
 P/N 3/4-86-6-RT-6 (A3580-1)   hours TIS after       Cat Service
 on any airplane unless the    September 18, 2007    Bulletin No. 78,
 stop-plate is installed per   (the effective date   dated January 26,
 paragraph (e)(1) of this AD.  of this AD).          1982.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (f) The Manager, Fort Worth Airplane Certification Office (ACO), 
FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested 
using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. Send information to 
ATTN: Matt Wilbanks, Aerospace Engineer, Fort Worth ACO, 2601 
Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 76137; telephone: (817) 222-5051; 
fax: (817) 222-5960. Before using any approved AMOC on any airplane 
to which the AMOC applies, notify your appropriate principal 
inspector (PI) in the FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), 
or lacking a PI, your local FSDO.
    (g) AMOCs approved for AD 82-07-04 are approved for this AD.

Material Incorporated by Reference

    (h) You must use Schweizer Aircraft Corp. Ag-Cat Service 
Bulletin No. 78, dated January 26, 1982, to do the actions required 
by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise.
    (1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the 
incorporation by reference of this service information under 5 
U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
    (2) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Allied Ag Cat Productions, Inc., 301 West Walnut Street, P.O. Box 
482, Walnut Ridge, Arkansas 72479; telephone: (870) 866-2111.
    (3) You may review copies at the FAA, Central Region, Office of 
the Regional Counsel, 901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; 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/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on August 6, 2007.
Kim Smith,
Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. E7-15793 Filed 8-13-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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