AD 99-01-03

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AD Number:
99-01-03
Document Type:
AD Final Rules
Docket Number:
98-CE-23-AD
Subject Heading:
Airworthiness Directives; Raytheon Aircraft Company Models 1900, 1900C, and 1900D Airplanes
Subject:
Flaps
Status:
Current
Citation:
Federal Register Volume 63, Number 251 (Thursday, December 31, 1998)
Citation Publish Date:
12/31/1998
Effective Date:
02/08/1999
Make:
Textron Aviation Inc.
Model:
1900 | 1900C | 1900C (C-12J) | 1900D
Product Type:
Aircraft
Product Subtype:
Small/Large Airplane
Affected AD:
Superseded AD:
97-14-16
Affected By:
Superseded By:
Service/Office:
Office of Primary Responsibility:
CFR Part Reference:
Part 39
Comments:
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1


[4910-13-U]


DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION


Federal Aviation Administration


14 CFR Part 39 [63 FR 72130 No. 251 12/31/98]


[Docket No. 98-CE-23-AD; Amendment 39-10970; AD 99-01-03]


RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Raytheon Aircraft Company Models 1900, 1900C, and 1900D Airplanes


AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.


ACTION: Final rule.


SUMMARY:
 
This amendment supersedes Airworthiness Directive (AD) 97-14-16, which applies to Raytheon Aircraft


Company (Raytheon) Models 1900, 1900C, and 1900D airplanes. AD 97-14-16 currently requires repetitively inspecting


the outboard flap support roller bearings and flap attachment brackets for indications of contact (wear), inspecting for


elongated holes in the flap attachment brackets, repairing or replacing any part showing wear, and replacing any bracket


with elongated holes.
 
AD 97-14-16 was the result of five incidents where the flap roller bearings rubbed on the flap


attachment brackets and resulted in aileron interference.
 
This AD retains the repetitive inspection requirement of AD


97-14-16, but reduces the number of ground-air-ground (GAG) cycles allowed between inspections and lowers the total


number of accumulated GAG cycles allowed before mandatory accomplishment of the initial inspection.
 
This AD also


provides the option of replacing the outboard flap roller bearings with parts of improved design as terminating action for


the repetitive inspection requirement. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent asymmetric flaps, jammed


flaps, and/or possible interference between the flap and the aileron, which could inhibit aileron travel and result in


possible loss of roll control of the airplane.


DATES: Effective February 8, 1999.


The
 
incorporation
 
by
 
reference
 
of
 
Raytheon
 
Aircraft
 
Safety
 
Communiqué
 
No.
 
137,
 
Revision
 
1,
 
dated


December, 1997; and Raytheon Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin SB 27-3158, Issued:
 
July, 1998, as listed in the


regulations, is approved by the Director of the Federal Register as of February 8, 1999.


The incorporation by reference of Raytheon Aircraft Temporary Revision No. 57-1 to the Raytheon Aircraft Beech


1900 Airliner Series Structural Repair Manual P/N 114-590021-9B, dated May 16, 1997; Reissued:
 
June 30, 1992, as


listed in the regulations, was previously approved by the Director of the Federal Register as of August 4, 1997


(62 FR 37128, July 11, 1997).


ADDRESSES:
 
Service information that applies to this AD may be obtained from the Raytheon Aircraft Company,


P.O. Box
 
85,
 
Wichita,
 
Kansas
 
67201-0085.
 
This
 
information
 
may
 
also
 
be
 
examined
 
at
 
the
 
Federal
 
Aviation


Administration (FAA), Central Region, Office of the Regional Counsel, Attention:
 
Rules Docket No. 98-CE-23-AD,


Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; or at the Office of the Federal Register, 800 North Capitol


Street, NW, suite 700, Washington, DC.


FOR
 
FURTHER
 
INFORMATION
 
CONTACT:
 
Mr.
 
Steven
 
E.
 
Potter,
 
Aerospace
 
Engineer,
 
Wichita
 
Aircraft


Certification
 
Office,
 
FAA,
 
1801
 
Airport
 
Road,
 
Mid-Continent
 
Airport,
 
Wichita,
 
Kansas
 
67209;
 
telephone:


(316) 946-4124; facsimile: (316) 946-4407.


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:


Events Leading to the Issuance of This AD


A proposal to amend part 39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) to include an AD that would


apply to Raytheon Models 1900, 1900C, and 1900D airplanes was published in the
 
Federal Register
 
as a notice of


proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on July 8, 1998 (63 FR 36864).
 
The NPRM proposed to supersede AD 97-14-16,


Amendment 39-10074 (62 FR 37128, July 11, 1997), which currently requires repetitively inspecting the outboard flap


support roller bearings and flap attachment brackets for indications of contact (wear), inspecting for elongated holes in


the flap attachment brackets, repairing or replacing any part showing wear, and replacing any bracket with elongated


holes.


The
 
NPRM
 
proposed
 
to
 
retain
 
the
 
same
 
actions
 
as
 
AD
 
97-14-16,
 
but
 
would
 
reduce
 
the
 
number
 
of


ground-air-ground (GAG) cycles allowed between inspections and would lower the total number of accumulated GAG


cycles allowed before mandatory accomplishment of the initial inspection.


Accomplishment of the proposed inspections as specified in the NPRM would be required in accordance with


Raytheon Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin SB 27-3158, Issued:
 
June, 1998.
 
Accomplishment of the proposed


repairs as specified in the NPRM would be required in accordance with Raytheon Aircraft Temporary Revision No. 57-1
2


to the Raytheon Aircraft Beech 1900 Airliner Series Structural Repair Manual P/N 114-590021-9B, dated May 16, 1997;


Reissued: June 30, 1992.


Interested persons have been afforded an opportunity to participate in the making of this amendment.
 
Due


consideration has been given to the comments received from three different commenters.


Comment Disposition


One commenter supports the NPRM as written.


The other two commenters raise issues concerning the way the FAA referenced the applicable service information


in the NPRM. The commenters’ concerns are as follows:


- The FAA incorrectly referenced Raytheon Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin SB 27-3158, Issued:
 
July, 1998,


as the document to use to accomplish the inspections.
 
The document that contains procedures to accomplish the


inspections is Raytheon Aircraft Safety Communiqué No. 137, Revision 1, dated December, 1997.


- Raytheon Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin SB 27-3158 is incorrectly referenced as “Issued:
 
June, 1998”


instead of “Issued: July, 1998”.


- Raytheon Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin SB 27-3158, Issued: July, 1998, references replacing the outboard


flap support roller bearings. This should be an option available to the owners/operators of the affected airplanes, instead


of the repetitive inspections.


The FAA concurs with all of the above comments.
 
The FAA will develop this final rule to include Raytheon


Aircraft Safety Communiqué No. 137, Revision 1, dated December, 1997, as the document to use to accomplish the


repetitive inspections.
 
The FAA will also include the option of replacing the outboard flap support roller bearings in


accordance with Raytheon Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin SB 27-3158, Issued: July, 1998, as terminating action for


the repetitive inspection requirement of the AD.


The FAA's Determination


After careful review of all available information related to the subject presented above, the FAA has determined that


air safety and the public interest require the adoption of the rule as proposed except for the changes described above and


minor editorial corrections.
 
The FAA has determined that these changes and minor corrections will not change the


meaning of the AD and will not add any additional burden upon the public than was already proposed.


Cost Impact


The FAA estimates that 527 airplanes in the U.S. registry will be affected by this AD.


The following cost information is for those owners/operators of the affected airplanes who choose to repetitively


inspect the outboard flap support roller bearings instead of replacing these bearings with parts of improved design. It will


take approximately 2 workhours per airplane to accomplish the initial inspection at approximately $60 per workhour.


Based on these figures, the total cost impact of the initial inspection is estimated to be $120 per airplane. Costs to repair


the outboard flap support roller bearings (if wear is found) would cost $920 per airplane (8 workhours X $60 per hour


+ $440 parts cost). Only the initial inspection and possible initial repair costs are calculated into these figures. The FAA


has no way of determining how many repetitive inspections and repairs would be required on each affected airplane.


The following cost information is for those owners/operators of the affected airplanes who choose to replace the


outboard flap support roller bearings with parts of improved design rather than repetitively inspect these bearings. It will


take approximately 3 workhours per airplane to accomplish the replacement at approximately $60 per workhour.


Replacement outboard flap support roller bearings cost approximately $1,140 per airplane.
 
Based on these figures, the


total cost impact of the replacement is estimated to be $1,320 per airplane.
 
Raytheon will give warranty credit for


replacement outboard flap support roller bearings until July 1999.


Regulatory Impact


The regulations adopted herein will not have substantial direct effects 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.
 
Therefore, in accordance with Executive Order 12612, it is determined that this final rule does not have


sufficient federalism implications to warrant the preparation of a Federalism Assessment.


For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this action (1) is not a "significant regulatory action" under Executive


Order
 
12866;
 
(2)
 
is
 
not
 
a
 
"significant
 
rule"
 
under
 
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. A copy of the final evaluation prepared for this action


is contained in the Rules Docket. A copy of it may be obtained by contacting the Rules Docket at the location provided


under the caption "ADDRESSES".


List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39


Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by reference, Safety.


Adoption of the Amendment


Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration


amends part 39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (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.