[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 68 (Wednesday, April 8, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 19656-19658]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-07343]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2020-0207; Product Identifier 2020-NM-008-AD; Amendment 
39-19884; AD 2020-06-15]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Fokker Services B.V. Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
certain Fokker Services B.V. Model F28 Mark 0100 airplanes. This AD was 
prompted by a report of a crack found in the inboard boom of the left-
hand frame at fuselage station (STA) 17011. This AD requires a detailed 
inspection of the fuselage at STA 17011 for any cracking, repair if 
necessary, and a reporting requirement, as specified in a European 
Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by 
reference. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition 
on these products.

DATES: This AD becomes effective April 23, 2020.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of April 23, 
2020.
    The FAA must receive comments on this AD by May 26, 2020.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR 
11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods:
     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 the material incorporated by reference (IBR) in this AD, 
contact the EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 Cologne, Germany; 
telephone +49 221 89990 1000; email ADs@easa.europa.eu; internet 
www.easa.europa.eu. You may find this IBR material on the EASA website 
at https://ad.easa.europa.eu. You may view this IBR material at the 
FAA, Transport Standards Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA. 
For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 
206-231-3195. It is also available in the AD docket on the internet at 
https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. 
FAA-2020-0207.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2020-
0207; 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 AD, the regulatory evaluation, any comments received, and other 
information. The street address for Docket Operations is listed above. 
Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Rodriguez, Aerospace Engineer, 
International Section, Transport Standards Branch, FAA, 2200 South 
216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; telephone and fax 206-231-3226; email 
Tom.Rodriguez@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion

    The EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the 
European Union, has issued EASA AD 2020-0002, dated January 8, 2020 
(``EASA AD 2020-0002'') (also referred to as the Mandatory Continuing 
Airworthiness Information, or ``the MCAI''), to correct an unsafe 
condition for certain Fokker Services B.V. Model F28 Mark 0100 
airplanes.
    This AD was prompted by a report of a crack found in the inboard 
boom of the left-hand frame at fuselage STA 17011. The FAA is issuing 
this AD to address cracking at the fuselage station, which could reduce 
resistance to fatigue and possibly affect the structural integrity of 
the airplane. See the MCAI for additional background information.

Related IBR Material Under 1 CFR Part 51

    EASA AD 2020-0002 describes procedures for a detailed inspection 
and repair for cracking of the fuselage at STA 17011. This material is 
reasonably available because the interested parties have access to it 
through their normal course of business or by the means identified in 
the ADDRESSES section.

FAA's Determination

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

Requirements of This AD

    This AD requires accomplishing the actions specified in the service 
information described previously, as incorporated by reference. This AD 
also requires sending the inspection results to Fokker.

[[Page 19657]]

Explanation of Required Compliance Information

    In the FAA's ongoing efforts to improve the efficiency of the AD 
process, the FAA initially worked with Airbus and EASA to develop a 
process to use certain EASA ADs as the primary source of information 
for compliance with requirements for corresponding FAA ADs. The FAA has 
since coordinated with other manufacturers and civil aviation 
authorities (CAAs) to use this process. As a result, EASA AD 2020-0002 
is incorporated by reference in this final rule. This AD, therefore, 
requires compliance with EASA AD 2020-0002 in its entirety, through 
that incorporation, except for any differences identified as exceptions 
in the regulatory text of this AD. Using common terms that are the same 
as the heading of a particular section in the EASA AD does not mean 
that operators need comply only with that section. For example, where 
the AD requirement refers to ``all required actions and compliance 
times,'' compliance with this AD requirement is not limited to the 
section titled ``Required Action(s) and Compliance Time(s)'' in the 
EASA AD. Service information specified in EASA AD 2020-0002 that is 
required for compliance with EASA AD 2020-0002 is available on the 
internet at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating 
Docket No. FAA-2020-0207.

FAA's Justification and Determination of the Effective Date

    Since there are currently no domestic operators of these products, 
notice and opportunity for public comment before issuing this AD are 
unnecessary. In addition, for the reason stated above, the FAA finds 
that good cause exists for making this amendment effective in less than 
30 days.

Comments Invited

    This AD is a final rule that involves requirements affecting flight 
safety, and the FAA did not precede it by notice and opportunity for 
public comment. The FAA invites you to send any written relevant data, 
views, or arguments about this AD. Send your comments to an address 
listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2020-0207; 
Product Identifier 2020-NM-008-AD'' at the beginning of your comments. 
The FAA specifically invites comments on the overall regulatory, 
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this AD. The FAA will 
consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend this 
AD based on those comments.
    The FAA will post all comments, without change, to https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. 
The FAA will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal 
contact the agency receives about this AD.

Differences Between This AD and the MCAI

    Where paragraph (2) of EASA AD 2020-0002 requires accomplishing the 
corrective action ``before next flight, or before exceeding the fly-on 
time (if any) provided by Fokker Services, as applicable,'' this AD 
requires that cracking must be repaired before further flight. The FAA 
has determined that, because of the safety implications and 
consequences associated with that cracking, any cracked fuselage frame 
must be repaired or modified before further flight.

Interim Action

    The FAA considers this AD interim action. If final action is later 
identified, the FAA may consider further rulemaking at that time.

Costs of Compliance

    Currently, there are no affected U.S.-registered airplanes. If an 
affected airplane is imported and placed on the U.S. Register in the 
future, the FAA provides the following cost estimates to comply with 
this AD:

                 Estimated Costs for Required Actions *
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             Cost per
              Labor cost                   Parts cost        product
------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 work-hours x $85 per hour = $255....              $0             $255
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Table does not include estimated costs for reporting.

    The FAA estimates that it takes about 1 work-hour per product to 
comply with the reporting requirement in this AD. The average labor 
rate is $85 per hour. Based on these figures, the FAA estimates the 
cost of reporting the inspection results on U.S. operators to be $85 
per product.
    The FAA has received no definitive data that would enable the 
agency to provide cost estimates for the on-condition actions specified 
in this AD.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    A federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not 
required to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to penalty for 
failure to comply with a collection of information subject to the 
requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act unless that collection of 
information displays a current valid OMB control number. The control 
number for the collection of information required by this AD is 2120-
0056. The paperwork cost associated with this AD has been detailed in 
the Costs of Compliance section of this document and includes time for 
reviewing instructions, as well as completing and reviewing the 
collection of information. Therefore, all reporting associated with 
this AD is mandatory. Comments concerning the accuracy of this burden 
and suggestions for reducing the burden should be directed to 
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Federal Aviation 
Administration, 10101 Hillwood Parkway, Fort Worth, TX 76177-1524.

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.
    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.

Regulatory Findings

    The FAA determined that this AD will not have federalism 
implications

[[Page 19658]]

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.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

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

Adoption of the Amendment

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

PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

0
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]

0
2. The FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by adding the following new airworthiness 
directive (AD):

2020-06-15 Fokker Services B.V.: Amendment 39-19884; Docket No. FAA-
2020-0207; Product Identifier 2020-NM-008-AD.

(a) Effective Date

    This AD becomes effective April 23, 2020.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Fokker Services B.V. Model F28 Mark 0100 
airplanes, certificated in any category, as identified in European 
Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 2020-0002, dated January 8, 
2020 (``EASA AD 2020-0002'').

(d) Subject

    Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 53, Fuselage.

(e) Reason

    This AD was prompted by a report of a crack found in the inboard 
boom of the left-hand frame at fuselage station (STA) 17011. The FAA 
is issuing this AD to address cracking at the fuselage station, 
which could reduce resistance to fatigue and possibly affect the 
structural integrity of the airplane.

(f) Compliance

    Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified, 
unless already done.

(g) Requirements

    Except as specified in paragraph (h) of this AD: Comply with all 
required actions and compliance times specified in, and in 
accordance with, EASA AD 2020-0002.

(h) Exceptions to EASA AD 2020-0002

    (1) Where EASA AD 2020-0002 refers to its effective date, this 
AD requires using the effective date of this AD.
    (2) The ``Remarks'' section of EASA AD 2020-0002 does not apply 
to this AD.
    (3) Where paragraph (2) of EASA AD 2020-0002 requires 
accomplishing the corrective action ``before next flight, or before 
exceeding the fly-on time (if any) provided by Fokker Services, as 
applicable,'' this AD requires that the corrective action be 
accomplished before further flight.
    (4) Paragraph (3) of EASA AD 2020-0002 specifies to report 
inspection results to Fokker Services B.V. within a certain 
compliance time. For this AD, report inspection results at the 
applicable time specified in paragraph (h)(4)(i) or (ii) of this AD.
    (i) If the inspection was done on or after the effective date of 
this AD: Submit the report within 30 days after the inspection.
    (ii) If the inspection was done before the effective date of 
this AD: Submit the report within 30 days after the effective date 
of this AD.

(i) Other FAA AD Provisions

    The following provisions also apply to this AD:
    (1) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs): The Manager, 
International Section, Transport Standards Branch, FAA, has the 
authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the 
procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. In accordance with 14 CFR 39.19, 
send your request to your principal inspector or local Flight 
Standards District Office, as appropriate. If sending information 
directly to the International Section, send it to the attention of 
the person identified in paragraph (j) of this AD. Information may 
be emailed to: 9-ANM-116-AMOC-REQUESTS@faa.gov. Before using any 
approved AMOC, notify your appropriate principal inspector, or 
lacking a principal inspector, the manager of the local flight 
standards district office/certificate holding district office.
    (2) Contacting the Manufacturer: For any requirement in this AD 
to obtain instructions from a manufacturer, the instructions must be 
accomplished using a method approved by the Manager, International 
Section, Transport Standards Branch, FAA; or EASA; or Fokker 
Services B.V.'s EASA Design Organization Approval (DOA). If approved 
by the DOA, the approval must include the DOA-authorized signature.

(j) Related Information

    For more information about this AD, contact Tom Rodriguez, 
Aerospace Engineer, International Section, Transport Standards 
Branch, FAA, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; telephone 
and fax 206-231-3226; email Tom.Rodriguez@faa.gov.

(k) Material Incorporated by Reference

    (1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the 
incorporation by reference (IBR) of the service information listed 
in this paragraph under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
    (2) You must use this service information as applicable to do 
the actions required by this AD, unless this AD specifies otherwise.
    (i) European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 2020-0002, 
dated January 8, 2020.
    (ii) [Reserved]
    (3) For information about EASA AD 2020-0002, contact the EASA, 
Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 Cologne, Germany; telephone +49 221 
89990 6017; email ADs@easa.europa.eu; internet www.easa.europa.eu. 
You may find this EASA AD on the EASA website at https://ad.easa.europa.eu.
    (4) You may view this material at the FAA, Transport Standards 
Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA. For information on the 
availability of this material at the FAA, call 206-231-3195. This 
material may be found in the AD docket on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-
2020-0207.
    (5) You may view this material that is incorporated by reference 
at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For 
information on the availability of this material at NARA, email 
fedreg.legal@nara.gov, or go to: https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.

    Issued on March 22, 2020.
Lance T. Gant,
Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-07343 Filed 4-7-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P


