69612 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 236 / Monday, December 10, 2007 / Rules and Regulations 

with the instructions of Airbus Service 

Bulletin A300–21–0132, dated July 28, 2006; 

A310–21–2062, dated July 20, 2006; or 

A300–21–6049, Revision 02, dated April 16, 

2007; as applicable. 

(2) Actions done before the effective date 

of this AD in accordance with Airbus Service 

Bulletin A300–21–6049, dated August 31, 

2005; or Revision 01, dated September 15, 

2006, are acceptable for compliance with the 

corresponding requirements of this AD. 

FAA AD Differences 

Note: This AD differs from the MCAI and/ 

or service information as follows: No 

differences. 

Other FAA AD Provisions 

(g) The following provisions also apply to 

this AD: 

(1) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs): The Manager, International 

Branch, ANM–116, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, 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: Tom Stafford, 

Aerospace Engineer, International Branch, 

ANM–116, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

FAA, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, 

Washington, 98057–3356; telephone (425) 

227–1622; fax (425) 227–1149. 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 FAAapproved 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. 

(3) Reporting Requirements: For any 

reporting requirement in this AD, under the 

provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, 

the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 

has approved the information collection 

requirements and has assigned OMB Control 

Number 2120–0056. 

Related Information 

(h) Refer to MCAI European Aviation 

Safety Agency Airworthiness Directive 2007–

0005, dated January 8, 2007; and Airbus 

Service Bulletins A300–21–0132, dated July 

28, 2006; A300–21–6049, Revision 02, dated 

April 16, 2007; and A310–21–2062, dated 

July 20, 2006; for related information. 

Material Incorporated by Reference 

(i) You must use the applicable Airbus 

service information specified in Table 1 of 

this AD to do the actions required by this AD, 

unless the AD specifies otherwise. 

(1) The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference of 

this service information under 5 U.S.C. 

552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. 

(2) For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Airbus, 1 Rond Point 

Maurice Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac Cedex, 

France. 

(3) You may review copies at the FAA, 

Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind 

Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington; or 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. 

TABLE 1.—MATERIAL INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Airbus Service Bulletin Revision Date 

A300–21–0132 .................................................................................................................................... Original .................... July 28, 2006. 

A300–21–6049 .................................................................................................................................... 02 ............................. April 16, 2007. 

A310–21–2062 .................................................................................................................................... Original .................... July 20, 2006. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on 

November 23, 2007. 

Ali Bahrami, 

Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. E7–23462 Filed 12–7–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2007–28996; Directorate 

Identifier 2006–NM–217–AD; Amendment 

39–15283; AD 2007–25–02] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Model 

A310 Series Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for all 

Airbus Model A310 series airplanes. 

This AD requires revising the 

Airworthiness Limitations section of the 

Instructions for Continued 

Airworthiness to incorporate new and 

revised structural inspections and 

inspection intervals. This AD results 

from issuance of new and revised 

structural inspections and inspection 

intervals. We are issuing this AD to 

detect and correct fatigue cracking, 

which could result in reduced structural 

integrity of the airplane. 

DATES: This AD becomes effective 

January 14, 2008. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of certain publications listed in the AD 

as of January 14, 2008. 

ADDRESSES: For service information 

identified in this AD, contact Airbus, 1 

Rond Point Maurice Bellonte, 31707 

Blagnac Cedex, France. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the Internet at http:// 

www.regulations.gov; 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 AD, the regulatory 

evaluation, any comments received, and 

other information. The address for the 

Docket Office (telephone 800–647–5527) 

is the Document Management Facility, 

U.S. Department of Transportation, 

Docket Operations, M–30, West 

Building Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 

Washington, DC 20590. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom 

Stafford, Aerospace Engineer, 

International Branch, ANM–116, FAA, 

Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 

Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 

98057–3356; telephone (425) 227–1622; 

fax (425) 227–1149. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

The FAA issued a notice of proposed 

rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 

part 39 to include an AD that would 

apply to all Airbus Model A310 series 

airplanes. That NPRM was published in 

the Federal Register on August 16, 2007 

(72 FR 45952). That NPRM proposed to 

require revising the Airworthiness 

Limitations section of the Instructions 

for Continued Airworthiness to 

incorporate new and revised structural 

inspections and inspection intervals. 

Comments 

We provided the public the 

opportunity to participate in the 

development of this AD. We have 

considered the comments received. 

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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 236 / Monday, December 10, 2007 / Rules and Regulations 69613 

Support for the NPRM 

Airbus supports issuance of this AD 

without further delay. 

Request To Revise Address for 

Reporting Requirement 

Airbus requests that we revise the 

address for the reporting requirement 

specified in the NPRM. We agree and 

have revised paragraph (i) of this AD to 

refer to the address provided in Airbus’s 

comment. 

Conclusion 

We have carefully reviewed the 

available data, including the comments 

received, and determined that air safety 

and the public interest require adopting 

the AD with the change described 

previously. We have determined that 

this change will neither increase the 

economic burden on any operator nor 

increase the scope of the AD. 

Costs of Compliance 

This AD affects about 69 airplanes of 

U.S. registry. The required actions take 

about 2 work hours per airplane, at an 

average labor rate of $80 per work hour. 

Based on these figures, the estimated 

cost of the AD for U.S. operators is 

$11,040, or $160 per airplane. 

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 have determined that 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); and 

(3) 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 a regulatory evaluation 

of the estimated costs to comply with 

this AD and placed it in the AD docket. 

See the ADDRESSES section for a location 

to examine the regulatory evaluation. 

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 Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA) amends § 39.13 

by adding the following new 

airworthiness directive (AD): 

2007–25–02 Airbus: Amendment 39–15283. 

Docket No. FAA–2007–28996; 

Directorate Identifier 2006–NM–217–AD. 

Effective Date 

(a) This AD becomes effective January 14, 

2008. 

Affected ADs 

(b) None. 

Applicability 

(c) This AD applies to all Airbus Model 

A310 series airplanes, certificated in any 

category. 

Note 1: This AD requires revisions to 

certain operator maintenance documents to 

include new inspections. Compliance with 

these inspections is required by 14 CFR 

91.403(c). For airplanes that have been 

previously modified, altered, or repaired in 

the areas addressed by these inspections, the 

operator may not be able to accomplish the 

inspections described in the revisions. In this 

situation, to comply with 14 CFR 91.403(c), 

the operator must request approval for an 

alternative method of compliance according 

to paragraph (j) of this AD. The request 

should include a description of changes to 

the required inspections that will ensure the 

continued damage tolerance of the affected 

structure. The FAA has provided guidance 

for this determination in Advisory Circular 

(AC) 25.1529–1. 

Unsafe Condition 

(d) This AD results from issuance of new 

and revised structural inspections and 

inspection intervals. We are issuing this AD 

to detect and correct fatigue cracking, which 

could result in reduced structural integrity of 

the airplane. 

Compliance 

(e) You are responsible for having the 

actions required by this AD performed within 

the compliance times specified, unless the 

actions have already been done. 

Revision of Airworthiness Limitations 

Section (ALS) of the Instructions for 

Continued Airworthiness (ICA) 

(f) Within 3 months after the effective date 

of this AD, do the actions specified in 

paragraphs (f)(1) and (f)(2) of this AD. 

(1) Revise the ALS of the ICA to 

incorporate the structural inspections and 

inspection intervals defined in Airbus A310 

Airworthiness Limitations Items (ALI) 

Document, AI/SE–M2/95A.0263/06, Issue 6, 

dated April 2006 (approved by the European 

Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on May 31, 

2006) (hereafter referred to as ‘‘Issue 6 of the 

ALI’’). Accomplish the actions specified in 

Issue 6 of the ALI at the times specified in 

that ALI, except as provided by paragraph (g) 

of this AD. Thereafter, except as provided by 

paragraphs (f)(2) and (j) of this AD, no 

alternative structural inspection intervals 

may be approved. The actions specified in 

Issue 6 of the ALI must be accomplished in 

accordance with Issue 6 of the ALI. 

(2) Revise the ALS of the ICA to 

incorporate the new and revised structural 

inspections and inspection intervals defined 

in Airbus Temporary Revision (TR) 6.1, dated 

November 2006 (approved by the EASA on 

December 12, 2006), to Issue 6 of the ALI. 

Thereafter, except as provided by paragraph 

(j) of this AD, no alternative structural 

inspection intervals may be approved. 

Exception to Issue 6 of the ALI 

(g) The tolerance (grace period) for 

compliance with Issue 6 of the ALI is within 

1,500 flight cycles after the effective date of 

this AD provided that none of the following 

is exceeded: 

(1) Thresholds or intervals in the operator’s 

current approved maintenance schedule that 

are taken from a previous ALI issue, if 

existing, and are higher than or equal to those 

given in Issue 6 of the ALI. 

(2) 18 months after the effective date of this 

AD. 

(3) 50 percent of the intervals given in 

Issue 6 of the ALI. 

(4) Any application tolerance specified in 

Section D of Issue 6 of the ALI. 

Corrective Actions 

(h) Damaged, cracked, or corroded 

structure detected during any inspection 

done in accordance with Issue 6 of the ALI 

must be repaired, before further flight, in 

accordance with Issue 6 of the ALI; or in 

accordance with other data meeting the 

certification basis of the airplane that has 

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69614 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 236 / Monday, December 10, 2007 / Rules and Regulations 

been approved by either the Manager, 

International Branch, ANM–116, Transport 

Airplane Directorate, FAA, or the EASA (or 

its delegated agent). Where Issue 6 of the ALI 

specifies to contact Airbus for appropriate 

action: 

Before further flight, repair the damaged, 

cracked, or corroded structure using a 

method approved by either the Manager, 

International Branch, ANM–116, or the 

EASA (or its delegated agent). 

Reporting Requirement 

(i) If any damage that exceeds the 

allowable limits specified in Issue 6 of the 

ALI is detected during any inspection 

required by this AD: At the applicable time 

specified in paragraph (i)(1) or (i)(2) of this 

AD, submit a report of the finding to Airbus, 

Customer Service Directorate, Attn: 

Department Manager Maintenance 

Engineering, 1 Rond Point Maurice Bellonte, 

31707 Blagnac Cedex, France; e-mail: 

sched.maint@airbus.com. The report must 

include the ALI task reference, airplane serial 

number, the number of flight cycles and 

flight hours on the airplane, identification of 

the affected structure, location and 

description of the finding including its size 

and orientation, and the circumstance of 

detection and inspection method used. 

Under the provisions of the Paperwork 

Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.), the 

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has 

approved the information collection 

requirements contained in this AD and has 

assigned OMB Control Number 2120–0056. 

(1) If the inspection was done after the 

effective date of this AD: Submit the report 

within 30 days after the inspection. 

(2) If the inspection was accomplished 

prior to the effective date of this AD: Submit 

the report within 30 days after the effective 

date of this AD. 

Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(j)(1) The Manager, International Branch, 

ANM–116, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs 

for this AD, if requested in accordance with 

the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. 

(2) To request a different method of 

compliance or a different compliance time 

for this AD, follow the procedures in 14 CFR 

39.19. 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. 

Related Information 

(k) EASA airworthiness directive 2006–

0260, dated August 25, 2006, also addresses 

the subject of this AD. 

Material Incorporated by Reference 

(l) You must use Airbus A310 

Airworthiness Limitations Items Document, 

AI/SE–M2/95A.0263/06, Issue 6, dated April 

2006; and Airbus Temporary Revision 6.1, 

including pages 1 and 2 of Section D and 

page 1 of Section E, dated November 2006, 

to Airbus A310 Airworthiness Limitations 

Items Document, AI/SE–M2/95A.0263/06, 

Issue 6, dated April 2006; to perform the 

actions that are required by this AD, unless 

the AD specifies otherwise. The Director of 

the Federal Register approved the 

incorporation by reference of these 

documents in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 

552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. Contact Airbus, 1 

Rond Point Maurice Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac 

Cedex, France, for a copy of this service 

information. You may review copies at the 

FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 

Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington; or 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 Renton, Washington, on 

November 23, 2007. 

Ali Bahrami, 

Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. E7–23544 Filed 12–7–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2007–28690; Directorate 

Identifier 2006–SW–21–AD; Amendment 39–

15289; AD 2007–25–07] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Bell 

Helicopter Textron Canada Limited 

Model 206A and 206B Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration, DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a 

new airworthiness directive (AD) for 

Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited 

(BHTC) Model 206A and 206B 

helicopters, serial numbers (S/N) 0004 

through 3906, with two-piece vertical 

stabilizer (fin) supports (fin supports) 

installed, that requires inserting a 

revision into the applicable 

maintenance manual, verifying the 

torque on the fin support attachment 

hardware, inspecting the fin support 

bracket and fins for paint or gaps, and 

inspecting the fin support bracket for 

cracking, and if a crack is found, 

replacing the two-piece vertical fin 

support with a one-piece casting 

support. This amendment is prompted 

by an accident in which the fin supports 

failed. The actions specified by this AD 

are intended to detect improper torque 

of the fin supports’ attachment 

hardware, gaps between the fin support 

bracket and the doubler, painted mating 

surfaces of the fin supports, vertical fin, 

and vertical fin inserts (fin inserts), and 

cracking in the fin supports, to prevent 

the vertical fin from rotating into the tail 

rotor, separation of the tail rotor, and 

subsequent loss of control of the 

helicopter. 

DATES: Effective January 14, 2008. 

The incorporation by reference of 

certain publications listed in the 

regulations is approved by the Director 

of the Federal Register as of January 14, 

2008. 

ADDRESSES: You may get the service 

information identified in this AD from 

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. 

Examining the Docket: You may 

examine the docket that contains this 

AD, any comments, and other 

information on the Internet at http:// 

www.regulations.gov or at the Docket 

Operations office, West Building 

Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, 

DC. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Sharon Miles, Aviation Safety Engineer, 

FAA, Rotorcraft Directorate, Regulations 

and Policy Group, Fort Worth, Texas 

76193–0111, telephone (817) 222–5122, 

fax (817) 222–5961. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A 

proposal to amend 14 CFR part 39 to 

include an AD for the specified model 

helicopters was published in the 

Federal Register on July 13, 2007 (72 FR 

38527). That action proposed to require 

inserting a revision into the Inspection 

and Component Overhaul Schedule of 

the applicable maintenance manual, 

implementing a recurring inspection at 

intervals not to exceed 100 hour timein-service (TIS) or at each annual 

inspection, whichever occurs first, of 

the torque on the fin support attachment 

hardware, and inspecting the fin 

support for damage. Inspecting for paint 

on the mating surfaces of the fin support 

bracket and vertical fin, and inspecting 

the fin attaching hardware for proper 

torque and the amount of gap between 

the fin support bracket and the fin 

doubler, and inspecting the support 

bracket for cracking using a 10x or 

higher power magnifying glass was also 

proposed. Finally, if a crack is found, 

replacing the two-piece vertical fin 

support with a one-piece casting 

support, P/N 206–033–426–003, was 

proposed. 

Transport Canada, the airworthiness 

authority for Canada, notified the FAA 

that an unsafe condition may exist on 

BHTC Model 206A and 206B 

helicopters, S/N 004 through 3906, with 

fin supports, P/N 206–031–417–003 or 

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