Airworthiness Directives; Air Tractor, Inc. Models AT-200, AT-300, AT-400, AT-500, AT-600, and AT-800 Series Airplanes

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 248 (Wednesday, December 24, 2008)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 78944-78946]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-29568]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2008-1120; Directorate Identifier 2008-CE-064-AD; 
Amendment 39-15767; AD 2008-26-01]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Air Tractor, Inc. Models AT-200, AT-
300, AT-400, AT-500, AT-600, and AT-800 Series Airplanes

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

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) to 
supersede AD 2008-11-17, which applies to certain Air Tractor, Inc. 
Models AT-200, AT-300, AT-400, AT-500, AT-600, and AT-800 series 
airplanes. AD 2008-11-17 currently requires you to install an overturn 
skid plate kit or a modification to the overturn skid plate already 
installed. Since we issued AD 2008-11-17, the manufacturer has notified 
us that Model AT-401B airplanes also need a modification to the 
overturn skid plate. Consequently, this AD would retain the actions of 
AD 2008-11-17 and add the requirement to modify the overturn skid plate 
installed on Model AT-401B airplanes. We are issuing this AD to prevent 
the front and rear connections of the overturn skid plate to the 
airplane from breaking, which could allow foreign debris to enter the 
cockpit during an airplane overturn. This condition, if not corrected, 
could lead to pilot injury.

DATES: This AD becomes effective on January 28, 2009.
    On January 28, 2009, the Director of the Federal Register approved 
the incorporation by reference of Snow Engineering Co. Service Letter 
<greek-i>97, revised September 19, 2008, listed in this AD.
    As of July 7, 2008 (73 FR 31351, June 2, 2008), the Director of the 
Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of Snow 
Engineering Co. Service Letter <greek-i>97, revised November 7, 2007, 
listed in this AD.

ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this AD, contact Air 
Tractor Inc., P.O. Box 485, Olney, Texas 76374; telephone: (940) 564-
5616; fax: (940) 564-5612; e-mail: [email protected]; Internet: 
http://www.airtractor.com.
    To view the AD docket, go to U.S. Department of Transportation, 
Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 
New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, or on the Internet at 
http://www.regulations.gov. The docket number is FAA-2008-1120; 
Directorate Identifier 2008-CE-064-AD.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andy McAnaul, Aerospace Engineer, ASW-
150, FAA San Antonio MIDO-43, 10100 Reunion Pl., Ste. 650, San Antonio, 
Texas 78216; telephone: (210) 308-3365; fax: (210) 308-3370.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

    On October 14, 2008, 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 Air Tractor, Inc. Models AT-200, AT-300, AT-400, 
AT-500, AT-600, and AT-800 series airplanes. This proposal was 
published in the Federal Register as a notice of proposed rulemaking 
(NPRM) on October 23, 2008 (73 FR 63096). The NPRM proposed to 
supersede AD 2008-11-17 with a new AD that would retain the actions of 
AD 2008-11-17 and add the requirement to modify the overturn skid plate 
installed on Model AT-401B airplanes.

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.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD affects 1,309 airplanes in the U.S. 
registry.
    In determining the total cost on U.S. operators, we presume all 
airplanes in the U.S. fleet have an overturn skid plate installed (as 
required by AD 2002-25-09) and the only cost is to incorporate the 
modification kit P/N 11411-1-501. We estimate the following costs to do 
the modification of installing the overturn skid plate modification kit 
P/N 11411-1-501 to those planes that

[[Page 78945]]

currently have the overturn skid plate installed:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                 Total cost per   Total cost on
                          Labor cost                              Parts cost        airplane      U.S. operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 work-hours x $80 per hour = $160...........................             $42             $202         $264,418
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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-2008-1120; Directorate Identifier 2008-CE-064-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) 
2008-11-17, Amendment 39-15540 (73 FR 31351, June 2, 2008), and adding 
the following new AD:

2008-26-01 Air Tractor, Inc.: Amendment 39-15767; Docket No. FAA-
2008-1120; Directorate Identifier 2008-CE-064-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This AD becomes effective on January 28, 2009.

Affected ADs

    (b) This AD supersedes AD 2008-11-17, Amendment 39-15540.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to the following airplane models and serial 
numbers that are certificated in any category:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Group 1 models                        Serial Nos.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
    AT-250, AT-300, AT-301,    -0001 through -1196.
     AT-302, AT-400, AT-400A,
     AT-401, AT-401A, AT-402,
     AT-402A, and AT-402B.
    AT-501, AT-502, AT-502A,   -0001 through -2620.
     and AT-502B.
    AT-602...................  -0337 through -1153.
    AT-802A..................  -0003 through -0282.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Group 2 models                        Serial Nos.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
    AT-401B..................  -0952 through -1196.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unsafe Condition

    (d) Since we issued AD 2008-11-17, the manufacturer has notified 
us that Model AT-401B airplanes also need a modification to the 
overturn skid plane. Consequently, this AD retains the actions of AD 
2008-11-17 and adds the requirement to modify the overturn skid 
plate installed on Model AT-401B airplanes. We are issuing this AD 
to prevent the front and rear connections of the overturn skid plate 
to the airplane from breaking, which could allow foreign debris to 
enter the cockpit during an airplane overturn. This condition, if 
not corrected, could lead to pilot injury.

Compliance

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

------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Actions                 Compliance            Procedures
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) For Group 1 airplanes:    Within the next 180   Follow Snow
 If overturn skid plate part   days after July 7,    Engineering Co.
 number (P/N) 11411-1-500 or   2008 (the effective   Service Letter
 an FAA-approved equivalent    date of AD 2008-11-   <greek-i>97,
 P/N is already installed      17).                  revised November 7,
 then install P/N 11411-1-                           2007; or Snow
 501 modification kit.                               Engineering Co.
                                                     Service Letter
                                                     <greek-i>97,
                                                     revised September
                                                     19, 2008.

[[Page 78946]]

 
(2) For Group 1 airplanes:    Within the next 180   Follow Snow
 If there is no overturn       days after July 7,    Engineering Co.
 skid plate installed, then    2008 (the effective   Service Letter
 install overturn skid plate   date of AD 2008-11-   <greek-i>97,
 kit P/N 11411-1-502 or an     17).                  revised November 7,
 FAA-approved equivalent                             2007; or Snow
 part number.                                        Engineering Co.
                                                     Service Letter
                                                     <greek-i>97,
                                                     revised September
                                                     19, 2008.
(3) For Group 2 airplanes:    Within the next 180   Follow Snow
 Install P/N 11411-1-501       days after January    Engineering Co.
 modification kit.             28, 2009 (the         Service Letter
                               effective date of     <greek-i>97,
                               this AD).             revised September
                                                     19, 2008.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (f) The Manager, Fort Worth Airplane Certification Office, 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: Andy 
McAnaul, Aerospace Engineer, ASW-150, FAA San Antonio MIDO-43, 10100 
Reunion Pl., Ste. 650, San Antonio, Texas 78216; telephone: (210) 
308-3365; fax: (210) 308-3370. 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.

Material Incorporated by Reference

    (h) You must use Snow Engineering Co. Service Letter 
<greek-i>97, revised November 7, 2007; or Snow Engineering Co. 
Service Letter <greek-i>97, revised September 19, 2008, 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 Snow Engineering Co. Service Letter 
<greek-i>97, revised September 19, 2008, under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 
CFR part 51.
    (2) On July 7, 2008 (73 FR 31351, June 2, 2008), the Director of 
the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of Snow 
Engineering Co. Service Letter <greek-i>97, revised November 7, 
2007.
    (3) For service information identified in this AD, contact Air 
Tractor Inc., P.O. Box 485, Olney, Texas 76374; telephone: (940) 
564-5616; fax: (940) 564-5612; e-mail: [email protected]; 
Internet: http://www.airtractor.com.
    (4) You may review copies of the service information 
incorporated by reference for this AD at the FAA, Central Region, 
Office of the Regional Counsel, 901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 
64106. For information on the availability of this material at the 
Central Region, call (816) 329-3768.
    (5) You may also review copies of the service information 
incorporated by reference for this AD 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 December 9, 2008.
John Colomy,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. E8-29568 Filed 12-23-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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