AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

SUMMARY:

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for GA 8 Airvan (Pty) Ltd Model GA8 and Model GA8-TC320 airplanes. This proposed AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) originated by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as a design change to the fuselage strut pick up ribs No. 5 and 6 that requires a reduced life limit. We are issuing this proposed AD to require actions to address the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES:

We must receive comments on this proposed AD by September 26, 2019.

ADDRESSES:

You may send comments by any of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
• Fax: (202) 493-2251.
• Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
• Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

For service information identified in this proposed AD, contact GA 8 Airvan (Pty) Ltd, c/o GippsAero Pty Ltd, Attn: Technical Services, P.O. Box 881, Morwell Victoria 3840, Australia; telephone: + 61 03 5172 1200; fax: +61 03 5172 1201; email: aircraft.techpubs@mahindraaerospace.com. You may review this referenced service information at the FAA, Policy and Innovation Division, 901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call (816) 329-4148.

Examining the AD Docket

You may examine the AD docket on the internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2019-0615; or in person at Docket Operations between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD docket contains this proposed AD, the regulatory evaluation, any comments received, and other information. The street address for Docket Operations (telephone (800) 647-5527) is in the ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Doug Rudolph, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, Small Airplane Standards Branch, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 329-4059; fax: (816) 329-4090; email: doug.rudolph@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or arguments about this proposed AD. Send your comments to an address listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include “Docket No. FAA-2019-0615; Product Identifier 2018-CE-053-AD” at the beginning of your comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this proposed AD. We will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend this proposed AD because of those comments.

We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. We will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact we receive about this proposed AD.

Discussion

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), which is the aviation authority for Australia, has issued AD No. AD/GA8/10, dated October 17, 2018 (referred to after this as “the MCAI”), to correct an unsafe condition for the specified products. The MCAI states:

Airworthiness Limitations are promulgated in the GippsAero Service Manual [Airworthiness Limitations Section] ALS Chapter 4 Airworthiness Limitations. The change to the Airworthiness Limitations by GippsAero on 15 May 2018 was the result of the manufacturer changing the design of the fuselage strut pick up ribs no. 5 and 6. The revised rib designs have a different life limitation to the earlier rib designs. These Airworthiness Limitations are approved by CASA and non-compliance with these limitations could result in an unsafe condition developing. The Service Manual Chapter 4 Airworthiness Limitations dated 15 May 2018 are mandatory in Australia however foreign National Aviation Authorities may not automatically require revision of service manuals without the issue of this AD.

While the U.S. type certificate holder is GA8 Airvan C/O GippsAero, service manuals for the GA8 and GA8-TC320 model airplanes are issued by GippsAero.

You may examine the MCAI on the internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2019-0615.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

The FAA has reviewed the following updated service information from the aircraft service manuals for Model GA8 and Model GA8-TC320 airplanes:

• C01-00-04, Chapter 4, Airworthiness Limitations, dated May 14, 2018, for the Model GA8; and
• C01-00-06, Chapter 4, Airworthiness Limitations, dated May 14, 2018, for the Model GA8-TC 320.

This service information establishes life limits for certain fuselage strut pick up ribs No. 5 and 6. This service information is reasonably available because the interested parties have access to it through their normal course of business or by the means identified in the ADDRESSES section.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of This Proposed AD

This product has been approved by the aviation authority of another country, and is approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant to our bilateral agreement with this State of Design Authority, they have notified us of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI and service information referenced above. We are proposing this AD because we evaluated all information and determined the unsafe condition exists and is likely to exist or develop on other products of the same type design.

Costs of Compliance

We estimate that this proposed AD will affect 30 products of U.S. registry. We also estimate that it would take about 1 work-hour per product to comply with the basic requirements of this proposed AD. The average labor rate is $85 per work-hour.

Based on these figures, we estimate the cost of this proposed AD on U.S. operators to be $2,550, or $85 per product.

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 rulemaking action.

This AD is issued in accordance with authority delegated by the Executive Director, Aircraft Certification Service, as authorized by FAA Order 8000.51C. In accordance with that order, issuance of ADs is normally a function of the Compliance and Airworthiness Division, but during this transition period, the Executive Director has delegated the authority to issue ADs applicable to small airplanes, gliders, balloons, airships, domestic business jet transport airplanes, and associated appliances to the Director of the Policy and Innovation Division.

Regulatory Findings

We determined that this proposed AD would not have federalism implications under Executive Order 13132. This proposed AD would 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 this proposed regulation:

(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),

(3) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and

(4) 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.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

• Air transportation
• Aircraft
• Aviation safety
• Incorporation by reference
• Safety

The Proposed Amendment

Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the FAA proposes to amend 14 CFR part 39 as follows:

PART 39—AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.

2. The FAA amends § 39.13 by adding the following new airworthiness directive (AD):

GA 8 Airvan (Pty) Ltd: Docket No. FAA-2019-0615; Product Identifier

2018-CE-053-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

We must receive comments by September 26, 2019.

(b) Affected ADs

None.

(c) Applicability

This AD applies to GA 8 Airvan (Pty) Ltd Model GA8 and Model GA8-TC320 airplanes, all serial numbers, certificated in any category.

(d) Subject

Air Transport Association of America (ATA) Code 5: Time Limits.

(e) Reason

This AD was prompted by mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as a change to the airworthiness limitations because of a design change by the manufacturer to the fuselage strut pick up ribs No. 5 and 6. We are issuing this AD to require a revision of the service manuals and incorporate new airworthiness limitations.

(f) Actions and Compliance

Unless already done, before further flight, comply with the actions in paragraphs (f)(1) through (3) of this AD.

(1) Remove and replace Chapter 4, Airworthiness Limitations, in your airplane service manual with GippsAero GA8 Service Manual, C01-00-04, Chapter 4, dated May 14, 2018, or GippsAero GA8-TC 320 Service Manual, C01-00-06, Chapter 4, dated May 14, 2018, as applicable to your model airplane.

(2) Remove from service each part listed in Chapter 4, Airworthiness Limitations, in your airplane service manual that has reached or exceeded its new life limit.

(3) Except as provided in paragraph (g)(1) of this AD, no alternative life limits may be approved for the parts listed in GippsAero GA8 Service Manual, C01-00-04, Chapter 4, dated May 14, 2018, and GippsAero GA8-TC 320 Service Manual, C01-00-06, Chapter 4, dated May 14, 2018.

(g) Other FAA AD Provisions

The following provisions also apply to this AD:

(1) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs): The Manager, Small Airplane Standards Branch, 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: Doug Rudolph, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, Small Airplane Standards Branch, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 329-4059; fax: (816) 329-4090; email: doug.rudolph@faa.gov. 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.

(2) Contacting the Manufacturer: For any requirement in this AD to obtain corrective actions from a manufacturer, the action must instead be accomplished using a method approved by the Manager, Small Airplane Standards Branch, FAA; or the Civil Aviation Safety Authority for the Commonwealth of Australia (CASA).

(h) Related Information

Refer to MCAI issued by CASA, AD No. AD/GA8/10, dated October 17, 2018, for related information. You may examine the MCAI on the internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2019-0615. For service information related to this AD, contact GA 8 Airvan (Pty) Ltd, c/o GippsAero Pty Ltd, Attn: Technical Services, P.O. Box 881, Morwell Victoria 3840, Australia; telephone: + 61 03 5172 1200; fax: +61 03 5172 1201; email: aircraft.techpubs@mahindraaerospace.com. You may review this referenced service information at the FAA, Policy and Innovation Division, 901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call (816) 329-4148.