Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 21 / Friday, January 31, 2014 / Rules and Regulations 5249 

(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): 

2014–02–04 Eurocopter France 

Helicopters: Amendment 39–17732; Docket 

No. FAA–2013–0501; Directorate Identifier 

2011–SW–036–AD. 

(a) Applicability 

This AD applies to Model EC 155B and 

EC155B1 helicopters with lower front fitting 

part number (P/N) 365A23–4240–01, upper 

front fitting P/N 365A23–4242–01, lower rear 

fitting P/N 365A23–4241–01, or upper rear 

fitting P/N 365A23–4243–01 (fittings), 

installed, certificated in any category. 

(b) Unsafe Condition 

This AD defines the unsafe condition as a 

crack in a fitting. This condition could result 

in loss of the upper fin during flight and 

subsequent loss of control of the helicopter. 

(c) Effective Date 

This AD becomes effective March 7, 2014. 

(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 15 hours time-in-service (TIS) 

and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 55 

hours TIS: 

(i) Using an appropriate light source and a 

10x or higher power magnifying glass, 

inspect each front (item c) and rear (item d) 

upper fitting and each front (item e) and rear 

(item f) lower fitting for a crack as depicted 

in Detail A of Figure 1 of Eurocopter 

Emergency Alert Service Bulletin No. 

05A017, Revision 2, dated December 9, 2010 

(ASB). Inspect the hatched area as depicted 

in Details B, C, and D of Figure 2 of the ASB. 

A high-resolution (more than 2 million 

pixels) digital camera or dye-penetrant 

inspection may be used to facilitate the crack 

inspection. 

(ii) If there is a crack in any fitting, before 

further flight, remove all four fittings from 

service. 

(2) Within 180 hours TIS, remove the 

fittings from service. 

(3) Do not install lower front fitting P/N 

365A23–4240–01, upper front fitting P/N 

365A23–4242–01, lower rear fitting P/N 

365A23–4241–01, and upper rear fitting P/N 

365A23–4243–01 on any helicopter. 

(f) Credit for Actions Previously Completed 

Inspections accomplished before the 

effective date of this AD in accordance with 

the procedures specified in Eurocopter 

Emergency Alert Service Bulletin No. 

05A017, Revision 2, dated December 9, 2010; 

Revision 1, dated January 27, 2010; and 

Revision 0, dated September 28, 2007, are 

considered acceptable for compliance with 

the initial inspection specified in paragraph 

(e)(1) of this AD. 

(g) Special flight permits 

Special flight permits will not be issued. 

(h) 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 

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. 

(i) Additional Information 

(1) Eurocopter Service Bulletin No. 53–029, 

Revision 1, dated March 10, 2011, which is 

not incorporated by reference, contains 

additional information about the subject of 

this AD. 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. 

(2) The subject of this AD is addressed in 

European Aviation Safety Agency AD No. 

2011–0108, dated June 7, 2011, which can be 

found in Docket No. FAA–2013–0501 on the 

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

(j) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 5530 Vertical Stabilizer Structure. 

(k) 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 Emergency Alert Service 

Bulletin No. 05A017, Revision 2, dated 

December 9, 2010. 

(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 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 January 16, 

2014. 

Lance T. Gant, 

Acting Directorate Manager, Rotorcraft 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–01461 Filed 1–30–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2013–0525; Directorate 

Identifier 2011–SW–063–AD; Amendment 

39–17730; AD 2014–02–02] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Bell 

Helicopter Textron Canada Limited 

(Bell) Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for Bell 

Model 206L, L–1, L–3, and L–4 

helicopters. This AD requires measuring 

each main rotor (M/R) blade spar space 

to determine whether it is oversized and 

reidentifying the M/R blade and 


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5250 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 21 / Friday, January 31, 2014 / Rules and Regulations 

reducing the life limit of the blade if the 

spar spacer is oversized. This AD was 

prompted by the manufacture of certain 

blades with an oversized spar spacer 

and the determination to reduce the life 

limits of those blades. The actions of 

this AD are intended to prevent failure 

of an M/R blade and subsequent loss of 

control of the helicopter. 

DATES: This AD is effective March 7, 

2014. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain document listed in this AD 

as of March 7, 2014. 

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. 

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, Aerospace Engineer, 

FAA, Rotorcraft Directorate, Regulations 

and Policy Group, 2601 Meacham Blvd., 

Fort Worth, Texas 76137, telephone 

(817) 222–5110, email sharon.y.miles@

faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

On June 20, 2013, at 78 FR 37152, 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 Bell 

Model 206L, L–1, L–3, and L–4 

helicopters. The NPRM proposed 

measuring the M/R blade spar spacer. If 

a blade is fitted with an oversized 

spacer, the NPRM proposed 

reidentifying the blade, reducing the life 

limit for the blade from 3,600 hours 

time-in-service (TIS) to 2,300 hours TIS, 

and making an entry on the component 

history card or equivalent record. The 

proposed requirements were intended to 

prevent failure of an M/R blade and 

subsequent loss of control of the 

helicopter. 

The NPRM was prompted by AD No. 

CF–2011–43, dated November 10, 2011, 

issued by TCCA, which is the aviation 

authority for Canada, to correct an 

unsafe condition for Bell Model 206L, 

L–1, L–3, and L–4 helicopters. TCCA 

advises that, during manufacturing, 

some M/R blades were inadvertently 

fitted with oversized spar spacers, 

which reduces the life of the blades 

from 3600 to 2300 hours ‘‘air time.’’ As 

a result, TCCA has mandated 

procedures to reidentify blades that 

have oversized spar spacers with new 

part numbers and reduce the life limit 

for such blades. 

Comments 

After our NPRM (78 FR 37152, June 

30, 2013), was published, we received 

comments from one commenter. 

Request 

The one commenter stated that Bell 

has released Revision A of Alert Service 

Bulletin (ASB) No. 206L–09–163, dated 

April 19, 2012, and requested that both 

the original ASB and Revision A be 

included in the final AD. 

We agree that the AD should reference 

Revision A of the ASB. This revision 

only updates Bell’s warranty 

information and does not change the 

technical aspects or the corrective 

actions. Thus, performing the actions in 

either the original ASB or Revision A 

before the effective date of this AD 

would constitute prior compliance with 

this AD. 

FAA’s Determination 

These helicopters have been approved 

by TCCA 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, reviewed the 

relevant information, considered the 

comment received, 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 with the change previously 

described. Also, under paragraph (f) of 

the NPRM, the TCCA AD is incorrectly 

referenced as No. ‘‘CF–2011–41.’’ We 

have corrected paragraph (f) in this AD 

to correctly identify the TCCA AD as 

‘‘CF–2011–43.’’ These changes are 

consistent with the intent of the 

proposals in the NPRM and will not 

increase the economic burden on any 

operator nor increase the scope of this 

AD. 

Differences Between this AD and the 

TCCA AD 

TCCA requires compliance time 

within 100 hours air time or 30 days. 

This AD requires compliance within 

100 hours TIS. 

Related Service Information 

Bell issued ASB No. 206L–09–163, 

dated November 13, 2009, which 

specifies inspecting certain M/R blades 

for oversized spar spacers and 

reidentifying and reducing the life limit 

of any blade with an oversized spar 

spacer from 3600 to 2300 flight hours. 

On April 19, 2012, Bell issued ASB No. 

206L–09–163, Revision A, dated April 

19, 2012, to update the warranty 

information. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this AD will affect 

688 helicopters of U.S. Registry. 

We estimate that operators may incur 

the following costs in order to comply 

with this AD. It will take about 2.5 work 

hours to measure the spar spacer and 

reidentify the blade at $85 per work 

hour for a total cost of $213 per 

helicopter. 

According to Bell’s service 

information some of the costs of this AD 

may be covered under warranty, thereby 

reducing the cost to affected 

individuals. We do not control warranty 

coverage by Bell. Accordingly, we have 

included all costs in our cost estimate. 

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 


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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 21 / Friday, January 31, 2014 / Rules and Regulations 5251 

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): 

2014–02–02 Bell Helicopter Textron 

Canada Limited: Amendment 39–17730; 

Docket No. FAA–2013–0525; Directorate 

Identifier 2011–SW–063–AD. 

(a) Applicability 

This AD applies to Model 206L, L–1, L–3, 

and L–4 helicopters with a main rotor (M/R) 

blade, part number (P/N) 206–015–001–115, 

–117, –119, or –121, with a serial number (S/ 

N) listed in Table 1 or 2 of Bell Helicopter 

Alert Service Bulletin [No. 206L–09–163, 

Revision A, dated April 19, 2012 (ASB), 

certificated in any category. 

(b) Unsafe Condition 

This AD defines the unsafe condition as 

the manufacture of an M/R blade with an 

oversized spar spacer. This condition could 

result in failure of an M/R blade and 

subsequent loss of control of the helicopter. 

(c) Effective Date 

This AD becomes effective March 7, 2014. 

(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) Actions Required 

Within 100 hours time-in-service (TIS): 

(1) For each M/R blade with an S/N listed 

in Table 1 of the ASB, measure the M/R blade 

spar spacer by following the 

Accomplishment Instructions, Part II A), 

paragraphs 1 through 3, of the ASB. If the 

spar spacer measures more than 1.018 inches 

(25.86 millimeters), reidentify the blade by 

following Part II A, paragraph 5.a. and Table 

3, of the ASB. 

(2) For each M/R blade with an S/N listed 

in Table 2 of the ASB, measure the M/R blade 

spar spacer by following the 

Accomplishment Instructions, Part II B, 

paragraphs 1 through 3, of the ASB. If the 

spar spacer measures more than 1.018 inches 

(25.86 millimeters), reidentify the blade by 

following Part II B, paragraph 5 and Table 4, 

of the ASB. 

(3) For each reidentified blade, reduce the 

life limit from 3,600 hours TIS to 2,300 hours 

TIS, and make an entry on the component 

history card or equivalent record. 

(4) Before further flight, remove any blade 

that exceeds the new retirement life of 2,300 

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, 

Aerospace Engineer, FAA, Rotorcraft 

Directorate, Regulations and Policy Group, 

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 

CF–2011–43, dated November 10, 2011. You 

may view the TCCA AD on the internet at 

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

FAA–2013–0525. 

(h) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 6210 Main Rotor Blades. 

(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 

No. 206L–09–163, Revision A, dated April 

19, 2012. 

(ii) Reserved. 

(3) For Bell Helicopter 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 January 15, 

2014. 

Lance T. Gant, 

Acting Directorate Manager, Rotorcraft 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–01466 Filed 1–30–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2013–0679; Directorate 

Identifier 2009–SW–015–AD; Amendment 

39–17733; AD 2014–02–05] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter 

France (Eurocopter) Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for 

Eurocopter Model AS350B, AS350BA, 

AS350B1, AS350B2, AS350B3, AS350C, 

AS350D, and AS350D1 helicopters. This 

AD requires measuring the distance 

between the end of the main rotor 

collective pitch lever (collective) 

locking stud (locking stud) and the 

locking strip and repairing the locking 

stud if the clearance is insufficient. This 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with RULES