AD 2024-08-09

This AD is effective July 16, 2024.

The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of July 16, 2024.

AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2024-0234; or in person at Docket Operations between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD docket contains this final rule, the mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI), any comments received, and other information. The address for Docket Operations is U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.

Material Incorporated by Reference:

• For service information, contact GA8 Airvan (Pty) Ltd, GippsAero Technical Services, P.O. Box 881, Morwell, Victoria 3840, Australia; phone: +61 (0)3 5172 1200; email: TECHPUBS@gippsaero.com.au; website: gippsaero.com.au.

• 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. It is also available at regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2024-0234.

Doug Rudolph, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; phone: (816) 329-4059; email: doug.rudolph@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 certain GA8 Airvan (Pty) Ltd Model GA8 and GA8-TC320 airplanes. The NPRM published in the Federal Register on February 23, 2024 (89 FR 13620). The NPRM was prompted by AD GA8/11, dated November 21, 2023 (also referred to as the MCAI), issued by Civil Aviation Safety Authority, which is the aviation authority for Australia. The MCAI states that operators made two reports and a few anecdotal reports of intermittent system discrepancies attributed to insufficient electrical bonding of the solenoid (relay) box assembly. Without a dedicated solenoid box electrical bonding connection, these airplanes may suffer degraded performance, errors, or intermittent failures of equipment connected to electrical Bus 1, Bus 2, associated electrical control, and protective devices fitted within or attached to the solenoid box. The majority of Model GA8 and GA8-TC320 airplanes were produced with the relay box electrically bonded to the airframe via the relay box lid and the hardware (screws) holding it in place. The relay box did not have a dedicated bonding point or mechanical connection.

The MCAI requires doing the actions specified in GippsAero Service Bulletin SB-GA8-2023-216, Issue 1, dated February 24, 2023 (GippsAero SB-GA8-2023-216, Issue 1). These actions include inspecting for an existing wire connecting the relay box earth point to the ground power socket, and if one is not present, installing a mechanical connection.

In the NPRM, the FAA proposed to require inspecting for an existing wire connecting the relay box earth point to the ground power socket, and if one is not present, installing a mechanical connection. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2024-0234.

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

These products have been approved by the aviation authority of another country and are approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant to the FAA's bilateral agreement with this State of Design Authority, it has notified the FAA of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI referenced above. 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 GippsAero SB-GA8-2023-216, Issue 1. This service information specifies procedures for inspecting for an existing wire connecting the relay box earth point to the ground power socket, and if one is not present, installing a mechanical connection.

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 ADDRESSES.

The MCAI applicability is Gippsland Aeronautics Model GA8 Series airplanes. The applicability in this AD are GA8 Airvan (Pty) Ltd Model GA8 and GA8-TC320 airplanes because that is what is on the FAA type certificate.

Part A, step 4. of the Accomplishment Instructions in GippsAero SB-GA8-2023-216, Issue 1, specifies to proceed to the Documentation section to update the airplane logbook, but that action is not specifically required by this AD as current FAA regulations already require a logbook entry for compliance with AD actions.

The FAA estimates that this AD affects 62 airplanes of U.S. registry.

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

The FAA estimates the following costs to do any necessary actions that would be required based on the results of the inspection. The agency has no way of determining the number of airplanes that might need these actions:

The FAA has included all known costs in its cost estimate. According to the manufacturer, however, some of the costs of this AD may be covered under warranty, thereby reducing the cost impact on affected operators.

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: