[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 221 (Thursday, November 14, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 58353-58354]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-29102]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. 94-SW-24-AD]
Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., Model
214B, 214B-1 and 214ST Helicopters
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: This document proposes the supersedure of an existing
airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to Bell Helicopter Textron,
Inc. (BHTI) Model 214B, 214B-1, and 214ST series helicopters, that
currently establishes a retirement life of 40,000 high-power events for
the lower planetary spider (spider). This action would require changing
the method of calculating the retirement life for the spider from high-
power events to a maximum accumulated Retirement Index Number (RIN) of
80,000 and would make this RIN applicable to an additional part
numbered spider. This proposal is prompted by fatigue analyses and
tests that show certain spiders fail sooner than originally anticipated
because of the unanticipated higher number of external load lifts and
takeoffs (torque events) performed with those spiders in addition to
the time-in-service (TIS) accrued under other operating conditions. The
actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent fatigue
failure of the spider, which could result in failure of the main
transmission and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.
DATES: Comments must be received by January 13, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), Office of the Assistant Chief Counsel, Attention:
Rules Docket No. 94-SW-24-AD, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Room 663, Fort Worth,
Texas 76137. Comments may be inspected at this location between 9:00
a.m. and 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
The service information referenced in the proposed rule may be
obtained from Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., P.O. Box 482, Ft. Worth,
Texas 76101.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Uday Garadi, Aerospace Engineer,
FAA, Rotorcraft Certification Office, Rotorcraft Directorate, Fort
Worth, Texas 76193-0170, telephone (817) 222-5157, fax (817) 222-5959.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
Interested persons are invited to participate in the making of the
proposed rule by submitting such written data, views, or arguments as
they may desire. Communications should identify the Rules Docket number
and be submitted in triplicate to the address specified above. All
communications received on or before the closing date for comments,
specified above, will be considered before taking action on the
proposed rule. The proposals contained in this notice may be changed in
light of the comments received.
Comments are specifically invited on the overall regulatory,
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the proposed rule. All
comments submitted will be available, both before and after the closing
date for comments, in the Rules Docket for examination by interested
persons. A report summarizing each FAA-public contact concerned with
the substance of this proposal will be filed in the Rules Docket.
Commenters wishing the FAA to acknowledge receipt of their comments
submitted in response to this notice must submit a self-addressed,
stamped postcard on which the following statement is made: ``Comments
to Docket No. 94-SW-24-AD.'' The postcard will be date stamped and
returned to the commenter.
Availability of NPRMs
Any person may obtain a copy of this NPRM by submitting a request
to the FAA, Office of the Assistant Chief Counsel, Attention: Rules
Docket No. 94-SW-24-AD, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Room 663, Fort Worth, Texas
76137.
Discussion
On August 13, 1993, the FAA issued AD 93-05-02, Amendment 39-8608
(58 FR 45833, August 31, 1993), to require changing the method of
calculating the retirement life for the spider, part number (P/N) 214-
040-080-101, from flight hours to high-power events calculated using
the number of takeoffs and external load lifts. That action was
prompted by reports of four failures of the spider, two of which were
detected during the 2,500 hour TIS overhaul inspection. The other two
failures occurred in flight. The requirements of that AD are intended
to prevent fatigue failure of the spider, which could result in failure
of the main transmission and subsequent loss of control of the
helicopter.
Since the issuance of that AD, BHTI has issued BHTI Information
Letter GEN-94-54, dated April 15, 1994, Subject: Retirement Index
Number (RIN) For Cycle Lifed Components, which introduces a different
method of accounting for fatigue damage on components that have
shortened service lives as a result of frequent torque events.
Additionally, BHTI has issued BHTI Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) 214-94-
53, which is applicable to the Model 214B helicopters, and ASB 214ST-
94-68, which is applicable to the Model 214ST helicopters, both of
which are dated November 7, 1994 and describe procedures for converting
flight hours and total number of torque events into a RIN for the
spider, P/N 214-040-080-001 and -101. Although ASB 214-94-53 does not
state that it applies to Model 214B-1 helicopters, this was an
oversight by the manufacturer. That ASB was intended to apply to both
Model 214B and 214B-1 helicopters. Additionally, P/N 214-040-080-001
was omitted from the existing AD, and is included in the applicability
portion of this AD.
Since an unsafe condition has been identified that is likely to
exist or develop on other BHTI Model 214B, 214B-1, and 214ST
helicopters of the same type design, the proposed AD would supersede AD
93-05-02 to require creation of a component history card using the RIN
system, and a system for tracking increases to the accumulated RIN, and
establish a maximum accumulated RIN for the spider of 80,000.
The FAA estimates that 11 helicopters of U.S. registry would be
affected by this proposed AD, that it would take approximately (1) 48
work hours to replace a spider affected by the new
[[Page 58354]]
method of determining the retirement life required by this AD; (2) 2
work hours per helicopter to create the component history card or
equivalent record (record), and (3) 10 work hours per helicopter to
maintain the record each year, and that the average labor rate is $60
per work hour. Required parts would cost approximately $10,920 per
helicopter. Based on these figures, the total cost impact of the
proposed AD on U.S. operators is estimated to be $28,220 for the first
year and $27,120 for each subsequent year. These costs assume
replacement of the spider in one-sixth of the fleet each year, creation
and maintenance of the records for all the fleet the first year, and
creation of one-sixth of the fleet's records and maintenance of the
records for all the fleet each subsequent year.
The regulations proposed herein would not have substantial direct
effects 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. Therefore, in
accordance with Executive Order 12612, it is determined that this
proposal would not have sufficient federalism implications to warrant
the preparation of a Federalism Assessment.
For the reasons discussed above, I certify that 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);
and (3) if promulgated, 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. A copy of the draft
regulatory evaluation prepared for this action is contained in the
Rules Docket. A copy of it may be obtained by contacting the Rules
Docket at the location provided under the caption ADDRESSES.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Safety.
The Proposed Amendment
Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the
Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration proposes to amend
part 39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) as
follows:
PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
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]
2. Section 39.13 is amended by removing Amendment 39-8608 (58 FR
45833, August 31, 1993) by adding a new airworthiness directive (AD),
to read as follows:
Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. (BHTI): Docket No. 94-SW-24-AD.
Supersedes AD 93-05-02, Amendment 39-8608.
Applicability: Model 214B and 214B-1 helicopters, with lower
planetary spider (spider), part number (P/N) 214-040-080-001 or -
101, and Model 214ST series helicopters, with spider, P/N 214-040-
080-101, installed, certificated in any category.
Note 1: This AD applies to each helicopter identified in the
preceding applicability provision, regardless of whether it has been
modified, altered, or repaired in the area subject to the
requirements of this AD. For helicopters that have been modified,
altered, or repaired so that the performance of the requirements of
this AD is affected, the owner/operator must use the authority
provided in paragraph (f) to request approval from the FAA. This
approval may address either no action, if the current configuration
eliminates the unsafe condition, or different actions necessary to
address the unsafe condition described in this AD. Such a request
should include an assessment of the effect of the changed
configuration on the unsafe condition addressed by this AD. In no
case does the presence of any modification, alteration, or repair
remove any helicopter from the applicability of this AD.
Compliance: Required within 25 hours time-in-service (TIS) after
the effective date of this AD, unless accomplished previously.
To prevent fatigue failure of the spider, which could result in
failure of the main transmission and subsequent loss of control of
the helicopter, accomplish the following:
(a) Create a component history card for the main transmission
upper planetary spider (spider), part number (P/N) 214-040-080-001
or -101.
(b) For Model 214B and 214B-1 helicopters with spider, P/N 214-
040-080-001, determine and record the accumulated Retirement Index
Number (RIN) as follows:
(1) If the number of takeoffs and the number of external load
lifts conducted with this spider are known, record one (1) RIN for
each takeoff and one RIN for each external load lift.
(2) If either the number of takeoffs or the number of external
load lifts conducted with this spider are unknown, record twenty-
four (24) RIN for each hour TIS.
(3) If either the number of takeoffs or the number of external
load lifts conducted with this spider are unknown, or the hours TIS
are unknown, record twenty-one thousand, six hundred (21,600) RIN
for each calendar year TIS. Prorate the number of RIN, based on the
number of calendar day, for a portion of a year.
(c) For Model 214B, 214B-1, and 214ST helicopters with spider,
P/N 214-040-080-101, determine and record the accumulated RIN by
multiplying the high-power events by two (2).
Note 2: BHTI Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) No. 214-94-53, which
is applicable to Model 214B and 214B-1 helicopters, and ASB No.
214ST-94-68, which is applicable to Model 214ST helicopters, both
dated November 7, 1994, pertain to this subject.
(d) After complying with paragraphs (a) and (b) or (c) of this
AD, during each operation thereafter, maintain a count of the number
and type of external load lifts and the number of takeoffs
performed, and at the end of each day's operations, increase the
accumulated RIN on the component history card as follows:
(1) For the Model 214B and 214B-1 helicopters:
(i) Increase the RIN by 1 for each takeoff.
(ii) Increase the RIN by 1 for each external load lift, or
increase the RIN by 2 for each external load lift operation in which
the load is picked up at a higher elevation and released at a lower
elevation, and the difference in elevation between the pickup point
and the release point is 200 feet or greater.
(2) For the Model 214ST helicopter:
(i) Increase the RIN by 2 for each takeoff.
(ii) Increase the RIN by 2 for each external load lift
operation, or increase the RIN by 4 for each external load lift
operation in which the load is picked up at a higher elevation and
released at a lower elevation, and the difference in elevation
between the pickup point and the release point is 200 feet or
greater.
(e) Remove the spider, P/N 214-0400-080-001 or -101 from service
on or before attaining an accumulated RIN of 80,000. The spider is
no longer retired based upon flight hours. This AD revises the
Airworthiness Limitations Section of the maintenance manual by
establishing a new retirement life for the spider of 80,000 RIN.
(f) An alternative method of compliance or adjustment of the
compliance time that provides an acceptable level of safety may be
used if approved by the Manager, Rotorcraft Certification Office,
FAA, Rotorcraft Directorate. Operators shall submit their requests
through an FAA Principal Maintenance Inspector, who may concur or
comment and then send it to the Manager, Rotorcraft Certification
Office.
Note 3: Information concerning the existence of approved
alternative methods of compliance with this AD, if any, may be
obtained from the Rotorcraft Certification Office.
(g) Special flight permits may be issued in accordance with
sections 21.197 and 21.199 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14
CFR 21.197 and 21.199) to operate the helicopter to a location where
the requirements of this AD can be accomplished.
Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on November 5, 1996.
Eric Bries,
Acting Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 96-29102 Filed 11-13-96; 8:45 am]
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