Airworthiness Directives; Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Airplanes

AGENCY:

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION:

Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

SUMMARY:

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation (Gulfstream) Model GV and GV-SP airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by the omission of a life limit in the airworthiness limitations section (ALS) of the maintenance manual for a certain main landing gear (MLG) trunnion pin. This AD requires revising the ALS of the existing instructions for continued airworthiness (ICA) or inspection program for the airplane to establish a life limit for the affected MLG trunnion pin. 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 December 12, 2022.

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-2022-1305; 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, any comments received, and other information. The street address for Docket Operations is listed above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Miral Patel, Aerospace Engineer, Systems and Equipment Section, FAA, Atlanta ACO Branch, 1701 Columbia Avenue, College Park, GA 30337; phone: 404-474-5590; email: 9-ASO-ATLACO-ADs@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-2022-1305; Project Identifier AD-2022-00913-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 Miral Patel, Aerospace Engineer, Systems and Equipment Section, FAA, Atlanta ACO Branch, 1701 Columbia Avenue, College Park, GA 30337; phone: 404-474-5590; email: 9-ASO-ATLACO-ADs@faa.gov. Any commentary that the FAA receives that is not specifically designated as CBI will be placed in the public docket for this rulemaking.

Background

The FAA has received a report indicating a life limit for replacing MLG trunnion pin part number (P/N) 1159SCL566-17 had been omitted from the ALS of the maintenance manual for Models GV and GV-SP airplanes. Gulfstream revised the ALS for the applicable airplanes to establish a life limit of 20,000 flight cycles for the affected MLG trunnion pin. A trunnion pin remaining in service beyond its life limit could lead to fracture and failure of the trunnion pin. This condition, if unaddressed, could result in MLG failure and could lead to a runway excursion.

FAA's Determination

The FAA is issuing this NPRM after determining that the unsafe condition described previously is likely to exist or develop on other products of the same type design.

Related Service Information

The FAA reviewed Gulfstream GV Aircraft Maintenance Manual, Revision 55, dated March 15, 2022; Gulfstream G550 Aircraft Maintenance Manual, Revision 36, dated March 15, 2022; and Gulfstream G500-5000 Aircraft Maintenance Manual, Revision 36, dated March 15, 2022. The service information adds a life limit for MLG trunnion pin P/N 1159SCL566-17.

Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM

This proposed AD would require revising the ALS of the existing ICA or inspection program for the airplane to establish a life limit of 20,000 flight cycles for MLG trunnion pin P/N 1159SCL566-17.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would affect 582 airplanes of U.S. registry. The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this proposed AD:

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 adding the following new airworthiness directive:

Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation: Docket No. FAA-2022-1305; Project Identifier AD-2022-00913-T.

(a) Comments Due Date

The FAA must receive comments on this airworthiness directive (AD) by December 12, 2022.

(b) Affected ADs

None.

(c) Applicability

This AD applies to Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Model GV and GV-SP airplanes, all serial numbers, certificated in any category.

Note 1 to paragraph (c):

Model GV-SP airplanes are also referred to by the marketing designations G500, G550, and G500-5000.

(d) Subject

Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) Code 3200, Landing Gear System.

(e) Unsafe Condition

This AD was prompted by the omission of a life limit in the airworthiness limitations section (ALS) for a certain main landing gear (MLG) trunnion pin. The FAA is issuing this AD to prevent a MLG trunnion pin from remaining in service beyond its fatigue life. This unsafe condition, if not addressed, could result in MLG failure and could lead to a runway excursion.

(f) Compliance

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

(g) Incorporation of ALS Revisions

Within 12 months after the effective date of this AD, revise the existing ALS of the instructions for continued airworthiness or aircraft inspection program for your airplane by establishing a life limit of 20,000 flight cycles for each MLG trunnion pin part number (P/N) 1159SCL566-17.

Note 2 to paragraph (g):

The life limit in paragraph (g) of this AD is contained in table 5 in Section 05-10-10 of Gulfstream V Aircraft Maintenance Manual, Revision 55, dated March 15, 2022; table 4 in Section 05-10-10 of the Gulfstream G500-5000 Aircraft Maintenance Manual, Revision 36, dated March 15, 2022; and table 4 in Section 05-10-10 of the Gulfstream G550 Aircraft Maintenance Manual, Revision 36, dated March 15, 2022.

(h) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

(1) The Manager, Atlanta ACO 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 certification office, send it to the attention of the person identified in paragraph (i)(1) of this AD.

(2) Before using any approved AMOC, notify your appropriate principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the manager of the responsible Flight Standards Office.

(i) Related Information

(1) For more information about this AD, contact Miral Patel, Aerospace Engineer, Systems and Equipment Section, FAA, Atlanta ACO Branch, 1701 Columbia Avenue, College Park, GA 30337; phone: 404-474-5590; email: 9-ASO-ATLACO-ADs@faa.gov.

(2) For Gulfstream service information identified in this AD that is not incorporated by reference, contact Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, Technical Publications Dept., P.O. Box 2206, Savannah, GA 31402-2206; phone: (800) 810-4853; email: pubs@gulfstream.com; website: gulfstream.com/en/customer-support/. 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. 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.

(j) Material Incorporated by Reference

None.