AD 2005-12-06

This AD becomes effective July 19, 2005. The Director of the Federal Register previously approved the incorporation by reference of certain publications as listed in the regulations as of July 18, 1996 (61 FR 29934, June 13, 1996).

You can get the service information identified in this AD from Teledyne Continental Motors, P.O. Box 90, Mobile, AL 36601; telephone (334) 438-3411. For the Teledyne Continental Motors Web site: Go to http://www.TCMLINK.com.

You may examine the AD docket at the FAA, New England Region, Office of the Regional Counsel, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA. You may examine the service information, at the FAA, New England Region, Office of the Regional Counsel, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA; 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.

Jerry Robinette, Senior Aerospace Engineer, Propulsion, Atlanta Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 1 Crown Center, 1895 Phoenix Blvd., Suite 450, Atlanta, GA, 30349; telephone (770) 703-6096, fax (770) 703-6097.

The FAA proposed to amend 14 CFR part 39 with a proposed airworthiness directive (AD). The proposed AD applies to TCM S-20, S-1200, D-2000, and D-3000 series magnetos equipped with impulse coupling assemblies. We published the proposed AD in the Federal Register on December 22, 2004 (69 FR 76632). That action proposed to require:

• An initial visual inspection of riveted-impulse coupling assemblies that have 100 or more hours time-since-new (TSN) or time-since-last-inspection (TSLI) on the effective date of the proposed AD, within 10 hours time-in-service (TIS) after the effective date of this AD, or

• An initial visual inspection of riveted-impulse coupling assemblies that have fewer than 100 hours TSN or TSLI on the effective date of the proposed AD, before accumulating 100 hours TSN or TSLI, and

• Repetitive inspections of riveted-impulse coupling assemblies within intervals of 100 hours TSLI.

• An initial visual inspection of snap-ring impulse coupling assemblies that have 450 or more hours TSN or TSLI on the effective date of the proposed AD, within 50 hours TIS after the effective date of the AD, or

• An initial visual inspection of snap-ring impulse coupling assemblies that have fewer than 450 hours TSN or TSLI before accumulating 500 hours TSN or TSLI, and

• Repetitive inspections of snap-ring impulse coupling assemblies within intervals of 500 hours TSLI.

• Replacing impulse coupling assemblies that fail the inspection.

You may examine the AD Docket (including any comments and service information), by appointment, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. See ADDRESSES for the location.

We provided the public the opportunity to participate in the development of this AD. We have considered the comments received.

One commenter requests that we not change the eligibility from the current AD. The commenter states that experience has shown that the current AD is preventing failures and there is no difference between the wear or reliability of the impulse coupling assemblies installed on one make and model of engine, or another.

We do not agree. Responses we received to the Airworthiness Concern Sheet and Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin from owners and operators, and the manufacturer's data, indicate that there is a significant difference in the wear and reliability of magnetos installed on Lycoming 540 series engines as compared with other engines. Based on these responses, we have appropriately reduced the inspection interval for magnetos with riveted-impulse coupling assemblies installed on Lycoming 540 series engines.

One commenter states that without the current AD, owners and operators will not have the manufacturer's recommended maintenance performed, and safety will suffer.

We do not agree. While a small percentage of operators may not voluntarily comply with the manufacturer's recommended maintenance, we anticipate virtually all will comply. The response to the Airworthiness Concern Sheet, Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin, and manufacturer's data, indicates the AD is only needed for the Lycoming 540 series engines. This action does not negate the 500-hour inspection recommended by TCM. That inspection is part of the total inspection program to ensure the continued airworthiness of the engine. Therefore, we anticipate that safety will not suffer.

To assist owners and operators, we have added the description of the magneto numbering system used for TCM S-20, S-1200, D-2000, and D-3000 series magnetos to the compliance section of the AD.

We have carefully reviewed the available data, including the comments received, and determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting the AD with the changes described previously. We have determined that these changes will neither increase the economic burden on any operator nor increase the scope of the AD.

We estimate that this AD will affect about 4,200 magnetos installed on airplanes of U.S. registry. We also estimate that it will take about 1 work hour per magneto to perform the actions, and that the average labor rate is $65 per work hour. The reduced inspection interval will require doing the inspections about four times more often. Based on these figures, we estimate the total cost of the AD to U.S. operators to be $1,092,000.

Paragraph (d) of the current AD, AD 96-12-07, contains a paragraph pertaining to special flight permits. Even though this final rule does not contain a similar paragraph, we have made no changes with regard to the use of special flight permits to operate the airplane to a repair facility to do the work required by this AD. In July 2002, we published a new 14 CFR part 39 that contains a general authority regarding special flight permits and airworthiness directives; see Docket No. FAA-2004-8460, Amendment 39-9474 (69 FR 47998, July 22, 2002). Thus, when we now supersede ADs we will not include a specific paragraph on special flight permits unless we want to limit the use of that general authority granted in section 39.23.

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.

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 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 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 “AD Docket No. 93-ANE-07-AD” in your request.

Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration amends 14 CFR part 39 as follows:

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

2. The FAA amends § 39.13 by removing Amendment 39-9649 (61 FR 29934, June 13, 1996) and by adding a new airworthiness directive, Amendment 39-14122, to read as follows: