This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains regulatory documents having general

applicability and legal effect, most of which

are keyed to and codified in the Code of

Federal Regulations, which is published under

50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.

The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by

the Superintendent of Documents. Prices of

new books are listed in the first FEDERAL

REGISTER issue of each week.

Rules and Regulations Federal Register

13481 

Vol. 80, No. 50 

Monday, March 16, 2015 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2014–0070; Directorate 

Identifier 2011–SW–062–AD; Amendment 

39–18114; AD 2015–05–04] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Bell 

Helicopter Textron Canada Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for Bell 

Helicopter Textron Canada (BHTC) 

Model 407 helicopters. This AD requires 

inspecting the aft fuselage upper skin 

(upper skin) for a crack and the upper 

left longeron assembly (longeron 

assembly) for a crack, corrosion, or 

defect. This AD requires replacing or 

repairing a part or section, depending 

on the inspection’s outcome. This AD 

was prompted by reports of cracks in 

the upper left-hand longeron. This AD’s 

actions are intended to prevent failure 

of the longeron assembly or the upper 

skin, which could lead to a structural 

failure and loss of helicopter control. 

DATES: This AD is effective April 20, 

2015. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of certain documents listed in this AD 

as of April 20, 2015. 

ADDRESSES: For service information 

identified in this AD, contact Bell 

Helicopter Textron Canada Limited, 

12,800 Rue de l’Avenir, Mirabel, Quebec 

J7J1R4; telephone (450) 437–2862 or 

(800) 363–8023; fax (450) 433–0272; or 

at http://www.bellcustomer.com/files/. 

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. It is also available 

on the Internet at http://

www.regulations.gov by searching and 

locating Docket No. FAA 2014–0070. 

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 Transport 

Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA) 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: 

Sharon Miles, Aviation Safety Engineer, 

Regulations and Policy Group, 

Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 2601 

Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 

76137; telephone (817) 222–5110; email 

sharon.y.miles@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

On February 12, 2014, at 79 FR 8358, 

the Federal Register published our 

notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), 

which proposed to amend 14 CFR part 

39 by adding an AD that would apply 

to BHTC Model 407 helicopters, with a 

serial number 53000 through 53900, 

53911 through 54061, and 54300, with 

longeron assembly, part number (P/N) 

206–031–314–037, 206–031–314–177, 

or 206–031–314–219B. The NPRM 

proposed to require inspecting the 

upper skin for a crack and longeron 

assembly for a crack, corrosion, or 

defect. The NPRM also proposed to 

require replacing or repairing a part or 

section, depending on the inspection’s 

outcome. The proposed requirements 

were intended to prevent failure of the 

longeron assembly or the upper skin, 

which could lead to a structural failure 

and loss of helicopter control. 

The NPRM was prompted by 

Canadian AD No. CF–2011–42, dated 

November 9, 2011, issued by TCCA, 

which is the aviation authority for 

Canada, to correct an unsafe condition 

for certain BHTC Model 407 helicopters. 

TCCA advises that longeron assemblies, 

P/Ns 206–031–314–037, 206–031–314– 

177, and 206–031–314–219B, installed 

on helicopters with 1,200 or more hours 

air time, are prone to cracking. The 

TCCA AD requires, based on hours air 

time since new, visually inspecting the 

aft fuselage upper skin for cracks and 

replacing the skin if cracked and 

visually inspecting the longeron 

assembly for cracks and general 

condition. If the longeron assembly is 

serviceable, the TCCA AD requires 

repeating the inspection of the longeron 

assembly for cracks and general 

condition at intervals based on whether 

external strap doublers are installed. If 

the longeron assembly is cracked, the 

TCCA AD requires repairing or 

replacing it, installing three external 

strap doublers, and repeating the 

inspection of the longeron assembly if it 

was repaired. Installing a new longeron 

assembly, P/N 206–031–314–237B, and 

the three external strap doublers 

constitutes terminating action for the 

requirements of the TCCA AD. 

Comments 

After our NPRM (79 FR 8358, 

February 12, 2014) was published, we 

received comments from one 

commenter. 

Request 

A BHTC representative requested that 

we change the AD to be consistent with 

the requirements in the TCCA AD and 

the Bell service information. The 

commenter stated that the NPRM’s 

inspection intervals were more 

restrictive with no additional safety 

benefit. According to the commenter, 

the NPRM proposed an inspection 

interval of 50 hours whenever the strap 

doublers but not new longeron are 

installed, while the TCCA AD and 

service information increased the 

inspection interval to 150 hours. Also, 

the commenter stated the NPRM 

increased the inspection interval to 150 

hours when a new longeron is installed 

with the strap doublers, while the TCCA 

AD and service information provide this 

as terminating action. 

We disagree. Although they are 

arranged and worded differently, the 

actions proposed in the NPRM are the 

same as those in the TCCA AD and 

service information. Paragraph (e)(4) of 

the Required Actions extends the 

inspection interval to 150 hours when 


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13482 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 50 / Monday, March 16, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 

the strap doublers are installed without 

the new longeron. Paragraph (e)(3) of 

the Required Actions states that 

replacing the longeron assembly with a 

new longeron assembly and installing 

three external strap doublers constitutes 

terminating action to the requirements 

of the AD. This is consistent with the 

TCCA AD and the BHTC service 

information. 

FAA’s Determination 

These helicopters have been approved 

by the aviation authority of Canada and 

are approved for operation in the United 

States. Pursuant to our bilateral 

agreement with Canada, TCCA, its 

technical representative, has notified us 

of the unsafe condition described in the 

TCCA AD. We are issuing this AD 

because we evaluated all information 

provided by TCCA 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. 

Related Service Information Under 1 

CFR Part 51 

BHTC has issued Alert Service 

Bulletin 407–11–95, Revision C, dated 

April 20, 2012 (ASB), to correct an 

unsafe condition for Model 407 

helicopters, serial numbers 53000 

through 53900, 53911 through 54061, 

and 54300, with a flight time of 1200 or 

more hours, and with a longeron 

assembly, P/N 206–031–314–037, 206– 

031–314–177, or 206–031–314–219B. 

The ASB states that BHTC received 

reports of longeron assemblies cracking 

in service. The ASB: 

• Specifies a one-time inspection of 

the aft fuselage top skin and repetitive 

inspections of the upper left longeron 

assembly; 

• Provides a repair procedure for the 

longeron assembly; 

• Allows for the installation of 

longeron assembly, P/N 206–031–314– 

237B, and three external strap doublers 

as terminating action for the repetitive 

inspection requirements. 

This service information is reasonably 

available; see ADDRESSES for ways to 

access this service information. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this AD affects 584 

helicopters of U.S. Registry and that 

labor costs average $85 an hour. Based 

on these estimates, we estimate the 

following costs: 

• A one-time visual inspection of the 

aft fuselage upper skin requires 1 workhour and no parts for a total cost of $85 

per helicopter, $49,640 for the U.S. fleet. 

• A visual inspection of the longeron 

and replacing the aft fuselage upper skin 

requires 3 work hours for a labor cost of 

$255 per helicopter. Parts cost $723 for 

total cost of $978 per helicopter. 

• Repairing the longeron if needed 

and installing the doublers requires 16 

work hours for a labor cost of $1,360. 

Parts cost $3,928 for a total cost of 

$5,288 per helicopter. 

• Replacing the longeron with P/N 

206–031–314–237B combined with the 

installation of the three external strap 

doublers require 24 work hours for a 

labor cost of $2,040. Parts cost $13,560 

for a total cost of $15,600 per helicopter. 

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 

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 

■ 1. The authority citation for part 39 

continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701. 

§ 39.13 [Amended] 

■ 2. The FAA amends § 39.13 by adding 

the following new airworthiness 

directive (AD): 

2015–05–04 Bell Helicopter Textron 

Canada Helicopters: Amendment 39– 

18114; Docket No. FAA–2014–0070; 

Directorate Identifier 2011–SW–062–AD. 

(a) Applicability 

This AD applies to Bell Helicopter Textron 

Canada (BHTC) Model 407 helicopters, with 

a serial number 53000 through 53900, 53911 

through 54061, and 54300, with an upper left 

longeron assembly (longeron assembly), part 

number (P/N) 206–031–314–037, 206–031– 

314–177, or 206–031–314–219B, installed, 

certificated in any category. 

(b) Unsafe Condition 

This AD defines the unsafe condition as a 

crack in the aft fuselage upper skin or a 

crack, corrosion, or defect in the longeron 

assembly. This condition could cause 

structural failure and consequently, loss of 

helicopter control. 

(c) Effective Date 

This AD becomes effective April 20, 2015. 

(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 50 hours time-in-service (TIS), or 

prior to reaching 1,250 hours TIS since new, 

whichever occurs later, visually inspect the 

helicopter’s aft fuselage upper skin (upper 

skin) for a crack using a 10X or higher power 

magnifying glass. 

(1) If there is a crack in the upper skin, 

before further flight, remove the skin and 

inspect the longeron assembly, paying 

attention to the upper flange, for a crack, 

corrosion, or other damage using a 10X or 

higher power magnifying glass. 

(i) If there are no cracks, corrosion, or other 

damage in the longeron assembly, before 

further flight, replace the upper skin with an 


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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 50 / Monday, March 16, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 13483 

airworthy upper skin. Repeat the inspection 

of the longeron assembly at intervals not to 

exceed 50 hours TIS. 

(ii) If there is a crack, corrosion, or other 

damage in the longeron assembly, before 

further flight: 

(A) Repair the longeron assembly or 

replace it with an airworthy longeron 

assembly, part number (P/N) 206–031–314– 

237B, and reinstall the upper skin or replace 

it with an airworthy upper skin. 

(B) Install three external strap doublers in 

accordance with Part III, paragraphs 5 

through10 of Bell Helicopter Alert Service 

Bulletin 407–11–95, Revision C, dated April 

20, 2012 (ASB). 

(C) Repeat the inspection of the longeron 

assembly at intervals not to exceed 50 hours 

TIS. 

(2) If there is no crack in the upper skin, 

within 10 hours TIS, visually inspect the 

longeron assembly using a 10X or higher 

power magnifying glass for a crack, 

corrosion, or other damage. 

(i) If there is a crack, corrosion, or other 

damage in the longeron assembly, before 

further flight: 

(A) Repair the longeron assembly or 

replace it with an airworthy longeron 

assembly, P/N 206–031–314–237B. 

(B) Install three external strap doublers in 

accordance with Part III, paragraphs 5 

through 10 of the ASB. 

(C) Repeat the inspection of the upper skin 

and longeron assembly at intervals not to 

exceed 50 hours TIS. 

(ii) If there are no cracks, corrosion, or 

other damage in the longeron assembly, 

repeat the inspection of the upper skin and 

longeron assembly at intervals not to exceed 

50 hours TIS. 

(3) Replacing the longeron assembly with 

longeron assembly, P/N 206–031–314–237B, 

and installing three external strap doublers 

constitutes terminating action for this AD. 

(4) If there is no crack in the upper skin 

and there is no crack, corrosion, or other 

damage in the longeron assembly, you may 

install three external strap doublers in 

accordance with Part III, paragraphs 5 

through 10 of the ASB. This option extends 

the recurring 50 hours TIS inspection 

interval to 150 hours TIS. 

(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, Regulations and 

Policy Group, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 

2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 

76137; telephone (817) 222–5110; email 

sharon.y.miles@faa.gov. 

(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 

Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA) AD 

No. CF–2011–42, dated November 9, 2011. 

You may view the TCCA AD on the Internet 

at http://www.regulations.gov in Docket No. 

FAA–2014–0070. 

(h) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 5313, Fuselage Main, Longeron/

Stringer. 

(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) Bell Helicopter Alert Service Bulletin 

407–11–95, Revision C, dated April 20, 2012. 

(ii) Reserved. 

(3) For BHTC service information 

identified in this AD, contact Bell Helicopter 

Textron Canada Limited, 12,800 Rue de 

l’Avenir, Mirabel, Quebec J7J1R4; telephone 

(450) 437–2862 or (800) 363–8023; fax (450) 

433–0272; or at 

http://www.bellcustomer .com/files/. 

(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/ibrlocations.html. 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on March 3, 

2015. 

Bruce E. Cain, 

Acting Directorate Manager, Rotorcraft 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2015–05571 Filed 3–13–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2015–0491; Directorate 

Identifier 2015–NM–019–AD; Amendment 

39–18117; AD 2015–05–07] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Bombardier, 

Inc. Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Final rule; request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: We are superseding 

Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2015–02– 

06 for certain Bombardier, Inc. Model 

CL–600–2B16 (CL–604 Variant) 

airplanes. AD 2015–02–06 required a 

revision to the airplane flight manual, a 

revision to the maintenance or 

inspection program, as applicable, and 

replacement of horizontal stabilizer trim 

actuators (HSTAs) having certain part 

numbers. This new AD continues to 

require those actions and corrects 

certain typographical errors. This AD 

was prompted by the discovery of three 

typographical errors in AD 2015–02–06. 

We are issuing this AD to detect and 

correct loose spur gear bolts on the 

HSTA, which, if combined with the 

failure of the primary load path, could 

lead to failure of the HSTA and 

subsequent loss of the airplane. 

DATES: This AD becomes effective 

March 16, 2015. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of certain publications listed in this AD 

as of March 6, 2015 (80 FR 5017, 

January 30, 2015). 

We must receive comments on this 

AD by April 30, 2015 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by 

any of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Fax: 202–493–2251. 

• Mail: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, 

M–30, West Building Ground Floor, 

Room W12–140, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590. 

• Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, 

M–30, West Building Ground Floor, 

Room W12–140, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE., Washington, DC, between 9 

a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 

Friday, except Federal holidays. 

• For service information identified 

in this AD, contact Bombardier, Inc., 

400 Coˆte Vertu Road West, Dorval, 

Que ́bec H4S 1Y9, Canada; telephone 

514–855–5000; fax 514–855–7401; email 

thd.crj@aero.bombardier.com; Internet 

http://www.bombardier.com. You may 

view this referenced service information 

at the FAA, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., 

Renton, WA. For information on the 

availability of this material at the FAA, 

call 425–227–1221. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the Internet at http://

www.regulations.gov by searching for 

and locating Docket No. FAA–2015– 

0491; or in person at the Docket 

Operations office between 9 a.m. and 

5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 


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