AD 2011-06-10

This AD is effective May 6, 2011.

The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in the AD as of May 6, 2011.

For service information identified in this AD, contact Piper Aircraft, Inc., 2926 Piper Drive, Vero Beach, Florida 32960; telephone: (772) 567-4361; fax: (772) 978-6573; Internet: http://www.newpiper.com/company/publications.asp. You may review copies of the referenced service information at the FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust St., Kansas City, Missouri 64106. For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call (816) 329-4148.

Darby Mirocha, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, Atlanta Aircraft Certification Office, 1701 Columbia Avenue, College Park, Georgia 30337; phone: (404) 474-5573; fax: (404) 474-5605; e-mail: darby.mirocha@faa.gov.

We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR part 39 to supersede AD 99-15-04 R1, Amendment 39-11747 (65 FR 33745, May 25, 2000). That AD applies to certain Piper Aircraft, Inc. (type certificate previously held by The New Piper Aircraft, Inc.) Models PA-46-310P and PA-46-350P airplanes that are equipped with a Lewis or Transicoil T.I.T. gauge and associated probe. The NPRM published in the Federal Register on December 30, 2010 (75 FR 82329). That NPRM proposed to continue to require cleaning, inspecting, and calibrating the T.I.T. system on certain airplanes; replacing any T.I.T. system that fails the inspection and calibration test; repetitively replacing the T.I.T. probe on certain airplanes; and inserting a copy of the AD into the pilot's operating handbook (POH). That NPRM also proposed to add certain Model PA-46R-350T airplanes to the Applicability section, expand the applicability to include other T.I.T. systems, and incorporate new service information.

We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing this AD. We received no comments on the NPRM or on the determination of the cost to the public.

We reviewed the relevant data and determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting the AD as proposed except for minor editorial changes. We have determined that these minor changes:

• Are consistent with the intent that was proposed in the NPRM for correcting the unsafe condition; and

• Do not add any additional burden upon the public than was already proposed in the NPRM.

We estimate that this AD affects 898 airplanes of U.S. registry.

We estimate the following costs to comply with this AD:

The requirements of this AD add no additional economic burden other than the addition of an airplane model to the Applicability section.

We estimate the following costs to do any necessary replacements that will be required based on the results of the inspection. We have no way of determining the number of aircraft that might need these replacements:

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),

(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.

Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the FAA 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 Airworthiness Directive (AD) 99-15-04 R1, Amendment 39-11747 (65 FR 33745, May 25, 2000), and adding the following new AD: