Airworthiness Directives; BAE Systems (Operations) Limited Model BAe 146 and Avro 146-RJ Airplanes

AGENCY:

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION:

Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

SUMMARY:

The FAA proposes to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to all BAE Systems (Operations) Limited Model BAe 146 and Avro 146-RJ airplanes. The existing AD currently requires repetitive inspections for corrosion of frames 15, 18, 41, and 43 and applicable related investigative and corrective actions. The existing AD also provides an optional action that would extend the repetitive inspection interval. This proposed AD would add a high frequency eddy current inspection for corrosion of the outer frame flanges and door hinge bosses of frames 15, 18, 41, and 43. This proposed AD results from a report indicating that corrosion has been detected in the outer frame flanges and door hinge bosses during scheduled maintenance. We are proposing this AD to prevent reduced structural integrity of the airplane.

DATES:

We must receive comments on this proposed AD by March 20, 2009.

ADDRESSES:

You may send comments by any of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov . Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
• Fax: 202-493-2251.
• Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590.
• Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

For service information identified in this proposed AD, contact BAE Systems Regional Aircraft, 13850 McLearen Road, Herndon, Virginia 20171; telephone 703-736-1080; e-mail raebusiness@baesystems.com; Internet http://www.baesystems.com/Businesses/RegionalAircraft/index.htm . You may review copies of the referenced service information at the FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington. For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 425-227-1221 or 425-227-1152.

Examining the AD Docket

You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov ; 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 this proposed AD, 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Todd Thompson, Aerospace Engineer, International Branch, ANM-116, Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; telephone (425) 227-1175; fax (425) 227-1149.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or arguments about this proposed AD. Send your comments to an address listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include “Docket No. FAA-2009-0133; Directorate Identifier 2008-NM-107-AD” at the beginning of your comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this proposed AD. We will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend this proposed AD because of those comments.

We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://www.regulations.gov , including any personal information you provide. We will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact we receive about this proposed AD.

Discussion

On May 31, 2006, we issued AD 2006-12-09, amendment 39-14634 (71 FR 33602, June 12, 2006), for certain BAE Systems (Operations) Limited Model BAe 146 and Avro 146-RJ airplanes. That AD requires repetitive inspections for corrosion of frames 15, 18, 41, and 43 and applicable related investigative and corrective actions. That AD also provides an optional action that would extend the repetitive inspection interval. That AD resulted from a report indicating that in some cases the inspections required by an existing AD revealed no damage, yet frame corrosion and cracking were later found during scheduled maintenance in the two forward fuselage frames 15 and 18. We issued that AD to prevent reduced structural integrity of the airplane.

Actions Since Existing AD Was Issued

Since we issued AD 2006-12-09, we have received a report indicating that corrosion has been detected in the outer frame flanges and door hinge bosses during scheduled maintenance.

Relevant Service Information

BAE Systems (Operations) Limited has issued Inspection Service Bulletin ISB.53-182, Revision 1, dated August 6, 2007. We referred to BAE Systems (Operations) Limited Inspection Service Bulletin ISB.53-182, dated March 16, 2005, as the appropriate source of service information for accomplishing the required actions of AD 2006-12-09. The procedures in Revision 1 are essentially the same as the original issue of the service bulletin, except Revision 1 of the service bulletin adds procedures for doing a high frequency eddy current (HFEC) inspection for corrosion of the outer frame flanges and door hinge bosses of frames 15, 18, 41, and 43. Accomplishing the actions specified in the service information is intended to adequately address the unsafe condition. The European Aviation Safety Agency mandated the service information and issued airworthiness directive 2008-0092 R1, dated May 15, 2008 (referred to after this as “the MCAI”), to ensure the continued airworthiness of these airplanes in the European Union. The compliance times for the new actions are the same as for the existing actions.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of the Proposed AD

This product has been approved by the aviation authority of another country, and is approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant to our bilateral agreement with the State of Design Authority, we have been notified of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI and service information referenced above. We are proposing this AD because we evaluated all pertinent information and determined an unsafe condition exists and is likely to exist or develop on other products of the same type design.

This proposed AD would supersede AD 2006-12-09 and would retain the requirements of the existing AD. This proposed AD would also require accomplishing the additional inspection specified in the service bulletin described previously.

Change to Existing AD

This proposed AD would retain all requirements of AD 2006-12-09. Since AD 2006-12-09 was issued, the AD format has been revised, and certain paragraphs have been rearranged. As a result, the corresponding paragraph identifiers have changed in this proposed AD, as listed in the following table:

Costs of Compliance

The following table provides the estimated costs for U.S. operators to comply with this proposed AD.

Authority for This Rulemaking

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.

Regulatory Findings

We have determined that this proposed AD would not have federalism implications under Executive Order 13132. This proposed AD would 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 the proposed regulation:

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); 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.

We prepared a regulatory evaluation of the estimated costs to comply with this proposed AD and placed it in the AD docket. See the ADDRESSES section for a location to examine the regulatory evaluation.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

• Air transportation
• Aircraft
• Aviation safety
• Incorporation by reference
• Safety

The Proposed Amendment

Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the FAA proposes to amend 14 CFR part 39 as follows:

PART 39—AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.