13524 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 47 / Tuesday, March 11, 2014 / Rules and Regulations 

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 

European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 

No. 2009–0271R1, dated July 8, 2011. You 

may view the EASA AD on the Internet at 

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

FAA–2013–0826. 

(h) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 2500, Cabin Equipment/Furnishings. 

(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 Emergency Alert Service 

Bulletin No. 25.02.08, Revision 3, dated July 

6, 2011. 

(ii) Eurocopter Emergency Alert Service 

Bulletin No. 25.39, Revision 3, dated July 6, 

2011. 

Note 1 to paragraph (i)(2): Eurocopter 

Emergency Alert Service Bulletin (EASB) No. 

25.02.08 and Eurocopter EASB No. 25.39, 

both Revision 3, and both dated July 6, 2011, 

are co-published as one document along with 

Eurocopter EASB No. 25.01.29, Revision 3, 

dated July 6, 2011, which is not incorporated 

by reference in this AD. 

(3) For Eurocopter service information 

identified in this AD, contact Airbus 

Helicopters, Inc., 2701 N. Forum Drive, 

Grand Prairie, TX 75052; telephone (972) 

641–0000 or (800) 232–0323; fax (972) 641– 

3775; or at http://www.airbus

helicopters.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 February 

26, 2014. 

Bruce E. Cain, 

Acting Directorate Manager, Rotorcraft 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–04724 Filed 3–10–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2013–0573; Directorate 

Identifier 2012–SW–042–AD; Amendment 

39–17781; AD 2014–05–08] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus 

Helicopters (Type Certificate 

Previously Held by Eurocopter France) 

(Airbus Helicopters) 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 

Airbus Helicopters Model AS332L1 

helicopters. This AD requires replacing 

the rivets on the left-hand (LH) and 

right-hand (RH) Y350 longitudinal 

beams (longitudinal beams Y350). This 

AD was prompted by a report that nonconforming rivets had been installed on 

an AS332 helicopter during a 

production modification. The actions of 

this AD are intended to prevent failure 

of the longitudinal beams Y350 and 

subsequent loss of control of the 

helicopter. 

DATES: This AD is effective April 15, 

2014. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain document listed in this AD 

as of April 15, 2014. 

ADDRESSES: For service information 

identified in this AD, contact Airbus 

Helicopters, Inc., 2701 N. Forum Drive, 

Grand Prairie, TX 75052; telephone 

(972) 641–0000 or (800) 232–0323; fax 

(972) 641–3775; or at http://

www.airbushelicopters.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, the foreign 

authority’s AD, any incorporated-byreference 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: Gary 

Roach, Aviation Safety Engineer, 

Regulations and Policy Group, 

Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 2601 

Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 

76137; telephone (817) 222–5110; email 

gary.b.roach@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

On July 3, 2013 at 78 FR 40072, 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 

certain serial-numbered Eurocopter 

(now Airbus Helicopters) Model 

AS332C1 and AS332L1 helicopters. The 

NPRM proposed to require replacing the 

non-conforming 3.2 mm rivets, partnumber (P/N) 212 15DC 3200J, on the 

longitudinal beams Y350 with airworthy 

4.8 mm rivets, P/N 212 15DC 4800J. The 

proposed requirements were intended to 

prevent failure of the longitudinal 

beams Y350 and subsequent loss of 

control of the helicopter. 

The NPRM was prompted by AD No. 

2012–0046–E, dated March 21, 2012 

(EAD 2012–0046–E), issued by the 

European Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA), which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Union, to correct an unsafe condition 

for Model AS332C1 and AS332L1 

helicopters. EASA advises that an 

AS332 helicopter was found on the 

production line with non-conforming 

rivets installed on the RH and LH 

longitudinal beams Y350 of the bottom 

structure of the fuselage, between 

sections X4780 and X5295. According to 

EASA, the investigation revealed that a 

limited number of helicopters were 

documented as receiving a production 

modification requiring the replacement 

of certain 3.2 mm rivets with 4.8 mm 

rivets, but the actual replacement of the 

rivets had not been performed. EASA 

states that this condition leads to 

significant reduction in the safety 

margins during sling operations and 

may cause failure of the web/flange 

assembly connections of the 

longitudinal beams Y350, possibly 

resulting in loss of control of the 

helicopter. For these reasons, EASA 

issued EAD 2012–0046–E, which, 

pending inspection of the helicopter 

beams Y350 and replacement of the 

affected rivets, prohibits sling 

operations or limits the 3-ton sling to 

external loads of 2.28 tons or less. 

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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 47 / Tuesday, March 11, 2014 / Rules and Regulations 13525 

Since the NPRM was published, we 

have determined that the applicability 

requirements of the proposed AD 

should not apply to Model AS332C1 

helicopters, because that model is not 

type certificated in the United States. 

We have removed that model and its 

corresponding serial numbers from this 

AD. Also, Eurocopter France has 

changed its name to Airbus Helicopters. 

This AD reflects that change and 

updates to contact information to obtain 

service information. 

Comments 

We gave the public the opportunity to 

participate in developing this AD, but 

we did not receive any comments on the 

NPRM (78 FR 40072, July 3, 2013). 

FAA’s Determination 

These helicopters have been approved 

by the aviation authority of France and 

are approved for operation in the United 

States. Pursuant to our bilateral 

agreement with France, 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, except that we have removed 

Eurocopter Model AS332C1 helicopters 

from the Applicability paragraph and 

changed Eurocopter France to Airbus 

Helicopters. These changes are 

consistent with the intent of the 

proposals in the NPRM (78 FR 40072, 

July 3, 2013) and will not increase the 

economic burden on any operator nor 

increase the scope of the AD. 

Differences Between This AD and the 

EASA AD 

The EASA AD requires limiting the 

use of the 3-ton sling, inspecting the 

longitudinal beams Y350 for loose or 

missing rivets, black marks around the 

rivets, and cracks, and, depending on 

the accumulated sling operation cycles, 

replacing the rivets within a period of 

up to 24 months. This AD does not 

require the inspections as it would 

require replacing the rivets within 10 

hours time-in-service, regardless of 

accumulated sling operation cycles. The 

EASA AD applies to Model AS332C1 

helicopters, and this AD does not 

because that model is not type 

certificated in the United States. 

Related Service Information 

We reviewed Eurocopter Emergency 

Alert Service Bulletin No. 01.00.81 

Revision 0, dated March 19, 2012 (EASB 

01.00.81) for Model AS332 helicopters. 

The EASB describes procedures for 

temporarily prohibiting sling operations 

or limiting the use of the 3-ton sling to 

2.28 tons until the 3.2 mm diameter 

rivets are replaced with 4.8 mm 

diameter rivets. 

We have subsequently reviewed 

Eurocopter EASB 01.00.81 Revision 1, 

dated July 6, 2012 (EASB 01.00.81 

Revision 1). EASB 01.00.81 Revision 1 

deletes from the applicability of the 

EASB helicopters with Modification 

(MOD) 07 26082 installed. MOD 07 

26082 provides for installation of the 

correct 4.8 mm diameter rivets on 

Eurocopter’s production line. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this AD will affect 1 

helicopter of U.S. Registry. We estimate 

that operators will incur the following 

costs in order to comply with this AD. 

Modifying the longitudinal beams Y350 

with 4.8 mm rivets requires about 24 

work-hours at an average labor rate of 

$85 per hour and required parts cost 

about $110, for a total cost per 

helicopter of $2,150. Thus, the total cost 

to U.S. operators to comply with this 

AD is about $2,150. 

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): 

2014–05–08 Airbus Helicopters (Type 

Certificate Previously Held by 

Eurocopter France): Amendment 39– 

17781; Docket No. FAA–2013–0573; 

Directorate Identifier 2012–SW–042–AD. 

(a) Applicability 

This AD applies to Airbus Helicopters 

Model AS332L1 helicopters with the 

following serial numbers, certificated in any 

category: 2635, 2641, 2644, 9007, 9008, and 

9009. 

(b) Unsafe Condition 

This AD defines the unsafe condition as 

non-conforming rivets installed on the lefthand (LH) and right-hand (RH) Y350 

longitudinal beams (longitudinal beams 

Y350) of the bottom structure. This condition 

could result in failure of the web/flange 

assembly connections of the longitudinal 

beams Y350 and subsequent loss of control 

of the helicopter. 

(c) Effective Date 

This AD becomes effective April 15, 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. 

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13526 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 47 / Tuesday, March 11, 2014 / Rules and Regulations 

(e) Required Actions 

Within 10 hours time-in-service, replace 

the 3.2 mm rivets, part-number (P/N) 

21215DC3200J, of the RH and LH 

longitudinal beams Y350 of the bottom 

structure with 4.8 mm rivets, P/N 

21215DC4800J, as shown in Figures 2 and 3 

of Eurocopter Emergency Alert Service 

Bulletin No. 01.00.81, Revision 0, dated 

March 19, 2012. 

(f) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, Safety Management 

Group, FAA, may approve AMOCs for this 

AD. Send your proposal to: Gary Roach, 

Aviation Safety Engineer, Regulations and 

Policy Group, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 

2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 

76137; telephone (817) 222–5110; email 

gary.b.roach@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 

European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) 

Emergency AD No. 2012–0046–E, dated 

March 21, 2012. You may view the EASA AD 

on the Internet at www.regulations.gov in 

Docket No. FAA–2013–0573. 

(h) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 5314: Fuselage Main, Keel. 

(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 Emergency Alert Service 

Bulletin No. 01.00.81, Revision 0, dated 

March 19, 2012. 

Note 1 to paragraph (i)(2): Eurocopter 

Emergency Alert Service Bulletin No. 

01.00.81, Revision 0, dated March 19, 2012, 

is co-published as one document along with 

Eurocopter Emergency Alert Service Bulletin 

No. 01.00.46, Revision 0, dated March 19, 

2012, which is not incorporated by reference 

in this AD. 

(ii) Reserved. 

(3) For Eurocopter service information 

identified in this AD, contact Airbus 

Helicopters, Inc., 2701 N. Forum Drive, 

Grand Prairie, TX 75052; telephone (972) 

641–0000 or (800) 232–0323; fax (972) 641– 

3775; or at http://

www.airbushelicopters.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 February 

26, 2014. 

Bruce E. Cain, 

Acting Directorate Manager, Rotorcraft 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–04697 Filed 3–10–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2013–0477; Directorate 

Identifier 2011–SW–015–AD; Amendment 

39–17780; AD 2014–05–07] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus 

Helicopters (Type Certificate 

Previously Held by Eurocopter France) 

(Airbus Helicopters) 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are superseding 

airworthiness directive (AD) 2010–11– 

51 for Eurocopter France (Eurocopter) 

Model AS350B, BA, B1, B2, C, D, and 

D1 helicopters and Model AS355E, F, 

F1, F2, and N helicopters with certain 

part-numbered tail gearbox (TGB) 

control levers installed. AD 2010–11–51 

required repetitive visual inspections of 

the TGB control lever for a crack and 

replacing a cracked TGB control lever 

with an airworthy TGB control lever. 

This new AD retains the requirements of 

AD 2010–11–51 and also requires 

inspecting other areas of the TGB 

control lever not previously inspected 

and at additional inspection intervals. 

This AD was prompted by several 

reports of cracking in a TGB control 

lever. The actions of this AD are 

intended to prevent failure of the TGB 

control lever, loss of tail rotor control, 

and subsequent loss of control of the 

helicopter. 

DATES: This AD is effective April 15, 

2014. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of certain publications listed in this AD 

as of April 15, 2014. 

ADDRESSES: For service information 

identified in this AD, contact Airbus 

Helicopters, Inc., 2701 N. Forum Drive, 

Grand Prairie, TX 75052; telephone 

(972) 641–0000 or (800) 232–0323; fax 

(972) 641–3775; or at http://

www.airbushelicopters.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, the European 

Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) 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: 

Robert Grant, Aviation Safety Engineer, 

Rotorcraft Directorate, Safety 

Management Group, 2601 Meacham 

Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76137, telephone 

817–222–5110, email robert.grant@

faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

We issued a notice of proposed 

rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 

part 39 to supersede AD 2010–11–51, 

Amendment 39–16396 (75 FR 50874, 

August 18, 2010). AD 2010–11–51 

applied to Eurocopter Model AS350B, 

BA, B1, B2, C, D, and D1 helicopters 

and Model AS355E, F, F1, F2, and N 

helicopters with certain part-numbered 

tail gearbox (TGB) control levers 

installed. The NPRM published in the 

Federal Register on June 17, 2013 (78 

FR 36129). The NPRM proposed to 

retain the requirements in AD 2010–11– 

51 to perform repetitive visual 

inspections in a certain area on each 

TGB control lever not marked with an 

‘‘X’’ and to replace a cracked part. Also, 

the NPRM proposed to require 

inspecting another area of each TGB 

control lever at additional intervals. The 

NPRM also proposed replacing each 

TGB control lever with a reworked TGB 

control lever marked with an ‘‘X’’ near 

the P/N or with a TGB control lever 

with a P/N not listed in the applicability 

of the AD. The proposed requirements 

were intended to prevent failure of the 

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