Airworthiness Directives; Cirrus Design Corporation Models SR20 and SR22 Airplanes, 17935-17936 [E8-6786]

Agencies

• Federal Aviation Administration
• DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 64 (Wednesday, April 2, 2008)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 17935-17936]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-6786]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2007-28245; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-047-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Cirrus Design Corporation Models SR20 
and SR22 Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM); Reopening of 
the comment period.

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SUMMARY: We are revising an earlier proposed airworthiness directive 
(AD) that applies to certain Cirrus Design Corporation (CDC) Models 
SR20 and SR22 airplanes. The earlier NPRM would have required you to 
replace the cabin door rod ends at the upper and lower hinges of the 
cabin door with newly designed rod ends. The earlier NPRM resulted from 
two known occurrences of in-flight cabin door separation (one total 
separation and one retained by the door strut). This proposed AD would 
require you to replace the cabin door rod ends with new parts including 
a redesigned non-binding hinge pin that replaces the existing pin at 
the upper door hinge. Since these actions impose an additional burden 
over that proposed in the NPRM, we are reopening the comment period to 
allow the public the chance to comment on these additional actions.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by June 2, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Use one of the following addresses to comment on this 
proposed AD:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://
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 
Cirrus Design Corporation, 4515 Taylor Circle, Duluth, Minnesota 55811; 
telephone: (218) 727-2737; Internet address: https://
www.cirrusdesign.com.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wess Rouse, Aerospace Engineer, 
Chicago Aircraft Certification Office, 2300 East Devon Avenue, Room 
107, Des Plaines, Illinois 60018; telephone: (847) 294-8113; fax: (847) 
294-7834.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments regarding this proposed AD. Send your comments to an address 
listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include the docket number, ``FAA-
2007-28245; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-047-AD'' at the beginning of 
your comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall 
regulatory, economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the proposed 
AD. We will consider all comments received by the closing date and may 
amend the proposed AD in light of those comments.
    We will post all comments we receive, without change, to https://
www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. We 
will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact we 
receive concerning this proposed AD.

Discussion

    On June 6, 2007, we issued a proposal to amend part 39 of the 
Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) to include an AD that 
would apply to certain CDC Models SR20 and SR22 airplanes. This 
proposal was published in the Federal Register as a notice of proposed 
rulemaking (NPRM) on June 13, 2007 (72 FR 32563). The NPRM proposed to 
require you to replace the cabin door rod ends at the upper and lower 
hinges of the cabin door with newly designed rod ends.

Comments

    We provided the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD. The following presents the comment received on the proposal 
and FAA's response to the comment:

Comment Issue: Revised Service Bulletin

    We received a comment from CDC stating that CDC will soon release 
Service Bulletin (SB) SB 2X-52-07 R2 listed in the NPRM and requested 
the AD require accomplishment of that version.
    The FAA partially agrees. The latest revision to the service 
bulletin should be used for AD accomplishment; however, SB 2X-52-07 R2 
had an incorrectly written compliance paragraph that required SB 2X-52-
07 R3. SB 2X-52-07 R3 was issued on September 24, 2007, but because of 
further changes necessary to insure proper door operation without 
binding, SB 2X-52-07 R4 was issued on January 24, 2008. We will change 
the proposed AD to require following the procedures in Service Bulletin 
SB 2X-52-07 R4, dated January 24, 2008.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of This Proposed AD

    We have carefully reviewed the available data and determined that 
the unsafe condition referenced in this document exists or could 
develop on other products of the same type design; and we should take 
AD action to correct this unsafe condition.
    Certain changes described above expand the scope of the earlier 
NPRM. As a result, we have determined that it is necessary to reopen 
the comment period to provide additional opportunity for the public to 
comment on the proposed AD.

The Supplemental NPRM

    Since we issued the earlier NPRM, CDC issued Service Bulletin SB 
2X-52-07 R4, dated January 24, 2008, which includes changes to assure 
proper door operation without binding.
    Proposing new parts including a redesigned non-binding hinge pin 
that replaces the existing bolt at the upper door hinge and a 
castellated nut for the upper end of the hinge pin to improve security 
of attaching parts goes beyond the scope of what was originally 
proposed in the NPRM. Therefore, we are reopening the comment period 
and allowing the public the chance to comment on these additional 
actions.

[[Page 17936]]

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that the proposed AD affects 2,308 airplanes in the 
U.S. registry.
    The costs vary from 3.5 work-hours to incorporate Cirrus Kit 70186-
004 and 2.5 work-hours to incorporate Cirrus Kit 70186-005. Parts cost 
for either kit is $270. For the purposes of the proposed AD, we will 
use 3.5 work-hours for all airplanes. Based on this, the cost of the 
proposed AD is:

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                                                                                 Total cost per    Total fleet
                          Labor cost                              Parts cost        airplane           cost
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3.5 work-hours x $80 per hour = $280.........................            $270             $550       $1,269,400
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    Note: CDC will provide warranty credit to the extent noted in 
CDC Service Bulletin 2X-52-07 R4, dated January 24, 2008.

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.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket that contains the proposed AD, the 
regulatory evaluation, any comments received, and other information on 
the Internet at https://dms.dot.gov; or in person at the Docket 
Management Facility between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays. The Docket Office (telephone (800) 647-5527) 
is located at the street address stated in the ADDRESSES section. 
Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly after receipt.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

    Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, 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.


Sec.  39.13  [Amended]

    2. The FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by adding the following new AD:

Cirrus Design Corporation: Docket No. FAA-2007-28245; Directorate 
Identifier 2007-CE-047-AD.

Comments Due Date

    (a) We must receive comments on this airworthiness directive 
(AD) action by June 2, 2008.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to the following airplane models and serial 
numbers that are certificated in any category:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Models                             Serial Nos.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
SR20..............................  1423 through 1906.
SR22..............................  0795 and 0820 through 2912.
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Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from two known occurrences of in-flight 
cabin door separation (one total separation and one retained by the 
door strut). We are proposing this AD to prevent in-flight failure 
of the cabin door, which could result in door separation from the 
airplane.

Compliance

    (e) To address this problem, you must do the following, unless 
already done:
    Within the next 50 hours time-in-service (TIS) after the 
effective date of this AD or within 180 days after the effective 
date of this AD, whichever occurs first, following Cirrus Design 
Corporation Service Bulletin SB 2X-52-07 R4, dated January 24, 2008:
    (1) If threaded sleeve is installed at the cabin door rod end, 
install cabin door rod end Kit 70186-004.
    (2) If threaded sleeve is not installed at the cabin door rod 
end, install cabin door rod end Kit 70186-005.

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (f) The Manager, Chicago Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), 
FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested 
using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. Send information to 
ATTN: Wess Rouse, Aerospace Engineer, Chicago ACO, 2300 East Devon 
Avenue, Room 107, Des Plaines, Illinois 60018; telephone: (847) 294-
8113; fax: (847) 294-7834. Before using any approved AMOC on any 
airplane to which the AMOC applies, notify your appropriate 
principal inspector (PI) in the FAA Flight Standards District Office 
(FSDO), or lacking a PI, your local FSDO.

Related Information

    (g) To get copies of the service information referenced in this 
AD, contact Cirrus Design Corporation, 4515 Taylor Circle, Duluth, 
Minnesota 55811, telephone: (218) 788-3000. To view the AD docket, 
go to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-
30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, or on the Internet at https://
dms.dot.gov. The docket number is Docket No. FAA-2007-28245; 
Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-047-AD.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on March 26, 2008.
John Colomy,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
 [FR Doc. E8-6786 Filed 4-1-08; 8:45 am]
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