Airworthiness Directives; American Champion Aircraft Corp. Models 7ECA, 7GCAA, 7GCBC, 7KCAB, 8KCAB, and 8GCBC Airplanes

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 208 (Thursday, October 29, 2009)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 55765-55767]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-25258]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2009-0745; Directorate Identifier 2009-CE-036-AD; 
Amendment 39-16053; AD 2009-22-02]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; American Champion Aircraft Corp. Models 
7ECA, 7GCAA, 7GCBC, 7KCAB, 8KCAB, and 8GCBC 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) for all 
American Champion Aircraft Corp. Models 7ECA, 7GCAA, 7GCBC, 7KCAB, 
8KCAB, and 8GCBC airplanes, manufactured prior to 1989 and equipped 
with folding rear seat backs. This AD requires inspection of the rear 
seat back hinge areas for cracking and excessive elongation of the rear 
seat hinge bolt hole and, if cracking or excessive elongation is found, 
replacement of the rear seat frame. We are issuing this AD to detect 
and correct cracking of the rear seat back hinge area and excessive 
elongation of the rear seat hinge bolt hole, either of which could 
result in failure of the seat back. This failure could lead to a rear-
seated pilot or passenger inadvertently interfering with the control 
stick while attempting to not roll to the rear of the airplane upon 
seat back failure. Consequently, this failure could result in loss of 
control.

DATES: This AD becomes effective on December 3, 2009.
    On December 3, 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 
American Champion Aircraft Corporation, P.O. Box 37, 32032 Washington 
Ave., Rochester, Wisconsin 53167; telephone: (262) 534-6315; fax: (262) 
534-2395; Internet: http://www.amerchampionaircraft.com/Technical/Technical.html.
    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-2009-0745; 
Directorate Identifier 2009-CE-036-AD.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wess Rouse, Aerospace Engineer, 2300 
East Devon Avenue, Room 107, Des Plaines, Illinois 60018; telephone: 
(847) 294-8113; fax: (847) 294-7834.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion

    On August 7, 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 all American Champion Aircraft Corp. Models 7ECA, 7GCAA, 
7GCBC, 7KCAB, 8KCAB, and 8GCBC airplanes, manufactured prior to 1989 
and equipped with folding rear seat backs. This proposal was published 
in the Federal Register as a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on 
August 13, 2009 (74 FR 40781). The NPRM proposed to require inspection 
of the rear seat back hinge areas for cracking and excessive elongation 
of the rear seat hinge bolt hole and, if cracking or excessive 
elongation is found, replacement of the rear seat frame.

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 2,000 airplanes in the U.S. 
registry.

[[Page 55766]]

    We estimate the following costs to do the inspection:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Total cost   Total cost
          Labor cost              Parts cost        per        on U.S.
                                                  airplane    operators
------------------------------------------------------------------------
.5 work-hour x $80 per hour =  Not applicable.          $40      $80,000
 $40.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

     We estimate the following costs to do any necessary replacements 
that would be required based on the results of the proposed inspection. 
We have no way of determining the number of airplanes that may need 
this replacement:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Labor cost                      Parts cost                     Total cost per airplane
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.5 work-hours x $80 per hour = $120.  Remanufactured seat      Remanufactured seat $320.
                                        $200.                   New standard seat $765.
                                       New standard seat $645.  New wide seat $885.
                                       New wide seat $765.....
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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-2009-0745; Directorate Identifier 2009-CE-036-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 the following new AD:

2009-22-02 American Champion Aircraft Corp.: Amendment 39-16053; 
Docket No. FAA-2009-0745; Directorate Identifier 2009-CE-036-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This AD becomes effective on December 3, 2009.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to Models 7ECA, 7GCAA, 7GCBC, 7KCAB, 8KCAB, 
and 8GCBC airplanes, all serial numbers, that are:
    (1) Manufactured prior to 1989;
    (2) Equipped with folding rear seat backs; and
    (3) Certificated in any category.

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from an occurrence of the rear seat frame 
failing in flight. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct 
cracking of the rear seat back hinge area and excessive elongation 
of the rear seat hinge bolt hole, which could result in failure of 
the rear seat back. This failure could lead to a rear-seated pilot 
or passenger inadvertently interfering with the control stick while 
attempting to not roll to the rear of the airplane upon seat back 
failure. Consequently, this failure could result in loss of control.

Compliance

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

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  Actions                                Compliance                        Procedures
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Inspect the rear seat back hinge area    Within the next 25 hours time-in-  Follow American Champion
 for cracking and elongation of the rear      service (TIS) after December 3,    Aircraft Corp. Service Letter
 seat hinge bolt hole.                        2009 (the effective date of this   No. 431, dated July 20, 2009.
                                              AD) and repetitively thereafter
                                              at intervals not to exceed every
                                              100 hours TIS or every 12
                                              months, whichever occurs first.

[[Page 55767]]

 
(2) If cracking or excessive elongation of   Before further flight after the    Follow American Champion
 the rear seat bolt hole is found during      inspection where cracking or       Aircraft Corp. Service Letter
 any inspection required in paragraph         excessive elongation of the rear   No. 431, dated July 20, 2009.
 (e)(1) of this AD, replace the seat frame    seat bolt hole is found.
 with a factory remanufactured seat frame,
 a new part number (P/N) 7-1500 (standard)
 seat frame, or a new P/N 7-1501 (wide)
 seat frame. Replacement of the seat frame
 terminates the repetitive inspection
 requirements of this AD.
(3) You may at any time replace the rear     Not applicable...................  Follow American Champion
 seat frame with a factory remanufactured                                        Aircraft Corp. Service Letter
 seat frame, a new part number (P/N) 7-1500                                      No. 431, dated July 20, 2009.
 (standard) seat frame, or a new P/N 7-1501
 (wide) seat frame to terminate the
 repetitive inspection requirements of this
 AD.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (f) The Manager, Chicago Aircraft 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: Wess 
Rouse, Aerospace Engineer, 2300 East Devon Avenue, Room 107, Des 
Plaines, Illinois 60018; telephone: (847) 294-8113; fax: (847) 294-
7834. 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 American Champion Aircraft Corp. Service Letter 
No. 431, dated July 20, 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 
American Champion Aircraft Corporation, P.O Box 37, 32032 Washington 
Ave., Rochester, Wisconsin 53167; telephone: (262) 534-6315; fax: 
(262) 534-2395; Internet: http://www.amerchampionaircraft.com/Technical/Technical.html.
    (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 October 13, 2009.
Kim Smith,
Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. E9-25258 Filed 10-28-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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