Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 96 / Wednesday, May 17, 2000 / Rules and Regulations 31255

Corrective Actions

(1) For airplanes identified as Group 1 in

the alert service bulletin: Accomplish

paragraph (a)(1)(i) or (a)(1)(ii) of this AD, as

applicable.

(i) If no damaged or chafed wire is found,

no further action is required by this AD.

(ii) If any damaged or chafed wire is found,

prior to further flight, repair in accordance

with the alert service bulletin.

(2) For airplanes identified as Group 2 in

the alert service bulletin: Accomplish

paragraph (a)(2)(i) or (a)(2)(ii) of this AD, as

applicable.

(i) If no damaged or chafed wire is found,

within 1 year after the effective date of this

AD, revise the wire bundle support clamp

installation at the flight engineer’s station in

accordance with the alert service bulletin.

(ii) If any damaged or chafed wire is found,

prior to further flight, repair the wiring, and

revise the wire bundle support clamp

installation at the flight engineer’s station, in

accordance with the alert service bulletin.

Alternative Methods of Compliance

(b) An alternative method of compliance or

adjustment of the compliance time that

provides an acceptable level of safety may be

used if approved by the Manager, Los

Angeles Aircraft Certification Office (ACO),

FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate.

Operators shall submit their requests through

an appropriate FAA Principal Maintenance

Inspector, who may add comments and then

send it to the Manager, Los Angeles ACO.

Note 3: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this AD, if any, may be

obtained from the Los Angeles ACO.

Special Flight Permits

(c) Special flight permits may be issued in

accordance with sections 21.197 and 21.199

of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR

21.197 and 21.199) to operate the airplane to

a location where the requirements of this AD

can be accomplished.

Incorporation by Reference

(d) The actions shall be done in accordance

with McDonnell Douglas Alert Service

Bulletin DC10–24A149, Revision 01, dated

July 28, 1999. This incorporation by

reference was approved by the Director of the

Federal Register in accordance with 5 U.S.C.

552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. Copies may be

obtained from Boeing Commercial Aircraft

Group, Long Beach Division, 3855 Lakewood

Boulevard, Long Beach, California 90846,

Attention: Technical Publications Business

Administration, Dept. C1–L51 (2–60). Copies

may be inspected at the FAA, Transport

Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue,

SW., Renton, Washington; or at at the FAA,

Transport Airplane Directorate, Los Angeles

Aircraft Certification Office, 3960 Paramount

Boulevard, Lakewood, California; or at the

Office of the Federal Register, 800 North

Capitol Street, NW., suite 700, Washington,

DC.

(e) This amendment becomes effective on

June 21, 2000.

Issued in Renton, Washington, on May 8,

2000.

Vi L. Lipski,

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 00–11950 Filed 5–16–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 99–SW–05–AD; Amendment

39–11731; AD 2000–10–07]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter

Deutschland GmbH (Eurocopter)

Model EC 135 Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a

new airworthiness directive (AD) that

applies to Eurocopter Model EC 135

helicopters. This AD requires replacing

a certain oil cooler fan splined drive

shaft (shaft) with a different airworthy

shaft and re-identifying the part

numbers on the oil cooler fans. This

amendment is prompted by two

incidents in which the shaft broke. The

actions specified by this AD are

intended to prevent failure of the shaft,

loss of oil cooling, and a subsequent

engine shutdown during flight.

EFFECTIVE DATE: June 21, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul

Madej, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA,

Rotorcraft Directorate, Rotorcraft

Standards Staff, 2601 Meacham Blvd.,

Fort Worth, Texas 76137, telephone

(817) 222–5125, fax (817) 222–5961.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A

proposal to amend part 39 of the Federal

Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) to

include an AD that applies to

Eurocopter Model EC 135 helicopters

was published in the Federal Register

on February 11, 2000 (65 FR 6925). That

action proposed to require replacing a

certain shaft with a different airworthy

shaft and re-identifying the part

numbers on the oil cooler fans.

Interested persons have been afforded

an opportunity to participate in the

making of this amendment. No

comments were received on the

proposal or the FAA’s determination of

the cost to the public. The FAA has

determined that air safety and the

public interest require the adoption of

the rule as proposed.

The FAA estimates that 9 helicopters

of U.S. registry will be affected by this

AD, that it will take approximately 4

work hours per helicopter to replace

and re-identify the affected parts and

record these actions in the gearbox

history card or equivalent record, and

that the average labor rate is $60 per

work hour. The manufacturer has stated

in Alert Service Bulletin EC 135–79A–

001, dated January 23, 1998, that

required parts will be provided at no

cost. Based on these figures, the total

cost impact of the AD on U.S. operators

is estimated to be $2,160.

The regulations adopted herein 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. Therefore, it is

determined that this final rule does not

have federalism implications under

Executive Order 13132.

For the reasons discussed above, I

certify that this action (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. A final evaluation has

been prepared for this action and it is

contained in the Rules Docket. A copy

of it may be obtained from the Rules

Docket at the FAA, Office of the

Regional Counsel, Southwest Region,

2601 Meacham Blvd., Room 663, Fort

Worth, Texas 76137.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation

safety, Safety.

Adoption of the Amendment

Accordingly, pursuant to the

authority delegated to me by the

Administrator, the Federal Aviation

Administration amends part 39 of the

Federal Aviation Regulations (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. Section 39.13 is amended by

adding a new airworthiness directive to

read as follows:

31256 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 96 / Wednesday, May 17, 2000 / Rules and Regulations

AD 2000–10–07 Eurocopter Deutschland

GMBH: Amendment 39–11731. Docket

No. 99–SW–05–AD.

Applicability: Model EC 135 helicopters,

serial numbers 0005 through 0071,

certificated in any category.

Note 1: This AD applies to each helicopter

identified in the preceding applicability

provision, regardless of whether it has been

otherwise modified, altered, or repaired in

the area subject to the requirements of this

AD. For helicopters that have been modified,

altered, or repaired so that the performance

of the requirements of this AD is affected, the

owner/operator must request approval for an

alternative method of compliance in

accordance with paragraph (e) of this AD.

The request should include an assessment of

the effect of the modification, alteration, or

repair on the unsafe condition addressed by

this AD; and if the unsafe condition has not

been eliminated, the request should include

specific proposed actions to address it.

Compliance: Required within 50 hours

time-in-service, unless accomplished

previously.

To prevent failure of an oil cooler fan

splined drive shaft (shaft), loss of oil cooling,

and a subsequent engine shutdown during

flight, accomplish the following:

(a) Replace each shaft, part number (P/N)

L 792M3004 225, with an airworthy shaft, P/

N L 792M3004 235.

(b) Re-identify the P/N on each oil cooler

fan (fan) using a rubber stamp or smudgeproof paint or equivalent as follows:

(1) On the left fan, change the P/N from L

792M3004 102 to L 792M3004 103.

(2) On the right fan, change the P/N from

L 792M3005 102 to L 792M3005 103.

(c) Change the P/N on the gearbox

component history card or equivalent record

to reflect the revised part numbers.

Note 2: Eurocopter Alert Service Bulletin

No. EC 135–79A–001, dated January 23,

1998, pertains to the subject of this AD.

(d) Replacing the shaft, re-identifying the

fans, and recording this on the gearbox

component history card or equivalent record

constitute terminating actions for the

requirements of this AD.

(e) An alternative method of compliance or

adjustment of the compliance time that

provides an acceptable level of safety may be

used if approved by the Manager, Regulations

Group, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA.

Operators shall submit their requests through

an FAA Principal Maintenance Inspector,

who may concur or comment and then send

it to the Manager, Regulations Group.

Note 3: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this AD, if any, may be

obtained from the Regulations Group.

(f) Special flight permits may be issued in

accordance with §§ 21.197 and 21.199 of the

Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 21.197

and 21.199) to operate the helicopter to a

location where the requirements of this AD

can be accomplished.

(g) This amendment becomes effective on

June 21, 2000.

Note 4: The subject of this AD is addressed

in Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (Federal Republic of

Germany) AD No. 1998–109, dated February

26, 1998.

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on May 9,

2000.

Henry A. Armstrong,

Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft

Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 00–12356 Filed 5–16–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 99–SW–34–AD; Amendment

39–11732; AD 2000–10–08]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter

France Model SA–365N1, AS–365N2,

and SA–366G1 Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a

new airworthiness directive (AD) that

applies to Eurocopter France Model SA–

365N1, AS–365N2, and SA–366G1

helicopters and requires conducting

inspections of each tail rotor blade for

bonding separation, measuring the

clearance between the tip of each tail

rotor blade and the circumference of the

air duct, and replacing the blade if

necessary. This amendment is prompted

by an inflight incident in which the tail

rotor blades were significantly damaged

due to bonding separation. The actions

specified by this AD are intended to

prevent damage to a tail rotor blade, loss

of tail rotor control, and subsequent loss

of control of the helicopter.

EFFECTIVE DATE: June 21, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Sharon Miles, Aviation Safety Engineer,

FAA, Rotorcraft Directorate, Regulations

Group, Fort Worth, Texas 76193–0111,

telephone (817) 222–5122, fax (817)

222–5961.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A

proposal to amend part 39 of the Federal

Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) to

include an AD for Eurocopter France

Model SA–365N1, AS–365N2, and SA–

366G1 helicopters was published in the

Federal Register on February 29, 2000

(65 FR 10724). That action proposed to

require conducting inspections of each

tail rotor blade for bonding separation,

measuring the clearance between the tip

of each tail rotor blade and the

circumference of the air duct, and

replacing the blade if necessary.

Interested persons have been afforded

an opportunity to participate in the

making of this amendment. No

comments were received on the

proposal or the FAA’s determination of

the cost to the public. The FAA has

determined that air safety and the

public interest require the adoption of

the rule as proposed.

The FAA estimates that 136

helicopters of U.S. registry will be

affected by this AD, that it will take

approximately 1 work hour per

helicopter to accomplish the required

actions, and that the average labor rate

is $60 per work hour. Required parts

will cost approximately $1,000 per

helicopter. Based on these figures, the

total cost impact of the AD on U.S.

operators is estimated to be $144,160.

The regulations adopted herein 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. Therefore, it is

determined that this final rule does not

have federalism implications under

Executive Order 13132.

For the reasons discussed above, I

certify that this action: (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. A final evaluation has

been prepared for this action and it is

contained in the Rules Docket. A copy

of it may be obtained from the Rules

Docket at the FAA, Office of the

Regional Counsel, Southwest Region,

2601 Meacham Blvd., Room 663, Fort

Worth, Texas.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation

safety, Safety.

Adoption of the Amendment

Accordingly, pursuant to the

authority delegated to me by the

Administrator, the Federal Aviation

Administration amends part 39 of the

Federal Aviation Regulations (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.