Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 190 / Tuesday, October 1, 2013 / Rules and Regulations 60185 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on September 

13, 2013. 

Lance T. Gant, 

Acting Directorate Manager, Rotorcraft 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2013–23099 Filed 9–30–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2013–0380; Directorate 

Identifier 2012–SW–067–AD; Amendment 

39–17588; AD 2013–19–06] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Robinson 

Helicopter Company (Robinson) 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for 

Robinson Model R22, R22 Alpha, R22 

Beta, and R22 Mariner helicopters with 

certain fuel shut-off valves installed. 

This AD requires replacing the fuel 

shut-off valve with a newer design fuel 

shut-off valve. This AD is prompted by 

three accidents that occurred because 

the fuel shut-off valve was inadvertently 

moved to the ‘‘off’’ position. These 

actions are intended to prevent 

inadvertent closing of the fuel valve, 

which could result in engine power loss 

from which a safe landing may not be 

possible. 

DATES: This AD is effective November 5, 

2013. 

ADDRESSES: For service information 

identified in this AD, contact Robinson 

Helicopter Company, 2901 Airport 

Drive, Torrance, CA 90505; telephone 

(310) 539–0508; fax (310) 539–5198; or 

at http://www.robinsonheli.com/

servelib.htm. You may review a copy of 

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 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: 

Danny Nguyen, Aerospace Engineer, Los 

Angeles Aircraft Certification Office, 

Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, 

3960 Paramount Blvd., Lakewood, 

California 90712; telephone (562) 627– 

5247; email danny.nguyen@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

On April 25, 2013, at 78 FR 24371, 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 

Robinson Model R22, R22 Alpha, R22 

Beta, and R22 Mariner helicopters, 

serial number 0002 through 4271, with 

a fuel shut-off valve part-number (P/N) 

A670–1 revision A through H installed. 

The NPRM proposed to require, within 

3 years, removing the fuel shut-off 

valve, P/N A670–1 revision A through 

H, and replacing the valve with a newly 

designed fuel shut-off valve. Three 

accidents have occurred with R22 

helicopters because the lever-handle 

fuel valve was inadvertently moved to 

the ‘‘off’’ position before takeoff. Closing 

this valve will result in loss of power 

from the engine and subsequent loss of 

control of the helicopter. Robinson 

subsequently redesigned the fuel valve 

with a smaller actuating handle and 

with the valve spring loaded to the ‘‘on’’ 

position, to prevent inadvertent fuel 

shut-off. The proposed requirements 

were intended to prevent inadvertent 

closing of the fuel valve, which could 

result in engine power loss. 

Comments 

After our NPRM (78 FR 24371, April 

25, 2013) was published, we received 

comments from one commenter. 

Request 

Robinson noted that the Summary 

and Discussion sections of the NPRM 

contained language stating that closing 

of the fuel valve could result in engine 

power loss and subsequent loss of 

control of the helicopter. Robinson 

commented that loss of engine power 

does not result in loss of control of the 

helicopter. 

We agree, and have redefined the 

unsafe condition in the SUMMARY and 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Discussion 

sections of the preamble of this final 

rule to state that inadvertent closing of 

the fuel valve could result in engine 

power loss from which a safe landing 

may not be possible. 

FAA’s Determination 

We have reviewed the relevant 

information, considered the comment 

received, and determined that an unsafe 

condition exists and is likely to exist or 

develop on other products of these same 

type designs and that air safety and the 

public interest require adopting the AD 

requirements as proposed with the 

change described previously. This 

change is 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. 

Related Service Information 

Robinson has issued R22 Service 

Bulletin SB–105, dated September 7, 

2011 (SB–105), which specifies 

procedures to replace the lever handle 

fuel shut-off valve part number (P/N) 

A670–1 revision A through H with a 

fuel shut-off valve P/N A670–1 revision 

I or later. 

Differences Between This AD and the 

Service Information 

SB–105 specifies compliance within 

500 flight-hours or by August 31, 2012. 

This AD requires compliance within 3 

years. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this AD will affect 

1,282 helicopters of U.S. Registry. We 

estimate that operators may incur the 

following costs in order to comply with 

this AD. Replacing the fuel shut-off 

valve requires about 2 work-hours at an 

average labor rate of $85 per hour, and 

required parts will cost about $260, for 

a cost per helicopter of $430, and a total 

cost to U.S. operators of $551,260. 

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. 


wreier-aviles on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with RULES
60186 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 190 / Tuesday, October 1, 2013 / Rules and Regulations 

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): 

2013–19–06 Robinson Helicopter Company 

(Robinson): Amendment 39–17588; 

Docket No. FAA–2013–0380; Directorate 

Identifier 2012–SW–067–AD. 

(a) Applicability 

This AD applies to Model R22, R22 Alpha, 

R22 Beta, and R22 Mariner helicopters, serial 

number 0002 through 4271, with a fuel shutoff valve part-number (P/N) A670–1 revision 

A through H installed, certificated in any 

category. 

(b) Unsafe Condition 

This AD defines the unsafe condition as 

inadvertent closing of the fuel shut-off valve, 

which could result in loss of fuel to the 

engine and loss of engine power from which 

a safe landing may not be possible. 

(c) Effective Date 

This AD becomes effective November 5, 

2013. 

(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 3 years, remove the fuel shutoff valve and replace with an airworthy fuel 

shut-off valve that has a P/N other than a 

P/N listed in paragraph (a) this AD. 

(2) Do not install a fuel shut-off valve, 

P/N A670–1 revision A through H, on any 

helicopter. 

(f) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, Los Angeles Aircraft 

Certification Office, FAA, may approve 

AMOCs for this AD. Send your proposal to: 

Danny Nguyen, Aerospace Engineer, Los 

Angeles Aircraft Certification Office, 

Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, 3960 

Paramount Blvd., Lakewood, California 

90712; telephone (562) 627–5247; email 

danny.nguyen@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 

Robinson R22 Service Bulletin SB–105, 

dated September 7, 2011, which is not 

incorporated by reference, contains 

additional information about the subject of 

this AD. For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Robinson Helicopter 

Company, 2901 Airport Drive, Torrance, CA 

90505; telephone (310) 539–0508; fax (310) 

539–5198; or at http://

www.robinsonheli.com/servelib.htm. You 

may review a copy of information at the 

FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, 

Southwest Region, 2601 Meacham Blvd., 

Room 663, Fort Worth, Texas 76137. 

(h) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 2823: Fuel Selector/Shut-Off Valve. 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on September 

13, 2013. 

Lance T. Gant, 

Acting Directorate Manager, Rotorcraft 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2013–23094 Filed 9–30–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2013–0640; Directorate 

Identifier 2013–SW–016–AD; Amendment 

39–17517; AD 2013–15–01] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; 

AgustaWestland S.p.A. (Agusta) 

Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Final rule; request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for Agusta 

Model AB139 and AW139 helicopters. 

This AD requires deactivating the Full 

Icing Protection System (FIPS) and 

installing a placard next to the FIPS 

controller stating that flight into known 

icing is prohibited. This AD is prompted 

by a report of a fire in the aft avionics 

bay and the baggage compartment 

resulting from an Auto Transformer 

Rectifier Unit internal circuit overload. 

These actions are intended to prevent a 

fire, structural damage, and subsequent 

loss of control of the helicopter. 

DATES: This AD becomes effective 

October 16, 2013. 

We must receive comments on this 

AD by December 2, 2013. 

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 AD, the European 

Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, the 

economic evaluation, any comments 

received, and other information. The 


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