AD 2014-13-05

This AD is effective August 5, 2014.

The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of a certain publication listed in the AD as of August 5, 2014.

You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2014-0241; or in person at the Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590.

For service information identified in this AD, contact BAE Systems (Operations) Limited, Customer Information Department, Prestwick International Airport, Ayrshire, KA9 2RW, Scotland, United Kingdom; telephone: +44 1292 675207; fax: +44 1292 675704; email: RApublications@baesystems.com; Internet: http://www.baesystems.com/Businesses/RegionalAircraft/. You may view this referenced service information at the FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call (816) 329-4148.

Taylor Martin, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 329-4138; fax: (816) 329-4090; email: taylor.martin@faa.gov.

We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR part 39 to add an AD that would apply to all British Aerospace Regional Aircraft Jetstream Model 3201 airplanes. That NPRM was published in the Federal Register on April 14, 2014 (79 FR 20832), and proposed to supersede AD 2007-10-16, Amendment 39-15057 (72 FR 27953, May 18, 2007).

The NPRM proposed to correct an unsafe condition for the specified products and was based on mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) originated by an aviation authority of another country. The MCAI states:

The Jetstream Series 3200 Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM), includes Chapter 05-10-05 “Airworthiness Limitations, Description and Operation”. The maintenance tasks and limitations contained in this chapter have been identified as mandatory actions for continued airworthiness and EASA issued AD 2007-0074 to require operators to comply with those instructions.

Since that AD was issued, BAE Systems (Operations) Ltd amended Jetstream Series 3200 AMM Chapter 05-10-05 to introduce life limitations for the main landing gear radius rod mounting shaft assemblies and to incorporate wing structure inspections previously introduced through BAE Systems (Operations) Ltd Service Bulletin (SB) SB 51-JA020940. In addition, a new table was introduced to provide extended fatigue life limitations for structural items for aeroplanes entered into a life extension programme. Reference to BAE Systems (Operations) Ltd SB 32-JA981042 was updated from Revision 7 to Revision 8 to reflect increased life limits of the nose landing gear.

Failure to comply with the new and more restrictive instructions could result in an unsafe condition.

For the reasons described above, this EASA AD retains the requirements of EASA AD 2007-0074, which is superseded, and requires implementation of the maintenance requirements and/or airworthiness limitations as specified in Chapter 05-10-05 of the Jetstream Series 3200 AMM at Revision 29.

The MCAI can be found in the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=FAA-2014-0241-0002.

We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing this AD. We received no comments on the NPRM (79 FR 20832, April 14, 2014) 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 (79 FR 20832, April 14, 2014) for correcting the unsafe condition; and

• Do not add any additional burden upon the public than was already proposed in the NPRM (79 FR 20832, April 14, 2014).

We estimate that this AD will affect 14 products of U.S. registry. We also estimate that it will take about 1 work-hour per product to comply with the basic requirements of this AD of inserting the document into the Airworthiness Limitations section of the Instructions for Continued Airworthiness. The average labor rate is $85 per work-hour.

Based on these figures, we estimate the cost of this AD on U.S. operators to be $1,190, or $85 per product.

We have no way of determining the cost to replace the life limited parts and to do the applicable maintenance tasks on each airplane.

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 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 this AD:

(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.

You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2014-0241; or in person at the Docket Management Facility between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD docket contains the NPRM, the regulatory evaluation, any comments received, and other information. The street address for the Docket Office (telephone (800) 647-5527) is in the ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly after receipt.

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 Amendment 39-15057 (72 FR 27953, May 18, 2007), and adding the following new AD: