Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 122 / Monday, June 25, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 37777 

In accordance with 14 CFR 39.19, send your 

request to your principal inspector or local 

Flight Standards District Office, as 

appropriate. If sending information directly 

to the International Branch, send it to ATTN: 

Todd Thompson, Aerospace Engineer, 

International Branch, ANM–116, Transport 

Airplane Directorate, FAA 1601 Lind Avenue 

SW., Renton, Washington 98057–3356; 

telephone (425) 227–1175; fax (425) 227– 

1149. Information may be emailed to: 

9-ANM-116-AMOC-REQUESTS@faa.gov. 

Before using any approved AMOC, notify 

your appropriate principal inspector, or 

lacking a principal inspector, the manager of 

the local flight standards district office/ 

certificate holding district office. The AMOC 

approval letter must specifically reference 

this AD. 

(2) Airworthy Product: For any requirement 

in this AD to obtain corrective actions from 

a manufacturer or other source, use these 

actions if they are FAA-approved. Corrective 

actions are considered FAA-approved if they 

are approved by the State of Design Authority 

(or their delegated agent). You are required 

to assure the product is airworthy before it 

is returned to service. 

(j) Related Information 

Refer to MCAI European Aviation Safety 

Agency Airworthiness Directive 2011–0065, 

dated April 7, 2011; and BAE Systems 

(Operations) Limited Modification Service 

Bulletin SB.26–077–36250A.B, Revision 4, 

dated January 7, 2011; for related 

information. 

(k) Material Incorporated by Reference 

(1) The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

(IBR) of the following service information 

under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. 

(2) You must use the following service 

information to do the actions required by this 

AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise. 

(i) BAE Systems (Operations) Limited 

Modification Service Bulletin SB.26–077– 

36250A.B, Revision 4, dated January 7, 2011. 

(3) For BAE Systems (Operations) Limited 

service information identified in this AD, 

contact BAE Systems (Operations) Limited, 

Customer Information Department, Prestwick 

International Airport, Ayrshire, KA9 2RW, 

Scotland, United Kingdom; telephone +44 

1292 675207; fax +44 1292 675704; email 

RApublications@baesystems.com; Internet 

http://www.baesystems.com/Businesses/

RegionalAircraft/index.htm. 

(4) You may review copies of the service 

information at the FAA, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, 

Washington. 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 June 7, 

2012. 

Michael Kaszycki, 

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–14729 Filed 6–22–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2012–0659; Directorate 

Identifier 2011–SW–061–AD; Amendment 

39–17101; AD 2012–12–21] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter 

Deutschland GmbH Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule; request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: We are superseding an 

existing airworthiness directive (AD) for 

all Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH 

(ECD) Model MBB–BK 117 C–2 

helicopters. That AD currently requires 

revising the ‘‘Emergency and 

Malfunction Procedures’’ and 

‘‘Performance Data’’ sections of the 

Rotorcraft Flight Manual (RFM) by 

inserting three temporary pages into the 

RFM to alert pilots to monitor the power 

display when a generator is deactivated 

and provides procedures to prevent 

failure of the remaining generator. 

Before we issued that AD, the 

manufacturer developed a procedure to 

modify the two ‘‘After Junction Boxes’’ 

by removing a diode from each box, 

which provides terminating action for 

our AD requirements. These actions are 

intended to require implementing this 

terminating action to prevent an 

electrical power system failure and 

subsequent loss of control of the 

helicopter and revising the RFM 

accordingly, by removing the temporary 

pages inserted to comply with the 

superseded AD. 

DATES: This AD becomes effective July 

10, 2012. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of certain documents listed in this AD 

as of July 10, 2012. 

We must receive comments on this 

AD by August 24, 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 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 a copy of the 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: 

George Schwab, Aviation Safety 

Engineer, FAA, Rotorcraft Directorate, 

Safety Management Group, 2601 

Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76137, 

telephone (817) 222–5110, email: 

george.schwab@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 

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 


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37778 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 122 / Monday, June 25, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 

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 September 29, 2011, we issued AD 

2011–21–13 (76 FR 68299, November 4, 

2011), for all ECD model MBB–BK 117 

C–2 helicopters. Our AD 2011–21–13 

was based on European Aviation Safety 

Agency (EASA) Emergency AD No. 

2010–0268–E, dated December 21, 2010 

(EAD 2010–0268–E), requiring the 

introduction of additional RFM 

procedures to monitor the electrical 

power display generator amperes (GEN 

AMPS) on the Vehicle and Engine 

Multifunction Display (VEMD) during 

switching of the generator. EASA 

advised that some ECD MBB–BK117 

C–2 helicopters detected an excessive 

current flow when one generator was 

deactivated. This situation, if not 

detected and corrected, could lead to 

failure of the generator, likely resulting 

in loss of electrical power and inducing 

loss of systems that are necessary for 

safe flight. To address this unsafe 

condition, AD 2011–21–13 requires 

revising the ‘‘Emergency and 

Malfunction Procedures’’ and the 

‘‘Performance Data’’ sections of the RFM 

by inserting three temporary pages from 

ECD Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) No. 

ASB MBB BK117 C–2–24A–008, dated 

December 20, 2010 (MBB BK117 C–2– 

24A–008). Those pages require 

operators to insert pages into the RFM, 

which provide that pilots visually 

monitor the power display GEN AMPS 

on the VEMD for too high of a current 

when a generator is shut down, such as 

during the ENGINE POWER CHECK. 

These revised RFM provisions provide 

for switching off the two main electrical 

buses on the overhead panel to prevent 

the operating generator from being 

damaged when the other generator is 

shut down. We issued AD 2011–21–13 

to prevent failure of a generator, which 

could result in loss of electrical power, 

loss of systems necessary for flight 

safety, and subsequent loss of control of 

the helicopter. 

Actions Since Existing AD Was Issued 

Before we issued AD 2011–21–13 (76 

FR 68299, November 4, 2011), EASA, 

which is the Technical Agent for the 

Member States of the European Union, 

issued EASA AD No. 2011–0162, dated 

August 30, 2011 (AD 2011–0162). In AD 

2011–0162, EASA states that ECD has 

developed a modification to prevent the 

possibility of too high current flow 

when a generator is deactivated, and 

updated the RFM procedures 

accordingly. This EASA AD requires the 

RFM changes introduced by EAD 2010– 

0268–E to be removed. The EASA AD 

also requires modification of the 

Generator Relay left-hand and righthand After Junction Boxes by removing 

diodes, CR10007 and CR10008, 

respectively, on ECD MBB–BK117 C–2 

helicopters, serial numbers 9004 

through 9500. Through this AD action, 

the FAA is requiring this same 

modification to the After Junction Boxes 

in helicopters registered in the United 

States and removal of the same pages 

from the RFM that were introduced by 

AD 2011–21–13. 

FAA’s Determination 

These helicopters have been approved 

by the aviation authority of the Federal 

Republic of Germany (FRG) and are 

approved for operation in the United 

States. Pursuant to our bilateral 

agreement with the FRG, EASA, their 

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 is likely to exist or 

develop on other helicopters of the same 

type design. 

Related Service Information 

We reviewed ECD ASB MBB BK117 

C–2–24A–008, Revision 1, dated August 

29, 2011. The ASB describes procedures 

for removing two diodes on the 

generator relays in the After Junction 

Boxes. EASA classified this ASB as 

mandatory and issued AD 2011–0162 to 

ensure the continued airworthiness of 

these helicopters. 

AD Requirements 

This AD requires, within 30 days, 

removing temporary pages from the 

RFM that were inserted for AD 2011– 

21–13. This AD also requires modifying 

Generator Relay left-hand and righthand After Junction Boxes by removing 

diodes, CR10007 and CR10008. 

Differences Between This AD and the 

EASA AD 

The EASA AD requires compliance by 

September 6, 2011; the FAA requires 

compliance within 30 days from the 

effective date of the AD. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this AD affects 232 

helicopters of U.S. Registry. We estimate 

that operators may incur the following 

costs in order to comply with this AD. 

Removing the diodes from the after 

junction boxes will require 2 work 

hours at an average labor cost of $85 per 

hour and incorporating the changes into 

the RFM will require .5 work hour for 

a total cost per operator of $213 and a 

cost to the entire U.S. fleet of $49,416. 

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 required corrective 

actions must be accomplished within 30 

days. 

Since an unsafe condition exists that 

requires the immediate adoption of this 

AD, we determined that notice and 

opportunity for public comment before 

issuing this AD are impracticable and 

contrary to the public interest and that 

good cause exists for making this 

amendment effective in less than 30 

days. 

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; 


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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 122 / Monday, June 25, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 37779 

2. Is not a ‘‘significant rule’’ under the 

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 proposes to amend 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 

removing Amendment 39–16836 (76 FR 

68299, November 4, 2011), and adding 

the following new airworthiness 

directive (AD): 

2012–12–21 Eurocopter Deutschland 

GMBH: Amendment 39–17101; Docket 

No. FAA–2012–0659; Directorate 

Identifier 2011–SW–061–AD. 

(a) Applicability 

This AD applies to Model MBB–BK 117 

C–2 helicopters, certificated in any category. 

(b) Unsafe Condition 

This AD defines the unsafe condition as 

excessively high reverse current flow when 

switching off a generator during flight, which 

could make the remaining generator fail and 

result in a complete electrical power system 

failure and subsequent loss of control of the 

helicopter. 

(c) Other Affected ADs 

This AD supersedes AD 2011–21–13, 

Amendment 39–16836 (76 FR 68299, 

November 4, 2011). 

(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 Action 

Within 30 days: 

(1) Remove the specified temporary pages 

from the following sections of the rotorcraft 

flight manual (RFM) RFM BK 117 C–2: 

(i) ‘‘Emergency and Malfunction 

Procedures’’: pages 3–3 and 3–4, and 

(ii) ‘‘Performance Data’’: page 5–7. 

(2) Remove diodes CR10007 and CR10008 

from the generator relays in the left-hand and 

right-hand After Junction Boxes, respectively, 

in accordance with the Accomplishment 

Instructions, paragraphs 3.B.2.(a) through 

3.B.2.(d), and as depicted in Figures 1 and 2, 

of Eurocopter Alert Service Bulletin ASB 

MBB BK117 C–2–24A–008 Revision 1, dated 

August 29, 2011. 

(3) Test the DC Power system for proper 

operation. 

(4) Do not install an After Junction Box on 

any helicopter, unless the After Junction Box 

has been modified in accordance with the 

requirements 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, FAA, Rotorcraft 

Directorate, Safety Management Group, 2601 

Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76137, 

telephone (817) 222–5114, 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 AD No. 

2011–0162, dated August 30, 2011. 

(h) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 2435: Starter Generator. 

(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 ASB 

MBB BK117 C–2–24A–008 Revision 1, dated 

August 29, 2011. 

(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 the FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, 

Southwest Region, 2601 Meacham Blvd., 

Room 663, Fort Worth, Texas 76137. 

(5) You may also view this service 

information 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 June 14, 

2012. 

Lance T. Gant, 

Acting Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–15325 Filed 6–22–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2012–0013; Directorate 

Identifier 2010–SW–043–AD; Amendment 

39–17090; AD 2012–12–10] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Agusta 

S.p.A. Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for Agusta 

S.p.A. (Agusta) Model AB139 and 

AW139 helicopters with a certain 

generator control unit (GCU), to require 

replacing each affected GCU with an 

airworthy GCU. This AD was prompted 

by laboratory tests which revealed a 

potential fault in the overvoltage 

protection on a certain part-numbered 

GCU. The actions are intended to 

prevent failure of the overvoltage 

protection of the GCU, degraded 

performance of the electrical power 

generation and distribution systems, a 

fire, and subsequent loss of control of 

the helicopter. 

DATES: This AD is effective July 30, 

2012. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain publication listed in this AD 

as of July 30, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: For service information 

identified in this AD, contact Agusta 

Westland, Customer Support & Services, 

Via Per Tornavento 15, 21019 Somma 

Lombardo (VA) Italy, ATTN: Giovanni 

Cecchelli; telephone 39–0331–711133; 

fax 39 0331 711180; or at http:// 

www.agustawestland.com/technicalbullettins. You may review a copy of 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 


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