AD 2013-16-10

This AD is effective September 19, 2013.

The Docket Operations office is located at Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.

For service information identified in this AD, contact Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation, One Hamilton Road, Mail Stop 1A-3-C63, Windsor Locks, CT 06096-1010; or Hamilton Standard Division, One Hamilton Road, United Technologies Corporation, Mail Stop 1A-3-C63, Windsor Locks, CT 06096-1010; phone: 877-808-7575; fax: 860-660-0372; email: tech.solutions@hs.utc.com; Internet: http://myhs.hamiltonsundstrand.com. You may view this service information at the FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803. For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 781-238-7125.

Michael Schwetz, Aerospace Engineer, Boston Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; phone: 781-238-7761; fax: 781-238-7170; email: michael.schwetz@faa.gov.

We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR part 39 to include an AD that would apply to the specified products. The NPRM published in the Federal Register on May 23, 2013 (78 FR 30795). The NPRM proposed to require incorporating inspections, based on a calendar time, into the propeller maintenance schedule.

We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing this AD. We received no comments on the NPRM (78 FR 30795, May 23, 2013) 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 this 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 (78 FR 30795, May 23, 2013) for correcting the unsafe condition; and

• Do not add any additional burden upon the public than was already proposed in the NPRM (78 FR 30795, May 23, 2013).

We estimate that this AD affects about 1,044 propeller/hub combinations installed on airplanes of U.S. registry. We also estimate that it will take about 160 hours per propeller to perform one MI. The average labor rate is $85 per hour. Based on these figures, we estimate the cost of this AD on U.S. operators to be $14,198,400.

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 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 to the extent that it justifies making a regulatory distinction, 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 adding the following new airworthiness directive (AD):