Airworthiness Directives; Dassault Aviation Airplanes

AGENCY:

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION:

Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

SUMMARY:

The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2022–02–10, which applies to certain Dassault Aviation Model FALCON 7X, FALCON 900EX, and FALCON 2000EX airplanes. AD 2022–02–10 requires replacement of certain titanium screws. Since the FAA issued AD 2022–02–10, affected parts have been found in other areas of certain Falcon 7X airplanes as well as in additional Falcon 7X airplanes. This proposed AD would continue to require the actions in AD 2022–02–10, add other locations for screw replacement, and revise the applicability, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is proposed for incorporation by reference (IBR). The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES:

The FAA must receive comments on this proposed AD by April 22, 2024.

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 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: Deliver to Mail address above between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA–2024–0457; 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 NPRM, the mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI), any comments received, and other information. The street address for Docket Operations is listed above.

Material Incorporated by Reference:

• For the EASA AD identified in this NPRM, contact EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 Cologne, Germany; telephone +49 221 8999 000; email ADs@easa.europa.eu; website easa.europa.eu. You may find this material on the EASA website at ad.easa.europa.eu. It is also available at regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA–2024–0457.

• You may view this material at the FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA. For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 206–231–3195.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Tom Rodriguez, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; telephone: 206–231–3226; email: tom.rodriguez@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

The FAA invites you to send any written relevant data, views, or arguments about this proposal. Send your comments to an address listed under ADDRESSES . Include “Docket No. FAA–2024–0457; Project Identifier MCAI–2023–01207–T” at the beginning of your comments. The most helpful comments reference a specific portion of the proposal, explain the reason for any recommended change, and include supporting data. The FAA will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend this proposal because of those comments.

Except for Confidential Business Information (CBI) as described in the following paragraph, and other information as described in 14 CFR 11.35, the FAA will post all comments received, without change, to regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. The agency will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact received about this NPRM.

Confidential Business Information

CBI is commercial or financial information that is both customarily and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public disclosure. If your comments responsive to this NPRM contain commercial or financial information that is customarily treated as private, that you actually treat as private, and that is relevant or responsive to this NPRM, it is important that you clearly designate the submitted comments as CBI. Please mark each page of your submission containing CBI as “PROPIN.” The FAA will treat such marked submissions as confidential under the FOIA, and they will not be placed in the public docket of this NPRM. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to Tom Rodriguez, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; telephone: 206–231–3226; email: tom.rodriguez@faa.gov. Any commentary that the FAA receives which is not specifically designated as CBI will be placed in the public docket for this rulemaking.

Background

The FAA issued AD 2022–02–10, Amendment 39–21907 (87 FR 7025, February 8, 2022) (AD 2022–02–10), for certain Dassault Aviation Model FALCON 7X, FALCON 900EX, and FALCON 2000EX airplanes. AD 2022–02–10 was prompted by MCAI originated by EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Union. EASA issued AD 2021–0047, dated February 16, 2021, to correct an unsafe condition.

AD 2022–02–10 requires replacement of certain titanium screws. The FAA issued AD 2022–02–10 to address failure of an affected screw installed in a critical location, possibly resulting in reduced structural integrity of the airplane. See the MCAI for additional background information.

Actions Since AD 2022–02–10 Was Issued

Since the FAA issued AD 2022–02–10, EASA superseded EASA AD 2021– 0047, dated February 16, 2021, and issued EASA AD 2023–0207, dated November 21, 2023 (also referred to as the MCAI), to correct an unsafe condition for certain Dassault Aviation Model FALCON 7X, FALCON 900EX, and FALCON 2000EX airplanes. The MCAI states that since EASA issued AD 2021–0047, it was determined that affected parts have been installed in production in additional areas of certain Model FALCON 7X airplanes already included in the applicability of EASA AD 2021–0047. Additionally, it was determined that additional Model FALCON 7X airplanes were not included in the applicability of EASA AD 2021–0047.

The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products. You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA–2024–0457.

Explanation of Retained Requirements

Although this proposed AD does not explicitly restate the requirements of AD 2022–02–10, this proposed AD would retain all of the requirements of AD 2022–02–10. Those requirements are referenced in EASA AD 2023–0207, which, in turn, is referenced in paragraph (g) of this proposed AD.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

EASA AD 2023–0207 specifies procedures for replacing titanium screws.

Dassault Service Bulletin 7X–467, Revision 2, dated March 20, 2023, specifies procedures for additional work.

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 this State of Design Authority, it has notified the FAA of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI referenced above. The FAA is issuing this NPRM after determining that the unsafe condition described previously is likely to exist or develop in other products of the same type design.

Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM

This proposed AD would retain certain requirements of AD 2022–02–10. This proposed AD would require accomplishing the actions specified in EASA AD 2023–0207 described previously, except for any differences identified as exceptions in the regulatory text of this proposed AD.

Explanation of Required Compliance Information

In the FAA's ongoing efforts to improve the efficiency of the AD process, the FAA developed a process to use some civil aviation authority (CAA) ADs as the primary source of information for compliance with requirements for corresponding FAA ADs. The FAA has been coordinating this process with manufacturers and CAAs. As a result, the FAA proposes to incorporate EASA AD 2023–0207 by reference in the FAA final rule. This proposed AD would, therefore, require compliance with EASA AD 2023–0207 in its entirety through that incorporation, except for any differences identified as exceptions in the regulatory text of this proposed AD. Using common terms that are the same as the heading of a particular section in EASA AD 2023–0207 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 EASA AD 2023–0207. Service information required by EASA AD 2023–0207 for compliance will be available at regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA–2024–0457 after the FAA final rule is published.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would affect 44 airplanes of U.S. registry. The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this proposed AD:

According to the manufacturer, some or all of the costs of this proposed AD may be covered under warranty, thereby reducing the cost impact on affected individuals. The FAA does not control warranty coverage for affected individuals. As a result, the FAA has included all known costs in the cost estimate.

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 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 this proposed regulation:

(1) Is not a “significant regulatory action” under Executive Order 12866,

(2) Would not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and

(3) Would 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

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.

2. The FAA amends § 39.13 by:

a. Removing Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2022–02–10, Amendment 39–21907 ( 87 FR 7025, February 8, 2022); and

b. Adding the following new AD:

Dassault Aviation: Docket No. FAA–2024–0457; Project Identifier MCAI–2023–01207–T.

(a) Comments Due Date

The FAA must receive comments on this airworthiness directive (AD) by April 22, 2024.

(b) Affected ADs

This AD replaces AD 2022–02–10, Amendment 39–21907 (87 FR 7025, February 8, 2022) (AD 2022–02–10).

(c) Applicability

This AD applies to Dassault Aviation airplanes identified in paragraphs (c)(1) through (3) of this AD, certificated in any category, as identified in European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 2023–0207, dated November 21, 2023 (EASA AD 2023–0207).

(1) Model FALCON 7X airplanes.

(2) Model FALCON 900EX airplanes.

(3) Model FALCON 2000EX airplanes.

(d) Subject

Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 51, Standard Practices/Structures.

(e) Unsafe Condition

This AD was prompted by a report of an improper heat treatment process applied during the manufacturing of certain Decomatic titanium screws, and by the determination that affected parts in additional areas on certain airplanes, as well as additional airplanes, are subject to the unsafe condition. The FAA is issuing this AD to address failure of an affected screw installed in a critical location, possibly resulting in reduced 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 2023–0207.

(h) Exceptions to EASA AD 2023–0207

(1) Where EASA AD 2023–0207 refers to its effective date, this AD requires using the effective date of this AD.

(2) This AD does not adopt the “Remarks” section of EASA AD 2023–0207.

(3) Where Ref Publications specifies “Dassault SB 7X–467 original issue dated 16 November 2020, Rev. 1 dated 12 December 2022 or Rev. 2 dated 20 March 2023,” this AD requires replacing those words with “Dassault Service Bulletin 7X–467, Revision 2, dated March 20, 2023.”

(i) Credit for Previous Actions

For Model FALCON 7X airplanes: This paragraph provides credit for the actions specified in paragraph (g) of this AD, if those actions were performed before the effective date of this AD using Dassault Service Bulletin 7X–467, dated November 16, 2020, provided the additional work specified in Dassault Service Bulletin 7X–467, Revision 2, dated March 20, 2023, is accomplished within the applicable compliance time specified in EASA AD 2023–0207.

(j) Additional AD Provisions

The following provisions also apply to this AD:

(1) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs): The Manager, International Validation 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 responsible Flight Standards Office, as appropriate. If sending information directly to the manager of the International Validation Branch, mail it to the address identified in paragraph (k) of this AD. Information may be emailed to: 9-AVS-AIR-730-AMOC@faa.gov. Before using any approved AMOC, notify your appropriate principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the manager of the responsible Flight Standards 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 Validation Branch, FAA; or EASA; or Dassault Aviation's EASA Design Organization Approval (DOA). If approved by the DOA, the approval must include the DOA-authorized signature.

(k) Additional Information

For more information about this AD, contact Tom Rodriguez, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; telephone: 206–231–3226; email: tom.rodriguez@faa.gov.

(l) 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 2023–0207, dated November 21, 2023.

(ii) Dassault Service Bulletin 7X–467, Revision 2, dated March 20, 2023.

(3) For EASA AD 2023–0207, contact EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 Cologne, Germany; telephone +49 221 8999 000; email ADs@easa.europa.eu; website easa.europa.eu. You may find this EASA AD on the EASA website at ad.easa.europa.eu.

(4) You may view this service information at the FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA. For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 206–231–3195.

(5) You may view this material at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this material at NARA, visit www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations, or email fr.inspection@nara.gov.