This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains notices to the public of the proposed

issuance of rules and regulations. The

purpose of these notices is to give interested

persons an opportunity to participate in the

rule making prior to the adoption of the final

rules.

Proposed Rules Federal Register

12550 

Vol. 86, No. 41 

Thursday, March 4, 2021 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2021–0106; Project 

Identifier AD–2020–00708–R] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Sikorsky 

Aircraft Corporation Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a 

new airworthiness directive (AD) for 

Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Sikorsky) 

Model S–92A helicopters. This 

proposed AD was prompted by an 

incident of a side facing utility seat 

detaching from wall attachment points. 

This proposed AD would require 

modifying certain side facing utility 

seats and observer seats. This proposed 

AD would also prohibit installing those 

seats unless the modification has been 

accomplished. The FAA is proposing 

this AD to address the unsafe condition 

on these products. 

DATES: The FAA must receive comments 

on this proposed AD by April 19, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, 

using the procedures found in 14 CFR 

11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following 

methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

https://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: Deliver to Mail 

address above between 9 a.m. and 5 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

For service information identified in 

this NPRM, contact your local Sikorsky 

Field Representative or Sikorsky’s 

Service Engineering Group at Sikorsky 

Aircraft Corporation, Mailstop K100, 

124 Quarry Road, Trumbull, CT 06611; 

telephone 1–800–946–4337 (1–800– 

Winged–S); email wcs_cust_service_

eng.gr-sik@lmco.com. Operators may 

also log on to the Sikorsky 360 website 

at https://www.sikorsky360.com. You 

may view this service information at the 

FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, 

Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood 

Pkwy., Room 6N–321, Fort Worth, TX 

76177. For information on the 

availability of this material at the FAA, 

call (817) 222–5110. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket at 

https://www.regulations.gov by 

searching for and locating Docket No. 

FAA–2021–0106; or in person at Docket 

Operations between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., 

Monday through Friday, except Federal 

holidays. The AD docket contains this 

NPRM, any comments received, and 

other information. The street address for 

Docket Operations is listed above. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Dorie Resnik, Aerospace Engineer, 

Aviation Safety Section, Boston ACO 

Branch, FAA, 1200 District Ave., 

Burlington, MA 01803; phone: (781) 

238–7693; email: dorie.resnik@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

The FAA invites you to send any 

written relevant data, views, or 

arguments about this proposal. Send 

your comments to an address listed 

under ADDRESSES. Include ‘‘Docket No. 

FAA–2021–0106; Project Identifier AD– 

2020–00708–R’’ at the beginning of your 

comments. The most helpful comments 

reference a specific portion of the 

proposal, explain the reason for any 

recommended change, and include 

supporting data. The FAA will consider 

all comments received by the closing 

date and may amend this proposal 

because of those comments. 

Except for Confidential Business 

Information (CBI) as described in the 

following paragraph, and other 

information as described in 14 CFR 

11.35, the FAA will post all comments 

received, without change, to https://

www.regulations.gov, including any 

personal information you provide. The 

agency will also post a report 

summarizing each substantive verbal 

contact received about this NPRM. 

Confidential Business Information 

CBI is commercial or financial 

information that is both customarily and 

actually treated as private by its owner. 

Under the Freedom of Information Act 

(FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt 

from public disclosure. If your 

comments responsive to this NPRM 

contain commercial or financial 

information that is customarily treated 

as private, that you actually treat as 

private, and that is relevant or 

responsive to this NPRM, it is important 

that you clearly designate the submitted 

comments as CBI. Please mark each 

page of your submission containing CBI 

as ‘‘PROPIN.’’ The FAA will treat such 

marked submissions as confidential 

under the FOIA, and they will not be 

placed in the public docket of this 

NPRM. Submissions containing CBI 

should be sent to Dorie Resnik, 

Aerospace Engineer, Aviation Safety 

Section, Boston ACO Branch, FAA, 

1200 District Ave., Burlington, MA 

01803; phone: (781) 238–7693; email: 

dorie.resnik@faa.gov. Any commentary 

that the FAA receives which is not 

specifically designated as CBI will be 

placed in the public docket for this 

rulemaking. 

Background 

The FAA proposes to adopt a new AD 

for Sikorsky Model S–92A helicopters 

with certain Martin-Baker side facing 

utility seats and observer seats installed. 

This proposed AD was prompted by an 

incident of a side facing utility seat 

detaching from wall attachment points 

during dynamic testing. The root cause 

has been identified as a change in the 

finishing process of the main back tube. 

Due to design similarity, certain 

observer seats are also subject to this 

unsafe condition. 

Accordingly, this proposed AD would 

require replacing the main back tube 

assembly in affected side facing utility 

seats and observer seats. This proposed 

AD would also prohibit installing those 

seats unless the main back tube 

assembly has been replaced. This 

condition, if not addressed, could result 

in increased surface friction in the 

direction of the seat attenuation, failure 

of proper utility seat attenuation during 

a crash event, excessive lumbar loads in 

an observer seat during a crash event, 

and subsequent excessive or fatal 

occupant injury. 


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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 41 / Thursday, March 4, 2021 / Proposed Rules 12551 

FAA’s Determination 

The FAA is issuing this NPRM after 

determining that the unsafe condition 

described previously is likely to exist or 

develop on other products of the same 

type design. 

Related Service Information Under 1 

CFR Part 51 

The FAA reviewed Martin-Baker 

Special Information Leaflet (SIL) No. 

831, dated July 10, 2019 (SIL 831), for 

side facing utility seat supplier part 

number (P/N) MBCS12410AA001, and 

Martin-Baker SIL No. 833, dated July 11, 

2019 (SIL 833), for observer seat 

supplier P/N MBCS12200 and 

MBCS7301–2. This service information 

specifies procedures for disassembling 

the seat, inspecting components, 

replacing the main back tube assembly 

(tube assembly, back main), and 

reassembling, testing, and marking the 

seat. SIL 831 and SIL 833 are attached 

to Sikorsky S–92A Helicopter Alert 

Service Bulletin 92–25–026, dated 

March 5, 2020 (ASB 92–25–026). 

The FAA also reviewed ASB 92–25– 

026, which specifies procedures for 

preparing the helicopter for replacing 

the main back tube assembly by 

following SIL 831 or SIL 833, as 

applicable to your seat. This service 

information specifies removing existing 

placards, complying with the applicable 

SIL, reinstalling the removed placards, 

inspecting for foreign object debris 

(FOD), and cleaning. 

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 ADDRESSES. 

Proposed AD Requirements in This 

NPRM 

This proposed AD would require, 

within 125 hours time-in-service (TIS) 

or six months after the effective date of 

this AD, whichever occurs first, 

removing certain placards, 

accomplishing the actions specified in 

SIL 831 or SIL 833 already described, 

and reinstalling the previously removed 

placards. 

Differences Between This Proposed AD 

and the Service Information 

ASB 92–25–026 specifies a 

compliance time of no later than March 

5, 2021; where this proposed AD 

specifies a compliance time of within 

125 hours TIS or six months after the 

effective date of this AD, whichever 

occurs first. ASB 92–25–026 specifies 

inspecting for FOD and cleaning; 

whereas this proposed AD does not. SIL 

831 and SIL 833 specify destroying and 

disposing removed main back tube 

assemblies and discarding removed split 

pins and tie down straps; whereas this 

proposed AD would require removing 

those parts from service instead. The 

service information specifies recording 

compliance; whereas this proposed AD 

does not. 

Costs of Compliance 

The FAA estimates that this AD, if 

adopted as proposed, would affect 9 

helicopters of U.S. Registry. Labor rates 

are estimated at $85 per work-hour. 

Based on these numbers, the FAA 

estimates the following costs to comply 

with this proposed AD. 

Replacing a main back tube assembly 

would take about 2 work-hours and 

parts would cost about $11,217, for an 

estimated cost of about $11,387 per seat. 

Each helicopter could have up to 19 

affected seats, which would take up to 

38 work-hours and parts would cost up 

to about $213,123, for an estimated cost 

of up to about $216,353 per helicopter 

and $1,947,177 for the U.S. fleet. 

The FAA has included all known 

costs in its cost estimate. According to 

the manufacturer, however, some of the 

costs of this proposed AD may be 

covered under warranty, thereby 

reducing the cost impact on affected 

operators. 

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. 

The FAA is 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 

The FAA 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 above, I 

certify this proposed regulation: 

(1) Is not a ‘‘significant regulatory 

action’’ under Executive Order 12866, 

(2) Would not affect intrastate 

aviation in Alaska, and 

(3) Would not have a significant 

economic impact, positive or negative, 

on a substantial number of small entities 

under the criteria of the Regulatory 

Flexibility Act. 

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: 

Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation: Docket No. 

FAA–2021–0106; Project Identifier AD– 

2020–00708–R. 

(a) Comments Due Date 

The FAA must receive comments on this 

airworthiness directive (AD) by April 19, 

2021. 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to Sikorsky Aircraft 

Corporation Model S–92A helicopters, 

certificated in any category, with the 

following installed: 

(1) A Martin-Baker side facing utility seat 

supplier part number (P/N) 

MBCS12410AA001 with a serial number 

(S/N) identified in Table 2 of Martin-Baker 

Special Information Leaflet (SIL) No. 831, 

dated July 10, 2019 (SIL 831), that is not 

marked with ‘‘SIL831 incorporated;’’ or 

(2) A Martin-Baker observer seat supplier 

P/N MBCS12200 or MBCS7301–2 with an 

S/N identified in Table 2 of Martin-Baker SIL 

No. 833, dated July 11, 2019 (SIL 833), that 

is not marked with ‘‘SIL833 incorporated.’’ 

Note 1 to paragraph (c): SIL 831 and SIL 

833 are attached to Sikorsky S–92A 

Helicopter Alert Service Bulletin 92–25–026, 

dated March 5, 2020 (ASB 92–25–026). 

Note 2 to paragraph (c): Section 3., the 

Accomplishment Instructions, Tables 1 and 2 

of ASB 92–25–026, specify cross references 


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12552 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 41 / Thursday, March 4, 2021 / Proposed Rules 

of Martin-Baker supplier P/Ns with Sikorsky 

P/Ns and kit P/Ns. 

Note 3 to paragraph (c): The marking 

‘‘SIL831 incorporated’’ or ‘‘SIL833 

incorporated,’’ as applicable, could be 

located adjacent to identification labels on 

the underside of the sitting platform 

assembly P/N MBCS4111. 

(d) Subject 

Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) 

Code: 2500, Cabin Equipment/Furnishings; 

and 2520, Passenger Compartment 

Equipment. 

(e) Unsafe Condition 

This AD was prompted by an incident of 

a side facing utility seat detaching from wall 

attachment points during dynamic testing. 

The FAA is issuing this AD to detect and 

address a main back tube, a component of the 

main back tube assembly, which does not 

meet design requirements. The unsafe 

condition, if not addressed, could result in 

increased surface friction in the direction of 

the seat attenuation, failure of proper utility 

seat attenuation during a crash event, 

excessive lumbar loads in an observer seat 

during a crash event, and subsequent 

excessive or fatal occupant injury. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(g) Required Actions 

(1) Within 125 hours time-in-service or six 

months after the effective date of this AD, 

whichever occurs first, replace each main 

back tube assembly by following Section 3., 

Accomplishment Instructions, paragraphs C. 

through E., of ASB 92–25–026; except where 

the service information referenced in ASB 

92–25–026 specifies destroying and 

disposing of parts or discarding parts, this 

AD requires removing those parts from 

service instead. 

Note 4 to paragraph (g)(1): SIL 831 and SIL 

833, referred to in ASB 92–25–026, refer to 

main back tube assembly as tube assembly, 

back main. 

(2) As of the effective date of this AD, do 

not install a Martin-Baker side facing utility 

seat identified in paragraph (c)(1) of this AD 

or a Martin-Baker observer seat identified in 

paragraph (c)(2) of this AD unless the actions 

in paragraph (g)(1) have been accomplished. 

(h) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, Boston ACO Branch, 

FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs 

for this AD, if requested using the procedures 

found in 14 CFR 39.19. 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 manager of the 

certification office, send it to the attention of 

the person identified in paragraph (i)(1) of 

this AD. 

(2) 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. 

(i) Related Information 

(1) For more information about this AD, 

contact Dorie Resnik, Aerospace Engineer, 

Aviation Safety Section, Boston ACO Branch, 

FAA, 1200 District Ave., Burlington, MA 

01803; phone: (781) 238–7693; email: 

dorie.resnik@faa.gov. 

(2) For service information identified in 

this AD, contact your local Sikorsky Field 

Representative or Sikorsky’s Service 

Engineering Group at Sikorsky Aircraft 

Corporation, Mailstop K100, 124 Quarry 

Road, Trumbull, CT 06611; telephone 1–800– 

946–4337 (1–800–Winged–S); email wcs_

cust_service_eng.gr-sik@lmco.com. Operators 

may also log on to the Sikorsky 360 website 

at https://www.sikorsky360.com. You may 

view this referenced service information at 

the FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, 

Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., 

Room 6N–321, Fort Worth, TX 76177. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call (817) 222–5110. 

Issued on February 19, 2021. 

Lance T. Gant, 

Director, Compliance & Airworthiness 

Division, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–03950 Filed 3–3–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 73 

[Docket No. FAA–2020–1053; Airspace 

Docket No. 20–ANM–32] 

RIN 2120–AA66 

Proposed Amendment of Restricted 

Area R–7001C and Establishment of 

Restricted Areas R–7001D, R–7002A, 

R–7002B, and R–7002C; Guernsey, WY 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: This action proposes to 

amend restricted area R–7001C and 

establish three restricted areas, R– 

7001D, R–7002A, R–7002B, and R– 

7002C at Guernsey, WY. The Wyoming 

Army National Guard (WYARNG) 

requested the establishment of the new 

restricted areas to support its air-toground firing from helicopters and 

longer range artillery training. This 

additional airspace allows for the 

segregation of hazardous activities from 

non-participating air traffic. The FAA is 

also proposing to amend R–7001C to 

correct an inadvertent error to ensure 

proper vertical separation. 

DATES: Comments must be received on 

or before April 19, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: Send comments on this 

proposal to the U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building 

Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 

Washington, DC 20590–0001; telephone: 

1 (800) 647–5527, or (202) 366–9826. 

You must identify FAA Docket Number 

FAA–2020–0153; Airspace Docket No. 

20–ANM–32 at the beginning of your 

comments. You may also submit 

comments through the internet at 

https://www.regulations.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Christopher McMullin, Rules and 

Regulations Group, Office of Policy, 

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 

(U.S.C.). 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 

amend and establish restricted area 

airspace at Guernsey, WY, to contain 

activities deemed hazardous to 

nonparticipating aircraft. 

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 Number 

FAA–2020–0153; Airspace Docket No. 

20–ANM–32) 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 https://www.regulations.gov. 

Commenters wishing the FAA to 

acknowledge receipt of their comments 


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