32072 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 108 / Friday, June 5, 2015 / Proposed Rules 

(k) Related Information 

(1) For more information about this AD, 

contact Carl Gray, Aerospace Engineer, 

Airframe Branch, ACE–117A, FAA, Atlanta 

ACO, 1701 Columbia Avenue, College Park, 

GA 30337; phone: 404–474–5554; fax: 404– 

474–5605; email: carl.w.gray@faa.gov. 

(2) For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Lockheed Martin 

Corporation/Lockheed Martin Aeronautics 

Company, Airworthiness Office, Dept. 6A0M, 

Zone 0252, Column P–58, 86 S. Cobb Drive, 

Marietta, GA 30063; telephone 770–494– 

5444; fax 770–494–5445; email ams.portal@

lmco.com; Internet http://

www.lockheedmartin.com/ams/tools/

TechPubs.html. You may view this 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. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on May 14, 

2015. 

Jeffrey E. Duven, 

Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2015–13339 Filed 6–4–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2015–1935; Directorate 

Identifier 2014–SW–008–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Agusta 

S.p.A. Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for Agusta 

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

AW139 helicopters. This proposed AD 

would require visually inspecting 

certain subfloor frames for a crack. This 

proposed AD is prompted by reports of 

cracks on in-service helicopters. The 

proposed actions are intended to detect 

or prevent a crack in the subfloor frame, 

which could result in failure of the pilot 

and co-pilot pedal support frame and 

subsequent loss of control of the 

helicopter. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by August 4, 2015. 

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 proposed 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 proposed AD, contact 

AgustaWestland, Product Support 

Engineering, Via del Gregge, 100, 21015 

Lonate Pozzolo (VA) Italy, ATTN: 

Maurizio D’Angelo; telephone 39–0331– 

664757; fax 39–0331–664680; or at 

http://www.agustawestland.com/

technical-bulletins. 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: 

Robert Grant, Aviation Safety Engineer, 

Safety Management Group, FAA, 2601 

Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 

76137; telephone (817) 222–5110; email 

robert.grant@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

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 might result 

from adopting the proposals in this 

document. The most helpful comments 

reference a specific portion of the 

proposal, 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 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 proposed rulemaking. 

Before acting on this proposal, we will 

consider all comments we receive on or 

before the closing date for comments. 

We will consider comments filed after 

the comment period has closed if it is 

possible to do so without incurring 

expense or delay. We may change this 

proposal in light of the comments we 

receive. 

Discussion 

EASA, which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Union, has issued EASA AD No. 2014– 

0048, dated March 4, 2014, to correct an 

unsafe condition for Agusta Model 

AB139 and AW139 helicopters with a 

serial number (S/N) 31005 through 

31517 (except S/N 31007, 31415, 31431, 

31491, 31500, 31508, and 31516) and S/ 

N 41001 through 41356 (except S/N 

41355). EASA advises that cracks have 

been reported in the subfloor frame at 

station (STA) 2105 on in-service 

helicopters. This condition, if not 

detected and corrected, could lead to 

failure of the pedals supporting the 

frame, which in turn could lead to the 

pedals being inoperative and 

subsequent loss of control of the 

helicopter, EASA advises. 

The EASA AD requires repetitive 

inspections of the subfloor frame at STA 

2105 for a crack. The EASA AD also 

requires installation of frame 

reinforcements before further flight if 

there is a crack or within 1,200 flight 

hours if there is no crack. The EASA AD 

provides that installation of the frame 

reinforcements constitutes terminating 

action for the repetitive inspections 

required by the AD. 

FAA’s Determination 

These helicopters have been approved 

by the aviation authority of Italy and are 

approved for operation in the United 

States. Pursuant to our bilateral 

agreement with Italy, EASA, its 

technical representative, has notified us 

of the unsafe condition described in its 

AD. We are proposing this AD because 

we evaluated all known relevant 

information and determined that an 

unsafe condition is likely to exist or 

develop on other products of the same 

type design. 

Related Service Information Under 1 

CFR Part 51 

We reviewed AgustaWestland 

Bolletino Tecnico No. 139–311, 

Revision B, dated June 4, 2014 (BT), for 

certain serial-numbered Agusta Model 


asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 108 / Friday, June 5, 2015 / Proposed Rules 32073 

AB139 and AW139 helicopters. The BT 

calls for visual inspections of the 

subfloor frames within 30 flight hours or 

two months, whichever occurs first, and 

thereafter at intervals of 300 flight hours 

or 6 months, whichever comes first, 

until frame reinforcements are installed 

to prevent future failures. The BT also 

specifies installing the frame 

reinforcements immediately if a crack is 

found and within 1,200 flight hours if 

a crack is not found. This service 

information is reasonably available 

because the interested parties have 

access to it through their normal course 

of business or by the means identified 

in the ADDRESSES section of this NPRM. 

Proposed AD Requirements 

This proposed AD would require: 

• Within 30 hours time-in-service 

(TIS) and thereafter at intervals not to 

exceed 300 hours TIS, using a light, 

inspecting all visible surfaces of the 

subfloor frames at station (STA) 2105 for 

a crack. 

• If there is a crack, before further 

flight, and if there are no cracks, within 

1200 hours TIS, installing frame STA 

2105 retromod part number (P/N) 

3G5306P47211. This terminates the 

repetitive inspection requirements of 

this AD. 

Differences Between This Proposed AD 

and the EASA AD 

The EASA AD requires conducting 

the initial inspection within 30 flight 

hours or 2 months, whichever occurs 

first, and thereafter, at intervals not to 

exceed 300 flight hours or 6 months, 

whichever occurs first. The proposed 

AD would require conducting the initial 

inspection within 30 TIS, and thereafter, 

at intervals not to exceed 300 hours TIS. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this proposed AD 

would affect 102 U.S.-registered 

helicopters and that labor costs average 

$85 a work hour. Based on these 

estimates, we expect the following costs: 

• The visual inspection would 

require 2 work-hours for a labor cost of 

$170 per helicopter. No parts would be 

needed, so the cost would total $170 per 

helicopter, $17,340 for the U.S. fleet. 

• If there are no cracks, installing the 

frame reinforcements would require 240 

work-hours for a labor cost of $20,400 

and parts would cost $2,274. The total 

cost would be $22,674 per helicopter. 

• If there is a crack, installing the 

frame reinforcements would require 240 

work-hours for a labor cost of $20,400 

and parts would cost $3,401. The total 

cost would be $23,801 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 

products identified in this rulemaking 

action. 

Regulatory Findings 

We determined that this proposed AD 

would not have federalism implications 

under Executive Order 13132. This 

proposed AD would 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 

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); 

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 proposed 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. 

The Proposed 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 adding 

the following new airworthiness 

directive (AD): 

Agusta S.p.A.: Docket No. FAA–2015–1935; 

Directorate Identifier 2014–SW–008–AD. 

(a) Applicability 

This AD applies to Agusta S.p.A. Model 

AB139 and AW139 helicopters, serial 

number (S/N) 31005 through 31517 (except 

S/N 31007, 31415, 31431, 31491, 31500, 

31508, and 31516) and S/N 41001 through 

41356 (except S/N 41355), certificated in any 

category. 

(b) Unsafe Condition 

This AD defines the unsafe condition as a 

crack in a subfloor frame. This condition 

could result in failure of the pilot and copilot pedal support frame and subsequent 

loss of control of the helicopter. 

(c) Comments Due Date 

We must receive comments by August 4, 

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 

(1) Within 30 hours time-in-service (TIS) 

and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 300 

hours TIS, using a light, inspect all visible 

surfaces of the left hand subfloor frame, right 

hand subfloor frame, and middle subfloor 

frame at station (STA) 2105 for a crack as 

shown in Figures 10 through 13 of 

AgustaWestland Bollettino Tecnico No. 139– 

311, Revision B, dated June 4, 2014 (BT 139– 

311). 

(2) If there is a crack, before further flight, 

install frame STA 2105 retromod part 

number (P/N) 3G5306P47211 by following 

the Compliance Instructions, Part II, 

paragraphs 7 through 7.10. of BT 139–311. 

(3) If there are no cracks, within 1200 

hours TIS, install frame STA 2105 retromod 

P/N 3G5306P47211 by following the 

Compliance Instructions, Part II, paragraphs 

7 through 7.10. of BT 139–311. 

(4) Installing frame STA 2105 retromod P/ 

N 3G5306P47211 terminates the repetitive 

inspection requirements in paragraph (e)(1) 

of this AD. 

(f) Special Flight Permit 

Special Flight Permits are prohibited. 

(g) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, Safety Management 

Group, FAA, may approve AMOCs for this 

AD. Send your proposal to: Robert Grant, 

Aviation Safety Engineer, Safety Management 


asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
32074 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 108 / Friday, June 5, 2015 / Proposed Rules 

Group, FAA, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort 

Worth, Texas 76137; telephone (817) 222– 

5110; email robert.grant@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. 

(h) Additional Information 

The subject of this AD is addressed in the 

European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) 

No. 2014–0048, March 4, 2014. You may 

view the EASA AD on the Internet at 

http://www.regulations.gov in the AD Docket. 

(i) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 5300, Fuselage Structure (General). 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on May 26, 

2015. 

Lance T. Gant, 

Acting Directorate Manager, Rotorcraft 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2015–13354 Filed 6–4–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 71 

[Docket No. FAA–2015–1345; Airspace 

Docket No. 14–AWP–13] 

RIN 2120–AA66 

Proposed Establishment of Multiple Air 

Traffic Service (ATS) Routes; Western 

United States 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: This action proposes to 

establish 13 high altitude Area 

Navigation (RNAV) routes (Q-routes), 

and one low altitude RNAV route (Troute) in the western United States. The 

routes would promote operational 

efficiencies for users and provide 

connectivity to current and proposed 

RNAV en route and terminal 

procedures. 

DATES: Comments must be received on 

or before July 20, 2015. 

ADDRESSES: Send comments on this 

proposal to the U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West 

Building Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 

Washington, DC 20590–0001; telephone: 

(202) 366–9826. You must identify FAA 

Docket No. FAA–2015–1345 and 

Airspace Docket No. 14–AWP–13 at the 

beginning of your comments. You may 

also submit comments through the 

Internet at http://www.regulations.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Jason Stahl, Airspace Policy and 

Regulations Group, Office of Airspace 

Services, Federal Aviation 

Administration, 800 Independence 

Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591; 

telephone: (202) 267–8783. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Authority for This Rulemaking 

The FAA’s authority to issue rules 

regarding aviation safety is found in 

Title 49 of the United States Code. 

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. 

This rulemaking is promulgated 

under the authority described in 

Subtitle VII, Part A, Subpart I, Section 

40103. Under that section, the FAA is 

charged with prescribing regulations to 

assign the use of the airspace necessary 

to ensure the safety of aircraft and the 

efficient use of airspace. This regulation 

is within the scope of that authority as 

it would modify the route structure in 

the western U.S. to preserve the safe and 

efficient flow of air traffic within the 

NAS. 

Background 

The development of new RNAV 

Standard Instrument Departure (SID) 

and Standard Terminal Arrival (STAR) 

routes requires incorporation of these 

proposed Q and T routes into the NAS 

Route Structure in order to maximize 

the benefits of increased safety in high 

volume en route sectors. 

The Los Angeles Air Route Traffic 

Control Center (ARTCC) currently does 

not have routes that join the 

Performance Based Navigation (PBN) 

arrival and departure procedures. The 

existing conventional jet route structure 

does not serve the new SID/STAR 

designs. Routes made up of ground 

based navigational aids are not capable 

of delivering aircraft onto the RNAV 

based arrival and departure procedures 

in an efficient manner. Developing these 

predictable and repeatable flight paths 

(Q and T routes) through a complex area 

confined by restricted areas will 

improve throughput and safety for Los 

Angeles ARTCC. 

This first phase of a two phase project 

will align a network of Q-Routes with 

the new SID’s and STAR’s. The Q-Route 

structure is projected to optimize 

descent/climb profiles to/from several 

airports in southern California and 

create segregated arrival/departure paths 

to reduce airspace complexity. 

Comments Invited 

Interested parties are invited to 

participate in this proposed rulemaking 

by submitting such written data, views, 

or arguments as they may desire. 

Comments that provide the factual basis 

supporting the views and suggestions 

presented are particularly helpful in 

developing reasoned regulatory 

decisions on the proposal. Comments 

are specifically invited on the overall 

regulatory, aeronautical, economic, 

environmental, and energy-related 

aspects of the proposal. 

Communications should identify both 

docket numbers (FAA Docket No. FAA– 

2015–1345 and Airspace Docket No. 14– 

AWP–13) and be submitted in triplicate 

to the Docket Management Facility (see 

ADDRESSES section for address and 

phone number). You may also submit 

comments through the Internet at 

http://www.regulations.gov. 

Commenters wishing the FAA to 

acknowledge receipt of their comments 

on this action must submit with those 

comments a self-addressed, stamped 

postcard on which the following 

statement is made: ‘‘Comments to FAA 

Docket No. FAA–2015–1345 and 

Airspace Docket No. 14–AWP–13.’’ The 

postcard will be date/time stamped and 

returned to the commenter. 

All communications received on or 

before the specified comment closing 

date will be considered before taking 

action on the proposed rule. The 

proposal contained in this action may 

be changed in light of comments 

received. All comments submitted will 

be available for examination in the 

public docket both before and after the 

comment closing date. A report 

summarizing each substantive public 

contact with FAA personnel concerned 

with this rulemaking will be filed in the 

docket. 

Availability of NPRMs 

An electronic copy of this document 

may be downloaded through the 

Internet at http://www.regulations.gov. 

You may review the public docket 

containing the proposal, any comments 

received and any final disposition in 

person in the Dockets Office (see 

ADDRESSES section for address and 

phone number) between 9:00 a.m. and 

5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal holidays. An informal 

docket may also be examined during 

normal business hours at the office of 

the Western Service Center, Operations 

Support Group, Federal Aviation 

Administration, 1601 Lind Ave SW., 

Renton, WA 98057. 


asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS