Airworthiness Directives; AlliedSignal Inc., VN-411B VHF Navigation Receiver

[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 113 (Tuesday, June 11, 1996)] [Proposed Rules] [Pages 29499-29500] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 96-14693]

======================================================================== Proposed Rules Federal Register ________________________________________________________________________ This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules. ========================================================================

Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 113 / Tuesday, June 11, 1996 / Proposed Rules

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 95-CE-91-AD] RIN 2120--AA64

Airworthiness Directives; AlliedSignal Inc., VN-411B VHF Navigation Receiver

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: This document proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) that would apply to certain AlliedSignal Inc. VN-411B VHF Navigation Receivers without Modification 20 that are installed on but not limited to Learjet Model 31A, Fokker Model F27-50, and British Aerospace Model ATP airplanes. The proposed action would require removing and replacing the navigation receivers that do not have Modification 20 installed. A report of navigation receiver interference during a landing operation prompted the proposed action. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent VHF navigation receiver interference from FM radio station broadcasts which could cause distortion of the navigation audio and deflection of the desired flight path of the airplane during landing operations, possibly resulting in loss of the airplane.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before August 14, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Central Region, Office of the Assistant Chief Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket No. 95-CE-91-AD, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. Comments may be inspected at this location between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, holidays excepted. - Service information that applies to the proposed AD may be obtained from AlliedSignal, General Aviation Avionics, 400 North Rogers Road, Olathe, Kansas 66062-1212. This information also may be examined at the Rules Docket at the address above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roger Souter, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, Wichita Aircraft Certification Office, 1801 Airport Road, Room 100, Mid-Continent Airport, Wichita, Kansas 67209; telephone (316) 946-4134, facsimile (316) 946-4407.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited -

Interested persons are invited to participate in the making of the proposed rule by submitting such written data, views, or arguments as they may desire. Communications should identify the Rules Docket number and be submitted in triplicate to the address specified above. All communications received on or before the closing date for comments, specified above, will be considered before taking action on the proposed rule. The proposals contained in this notice may be changed in light of the comments received. - Comments are specifically invited on the overall regulatory, economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the proposed rule. All comments submitted will be available, both before and after the closing date for comments, in the Rules Docket for examination by interested persons. A report that summarizes each FAA-public contact concerned with the substance of this proposal will be filed in the Rules Docket. - Commenters wishing the FAA to acknowledge receipt of their comments submitted in response to this notice must submit a self-addressed, stamped postcard on which the following statement is made: ``Comments to Docket No. 95-CE-91-AD.'' The postcard will be date stamped and returned to the commenter.

Availability of NPRMs -

Any person may obtain a copy of this NPRM by submitting a request to the FAA, Central Region, Office of the Assistant Chief Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket No. 95-CE-91-AD, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106.

Discussion -

The FAA has received a report of navigation receiver interference aboard an airplane equipped with an AlliedSignal VN-411B VHF Navigation Receiver from a nearby FM radio station broadcast while operating on the runway localizer course. The interference was manifested by the display of misleading localizer information on the cockpit display systems. Further investigation revealed that the source of the problem was interference between the localizer receiver local oscillator, the glide slope receiver voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), and the FM broadcast signal. These navigation receivers, although conforming to the requirements for FM interference immunity, are susceptible to FM broadcast interference when tuned to erroneous VHF localizer frequencies, resulting in misleading localizer signal outputs. Although this occurrence implies that a 3.0 Mhz split between the localizer frequency and the FM station frequency could cause this problem, the manufacturer states that preliminary testing has shown that only multiple combinations of these signal sources can result in erroneous localizer operation.- AlliedSignal, Inc. has issued Bendix/King service bulletin (SB) VN 411B-20, dated January 1996, which specifies modifying the navigation receiver and completing a test for FM frequency immunity. - After examining the circumstances and reviewing all available information related to the incident described above, the FAA has determined that AD action should be taken to prevent VHF navigation receiver interference from FM radio station broadcasts which could result in distortion of the navigation audio and deflection of the desired flight path of the airplane during landing operations. - Since an unsafe condition has been identified that is likely to exist or develop in other AlliedSignal Inc. VN-411B VHF navigation receivers of the same type design, the proposed AD would require removing any VHF navigation receiver that does not have Modification 20 installed and replacing the receiver with one that has Modification 20 installed by an AlliedSignal Bendix/King owned service center. -

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The FAA estimates that 19 receivers in the U.S. registry would be affected by the proposed AD, that it would take approximately 2 workhours per receiver to accomplish the proposed action, and that the average labor rate is approximately $60 an hour. The manufacturer is not charging the owner/operator for exchanging the navigation receiver unit and is allowing 2 workhours of labor to be claimed by the owners/ operators to accomplish the proposed action. Based on these figures, there is no cost impact of the proposed AD on U.S. operators. The FAA has no way of determining if any of the affected airplanes have the navigation receiver with Modification 20 installed. - The compliance time of this AD is presented in calendar time instead of hours time-in-service (TIS). The FAA has determined that a calendar time compliance is the most desirable method because of the wide range of fleet usage. Therefore, to ensure that the above- referenced condition is detected and corrected on all airplanes within a reasonable period of time without inadvertently grounding any airplanes, a compliance schedule based upon calendar time instead of hours TIS is required. - The regulations proposed herein would 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 proposal would 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) if promulgated, will not have a significant economic impact, positive or negative, on a substantial number of small entities under the Regulatory Flexibility Act. A copy of the draft regulatory evaluation prepared for this action has been placed 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, Safety.

The Proposed Amendment -

Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration proposes to amend 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 USC 106(g), 40113, 44701.

Sec. 39.13 [Amended]

2. Section 39.13 is amended by adding a new airworthiness directive (AD) to read as follows:

AlliedSignal Inc.: Docket No. 95-CE-91-AD.

Applicability: VHF Navigation Receivers with the following model, part numbers, computer software, and modifications that do not have Modification 20 installed on but not limited to Learjet Model 31A, Fokker Model F27-50, and British Aerospace Model ATP airplanes, certificated in any category.

------------------------------------------------------------------------ Software Model King part No. ID Modification ------------------------------------------------------------------------ VN-411B....................... 066-1101-00 06 18 and 19. VN-411B....................... 066-1101-31 00 00 and 19. VN-411B....................... 066-1101-40 00 00 and 19. VN-411B....................... 066-1101-50 00 00 and 19. ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note 1: This AD applies to each airplane identified in the preceding applicability provision, regardless of whether it has been modified, altered, or repaired in the area subject to the requirements of this AD. For airplanes that have been modified, altered, or repaired so that the performance of the requirements of this AD is affected, the owner/operator must request approval for an alternative method of compliance in accordance with paragraph (d) of this AD. The request should include an assessment of the effect of the modification, alteration, or repair on the unsafe condition addressed by this AD; and, if the unsafe condition has not been eliminated, the request should include specific proposed actions to address it.

Compliance: Requried within the next 90 calendar days after the effective date of this AD or upon replacement or repair of any affected AlliedSignal VHF Navigation Receiver, whichever occurs first, unless already accomplished. To prevent VHF navigation receiver interference from FM radio station broadcast frequencies, which could cause distortion of the navigation audio and deflection of the desired flight path of the airplane during landing operations, possibly resulting in loss of the airplane, accomplish the following: (a) Remove any navigation receiver that does not have Modification 20 installed and return the unit to an AlliedSignal Bendix/King service center in accordance with AlliedSignal Bendix/ King Service Bulletin (SB) VN 411B-20, dated January 1996. (b) Replace the navigation receiver with one that has Modification 20 installed by an AlliedSignal Bendix/King service center in accordance with AlliedSignal Bendix/King SB VN 411B-20, dated January 1996. (c) Special flight permits may be issued in accordance with sections 21.197 and 21.199 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 21.197 and 21.199) to operate the airplane to a location where the requirements of this AD can be accomplished. (d) An Alternative method of compliance or adjustment of the compliance time that provides an equivalent level of safety may be approved by the Manager, Wichita Aircraft Certification Office, 1801 Airport Road, Room 100, Mid-Continent Airport, Wichita, Kansas 67209. The request shall be forwarded through an appropriate FAA Maintenance Inspector, who may add comments and then send it to the Manager, Wichita Aircraft Certification Office.

Note 2: Information concerning the existence of approved alternative methods of compliance with this AD, if any, may be obtained from the Wichita Aircraft Certification Office.

(e) All persons affected by this directive may obtain copies of the document referred to herein upon request to AlliedSignal, General Aviation Avionics, 400 North Rogers Road, Olathe, Kansas 66062-1212; or may examine this document at the FAA, Central Region, Office of the Assistant Chief Counsel, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106.

Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on June 4, 1996. Henry A. Armstrong, Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. [FR Doc. 96-14693 Filed 6-10-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910-13-P