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

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 165 (Thursday, August 27, 2009)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 43624-43625]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-20385]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2009-0489; Directorate Identifier 2009-CE-025-AD; 
Amendment 39-16000; AD 2009-18-04]
RIN 2120-AA64


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

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

ACTION: Final rule.

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

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 
Air Tractor, Inc. Models AT-802 and AT-802A airplanes. This AD requires 
installing a rudder-aileron interconnect cable system shield kit and 
securing any items stowed in the baggage compartment, using tie downs 
and/or a cargo net until the cable shield kit is installed. We are 
issuing this AD to prevent jamming of the rudder-aileron interconnect 
cables by unsecured items in the baggage compartment, which could 
result in failure of the rudder-aileron interconnect cable system. This 
failure could lead to loss of control.

DATES: This AD becomes effective on October 1, 2009.
    On October 1, 2009, 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 Air 
Tractor, Inc., P.O. Box 485, Olney, Texas 76374; telephone: (940) 564-
5616; facsimile: (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-2009-0489; 
Directorate Identifier 2009-CE-025-AD.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion

    On May 20, 2009, 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 Models AT-802 and AT-802A airplanes. This 
proposal was published in the Federal Register as a notice of proposed 
rulemaking (NPRM) on May 29, 2009 (74 FR 25684). The NPRM proposed to 
require installing a rudder-aileron interconnect cable system shield 
kit and securing any items stowed in the baggage compartment, using tie 
downs and/or a cargo net until the cable shield kit is installed.

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 210 airplanes in the U.S. 
registry.
    We estimate the following costs to do the modification:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                              Total cost
           Labor cost             Parts     Total cost per     on U.S.
                                   cost        airplane       operators
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cable Shield Kit SL<greek-          $860  affects 170           $207,400
 i>274: 4.5 work-hours x $80               airplanes at
 per hour = $360.                          $1,220 each.
Cable Shield Kit SL<greek-i>274-     540  affects 40              36,000
 2: 4.5 work-hours x $80 per               airplanes at
 hour = $360.                              $900 each.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

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-2009-0489; Directorate Identifier 2009-CE-025-AD'' in your 
request.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

    Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by 
reference, Safety.

[[Page 43625]]

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 the following new AD:

2009-18-04 Air Tractor, Inc.: Amendment 39-16000; Docket No. FAA-
2009-0489; Directorate Identifier 2009-CE-025-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This AD becomes effective on October 1, 2009.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to Models AT-802 and AT-802A airplanes, 
serial numbers 802/802A-001 through 802/802A-0319, that are 
certificated in any category.

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from a report of the rudder pedal cable 
becoming jammed in flight. We are proposing this AD to prevent 
jamming of the rudder-aileron interconnect cables by unsecured items 
in the baggage compartment, which could result in failure of the 
rudder-aileron interconnect cable system. This failure could lead to 
loss of control.

Compliance

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

------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Actions                 Compliance            Procedures
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Secure any items stowed   Before further        Not applicable.
 in the baggage compartment    flight after
 using tie down straps and/    October 1, 2009
 or a cargo net.               (the effective date
                               of this AD) until
                               the installation of
                               the rudder-aileron
                               interconnect cable
                               shield kit required
                               in paragraph (e)(2)
                               of this AD is done.
(2) Install the following     No later than         Snow Engineering
 rudder-aileron interconnect   December 31, 2009.    Co., Service Letter
 cable shield kit, as                                <greek-i>274,
 applicable.                                         Revision A, dated
                                                     April 6, 2009.
   (i) For all airplanes
    equipped for
    agricultural spray
    operations and all
    fire[dash]fighting
    airplanes retrofitted
    with Gen II Fire
    Retardant Delivery
    System relay box,
    install cable shield kit
    SL<greek-i>274.
   (ii) For all fire-
    fighting airplanes not
    equipped with Gen II
    Fire Retardant Delivery
    System relay box,
    install cable shield kit
    SL<greek-i>274-2.
   (iii) Installation of the
    applicable cable shield
    kit SL<greek-i>274 or
    SL<greek-i>274-2
    terminates the
    requirement of paragraph
    (e)(1) of this AD.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

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, 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

    (g) You must use Snow Engineering Co., Service Letter 
<greek-i>274, Revision A, dated April 6, 2009, 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 Air 
Tractor, Inc., P.O. Box 485, Olney, Texas 76374; telephone: (940) 
564-5616; facsimile: (940) 564-5612; e-mail: [email protected]; 
Internet: http://www.airtractor.com.
    (3) 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.
    (4) 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 August 18, 2009.
Scott A. Horn,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. E9-20385 Filed 8-26-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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