[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 80 (Thursday, April 25, 2013)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 24367-24368]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-09715]
[[Page 24367]]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2013-0350; Directorate Identifier 2012-SW-050-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; AgustaWestland S.p.A. Helicopters
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for
AgustaWestland S.p.A. (AgustaWestland) Model A119 and AW119 MKII
helicopters to require inspecting the pilot and co-pilot doors to
ensure that the windows are properly bonded within the doors. If the
windows are not properly bonded, the proposed AD would require applying
bonding to the windows, the seals, and the window frames of the pilot
and co-pilot doors. This proposed AD is prompted by the loss of a
pilot-door window during a test flight. The proposed actions are
intended to ensure the windows do not detach from the doors,
potentially injuring persons on the ground and damaging the
helicopter's tailboom and the tail rotor blades.
DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by June 24, 2013.
ADDRESSES: You may send comments by any of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Docket: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for sending your
comments electronically.
Fax: 202-493-2251.
Mail: Send comments to the U.S. Department of
Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor,
Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
Hand Delivery: Deliver to the ``Mail'' address between 9
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
Examining the AD Docket
You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov or in person at the Docket Operations Office
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal
holidays. The AD docket contains this proposed AD, the economic
evaluation, any comments received, and other information. The street
address for the Docket Operations Office (telephone 800-647-5527) is in
the ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in the AD docket
shortly after receipt.
For service information identified in this proposed AD, contact
AgustaWestland, Customer Support & Services, Via Per Tornavento 15,
21019 Somma Lombardo (VA) Italy, ATTN: Giovanni Cecchelli; telephone
39-0331-711133; fax 39 0331 711180; or at http://www.agustawestland.com/technical-bullettins. You may review the
referenced service information at the FAA, Office of the Regional
Counsel, Southwest Region, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Room 663, Fort Worth,
Texas 76137.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sharon Miles, Aviation Safety
Engineer, Regulations and Policy Group, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA,
2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 76137; telephone (817) 222-5110;
email [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
We invite you to participate in this rulemaking by submitting
written comments, data, or views. We also invite comments relating to
the economic, environmental, energy, or federalism impacts that might
result from adopting the proposals in this document. The most helpful
comments reference a specific portion of the proposal, explain the
reason for any recommended change, and include supporting data. To
ensure the docket does not contain duplicate comments, commenters
should send only one copy of written comments, or if comments are filed
electronically, commenters should submit only one time.
We will file in the docket all comments that we receive, as well as
a report summarizing each substantive public contact with FAA personnel
concerning this proposed rulemaking. Before acting on this proposal, we
will consider all comments we receive on or before the closing date for
comments. We will consider comments filed after the comment period has
closed if it is possible to do so without incurring expense or delay.
We may change this proposal in light of the comments we receive.
Discussion
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical
Agent for the Member States of the European Union, has issued EASA AD
No. 2012-0058, dated April 3, 2012, to correct an unsafe condition for
AgustaWestland Model A119 and AW119 MKII helicopters. EASA advises that
the pilot-door window detached during a test flight of an AW119 MKII
helicopter. The occupant was not injured, and the helicopter was not
damaged.
According to EASA, an investigation revealed that a ``lack of the
bonding of the seal both to the window and to the door structure''
caused the window's detachment. To address this unsafe condition,
AugustaWestland issued Bollettino Tecnico (BT) No. 119-47, dated March
29, 2012, and EASA issued AD No. 2012-0058 to require an inspection of
the bonding in the pilot and co-pilot door windows and, if there is no
bonding, applying bonding.
If this condition is not corrected, it could lead to detachment of
the windows from the pilot- and co-pilot doors, potentially injuring
persons on the ground and damaging the helicopter.
FAA's Determination
These helicopters have been approved by the aviation authority of
Italy and are approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant to
our bilateral agreement with Italy, EASA, its technical representative,
has notified us of the unsafe condition described in its AD. We are
proposing this AD because we evaluated all known relevant information
and determined that an unsafe condition is likely to exist or develop
on other products of the same type design.
Related Service Information
We reviewed BT No. 119-47 for all AgustaWestland A119 and AW119
MKII helicopters, which contains procedures to ensure that the pilot-
and co-pilot door windows are correctly bonded.
Proposed AD Requirements
This proposed AD would require, within the next 50 hours time-in-
service (TIS) or within the next five months, whichever comes first,
inspecting the pilot and co-pilot doors to determine whether there is
bonding between the seals, the window frames, and the windows in the
external and internal sides of the seals' junction areas. If no bonding
exists, before further flight, this proposed AD would require applying
bonding to the windows, seals, and window frames.
Costs of Compliance
We estimate that this proposed AD would affect 65 helicopters of
U.S. Registry and that labor costs would average $85 an hour. Based on
these estimates, we expect the following costs:
Inspecting for bonding between the seals and the windows
in the internal
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and external sides of the junction areas would require 0.5 work-hour
for a labor cost of about $43. No parts would be needed, so the cost
for the U.S. fleet would total $2,795.
Adding the bonding material if needed would require about
1.5 work-hours for a labor cost of about $128. The cost of materials
would be negligible.
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 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
We 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, I certify this proposed regulation:
1. Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive Order
12866;
2. Is not a ``significant rule'' under the DOT Regulatory Policies
and Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979);
3. Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska to the extent that
it justifies making a regulatory distinction; and
4. Will not have a significant economic impact, positive or
negative, on a substantial number of small entities under the criteria
of the Regulatory Flexibility Act.
We prepared an economic evaluation of the estimated costs to comply
with this proposed AD and placed it in the AD docket.
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
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]
0
2. The FAA amends Sec. 39.13 by adding the following new airworthiness
directive (AD):
AGUSTAWESTLAND S.p.A.: Docket No. FAA-2013-0350; Directorate
Identifier 2012-SW-050-AD.
(a) Applicability
This AD applies to AgustaWestland S.p.A. (AgustaWestland) Model
A119 and AW119 MKII helicopters, serial numbers up to and including
14781, certificated in any category.
(b) Unsafe Condition
This AD defines the unsafe condition as a window detaching from
the pilot or co-pilot doors, which could result in damage to the
helicopter and injury to persons on the ground.
(c) Reserved
(d) Compliance
You are responsible for performing each action required by this
AD within the specified compliance time unless it has already been
accomplished prior to that time.
(e) Required Actions
Within the next 50 hours time-in-service (TIS) or within the
next five months, whichever comes first:
(1) Visually inspect the pilot and co-pilot doors by referencing
Figure 1 of Bollettino Tecnico No. 119-47, dated March 29, 2012
(BT), to determine whether there is bonding between the seal (3) and
the window (4) in the internal and external side of the seal's
junction area.
(2) If there is no bonding, before further flight, apply bonding
to the windows, seals, and window frames in accordance with the
Compliance Instructions, paragraphs 5 through 20, of the BT.
(f) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)
(1) The Manager, Safety Management Group, FAA, may approve AMOCs
for this AD. Send your proposal to: Sharon Miles, Aviation Safety
Engineer, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort
Worth, Texas 76137; telephone (817) 222-5110; email
[email protected].
(2) For operations conducted under a 14 CFR part 119 operating
certificate or under 14 CFR part 91, subpart K, we suggest that you
notify your principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector,
the manager of the local flight standards district office or
certificate holding district office before operating any aircraft
complying with this AD through an AMOC.
(g) Additional Information
The subject of this AD is addressed in European Aviation Safety
Agency AD No. 2012-0058, dated April 3, 2012.
(h) Subject
Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) Code: 5610, Flight
Compartment Windows.
Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on April 12, 2013.
Lance T. Gant,
Acting Directorate Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-09715 Filed 4-24-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P