AD 2005-18-20

This AD becomes effective October 14, 2005. The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in the regulations as of October 14, 2005.

Contact Goodrich De-icing and Specialty Systems, 1555 Corporate Woods Parkway, Uniontown, Ohio 44685, telephone (330) 374-3743, for the service information referenced in this AD.

You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov or in Room PL-401 on the plaza level of the Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC.

Melissa T. Bradley, Aerospace Engineer, Chicago Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, 2300 East Devon Avenue, Des Plaines, IL 60018-4696; telephone (847) 294-8110; fax (847) 294-7834.

The FAA proposed to amend 14 CFR part 39 with a proposed airworthiness directive (AD). The proposed AD applies to Goodrich De-icing and Specialty Systems “FASTprop” propeller de-icers, part numbers P4E1188 series, P4E1601 series, P4E2200 series, P4E2271-10, P4E2575-7, P4E2575-10, P4E2598-10, P5855BSW, P6199SW, P6592SW, P6662SW, and P6975-11. We published the proposed AD in the Federal Register on April 6, 2005 (70 FR 17361). That action proposed to require inspection, repair, or replacement of those “FASTprop” propeller de-icers that fail visual checks before the first flight each day.

You may examine the docket that contains the AD, any comments received, and any final disposition in person at the Docket Management System (DMS) Docket Office between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The Docket Office (telephone (800) 647-5227) is located on the plaza level of the Department of Transportation Nassif Building at the street address stated in ADDRESSES. Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly after the DMS receives them.

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

The commenter states that we need to clarify the compliance section, and requests that any pilot be able to make required logbook entries after the visual check of propeller de-icers regardless of how the airplane is operated, whether under 14 CFR part 91, part 135, or part 121. The commenter interprets Goodrich De-icing and Specialty Systems Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) No. 30-60-00-1, dated November 15, 2004, as only allowing private pilots operating under 14 CFR part 91 to make the required logbook entries.

We agree that we need to clarify the compliance section. Accordingly, we added the following statement to the compliance section of this AD: “Properly certificated maintenance personnel must perform the initial inspection required in this AD. Thereafter, the pilot or properly certificated maintenance personnel may perform the repetitive visual check.”

We have carefully reviewed the available data, including the comment 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 3,400 Goodrich propeller de-icers are installed on airplanes of U.S. registry and will be affected by this AD. We also estimate that it will take about:

• Two minutes per propeller blade to perform the preflight visual check; and

• Five minutes per propeller blade to perform the inspection of de-icers that fail the visual check; and

• One-half work hour to replace a propeller de-icer.

The average labor rate is $65 per work hour. Required parts will cost about $110.00 per replacement propeller de-icer. The manufacturer has advised us that replacement de-icers will be provided at no cost to the operators. Based on these figures, not including free de-icer hardware supplied by the manufacturer, we estimate the total cost of the AD to U.S. operators to be $510,240.

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 at the address listed under ADDRESSES.

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 adding the following new airworthiness directive: