[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 136 (Tuesday, July 16, 2013)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 42406-42409]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-16682]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2013-0522; Directorate Identifier 2013-SW-018-AD;
Amendment 39-17487; AD 2013-10-51]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter France Helicopters
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.
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[[Page 42407]]
SUMMARY: We are publishing a new airworthiness directive (AD) for
Eurocopter France Model AS350B, AS350BA, AS350B1, AS350B2, AS350B3,
AS350C, AS350D, AS350D1, AS355E, AS355F, AS355F1, AS355F2, AS355N, and
AS355NP helicopters. This AD requires, before further flight,
determining whether a single hydraulic main or tail rotor servo-control
is installed on your helicopter. If a certain servo-control is
installed, before the further flight, this AD requires replacing that
servo-control. This AD was prompted by the discovery of excessive axial
play detected on bearings installed on certain single hydraulic main
and tail rotor servo-controls (servo-control). The excessive play could
cause the distributor slide valve to jam in its sleeve. This condition
could result in jamming the hydraulic flight controls, necessitating
that the pilot cut off hydraulic power. This action would increase the
pilot's workload, resulting in possible loss of helicopter control.
DATES: This AD becomes effective to all persons July 31, 2013, except
those persons to whom it was made immediately effective by Emergency AD
No. 2013-10-51, issued on May 9, 2013, which contains the requirements
of this AD.
The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by
reference of certain documents listed in this AD as of July 31, 2013.
We must receive comments on this AD by September 16, 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 AD, the European Aviation Safety
Agency (EASA) 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 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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Hemann, Transportaton Safety
Analyst, Safety Management Group, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 2601
Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 76137; telephone (817) 222-5110; email
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
This AD is a final rule that involves requirements affecting flight
safety, and we did not provide you with notice and an opportunity to
provide your comments prior to it becoming effective. However, 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 resulted
from adopting this AD. The most helpful comments reference a specific
portion of the AD, 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 them 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 rulemaking during the
comment period. We will consider all the comments we receive and may
conduct additional rulemaking based on those comments.
Discussion
On May 9, 2013, we issued Emergency AD 2013-10-51 (Emergency AD),
which requires, before further flight, determining whether a certain
servo-control is installed on your helicopter. If a certain servo-
control is installed, before the further flight, the Emergency AD
requires replacing that servo-control with an airworthy servo-control.
The Emergency AD was prompted by AD No. 2013-0095-E, dated April 16,
2013, issued by EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member
States of the European Union, to correct an unsafe condition for the
helicopters listed in the first paragraph of this section. EASA advises
that for helicopters with single hydraulic main and tail servo-
controls, this condition, if not detected and corrected, could lead to
a friction point in the flight controls and increase the pilot
workload. The pilot would consequently need to cut off the hydraulic
power and follow the procedures specified in the applicable Section 3
of the Rotorcraft Flight Manual.
Many of the non-compliant servo-controls were installed by the
manufacturer under certain part and serial numbers. Others were
repaired or overhauled from September 27, 2012, through January 30,
2013, by UTC Aerospace Systems in Monroe, North Carolina. Since we
issued the Emergency AD, we have discovered that the servo-control's
component history card or equivalent record may list ``Goodrich
Corporation'' as the repair and overhaul facility, instead of ``UTC
Aerospace Systems,'' as United Technologies Corporation formed UTC
Aerospace Systems in 2012 after acquiring Goodrich Corporation. We have
added this information to the Required Actions section of this AD.
Also, the language in the Alternative Methods of Compliance section of
the Emergency AD did not include the proper introductory sentence, so
we have added that sentence in this AD. These changes do not change the
scope or increase the burden from those in the Emergency AD.
FAA's Determination
These helicopters have been approved by the aviation authority of
France and are approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant to
our bilateral agreement with France, 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.
Related Service Information
Eurocopter has issued one Emergency Alert Service Bulletin (EASB)
with four numbers, all dated April 15, 2013. EASB No. 67.00.60 is for
Eurocopter Models AS350B, AS350BA, AS350BB, AS350B1, AS350B2, AS350B3,
AS350D, and military helicopter Model AS350L1; EASB 67.00.36 is for
military helicopter
[[Page 42408]]
Models AS550A2, AS550C2, AS550C3, and AS550U2; EASB 67.00.41 is for
Models AS355E, AS355F, AS355F1, AS355F2, AS355N, and AS355NP; and EASB
67.00.27 is for military helicopter Models AS555AF, AS555AN, AS555SN,
AS555UF, and AS555UN. Models AS350C and AS350D1 are also type
certificated in the United States but were not listed in the EASB.
Model AS350BB is not type certificated in the United States. The EASB
states that during acceptance tests of a servo-control, the supplier
noticed that the servo-control input lever bearing's play value
exceeded the specified value. This condition leads to excessive
misalignment between the lever and the distributor slide, the EASB
reports. This condition could create a ``friction point'' on the flight
controls. To eliminate the risk of this friction point appearing on the
flight controls, Eurocopter specifies that all servo-controls with a
non-compliant input lever bearing be replaced and returned to the
manufacturer.
AD Requirements
This AD requires, before further flight, inspecting the servo-
control's component history card or equivalent record to determine if
it has a certain part number (P/N) and serial number (S/N) or if the
servo-control was repaired or overhauled from September 27, 2012,
through January 30, 2013, by UTC Aerospace Systems or Goodrich
Corporation in Monroe, North Carolina.
If either condition exists, this AD requires inspecting the servo-
control's identification plate to determine if it has the letter ``B.''
If it has the letter ``B,'' no further action is required.
If the identification plate has no letter ``B,'' this AD requires
inspecting all sides of the external race of the servo-control's
bearing to determine if it has any visible marking. If there is a
marking, before further flight, this AD requires replacing the servo-
control with an airworthy servo-control.
If there is no marking, this AD requires inspecting the bearing's
sealing flange to determine if it is marked with ``RWG Germany 60-
5593.'' If it is marked with ``RWG Germany 60-5593,'' no further action
is required.
If the sealing flange has not been marked with ``RWG Germany 60-
5593,'' before further flight, this AD requires replacing the servo-
control with an airworthy servo-control.
Differences Between This AD and the EASA AD
We require, before further flight, inspecting the servo-control's
component history card or equivalent record to determine if it has a
certain P/N and S/N; or if it was repaired or overhauled from September
27, 2012, through January 30, 2013, by UTC Aerospace Systems or
Goodrich Corporation in Monroe, North Carolina. EASA requires within 10
flight hours or 10 days, whichever occurs first, verifying whether a
certain bearing is fitted in the servo-control.
We require, before further flight, replacing a non-airworthy servo-
control with an airworthy servo-control. EASA requires replacing a non-
airworthy servo-control with an airworthy servo-control within 50
flight hours or 120 days, whichever comes first, after checking the
servo-control for ``free-travel.'' If a ``friction point'' is detected,
EASA requires replacing the servo-control with an airworthy servo-
control before further flight.
Costs of Compliance
We estimate that this AD affects 937 helicopters of U.S. Registry
and that labor costs average $85 a work-hour. Based on these estimates,
we expect the following costs:
Inspecting the single hydraulic main and tail servo-control's
component history card or equivalent record requires minimal labor
costs and no parts. The per-helicopter and fleet costs are minimal.
Determining whether the identification plate is marked with a ``B''
requires 1 work-hour and no parts. Labor costs total $85 per
helicopter.
Inspecting the servo-control's bearing to determine if it is non-
conforming requires 3 work-hours and no parts. Labor costs total $255
per helicopter.
Replacing the servo-control with an airworthy servo-control
requires 3 or 5 work hours, depending on what servo-control is being
replaced. Parts cost $10,461 or $10,561, also depending on the servo-
control being replaced. Labor costs are $255 or $425 for total per-
helicopter cost of $10,716 or $10,986.
FAA's Justification and Determination of the Effective Date
Providing an opportunity for public comments prior to adopting
these AD requirements would delay implementing the safety actions
needed to correct this known unsafe condition. Therefore, we find that
the risk to the flying public justifies waiving notice and comment
prior to the adoption of this rule because the previously described
unsafe condition can adversely affect the controllability of the
helicopter and the required corrective actions must be accomplished
before further flight.
Since it was found that immediate corrective action was required,
notice and opportunity for prior public comment before issuing this AD
were impracticable and contrary to the public interest and good cause
existed for making Emergency AD 2013-10-51 effective immediately on May
9, 2013 to all known U.S. owners and operators of the specified
Eurocopter France model helicopters. These conditions still exist and
the Emergency AD is hereby published, with minor changes, in the
Federal Register as an amendment to section 39.13 of the Federal
Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 39.13) to make it effective to all
persons.
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 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, 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.
[[Page 42409]]
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):
2013-10-51 Eurocopter France: Amendment 39-17487; Docket No. FAA-
2013-0522; Directorate Identifier 2013-SW-018-AD.
(a) Applicability
This AD applies to Eurocopter France (Eurocopter) Model AS350B,
AS350BA, AS350B1, AS350B2, AS350B3, AS350C, AS350D, AS350D1, AS355E,
AS355F, AS355F1, AS355F2, AS355N, and AS355NP helicopters,
certificated in any category.
(b) Unsafe Condition
This AD defines the unsafe condition as excessive play that
could cause the distributor slide valve to jam in its sleeve. This
condition could result in jamming of the hydraulic flight controls,
necessitating that the pilot cut off hydraulic power. This action
would increase the pilot's workload, resulting in possible loss of
helicopter control.
(c) Effective Date
This AD becomes effective July 31, 2013 to all persons except
those persons to whom it was made immediately effective by Emergency
AD No. 2013-10-51, issued on May 9, 2013, which contains the
requirements of this AD.
(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
(1) Before further flight, inspect the single hydraulic main and
tail servo-control's (servo-control) component history card or
equivalent record to determine if it has a part number (P/N) and
serial number (S/N) listed in the Appendix, paragraph 4.A, of
Eurocopter Emergency Alert Service Bulletin No. 67.00.60 (EASB No.
67.00.60) or No. 67.00.41 (EASB No. 67.00.41), both dated April 15,
2013, as appropriate for your model helicopter; or was repaired or
overhauled from September 27, 2012, through January 30, 2013, by UTC
Aerospace Systems or Goodrich Corporation in Monroe, North Carolina.
(2) If the servo-control does have a P/N and S/N listed in
paragraph 4.A of EASB No. 67.00.60 or EASB No. 67.00.41, as
appropriate for your model helicopter, or if the servo-control was
repaired or installed from September 27, 2012, through January 30,
2013, by UTC Aerospace Systems or Goodrich Corporation in Monroe,
North Carolina, inspect the servo-control to determine whether the
identification plate is marked with a ``B'' as shown in the
Appendix, paragraph 4.B, of EASB No. 67.00.60 or EASB No. 67.00.41,
as appropriate for your model helicopter. If it is marked with a
``B,'' no further action is required.
(3) If the identification plate is not marked with a ``B,''
inspect all sides of the external race of the servo-control's
bearing to determine if it has any marking shown as (b) in Detail A
of Figure 1 of EASB No. 67.00.60 or EASB No. 67.00.41, as
appropriate for your model helicopter. If there is any marking,
before further flight, replace the servo-control with an airworthy
servo-control.
(4) If there is no marking on the sides of the external race,
inspect each bearing sealing flange to determine if it is marked
with ``RWG Germany 60-5593'' as shown as (d) in Detail C of Figure 2
of EASB No. 67.00.60 or EASB No. 67.00.41, as appropriate for your
model helicopter. If there is ``RWG Germany 60-5593'' marking at
least partially visible on a flange of the bearing, no further
action is required.
(5) If there is no ``RWG Germany 60-5593'' marking at least
partially visible on a flange of the bearing, before further flight,
replace the servo-control with an airworthy servo-control.
(f) Special Flight Permits
Special flight permits may be permitted only for taking a
helicopter to a repair station to meet the requirements of this AD.
(g) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)
(1) The Manager, Safety Management Group, FAA, may approve AMOCs
for this AD. Send your proposal to: Michael Hemann, Transportation
Safety Analyst, 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.
(h) Additional Information
The subject of this AD is addressed in the European Aviation
Safety Agency (EASA) AD No. 2013-0095-E, dated April 16, 2013. You
may view the EASA AD at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for
and locating it in Docket No. FAA-2013-0522.
(i) Subject
Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) Code: 6730, Rotorcraft
Servo System.
(j) Material Incorporated by Reference
(1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the
incorporation by reference 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 EASB No. 67.00.60, dated April 15, 2013.
(ii) Eurocopter EASB No. 67.00.41, dated April 15, 2013.
Note 1 to paragraph (j)(2): Eurocopter EASB No. 67.00.60, dated
April 15, 2013, and Eurocopter EASB No. 67.00.41, dated April 15,
2013, are co-published as one document along with Eurocopter EASB
No. 67.00.36, dated April 15, 2013, and Eurocopter EASB No.
67.00.27, dated April 15, 2013, which are not incorporated by
reference in this AD.
(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. 2013-16682 Filed 7-15-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P