44116 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 145 / Friday, July 27, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 

the airplane (i.e., total of both wing tanks) is 

limited to 3,500 pounds or less. 

(k) Related Information 

(1) For further information about this AD, 

contact Tom Groves, Aerospace Engineer, 

International Branch, ANM–116, Transport 

Airplane Directorate, FAA, 1601 Lind 

Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 98057– 

3356; phone: 425–227–1503; fax: 425 227– 

1149; email: tom.groves@faa.gov. 

(2) Refer to MCAI Israeli Emergency 

Airworthiness Directive 28–12–06–18, dated 

June 24, 2012; and Gulfstream G150 Alert 

Service Bulletin 150–28A–146, dated June 

22, 2012; for related information. 

(l) 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) Gulfstream G150 Alert Service Bulletin 

150–28A–146, dated June 22, 2012. 

(ii) Reserved. 

(3) For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Gulfstream Aerospace 

Corporation, P.O. Box 2206, Mail Station 

D–25, Savannah, Georgia 31402–2206; 

telephone 800–810–4853; fax 912–965–3520; 

email pubs@gulfstream.com; Internet http:// 

www.gulfstream.com/product_support/ 

technical_pubs/pubs/index.htm. 

(4) You may review copies of the 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. 

(5) You may also review copies of the 

service information that is incorporated by 

reference at the National Archives and 

Records Administration (NARA). For 

information on the availability of this 

material at an NARA facility, call 202–741– 

6030, or go to http://www.archives.gov/ 

federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ 

ibr_locations.html. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on July 13, 

2012. 

Michael Kaszycki, 

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–17955 Filed 7–26–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2012–0356; Directorate 

Identifier 2011–SW–067–AD; Amendment 

39–17128; AD 2012–14–14] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter 

Deutschland GmbH Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for all 

Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH (ECD) 

MBB–BK 117 A–3, MBB–BK 117 A–4, 

MBB–BK B–1, MBB–BK 117 B–2, and 

MBB–BK C–1 helicopters equipped with 

a certain external-hoist system (hoist 

system). This AD requires deactivating 

the entire hoist system or deactivating 

the hoist system cable cutter function on 

the hoist system operator control handle 

(operator handle). This AD was 

prompted by an uncommanded 

activation of the hoist cable cutter 

function on an MBB–BK117 C–1 

helicopter. The actions of this AD are 

intended to prevent uncommanded 

cutting of the hoist cable and 

subsequent injury to persons being 

lifted by the hoist. 

DATES: This AD is effective August 31, 

2012. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of certain documents listed in this AD 

as of August 31, 2012. 

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, 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: 

George Schwab, Aviation Safety 

Engineer, Safety Management Group, 

Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 2601 

Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76137; 

telephone (817) 222–5110; email 

george.schwab@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

On April 4, 2012, at 77 FR 20321, 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 ECD 

Model MBB–BK 117 A–3, MBB–BK 117 

A–4, MBB–BK B–1, MBB–BK 117 B–2, 

and MBB–BK C–1 helicopters equipped 

with a certain hoist system. That NPRM 

proposed to require deactivating the 

entire hoist system or deactivating the 

hoist system cable cutter function on the 

operator handle. The proposed 

requirements were intended to prevent 

uncommanded cutting of the hoist cable 

and subsequent injury to persons being 

lifted by the hoist. 

The European Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA), which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Union, has issued EASA AD No. 2011– 

0126, dated July 1, 2011 (EASA AD 

2011–0126), to correct an unsafe 

condition for the ECD Model MBB–BK 

117 A–3, MBB–BK 117 A–4, MBB–BK 

B–1, MBB–BK 117 B–2, and MBB–BK 

C–1 helicopters equipped with a certain 

hoist system. EASA AD 2011–0126 

requires deactivation of the affected 

external hoist system by pulling and 

securing the related circuit breakers, or 

by removing the hoist boom. 

After EASA AD 2011–0126 was 

issued, it was discovered that pulling 

the circuit breaker WARN ANN II 

degraded the annunciator system’s 

redundant power supply, so that pilots 

could not be warned of a second 

helicopter system failure. Prompted by 

these findings, EASA issued 

superseding EASA AD No. 2011–0131, 

dated July 8, 2011 (EASA AD 2011– 

0131), to require pulling only three 

circuit breakers (CABLE CUTTER, 

WINCH CONT, and WINCH BOOM), 

while circuit breaker WARN ANN II 

remains inserted. 

EASA advises that since EASA AD 

2011–0131 was issued ‘‘a corrective 

action has been developed to establish 

an adequate safety level, while a 

terminating action is under 


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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 145 / Friday, July 27, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 44117 

investigation but currently not 

available.’’ EASA subsequently issued 

the current EASA AD No. 2011–0148, 

dated August 5, 2011 (EASA AD 2011– 

0148), which retains the requirements of 

EASA AD 2011–0131 and requires 

modification of the helicopter wiring 

and operator handle, part number (P/N) 

76803, a revision to the Rotorcraft Flight 

Manual and Supplement, and repetitive 

inspections of the operator handle. 

EASA AD 2011–0148 also requires 

implementing a 10-year time frame for 

overhaul of the operator handle. 

Comments 

We gave the public the opportunity to 

participate in developing this AD, but 

we did not receive any comments on the 

NPRM. 

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. 

Interim Action 

We consider this AD to be an interim 

action. The design approval holder is 

currently developing a terminating 

action to address the unsafe condition 

identified in this AD. Once this 

terminating action is developed, 

approved, and available, we might 

consider additional rulemaking. 

Differences Between This AD and the 

EASA AD 

This AD applies to the ECD Model 

MBB–BK 117 A–4 model. The EASA AD 

makes no mention of this model. The 

EASA AD also applies to the MBB–BK 

117 A–1 model. Eurocopter informs us 

that the MBB–BK 117 A–1 model no 

longer exists, so we did not include it 

in our AD. The EASA AD requires 

temporary revisions to the Rotorcraft 

Flight Manual and its supplements; this 

AD does not. The EASA AD requires 

overhaul of the operator handle every 

ten years; this AD does not. 

Related Service Information 

ECD has issued Emergency Alert 

Service Bulletin MBB–BK117–80–166, 

Revision 1, dated August 4, 2011 (ASB). 

The ASB specifies the deactivation of 

the cable cutter function on the operator 

handle. After the cable cutter function 

on the operator handle has been 

deactivated, the rescue winch may be 

used. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this AD will affect 

about 12 helicopters of U.S. registry. 

We estimate the following costs to 

comply with this AD: 

• Option 1: Pull and secure three 

circuit breakers. We estimate that this 

task will require about one half-hour to 

complete. At $85 per work-hour, the 

labor cost will total about $43. No parts 

will be needed, so we estimate the total 

cost per helicopter to be $43, or $516 for 

the fleet. 

• Option 2: Remove the hoist boom 

from the helicopter. We estimate that 

this task will require 1.5 hours to 

complete at $85 per work-hour for a 

total labor cost of about $128. No parts 

will be needed, so we estimate the total 

cost per helicopter to be $128, or $1,536 

for the fleet. 

• Option 3: We estimate that 

modifying the hoist operator handle will 

require four work-hours at $85 per 

work-hour for a total labor cost of $340 

per helicopter. Parts will cost about $92. 

Inspecting the hoist-operator handle for 

damage will take about one half-hour for 

a labor cost of about $43. For 12 

monthly inspections per year, the 

annual cost will total $516. We estimate 

that replacing the operator handle with 

a new operator handle will require 0.25 

work hour at $85 an hour for a labor 

cost of about $21 per helicopter. Parts 

will cost about $18,500 for a total cost 

of $18,521 per helicopter. Total costs 

per helicopter will vary, depending on 

whether repairs are needed. 

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): 

2012–14–14 Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH 

Helicopters: Amendment 39–17128; 

Docket No. FAA–2012–0356; Directorate 

Identifier 2011–SW–067–AD. 

(a) Applicability 

This AD applies to Model MBB–BK 117 

A–3, MBB–BK 117 A–4, MBB–BK B–1, MBB– 

BK 117 B–2, and MBB–BK 117 C–1 

helicopters with an external hoist system 

(hoist system) Part Number (P/N) 117–80403 

or P/N 117–804061 installed, certificated in 

any category. 

(b) Unsafe Condition 

This AD defines the unsafe condition as an 

uncommanded cutting of the hoist cable. 


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44118 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 145 / Friday, July 27, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 

This condition could result in loss of the 

helicopter hoist and load and subsequent 

injury to persons being lifted by the hoist. 

(c) Effective Date 

This AD becomes effective August 31, 

2012. 

(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 the next hoist operation or 

within 30 days, whichever comes first, 

comply with either paragraph (1)(i), (1)(ii), or 

(1)(iii): 

(i) Deactivate the hoist system by pulling 

the CABLE CUTTER, WINCH CONT, and 

WINCH BOOM circuit breakers and securing 

each circuit breaker with a cable tie; or 

(ii) Deactivate the hoist system by 

removing the hoist boom from the helicopter; 

or 

(iii) Deactivate the external hoist operator 

handle cable-cutter function by 

accomplishing the following: 

(A) Modify the helicopter wiring and the 

operator handle, P/N 76803, in accordance 

with the Accomplishment Instructions, 

Paragraph 3.B.1 (b), of Eurocopter Emergency 

Alert Service Bulletin MBB–BK117–80–166, 

Revision 1, dated August 4, 2011 (ASB). 

(B) Inspect the operator handle P/N 76803 

and the coiled cable of the operator handle 

for damage in accordance with Paragraph 

3.B.1.(a)(2) of the ASB. Damage is also 

defined as any condition that could prevent 

the part’s ability to perform its intended 

function. 

(1) If the operator handle or the coiled 

cable of the operator handle has damage, 

replace the operator handle with an 

airworthy operator handle P/N 76803, before 

the next hoist operation. 

(2) At intervals not to exceed 30 days, 

repeat the inspection in Paragraph (1)(iii)(B) 

of the Required Actions section of this AD. 

(2) Before installing an affected hoist 

system on any helicopter, comply with 

Paragraph (1) of the Required Actions section 

of this AD. 

(3) Before installing an operator handle 

P/N 76803 on any helicopter, comply with 

Paragraph (1)(iii)(A) of the Required Actions 

section of this AD. 

(f) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, Safety Management 

Group, FAA, may approve AMOCs for this 

AD. Send your proposal to: George Schwab, 

Aviation Safety Engineer, Safety Management 

Group, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 2601 

Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76137; 

telephone (817) 222–5110; email 

george.schwab@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 the 

European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 

No. 2011–0126, dated July 1, 2011; EASA AD 

No. 2011–0131, dated July 8, 2011; and 

EASA AD No. 2011–0148, dated August 5, 

2011. 

(h) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 2597, Equipment/furnishing system 

wiring. 

(i) 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 Emergency Alert Service 

Bulletin MBB–BK117–80–166, Revision 1, 

dated August 4, 2011. 

(3) 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. 

(4) You may review the service information 

at the FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, 

Southwest Region, 2601 Meacham Blvd., 

Room 663, Fort Worth, Texas 76137. 

(5) You may also review a copy of the 

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/ 

code_of_federal_regulations/ 

ibr_locations.html. 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on July 11, 

2012. 

Kim Smith, 

Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft 

Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–17604 Filed 7–26–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2012–0766; Directorate 

Identifier 2012–SW–056–AD; Amendment 

39–17133; AD 2012–15–04] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter 

France Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Final rule; request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for 

Eurocopter France (Eurocopter) Model 

EC155B1 helicopters with a certain 

automated flight control system 

installed. This AD requires changing the 

minimum required crew for instrument 

flight rules (IFR) operations from one 

pilot to two. This AD is prompted by a 

report that an EC155B1 helicopter 

experienced significant intermittent roll 

oscillations while coupled to the 

autopilot. These actions are intended to 

decrease the pilot’s workload while 

experiencing any oscillations during 

landing, which could result in possible 

loss of control of the helicopter. 

DATES: This AD becomes effective 

August 13, 2012. 

We must receive comments on this 

AD by September 25, 2012. 

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 

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 FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Clark Davenport, Aviation Safety 

Engineer, Safety Management Group, 

Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 2601 

Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 

76137; telephone (817) 222–5110; email 

clark.davenport@faa.gov. 

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 


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