AD 2011-18-11

We are superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for all Viking Air Limited (type certificate No. A-815 formerly held by Bombardier Inc. and de Havilland, Inc.) Model DHC-3 airplanes. That AD currently requires repetitively inspecting the elevator control tabs for discrepancies, taking necessary corrective actions to bring all discrepancies within acceptable tolerances, and reporting certain inspection results to the FAA. This new AD retains the actions currently required in AD 2011-05-02 and removes the Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) SA01059SE condition in the Applicability section. This AD was prompted by our determination that we inadvertently omitted certain airplanes from the Applicability section. We are issuing this AD to correct the unsafe condition on these products.

Final rule.

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]

The FAA amends Sec. 39.13 by removing airworthiness directive (AD) 2011-05-02, Amendment 39-16611 (76 FR 10220, February 24, 2011), and adding the following new AD:

2011-18-11 Viking Air Limited (Type Certificate No. A-815 Formerly Held by Bombardier Inc. and de Havilland, Inc.): Amendment 39-16793; Docket No. FAA-2011-0597; Directorate Identifier 2011-CE-019-AD.

(a) Effective Date

This airworthiness directive (AD) is effective October 3, 2011.

(b) Affected ADs

This AD supersedes AD 2011-05-02, Amendment 39-16611 (76 FR 10220, February 24, 2011).

(c) Applicability

This AD applies to Viking Air Limited (type certificate No. A- 815 formerly held by Bombardier Inc. and de Havilland, Inc.) Model DHC-3 airplanes, all serial numbers, that are certificated in any category.

(d) Subject

Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC)/Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 27, Flight Controls.

(e) Unsafe Condition

This AD results from an evaluation of revisions to the manufacturer's maintenance manual that adds new repetitive inspections to the elevator control tabs. To require compliance with these inspections for U.S. owners and operators we are mandating these inspections through the rulemaking process. We are issuing this AD to add new repetitive inspections of the elevator control tabs. If these inspections are not done, excessive free-play in the elevator control tabs could develop. This condition could lead to loss of tab control linkage and severe elevator flutter. Such elevator flutter could lead to possible loss of control.

(f) Compliance

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

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Actions Compliance Procedures ------------------------------------------------------------------------ (1) Inspect the elevator control (i) For airplanes Following Viking
tabs for discrepancies. previously DHC-3 Otter
affected by AD Maintenance
2011-05-02 (76 FR Manual Temporary
10220, February Revisions No. 18,
24, 2011): No. 19, and No.
Initially within 20, all dated
the next 50 hours December 5, 2008.
time-in-service
(TIS) after March
31, 2011 (the
effective date
retained from AD
2011-05-02).
(ii) For airplanes
not previously
affected by AD
2011-05-02 (76 FR
10220, February
24, 2011):
Initially within
the next 50 hours
time-in-service
(TIS) after
October 3, 2011
(the effective
date of this AD).(iii) For all
affected
airplanes:
Repetitively
thereafter
inspect at
intervals not to
exceed 100 hours
TIS. (2) If any discrepancies are For all affected Following Viking
found during any inspection airplanes: Before DHC-3 Otter
required in paragraph (f)(1) of further flight Maintenance
this AD, take necessary after any Manual Temporary
corrective actions to bring all inspection Revisions No. 18,
discrepancies within acceptable required in No. 19, and No.
tolerances. paragraph (f)(1) 20, all dated
of this AD in December 5, 2008.
which
discrepancies are
found.

[[Page 53635]]

(3) If, during any inspection For all affected Use the form
required in paragraph (f)(1) of airplanes: Within (figure 1 of this
this AD, the total maximum free 30 days after the AD) and submit it
play of the elevator servo tab inspection or to FAA, Small
and trim tab relative to the within the next Airplane
elevator exceeds 1.0 degree 10 days after Directorate,
(this is equal to a maximum October 3, 2011 Attn: Jim
displacement of 0.070'' at the (the effective Rutherford, 901
trailing edge), report the date of this AD), Locust, Room 301,
results of the inspection to whichever occurs Kansas City,
the FAA. later. For Missouri 64106.
airplanes
previously
affected by AD
2011-05-02 (76 FR
10220, February
24, 2011): We are
collecting these
inspection
results for 24
months after
March 31, 2011
(the effective
date retained
from AD 2011-05-
02). For
airplanes not
previously
affected by AD
2011-05-02 (76 FR
10220, February
24, 2011): We are
collecting these
inspection
results for 24
months after
October 3, 2011
(the effectivedate of this AD).
The reporting
requirements of
this AD are no
longer required
after that time.. ------------------------------------------------------------------------

AD 2011-18-11 ------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------------ Airplane Serial Number: ............................... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Time-in-Service (TIS) of Airplane: ............................... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Airplane Engine Type/Model Number/ ...............................
Series Number: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ TIS of Airplane When Current Engine was ...............................
Installed: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Date When Current Engine was Installed: ............................... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ STC Number that Installed Current ...............................
Engine (if applicable): ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Out of Tolerance Recording: ............................... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Corrective Action Taken: ............................... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Any Additional Information (Optional): ............................... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Name: ............................... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Telephone and/or Email Address: ............................... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Date: ............................... ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Send report to: Jim Rutherford, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; facsimile: (816) 329-4090; e-mail: jim.rutherford@faa.gov.

Figure 1

(g) Paperwork Reduction Act Burden Statement

A federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a 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 OMB Control Number for this information collection is 2120-0056. Public reporting for this collection of information is estimated to be approximately 5 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions,completing and reviewing the collection of information. All responses to this collection of information are mandatory. Comments concerning the accuracy of this burden and suggestions for reducing the burden should be directed to the FAA at: 800 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20591, Attn: Information Collection Clearance Officer, AES-200.

(h) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

(1) The Manager, New York 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. 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 manager of the ACO, send it to the attention of the person identified in the Related Information section of this AD.
(2) Before using any approved AMOC, notify your Principal Maintenance Inspector or Principal Avionics Inspector, as appropriate, or lacking a principal inspector, your local Flight Standards District Office.
(3) AMOCs approved for AD 2011-05-02 (76 FR 10220, February 24, 2011) are approved as AMOCs for this AD.

(i) Related Information

For more information about this AD, contact George Duckett, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, New York ACO, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, New York 11590; telephone: (516) 228-7325; fax: (516) 794-5531; email: george.duckett@faa.gov.

(j) Material Incorporated by Reference

(1) You must use the following service information to do the actions required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise. The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference (IBR) under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51 of the following service information on the date specified:
(2) Viking DHC-3 Otter Maintenance Manual Temporary Revision No. 18, Viking DHC-3 Otter Maintenance Manual Temporary Revision No. 19, and Viking DHC-3 Maintenance Manual Temporary Revision No. 20, all dated December 5, 2008, approved for IBR March 31, 2011 (76 FR 10220, February 24, 2011).
(3) To get information about the revisions to the maintenance program identified in this AD, contact Viking Air Ltd., 9574 Hampden Road, Sidney, BC Canada V8L 5V5; telephone: (800) 663-8444; Internet: www.vikingair.com.

[[Page 53636]]

(4) You may review copies of the referenced revisions at the FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 816-329-4148.
(5) You may also review copies of the service information that is incorporated by reference at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this material at an NARA facility, call 202-741-6030, or go to http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html.

Discussion

We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR part 39 to supersede AD 2011-05-02, Amendment 39-16611 (76 FR 10220, February 24, 2011). That AD applies to the specified products. The NPRM published in the Federal Register on June 10, 2011 (76 FR 34011). That NPRM proposed to retain all of the requirements of AD 2011-05-02 and add airplanes to the Applicability section removing the Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) SA01059SE condition.

Comments

We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing this AD. We received no comments on the NPRM or on the determination of the cost to the public.

Conclusion

We reviewed the relevant data and determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting the AD as proposed except for minor editorial changes. We have determined that these minor changes:
Are consistent with the intent that was proposed in the NPRM for correcting the unsafe condition; and
Do not add any additional burden upon the public than was already proposed in the NPRM.

Interim Action

We are continuing to evaluate the cause of the unsafe condition identified in this AD to enable us to obtain better insight into the nature, cause, and extent of excessive free-play in the elevator control tabs. Based on this evaluation, we may consider further rulemaking.

Costs of Compliance

We estimate that this AD affects 65 airplanes of U.S. registry.
We estimate the following costs to comply with this AD:

Estimated Costs ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cost on U.S.
Action Labor cost Parts cost Cost per product operators ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Inspection...................... 1 work-hour x $85 Not applicable....$85 per inspection $5,525 per
per hour = $85 cycle. inspection cycle.
per inspection
cycle. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We estimate the following costs to do any necessary follow-on actions that will be required based on the results of the inspection. We have no way of determining the number of airplanes that may need this repair/replacement:

On-Condition Costs ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cost per
Action Labor cost Parts cost product ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Minimum repair................................ 1 work-hour x $85 per hour = $85...... $50 $135

[[Page 53634]]

Moderate repair............................... 3 work-hours x $85 per hour = $255.... 150 405 Maximum repair................................ 6 work-hours x $85 per hour = $510.... 450 960 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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 aircommerce. 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 AD will not have federalism implications 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) Is not a ``significant rule'' under DOT Regulatory Policies and Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979),
(3) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
(4) Will not have a significant economic impact, positive or negative, on a substantial number of small entities under the criteria of theRegulatory Flexibility Act.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

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