Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 21 / Friday, January 31, 2014 / Proposed Rules 5319 

Pub. L. 103–305, 49 U.S.C. § 47107(l)(1) 

(Aug. 23, 1994). 

Issued in Washington, DC, on January 17, 

2014. 

Randall S. Fiertz, 

Director, Office of Airport Compliance and 

Management Analysis. 

[FR Doc. 2014–02033 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–2014–0041; Directorate 

Identifier 2013–CE–053–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Ballonbau 

Wo ̈rner GmbH Balloons 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for 

Ballonbau Wo ̈rner GmbH Models NL– 

280/STU, NL–380/STU, NL–510/STU, 

NL–640/STU, NL–840/STU, and NL– 

1000/STU balloons. This proposed AD 

results from mandatory continuing 

airworthiness information (MCAI) 

originated by an aviation authority of 

another country to identify and correct 

an unsafe condition on an aviation 

product. The MCAI describes the unsafe 

condition as current inspection intervals 

are no longer adequate to ensure timely 

detection of deterioration or damage. 

We are issuing this proposed AD to 

require actions to address the unsafe 

condition on these products. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by March 17, 2014. 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by 

any of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://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: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, 

M–30, West Building Ground Floor, 

Room W12–140, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, 

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

through Friday, except Federal holidays. 

For service information identified in 

this proposed AD, contact Ballonbau 

Wo ̈rner GmbH, Zirbelstrasse 57c, 

D–86154 Augsburg, Germany; 

telephone: +49 821 4504060; fax: +49 

821 419641; Internet: 

www.ballonbau.de. You may review this 

referenced service information at the 

FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 

Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. 

For information on the availability of 

this material at the FAA, call (816) 329– 

4148. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the Internet at http://

www.regulations.gov by searching for 

and locating it in Docket No. FAA– 

2014–0041; or in person at the Docket 

Management Facility between 9 a.m. 

and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal holidays. The AD docket 

contains this proposed AD, the 

regulatory evaluation, any comments 

received, and other information. The 

street address for the Docket Office 

(telephone (800) 647–5527) is in the 

ADDRESSES section. Comments will be 

available in the AD docket shortly after 

receipt. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karl 

Schletzbaum, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, 

Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, 

Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; 

telephone: (816) 329–4123; fax: (816) 

329–4090; email: karl.schletzbaum@

faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

We invite you to send any written 

relevant data, views, or arguments about 

this proposed AD. Send your comments 

to an address listed under the 

ADDRESSES section. Include ‘‘Docket No. 

FAA–2014–0041; Directorate Identifier 

2013–CE–053–AD’’ at the beginning of 

your comments. We specifically invite 

comments on the overall regulatory, 

economic, environmental, and energy 

aspects of this proposed AD. We will 

consider all comments received by the 

closing date and may amend this 

proposed AD because of those 

comments. 

We will post all comments we 

receive, without change, to http://

regulations.gov, including any personal 

information you provide. We will also 

post a report summarizing each 

substantive verbal contact we receive 

about this proposed AD. 

Discussion 

The European Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA), which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Community, has issued AD No.: 2013– 

0293R1, dated December 17, 2013 

(referred to after this as ‘‘the MCAI’’), to 

correct an unsafe condition for 

Ballonbau Wo ̈rner GmbH Models NL– 

280/STU, NL–380/STU, NL–510/STU, 

NL–640/STU, NL–840/STU, and NL– 

1000/STU balloons. The MCAI states: 

The results of an analysis of NL–STU 

maintenance data revealed that the current 

inspection intervals are no longer adequate to 

ensure timely detection of deterioration or 

damage, which could affected the structural 

integrity of the balloon. 

This condition, if not detected and 

corrected, could lead to failure of balloon 

components or envelope, possibly resulting 

in loss of the balloon. 

To address this potential unsafe condition, 

Ballonbau Wo ̈rner developed new, more 

detailed and descriptive Instructions for 

Continued Airworthiness (at the same time 

separated from the Flight Manual) and issued 

Technische Mitteilung/Technical Note 

EASA.BA.009–6 to inform all operators. 

For the reasons described above, EASA 

issued AD 2013–0293 to require compliance 

with the updated Instructions for Continued 

Airworthiness. This AD is revised to extend 

the compliance time for the initial porosity 

test, for balloons which have already 

exceeded the relevant threshold. 

You may examine the MCAI on the 

Internet at http://www.regulations.gov 

by searching for and locating it in 

Docket No. FAA–2014–0041. 

Relevant Service Information 

Ballonbau Wo ̈rner GmbH has issued 

Technische Mitteilung (English 

translation: Technical Note) Ballonbau 

Wo ̈rner GmbH EASA.BA.009–6, dated 

November 7, 2013; and Ballonbau 

Wo ̈rner GmbH Instructions for 

Continued Airworthiness, Gas Balloon 

Model NL–STU, Issue 1, dated 

November 2013. The actions described 

in this service information are intended 

to correct the unsafe condition 

identified in the MCAI. 

FAA’s Determination and Requirements 

of the Proposed AD 

This product has been approved by 

the aviation authority of another 

country, and is approved for operation 

in the United States. Pursuant to our 

bilateral agreement with this State of 

Design Authority, they have notified us 

of the unsafe condition described in the 

MCAI and service information 

referenced above. We are proposing this 

AD because we evaluated all 

information and determined the unsafe 

condition exists and is likely to exist or 

develop on other products of the same 

type design. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this proposed AD 

will affect 6 products of U.S. registry. 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS-1
5320 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 21 / Friday, January 31, 2014 / Proposed Rules 

The scope of the proposed inspections 

may vary depending on the condition of 

the balloon. We have no way of 

knowing how extensive an inspection 

may be necessary for each balloon. The 

scope of damage found in the proposed 

inspections could vary significantly 

from balloon to balloon. We have no 

way of determining how much damage 

may be found on each balloon or the 

cost to repair damaged parts on each 

balloon or the number of balloons that 

may require repair. 

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 above, 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, 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. 

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 AD: 

Ballonbau Worner GmbH: Docket No. FAA– 

2014–0041; Directorate Identifier 2013– 

CE–053–AD. 

(a) Comments Due Date 

We must receive comments by March 17, 

2014. 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to Ballonbau Wo ̈rner 

GmbH Model NL–280/STU, NL–380/STU, 

NL–510/STU, NL–640/STU, NL–840/STU, 

and NL–1000/STU balloons, all serial 

numbers, certificated in any category. 

(d) Subject 

Air Transport Association of America 

(ATA) Code 5: Time Limits. 

(e) Reason 

This AD was prompted by mandatory 

continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) 

originated by an aviation authority of another 

country to identify and correct an unsafe 

condition on an aviation product. The MCAI 

describes the unsafe condition as current 

inspection intervals are no longer adequate to 

ensure timely detection of deterioration or 

damage. If this condition is uncorrected, it 

could result in reduced structural integrity of 

the balloon. 

(f) Actions and Compliance 

Unless already done, do the actions in 

paragraphs (f)(1) through (f)(4) of this AD: 

(1) Before further flight after the effective 

date of this AD, complete all inspections and 

maintenance tasks described in the Chapter 

5, Annual Inspection, in the Ballonbau 

Wo ̈rner GmbH Instructions for Continued 

Airworthiness, Gas Balloon Model NL–STU, 

Issue 1, dated November 2013. 

(2) If any discrepancies are found during 

the inspection required in paragraph (f)(1) of 

this AD, before further flight, repair as 

applicable following Chapter 6, Standard 

Repair Procedures, in the Ballonbau Wo ̈rner 

GmbH Instructions for Continued 

Airworthiness, Gas Balloon Model NL–STU, 

Issue 1, dated November 2013. 

(3) If on the effective date of this AD, a 

balloon has already exceeded the threshold 

compliance time for the porosity test as 

defined in Sections 5.1.1.4, 5.1.2.4 and 

5.1.3.4 of Chapter 5 in Ballonbau Wo ̈rner 

GmbH Instructions for Continued 

Airworthiness, Gas Balloon Model NL–STU, 

Issue 1, dated November 2013, within 3 

months after the effective date of this AD, 

conduct the porosity test following Sections 

5.1.1.4, 5.1.2.4 and 5.1.3.4 of Chapter 5 in 

Ballonbau Wo ̈rner GmbH Instructions for 

Continued Airworthiness, Gas Balloon Model 

NL–STU, Issue 1, dated November 2013. 

(4) After the effective date of this AD, do 

all inspections and necessary repairs 

following Technische Mitteilung (English 

translation: Technical Note) Ballonbau 

Wo ̈rner GmbH EASA.BA.009–6, dated 

November 7, 2013; and Ballonbau Wo ̈rner 

GmbH Instructions for Continued 

Airworthiness, Gas Balloon Model NL–STU, 

Issue 1, dated November 2013. 

Note 1 to paragraph (f) of this AD: Pilots 

may only accomplish preventative 

maintenance limited to those items identified 

in 14 CFR Part 43, Appendix A. 

(g) Other FAA AD Provisions 

The following provisions also apply to this 

AD: 

(1) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs): The Manager, Standards Office, 

FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs 

for this AD, if requested using the procedures 

found in 14 CFR 39.19. Send information to 

ATTN: Karl Schletzbaum, Aerospace 

Engineer, FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 

901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 

64106; telephone: (816) 329–4123; fax: (816) 

329–4090; email: karl.schletzbaum@faa.gov. 

Before using any approved AMOC on any 

airplane to which the AMOC applies, notify 

your appropriate principal inspector (PI) in 

the FAA Flight Standards District Office 

(FSDO), or lacking a PI, your local FSDO. 

(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. 

(h) Related Information 

Refer to MCAI European Aviation Safety 

Agency (EASA) AD No.: 2013–0293R1, dated 

December 17, 2013, for related information. 

You may examine the MCAI on the Internet 

at http://www.regulations.gov by searching 

for and locating it in Docket No. FAA–2014– 

0041. For service information related to this 

AD, contact Ballonbau Wo ̈rner GmbH, 

Zirbelstrasse 57c, D–86154 Augsburg, 

Germany; telephone: +49 821 4504060; fax: 

+49 821 419641; Internet: www.ballonbau.de. 

You may review this referenced service 

information at the FAA, Small Airplane 

Directorate, 901 Locust, Kansas City, 

Missouri 64106. For information on the 

availability of this material at the FAA, call 

(816) 329–4148. 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS-1
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 21 / Friday, January 31, 2014 / Proposed Rules 5321 

Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on January 

23, 2014. 

Earl Lawrence, 

Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft 

Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–01950 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–2014–0038; Directorate 

Identifier 2013–SW–023–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus 

Helicopters (Type Certificate 

Previously Held by Eurocopter France) 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for Airbus 

Model EC225LP helicopters. This 

proposed AD would require repetitive 

visual and tap test inspections of each 

main rotor blade (blade) leading edge 

stainless steel protective strip (strip) for 

a crack, cut, or blind or open debonding 

(debonding), and taking approved 

corrective measures. If there is a crack 

or if there is debonding that exceeds 

acceptable limits, this AD would 

require, before further flight, repairing 

or replacing the blade with an airworthy 

part. This proposed AD is prompted by 

suspected water seepage through a crack 

in the blade strip resulting in significant 

debonding. The proposed actions are 

intended to prevent loss of the blade 

strip, excessive vibrations induced by 

blade weight imbalance, and subsequent 

loss of control of the helicopter. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by April 1, 2014. 

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 

foreign authority’s 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 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. 

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: 

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 

The European Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA), which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Union, issued EASA AD No. 2013–0103, 

dated May 2, 2013, which supersedes 

EASA AD No. 2007–0180–E, dated June 

29, 2007, to correct an unsafe condition 

for the Eurocopter Model EC225LP 

helicopters with certain blades 

installed. EASA advises that an 

investigation of significant debonding of 

a blade strip revealed rapidly 

progressing debonding caused by water 

seepage through a crack in the blade 

strip. EASA AD No. 2007–0180–E 

required repetitive inspections of the 

blade strip and accomplishing any 

corrective actions. After issuance of 

EASA AD No. 2007–0180–E, Eurocopter 

developed a modified strip and reidentified blade part numbers with the 

modified strip. Because these other 

blades with the modified strip are still 

susceptible to debonding, EASA issued 

superseding AD 2013–0103 to extend 

the applicability to the new partnumbered blades. 

FAA’s Determination 

This helicopter has been approved by 

the aviation authority of France and is 

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 proposing this AD 

because we evaluated all known 

relevant information and determined 

that an unsafe condition is likely to 

exist or develop on other helicopters of 

the same type design. 

Related Service Information 

Eurocopter issued an Emergency Alert 

Service Bulletin (EASB) No. 05A010, 

Revision 2, dated April 22, 2013, for the 

Model EC225LP helicopter and for the 

non-FAA typed certificated Model 

EC725AP military helicopter. The EASB 

specifies a visual check and tapping test 

of the bonding of the strip on the 

leading edge of the blades for cracks, 

cuts, and debonding and taking 

corrective actions as applicable. 

Revision 1 to the EASB changed the 

visual check and the tapping test so that 

they can be performed without 

removing the blades. Revision 2 

extended the applicability to additional 

part-numbered blades with a modified 

strip installed. 

Proposed AD Requirements 

This proposed AD would require: 

• Within 15 hours time-in-service 

(TIS) and thereafter at intervals not to 

exceed 85 hours TIS, visually and tap 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS-1