AD 2016-17-04 Airworthiness Directives; All Hot Air Balloons

This AD applies to all hot air balloons, certificated in any category, that are equipped with all of the following: (1) a BALÓNY KUBÍČEK spol. s r.o. Model Kubíček burner; and (2) fuel hose(s) made of “EGEFLEX” material.

Unless already done, no later than September 12, 2016 (this date is 14 days after August 29, 2016, which was the effective date of AD 2016-17-04), replace any fuel hose made of “EGEFLEX” material following BALÓNY KUBÍČEK spol. s r.o. Service Bulletin No. BB/50, BB-S/11, AB24 rev.1, dated May 12, 2016.

The following provisions also apply to this AD: (1) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs): The Manager, Standards Office, FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. Send information to ATTN: Karl Schletzbaum, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 329-4123; fax: (816) 329-4090; email: karl.schletzbaum@faa.gov. Before using any approved AMOC on any balloon to which the AMOC applies, notify your appropriate principal inspector (PI) in the FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), or lacking a PI, your local FSDO. (2) Airworthy Product: For any requirement in this AD to obtain corrective actions from a manufacturer or other source, use these actions if they are FAA-approved. Corrective actions are considered FAA-approved if they are approved by the State of Design Authority (or their delegated agent). You are required to assure the product is airworthy before it is returned to service. (3) Reporting Requirements: For any reporting requirement in this AD, 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.

This AD was prompted by mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as propane leaks on burners equipped with fuel hoses made of “EGEFLEX” material. We are issuing this AD to prevent propane leaks in the fuel hoses, which could result in a fire, damaging the balloon and its envelope, ultimately leading to an emergency landing, with consequent injury to the occupants and persons on the ground. This AD action revises AD 2016-17-04 to eliminate the unnecessary need to document the AD by logbook entry when the hot air balloon does not have fuel hoses made of “EGEFLEX” material. This is done by eliminating the inspection required and narrowing the applicability to only include those balloons that have both the Kubíček burner and fuel hoses made of “EGEFLEX” material.

This AD replaces AD 2016-17-04, Amendment 39-18617 (81 FR 57449, August 23, 2016) (“AD 2016-17-04”).