[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 136 (Tuesday, July 16, 2013)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 42409-42411]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-14848]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2013-0018; Directorate Identifier 2010-SW-060-AD;
Amendment 39-17483; AD 2013-12-05]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH Helicopters
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
[[Page 42410]]
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for
Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH (Eurocopter) Model MBB-BK 117 C-2
helicopters. This AD requires determining if a certain serial-numbered
bevel gear is installed in the tailrotor intermediate gear box (IGB).
If such a bevel gear is installed in the IGB, this AD requires
recording the bevel gear's reduced life limit in the Airworthiness
Limitations section of the maintenance manual and on the component
history card or equivalent IGB record. If the bevel gear's life limit
has been reached or exceeded, this AD requires, before further flight,
replacing the bevel gear with an airworthy bevel gear. This AD is
prompted by the discovery that the tooth foot fillets in certain bevel
gears fall below the minimum dimensions required in the design
documents to ensure safe functioning of the bevel gear until it reaches
its approved life limit. This AD's actions are intended to prevent
failure of a bevel gear before it reaches its currently approved life
limit, failure of the IGB, and subsequent loss of helicopter control.
DATES: This AD is effective August 20, 2013.
The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by
reference of a certain document listed in this AD as of August 20,
2013.
ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this AD, contact
American Eurocopter Corporation, 2701 N. Forum Drive, Grand Prairie, TX
75052; telephone (972) 641-0000 or (800) 232-0323; fax (972) 641-3775;
or at http://www.eurocopter.com/techpub. 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.
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 AD, the European Aviation Safety
Agency (EASA) AD, any incorporated-by-reference service information,
the economic evaluation, any comments received, and other information.
The street address for the Docket Operations Office (phone: 800-647-
5527) is U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations Office,
M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue
SE., Washington, DC 20590.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chinh Vuong, Aviation Safety Engineer,
Safety Management Group, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 2601 Meacham
Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 76137; telephone (817) 222-5110; email
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Discussion
EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the
European Union, issued EASA AD No. 2010-0096 on May 25, 2010, to
correct an unsafe condition for Eurocopter Model MBB-BK 117 C-2
helicopters. EASA advised that during a recent review of the production
documents for the bevel gears of the IGB, it was discovered that
certain production batch numbers have tooth foot fillets below the
required minimum values that would ensure the approved life limits for
this part.
On January 18, 2013, at 78 FR 4090, the Federal Register published
our notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), which proposed to amend 14
CFR part 39 to include an AD that would apply to Eurocopter Model MBB-
BK 117 C-2 helicopters. The NPRM proposed to require determining if a
certain serial-numbered bevel gear was installed in the IGB. If such a
bevel gear was installed in the IGB, the NPRM proposed to require
recording the bevel gear's reduced life limit in the Airworthiness
Limitations section of the maintenance manual and on the component
history card or equivalent IGB record. If the bevel gear's life limit
was reached or exceeded, the NPRM proposed to require, before further
flight, replacing the bevel gear with an airworthy bevel gear. The
proposed requirements were intended to prevent failure of a bevel gear
before it reached its currently approved life limit, failure of the
IGB, and subsequent loss of helicopter control.
Comments
We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing
this AD, but we received no comments on the NPRM (78 FR 4090, January
18, 2013).
FAA's Determination
These helicopters have been approved by the aviation authority of
Germany and are approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant
to our bilateral agreement with Germany, EASA, its technical
representative, has notified us of the unsafe condition described in
the EASA AD. We are issuing this AD because we evaluated all
information provided by EASA and determined the unsafe condition exists
and is likely to exist or develop on other helicopters of these same
type designs and that air safety and the public interest require
adopting the AD requirements as proposed.
Differences Between This AD and the EASA AD
This AD does not require sending a copy of the form in Eurocopter's
Alert Service Bulletin No. MBB BK117 C-2-04A-005, Revision 2, dated
April 28, 2010 (ASB), to the manufacturer. This AD does not require
sending the IGB to an overhaul facility. Also, this AD does not specify
a single ferry flight not to exceed 20 hours time-in-service to a
maintenance facility if the bevel gear has exceeded the reduced life
limit.
Related Service Information
Eurocopter's ASB specifies determining whether certain serial-
numbered bevel gears are installed in the IGB. The ASB specifies
recording the reduced life limit for each affected bevel gear on the
log card of the IGB and on the list of life-limited parts. If a bevel
gear has one of the serial numbers listed in Table 1 of the ASB, the
ASB specifies filling out a reply form and copying and sending it to
Eurocopter. The ASB also specifies sending the IGB to a certified
overhaul facility for replacing the bevel gear if it has reached or
exceeded its life limit. EASA classified this ASB as mandatory and
issued AD No. 2010-0096, dated May 25, 2010, to ensure the continued
airworthiness of these helicopters.
Costs of Compliance
We estimate that this AD affects 107 helicopters of U.S. registry
and that the labor rate averages $85 per work-hour. We also estimate
that it takes about a half hour to determine whether the IGB is
affected and to enter the reduced life limit on the component history
card or the equivalent record and to revise the Airworthiness
Limitations section of the maintenance manual. Based on these figures,
we estimate that the cost per helicopter totals about $43, about $4,601
for the U.S. fleet.
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
[[Page 42411]]
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 helicopters identified in this
rulemaking action.
Regulatory Findings
This AD will not have federalism implications under Executive Order
13132. This AD will 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 that this AD:
(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);
(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 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.
Adoption of the Amendment
Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the
Administrator, the FAA amends 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):
2013-12-05 Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH Helicopters: Amendment 39-
17483; Docket No. FAA-2013-0018; Directorate Identifier 2010-SW-060-
AD.
(a) Applicability
This AD applies to Model MBB-BK 117 C-2 helicopters with a bevel
gear, part number (P/N) 4639 310 065, installed in the tail rotor
intermediate gear box (IGB), P/N 4639 002 007, certificated in any
category.
(b) Unsafe Condition
This AD defines the unsafe condition as failure of a bevel gear,
failure of the tail rotor IGB, and subsequent loss of control of the
helicopter.
(c) Effective Date
This AD becomes effective August 20, 2013.
(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 30 days, do the following:
(1) Determine if a bevel gear with a serial number (S/N) listed
in Table 1 of Eurocopter Alert Service Bulletin MBB BK117 C-2-04A-
005, Revision 2, dated April 28, 2010 (ASB), is installed in the
IGB.
(i) If a bevel gear listed in Table 1 of the ASB is installed in
the IGB, record the reduced life limit of the bevel gear onto the
component history card or equivalent record of the IGB.
(ii) If the bevel gear life limit has been reached or is
exceeded, before further flight, replace the bevel gear with an
airworthy bevel gear.
(2) Revise the Airworthiness Limitations section of the
maintenance manual by reducing the retirement life for each IGB
bevel gear, P/N 4639 310 065, that has a S/N listed in Table 1 of
the ASB to the life limit corresponding to that S/N.
(f) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)
(1) The Manager, Safety Management Group, FAA, may approve AMOCs
for this AD. Send your proposal to: Chinh Vuong, Aviation Safety
Engineer, Safety Management Group, 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 (EASA) AD No. 2010-0096, dated May 25, 2010. You may view the
EASA AD at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating
it in Docket No. FAA-2013-0018.
(h) Subject
Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) Code: 6520, Tail Rotor
Gearbox.
(i) Material Incorporated by Reference
(1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the
incorporation by reference (IBR) of the service information listed
in this paragraph under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
(2) You must use this service information as applicable to do
the actions required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise.
(i) Eurocopter Alert Service Bulletin MBB BK117 C-2-04A-005,
Revision 2, dated April 28, 2010.
(ii) Reserved.
(3) For Eurocopter service information identified in this AD,
contact American Eurocopter Corporation, 2701 N. Forum Drive, Grand
Prairie, TX 75052; telephone (972) 641-0000 or (800) 232-0323; fax
(972) 641-3775; or at http://www.eurocopter.com/techpub.
(4) You may view this service information at FAA, Office of the
Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Room 663,
Fort Worth, Texas 76137. For information on the availability of this
material at the FAA, call (817) 222-5110.
(5) You may view this service information that is incorporated
by reference at the National Archives and Records Administration
(NARA). For information on the availability of this material at
NARA, call (202) 741-6030, or go to: http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.
Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on June 13, 2013.
Kim Smith,
Directorate Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-14848 Filed 7-15-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P