Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 50 / Tuesday, March 16, 2010 / Rules and Regulations 12439 

Differences Between This AD and the 

MCAI AD 

This AD differs from the MCAI AD as 

follows: 

• We refer to the compliance time as 

‘‘hours time-in-service’’ rather than 

‘‘flying hours’’ and 

• We do not require returning spares 

to the manufacturer. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this AD will affect 

about 96 helicopters of U.S. registry. We 

also estimate that it will take about 2 

work-hours per helicopter to complete 

the compliance actions. The average 

labor rate is $85 per work-hour. 

Required parts will cost about $8,335 

per helicopter. Based on these figures, 

we estimate that the cost of this AD on 

U.S. operators is $816,480, or $8,505 per 

helicopter assuming that the drive shaft 

is replaced on each helicopter. 

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 

product(s) identified in this rulemaking 

action. 

Regulatory Findings 

We 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. 

Therefore, I certify this AD: 

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); 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 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, 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 AD: 

2010–06–03 EUROCOPTER FRANCE: 

Amendment 39–16227; Docket No. 

FAA–2009–1090; Directorate Identifier 

2009–SW–31–AD. 

Effective Date 

(a) This airworthiness directive (AD) 

becomes effective on April 20, 2010. 

Other Affected ADs 

(b) None. 

Applicability 

(c) This AD applies to Model AS355E, 

AS355F, AS355F1, AS355F2, and AS355N 

helicopters with tail rotor drive shaft forward 

shaft section, part number 355A 34–1090–00, 

serial number 858 through 873 (inclusive) 

with a prefix ‘‘M,’’ certificated in any 

category. This AD does not apply to 

helicopters manufactured after January 1, 

2005. 

Reason 

(d) The mandatory continuing 

airworthiness information (MCAI) AD states 

that a metallurgical non-conformity was 

discovered on a flange of the forward shaft 

section of the tail rotor drive shaft (drive 

shaft). The MCAI AD also states that stress 

analysis has shown that this non-conformity 

can significantly reduce the strength of the 

drive shaft and thereby its service life. This 

AD is intended to remove non-conforming 

drive shafts from service and prevent failure 

of the drive shaft and subsequent loss of 

control of the helicopter. 

Actions and Compliance 

(e) Unless already accomplished, do the 

following: 

(1) For any drive shaft that has less than 

2,400 hours time-in-service (TIS), on or 

before reaching 2,500 hours TIS, remove the 

drive shaft and replace it with an airworthy 

drive shaft that is not included in the 

applicability of this AD. 

(2) For any drive shaft with 2,400 or more 

hours TIS, within the next 100 hours TIS, 

remove the drive shaft and replace it with an 

airworthy drive shaft that is not included in 

the applicability of this AD. 

Differences Between This AD and the MCAI 

AD 

(f) This AD differs from the MCAI AD as 

follows: 

(1) We refer to the compliance time as 

‘‘hours time-in-service’’ rather than ‘‘flying 

hours’’ and 

(2) We do not require returning spares to 

the manufacturer. 

Other Information 

(g) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs): The Manager, Safety Management 

Group, FAA, ATTN: Uday Garadi, Aviation 

Safety Engineer, Regulations and Policy 

Group, FAA, Rotorcraft Directorate, 2601 

Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 76137, 

telephone (817) 222–5123, fax (817) 222– 

5961, has the authority to approve AMOCs 

for this AD, if requested, using the 

procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. 

Related Information 

(h) European Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA) AD No. 2006–0100, dated April 24, 

2006, and Eurocopter Alert Service Bulletin 

No. 01.00.51, Revision 1, dated February 9, 

2006, contain related information. 

Joint Aircraft System/Component (JASC) 

Code 

(i) The JASC Code is 6510: Tail rotor drive 

shaft. 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on February 

22, 2010. 

Lance T. Gant, 

Acting Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2010–5328 Filed 3–15–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2009–0948; Directorate 

Identifier 2009–NE–30–AD; Amendment 

39–16236; AD 2010–06–12] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Thielert 

Aircraft Engines GmbH (TAE) Models 

TAE 125–02–99 and TAE 125–01 

Reciprocating Engines 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for the 

products listed above. This AD results 

from mandatory continuing 

airworthiness information (MCAI) 

issued by an aviation authority of 


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12440 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 50 / Tuesday, March 16, 2010 / Rules and Regulations 

another country to identify and correct 

an unsafe condition on an aviation 

product. The MCAI describes the unsafe 

condition as: 

As a consequence of occurrences and 

service experience, Thielert Aircraft Engines 

GmbH has introduced a new rail pressure 

control valve part number (P/N) 05–7320– 

E000702 and P/N 02–7320–04100R3 and has 

amended the Airworthiness Limitation 

Section (ALS) of the Operation & 

Maintenance Manual OM–02–02 to include a 

replacement of the rail pressure control 

valve. Failure of this part could result in inflight shutdowns of the engine(s). 

We are issuing this AD to prevent 

engine in-flight shutdown, possibly 

resulting in reduced control of the 

aircraft. 

DATES: This AD becomes effective April 

20, 2010. 

ADDRESSES: The Docket Operations 

office is located at Docket Management 

Facility, U.S. Department of 

Transportation, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue, SE., West Building Ground 

Floor, Room W12–140, Washington, DC 

20590–0001. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tara 

Chaidez, Aerospace Engineer, Engine 

Certification Office, FAA, Engine and 

Propeller Directorate, 12 New England 

Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; 

e-mail: tara.chaidez@faa.gov; telephone 

(781) 238–7773; fax (781) 238–7199. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

We issued a notice of proposed 

rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 

part 39 to include an AD that would 

apply to the specified products. That 

NPRM was published in the Federal 

Register on October 19, 2009 (74 FR 

53438). That NPRM proposed to correct 

an unsafe condition for the specified 

products. The MCAI states: 

As a consequence of occurrences and 

service experience, Thielert Aircraft Engines 

GmbH has introduced a new rail pressure 

control valve P/N 05–7320–E000702 and 02– 

7320–04100R3 and has amended the ALS of 

the Operation & Maintenance Manual OM– 

02–02 to include a replacement of the rail 

pressure control valve. Failure of this part 

could result in in-flight shutdowns of the 

engine(s). 

Comments 

We gave the public the opportunity to 

participate in developing this AD. We 

received no comments on the NPRM or 

on the determination of the cost to the 

public. 

Conclusion 

We reviewed the available data and 

determined that air safety and the 

public interest require adopting the AD 

as proposed. 

Differences Between This AD and the 

MCAIs or Service Information 

We have reviewed the MCAIs and 

related service information and, in 

general, agree with their substance. But 

we have found it necessary to reduce 

the initial compliance time for TAE 

125–02–99 engines from within 110 

flight hours to within 100 flight hours, 

and for TAE 125–01 engines from 

within the next 3 months to within 100 

flight hours. We also have found it 

necessary to specify the repetitive 

replacement compliance time for the 

rail pressure control valve of within 

every 600 flight hours. The MCAIs 

instruct the operators to follow Thielert 

Maintenance Manual, Chapter 5, 

Airworthiness Limitations, for the 

repetitive compliance time, which 

requires replacement of the rail pressure 

control valve within every 600 flight 

hours. In making these changes, we do 

not intend to differ substantively from 

the information provided in the MCAI 

and related service information. 

Costs of Compliance 

Based on the service information, we 

estimate that this AD will affect about 

370 TAE 125–01 and TAE 125–02–99 

reciprocating engines installed on 

products of U.S. registry. We also 

estimate that it will take about 1.5 workhours per engine to comply with this 

AD. The average labor rate is $80 per 

work-hour. Required parts will cost 

about $500 per engine. Based on these 

figures, we estimate the cost of the AD 

for initial replacement, on U.S. 

operators to be $229,400. 

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 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 this AD: 

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); 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. 

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 regulatory 

evaluation, any comments received, and 

other information. The street address for 

the Docket Operations office (telephone 

(800) 647–5527) is provided in the 

ADDRESSES section. Comments will be 

available in the AD docket shortly after 

receipt. 

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39 

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation 

safety, 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 AD: 

2010–06–12 Thielert Aircraft Engines 

GmbH: Amendment 39–16236. Docket 

No. FAA–2009–0948; Directorate 

Identifier 2009–NE–30–AD. 


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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 50 / Tuesday, March 16, 2010 / Rules and Regulations 12441 

Effective Date 

(a) This airworthiness directive (AD) 

becomes effective April 20, 2010. 

Affected ADs 

(b) None. 

Applicability 

(c) This AD applies to Thielert Aircraft 

Engines GmbH (TAE) models TAE 125–01 

and TAE 125–02–99 reciprocating engines 

installed in, but not limited to, Cessna 172 

and (Reims-built) F172 series (EASA STC No. 

EASA.A.S.01527); Piper PA–28 series (EASA 

STC No. EASA.A.S. 01632); APEX (Robin) 

DR 400 series (EASA STC No. A.S.01380); 

and Diamond Aircraft Industries Models 

DA40 and DA42 airplanes. 

Reason 

(d) As a consequence of occurrences and 

service experience, Thielert Aircraft Engines 

GmbH has introduced a new rail pressure 

control valve part number (P/N) 05–7320– 

E000702 and P/N 02–7320–04100R3 and has 

amended the Airworthiness Limitation 

Section (ALS) of the Operation & 

Maintenance Manual OM–02–02 to include a 

replacement of the rail pressure control 

valve. Failure of this part could result in inflight shutdowns of the engine(s). 

This AD results from mandatory 

continuing airworthiness information 

(MCAIs) issued by an aviation authority of 

another country to identify and correct an 

unsafe condition on an aviation product. We 

are issuing this AD to prevent engine in-flight 

shutdown, possibly resulting in reduced 

control of the aircraft. 

Actions and Compliance 

(e) Unless already done, do the following 

actions. 

TAE 125–02–99 Reciprocating Engines 

(1) For TAE 125–02–99 reciprocating 

engines, within 100 flight hours after the 

effective date of this AD, replace the existing 

rail pressure control valve with a rail 

pressure control valve P/N 05–7320– 

E000702, and modify the Vrail plug to make 

it compatible with the replacement rail 

pressure control valve. 

(2) Guidance on the valve replacement and 

rail modification specified in paragraph (e)(1) 

of this AD can be found in Thielert Repair 

Manual RM–02–02, Chapter 73–10.08, and 

Chapter 39–40.08, respectively. 

TAE 125–01 Reciprocating Engines 

(3) For TAE 125–01 reciprocating engines, 

within 100 flight hours after the effective 

date of this AD, replace the existing rail 

pressure control valve with a rail pressure 

control valve, P/N 02–7320–04100R3. 

(4) Guidance on the valve replacement 

specified in paragraph (e)(3) of this AD can 

be found in Thielert Repair Manual RM–02– 

01, Chapter 29.0. 

TAE 125–02–99 and TAE 125–01 Engines, 

Repetitive Replacements of Rail Pressure 

Control Valves 

(5) Thereafter, for affected TAE 125–02–99 

and TAE 125–01 engines, replace the rail 

pressure control valve with the same P/N 

valve within every 600 flight hours. 

FAA AD Differences 

(f) This AD differs from the Mandatory 

Continuing Airworthiness Information 

(MCAI) and/or service information as 

follows: 

(1) For the TAE 125–02–99 reciprocating 

engines, we reduced the initial compliance 

time from within 110 flight hours to within 

100 flight hours after the effective date of this 

AD. 

(2) For the TAE 125–01 reciprocating 

engines, we changed initial compliance time 

from within the next 3 months to within 100 

flight hours after the effective date of this AD. 

(3) The MCAIs instruct the operators to 

follow Thielert Maintenance Manual, 

Chapter 5, Airworthiness Limitations, for the 

repetitive replacement compliance time for 

the rail pressure control valve, which, in the 

manual, is 600 flight hours. We found it 

necessary to specify the repetitive 

replacement compliance time in this AD, of 

within every 600 flight hours. 

Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(g) The Manager, Engine Certification 

Office, FAA, has the authority to approve 

AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the 

procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. 

Related Information 

(h) Refer to MCAI European Aviation 

Safety Agency (EASA) AD 2008–0128, dated 

July 9, 2008, EASA AD 2008–0215, dated 

December 5, 2008, Thielert Service Bulletin 

No. TAE 125–1008 P1, Revision 1, dated 

September 29, 2008, and Thielert Repair 

Manual RM–02–02, for related information. 

Contact Thielert Aircraft Engines GmbH, 

Platanenstrasse 14 D–09350, Lichtenstein, 

Germany, telephone: +49–37204–696–0; fax: 

+49–37204–696–55; e-mail: info@centurionengines.com, for a copy of this service 

information. 

(i) Contact Tara Chaidez, Aerospace 

Engineer, Engine Certification Office, FAA, 

Engine and Propeller Directorate, 12 New 

England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 

01803; e-mail: tara.chaidez@faa.gov; 

telephone (781) 238–7773; fax (781) 238– 

7199, for more information about this AD. 

Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on 

March 8, 2010. 

Peter A. White, 

Assistant Manager, Engine and Propeller 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2010–5548 Filed 3–15–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2009–0953; Directorate 

Identifier 2009–SW–45–AD; Amendment 

39–16230; AD 2010–06–06] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; MD 

Helicopters, Inc. Model MD–900 

Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration, DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: This amendment supersedes 

an existing airworthiness directive (AD) 

for MD Helicopters, Inc. (MDHI) model 

MD–900 helicopters that currently 

requires applying serial numbers to 

certain parts, increasing the life limit for 

various parts, maintaining a previously 

established life limit for a certain 

vertical stabilizer control system (VSCS) 

bellcrank assembly and bellcrank arm, 

and correcting the part number for the 

VSCS bellcrank arm. This amendment 

requires the same actions as the existing 

AD, except it reduces the life limit of 

the swashplate spherical slider bearing 

(slider bearing). It further corrects what 

was described as a ‘‘bellcrank arm’’ life 

limit in the current AD and correctly 

describes it as another ‘‘bellcrank 

assembly’’ life limit. This amendment is 

prompted by two reports of cracks in the 

slider bearing that occurred well before 

the previously increased retirement life 

of 2,030 hours time-in-service (TIS) was 

reached. The actions specified by this 

AD are intended to establish appropriate 

life limits for various parts, and to 

prevent fatigue failure of those parts and 

subsequent loss of control of the 

helicopter. 

DATES: Effective April 20, 2010. 

ADDRESSES: You may get the service 

information identified in this AD from 

MD Helicopters Inc., Attn: Customer 

Support Division, 4555 E. McDowell 

Rd., Mail Stop M615, Mesa, Arizona 

85215–9734, telephone 1–800–388– 

3378, fax 480–346–6813, or on the Web 

at http://www.mdhelicopters.com. 

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: 

Roger Durbin, Aviation Safety Engineer, 


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