AD 2021-26-02

This AD is effective January 14, 2022.

For service information identified in this final rule, contact Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, Technical Publications Dept., 500 Gulfstream Road, Savannah, GA 31402-2206; phone: (800) 810-4853; fax: (912) 965-3520; email: pubs@gulfstream.com; website: https://www.gulfstream.com/en/customer-support/. You may view this service information at the FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 901 Locust, Kansas City, MO 64106. For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call (817) 222-5110.

Miral Patel, Aviation Safety Engineer, Atlanta ACO Branch, FAA, 1701 Columbia Avenue, College Park, GA 30337; phone: (404) 474-5590; fax: (404) 474-5606; email: miral.patel@faa.gov.

The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR part 39 by adding an AD that would apply to all Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation (Gulfstream) Model GV and GV-SP airplanes. The NPRM published in the Federal Register on September 17, 2021 (86 FR 51842). The NPRM was prompted by notification from Gulfstream that a life limit for replacing MLG trunnion pin part number (P/N) 1159SCL566-15 had been omitted from the ALS of the maintenance manual for Model GV and GV-SP airplanes. Gulfstream revised the ALS for the applicable airplanes to establish a life limit of 20,000 flight cycles for the affected MLG trunnion pin. A trunnion pin remaining in service beyond its fatigue life could lead to fracture and failure of the trunnion pin.

In the NPRM, the FAA proposed to require revising the ALS of your ICA or inspection program for the airplane to establish a life limit of 20,000 flight cycles for the affected MLG trunnion pin. The FAA is issuing this AD to prevent MLG failure, which could lead to a runway excursion.

The FAA received no comments on the NPRM or on the determination of the costs.

The FAA reviewed the relevant data and determined that air safety requires adopting this AD as proposed. Accordingly, the FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products. This AD is adopted as proposed in the NPRM.

The FAA reviewed Gulfstream GV Aircraft Maintenance Manual, Revision 53, dated March 15, 2021; Gulfstream G550 Aircraft Maintenance Manual, Revision 34, dated March 15, 2021; and Gulfstream G500-5000 Aircraft Maintenance Manual, Revision 34, dated March 15, 2021. For the applicable marketing designation specified on each document, the revised service information adds a life limit for MLG trunnion pin P/N 1159SCL566-15.

The FAA estimates that this AD affects 516 airplanes of U.S. registry.

The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this AD:

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.

The FAA is 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) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, 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.

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: