AD 2016-08-01

This AD is effective May 31, 2016.

The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of May 31, 2016.

For service information identified in this final rule, contact Dassault Falcon Jet, P.O. Box 2000, South Hackensack, NJ 07606; telephone: 201-440-6700; Internet: http://www.dassaultfalcon.com. You may view this referenced service information at the FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA. For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 425-227-1221. It is also available on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2015-7532.

Tom Rodriquez, Aerospace Engineer, International Branch, ANM-116, Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98057-3356; telephone: 425-227-1137; fax: 425-227-1149.

We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR part 39 by adding an AD that would apply to all Dassault Aviation Model FALCON 7X airplanes. The NPRM published in the Federal Register on January 4, 2016 (81 FR 28) (“the NPRM”). The NPRM was prompted by reports of multiple cases of ram air turbine (RAT) blade damage. The NPRM proposed to require deployment of the RAT, replacement of the RAT placard with a new RAT placard, and re-identification of the RAT. We are issuing this AD to prevent blade damage to the RAT, which could prevent RAT deployment in flight during an emergency, possibly resulting in reduced control of the airplane.

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Union, has issued EASA AD 2015-0076, dated May 6, 2015 (referred to after this as the Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information, or “the MCAI”), to correct an unsafe condition for all Dassault Aviation Model FALCON 7X airplanes. The MCAI states:

A few cases of Ram Air Turbine (RAT) blade damage have been reported during maintenance operations. This kind of damage is caused by an incorrect locking of RAT rotor, due to improper positioning of blades at beginning of retraction, and locking check during retraction, which likely occurs during stowage of the RAT, after its deployment for maintenance purposes.

This condition, if not corrected, could prevent RAT deployment in flight during an emergency, possibly resulting in reduced control of the aeroplane.

To address this potential unsafe condition, Dassault Aviation issued Service Bulletin (SB) 7X-289, which provides instructions to smoothly deploy the RAT and install an improved placard to ensure proper RAT stowage/retraction after maintenance.

For the reasons described above, this [EASA] AD requires replacement of the existing RAT placard with a new placard and RAT re-identification. This [EASA] AD also provides conditions for installation of a RAT on an aeroplane.

You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2015-7532.

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 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 for correcting the unsafe condition; and

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

We reviewed Dassault Service Bulletin 7X-289, dated January 21, 2015. The service information describes procedures for deployment of the RAT, replacement of the RAT placard with a new RAT placard, and re-identification of the RAT. This service information is reasonably available because the interested parties have access to it through their normal course of business or by the means identified in the ADDRESSES section.

We estimate that this AD affects 45 airplanes of U.S. registry.

We also estimate that it will take about 4 work-hours per product to comply with the basic requirements of this AD. The average labor rate is $85 per work-hour. Required parts will cost about $121 per product. Based on these figures, we estimate the cost of this AD on U.S. operators to be $20,745, or $461 per product.

According to the manufacturer, some of the costs of this AD may be covered under warranty, thereby reducing the cost impact on affected individuals. We do not control warranty coverage for affected individuals. As a result, we have included all costs in our cost estimate.

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 that 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.

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):