AD 2007-18-07

Unless already done, do the following actions:

(1) Within the next 30 hours time-in-service (TIS) after October 11, 2007 (the effective date of this AD) or 30 days after October 11, 2007 (the effective date of this AD), whichever occurs first, inspect the identification of the steering actuator and the steering manifold installed on the airplane following Piaggio Aero Industries S.p.A. Service Bulletin (Mandatory) N.: 80-0236 Rev. 1, dated May 15, 2007.

(2) If any steering actuator listed in annex 7.1 or manifold listed in annex 7.2 of Piaggio Aero Industries S.p.A. Service Bulletin (Mandatory) N.: 80-0236 Rev. 1, dated May 15, 2007, is found in the inspection per paragraph (f)(1) of this AD:

(i) Before further flight after the inspection per paragraph (f)(1) of this AD, insert Temporary Change 3, issued March 15, 2007, into the LIMITATIONS section of Report 6591 (the airplane flight manual (AFM)) for P-180 Avanti Aircraft or Temporary Change 2, issued March 15, 2007, into the LIMITATIONS section of Report 180-MAN-0010-01100 (the AFM) for P-180 Avanti II aircraft. The owner/operator holding at least a private pilot certificate as authorized by section 43.7 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 43.7) may do this action. Make an entry in the aircraft records showing compliance with this portion of the AD following section 43.9 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 43.9).

(ii) Within the next 600 hours TIS after October 11, 2007 (the effective date of this AD) or 12 months after October 11, 2007 (the effective date of this AD), whichever occurs first, replace the nose landing gear (NLG) following Piaggio Aero Industries S.p.A. Service Bulletin (Mandatory) N.: 80-0236 Rev. 1, dated May 15, 2007.

Note 1: The replacement NLG could be the same unit that was removed from the aircraft and serviced in accordance with Annex 8 of Piaggio Aero Industries S.p.A. Service Bulletin (Mandatory) N.: 80-0236 Rev. 1, dated May 15, 2007 (Messier-Dowty Service Bulletin No. P180-32-24, dated May 15, 2007), or it could be a different NLG that complies with this AD.

(iii) After replacement of the NLG per paragraph (f)(2)(ii) of this AD, remove the steering system temporary limitations from the LIMITATIONS section of the AFM.

(3) Before further flight after accomplishment of the inspection specified in paragraph (f)(1) of this AD, do not install any steering actuator listed in annex 7.1 or manifold listed in annex 7.2 of Piaggio Aero Industries S.p.A. Service Bulletin (Mandatory) N.: 80-0236 Rev. 1, dated May 15, 2007.

Note 2: We encourage you to incorporate Temporary Revision 1 into the maintenance program (aircraft maintenance manual (AMM) P.180 Avanti report 9066) or Temporary Revision 11 into the maintenance program (AMM P.180 Avanti II report 180-MAN-0200-01105). The temporary revisions require confirmation that the steering manifold and steering actuator are compliant with Piaggio Aero Industries S.p.A. Service Bulletin (Mandatory) N.: 80-0236 Rev. 1, dated May 15, 2007.

Note 3: This AD differs from the MCAI and/or service information as follows: The MCAI requires the initial inspection action within 5 hours TIS. We consider 5 hours TIS an urgent safety of flight compliance time, and we do not consider this unsafe condition to be an urgent safety of flight condition. Because we do not consider this unsafe condition to be an urgent safety of flight condition, we issued this action through the normal notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) AD process followed by this final rule. The initial compliance time of 30 hours TIS after the effective date of this AD or 30 days after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs first, is an adequate compliance time for this AD action and met the FAA requirements for an NPRM followed by a final rule.