Summary
This document proposes to revise an earlier proposed airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to British Aerospace Models HP.137 Jetstream Mk.1, Jetstream Series 200, and Jetstream Series 3101 airplanes. This proposed AD would supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 98-13-03, which currently requires repetitive inspections of the main landing gear (MLG) hinge fittings, support angles, and attachment bolts and requires eventual installation of improved design MLG hinge fittings as terminating action for the repetitive inspections of the hinge fittings and attachment bolts. AD 98-13-03 specifies repetitive inspections of the support angles for those airplanes with the improved design MLG hinge fittings installed and exempts from the applicability those airplanes with the improved design MLG hinge fittings installed. The earlier NPRM would have retained the requirements of AD 98-13-03 and would have removed the applicability exemption of those Models HP.137 Jetstream Mk.1 and Jetstream Series 200 airplanes with the improved design MLG hinge fittings installed. British Aerospace has informed us that it will not provide the improved design MLG hinge fittings free of charge. Since the cost burden has changed from the manufacturer to the owners/operators of the affected airplanes, we are reopening the comment period to allow the public the chance to comment on this additional cost burden.