[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 135 (Monday, July 16, 2007)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 38797-38800]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-3434]


========================================================================
Proposed Rules
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.

========================================================================


Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 135 / Monday, July 16, 2007 / 
Proposed Rules

[[Page 38797]]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2007-28688; Directorate Identifier 2005-SW-21-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Model 
430 Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This document proposes adopting a new airworthiness directive 
(AD) for Bell Helicopter Textron Canada (BHTC) Model 430 helicopters. 
This proposal would require replacing a certain servo actuator-to-
actuator support attachment bolt (bolt) with an airworthy bolt. This 
proposal would also require establishing a retirement life for certain 
bolts and recording the retirement life on a component history card or 
equivalent record. This proposal is prompted by further evaluation of 
certain fatigue-critical parts, resulting in establishing a life limit 
of 5000 hours for the affected bolts. The actions specified by this 
proposed AD are intended to prevent fatigue failure of the bolt and 
subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before September 14, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Use one of the following addresses to submit comments on 
this proposed AD:
    <bullet> DOT Docket Web site: Go to http://dms.dot.gov and follow 
the instructions for sending your comments electronically;
    <bullet> Government-wide rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the instructions for sending your 
comments electronically;
    <bullet> 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;
    <bullet> Fax: 202-493-2251, or
    <bullet> Hand Delivery: West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    You may get the service information identified in this proposed AD 
from American Eurocopter Corporation, 2701 Forum Drive, Grand Prairie, 
Texas 75053-4005, telephone (972) 641-3460, fax (972) 641-3527.
    You may examine the comments to this proposed AD in the AD docket 
on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sharon Miles, Aviation Safety 
Engineer, FAA, Rotorcraft Directorate, Regulations and Guidance Group, 
Fort Worth, Texas 76193-0111, telephone (817) 222-5122, fax (817) 222-
5961.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited

    We invite you to submit any written data, views, or arguments 
regarding this proposed AD. Send your comments to the address listed 
under the caption ADDRESSES. Include the docket number ``FAA-2007-
28688, Directorate Identifier 2005-SW-21-AD'' at the beginning of your 
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, 
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the proposed AD. We will 
consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend the 
proposed AD in light of those comments.
    We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://dms.dot.gov, including any personal information you provide. We will 
also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact with FAA 
personnel concerning this proposed rulemaking. Using the search 
function of our docket Web site, you can find and read the comments to 
any of our dockets, including the name of the individual who sent or 
signed the comment. You may review the DOT's complete Privacy Act 
Statement in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 
19477-78), or you may visit http://dms.dot.gov.

Examining the Docket

    You may examine the docket that contains the proposed AD, any 
comments, and other information in person at the Docket Management 
System (DMS) Docket Office between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays. The Docket Office (telephone 1-800-
647-5527) is located at the West Building Ground Floor, Room WL-140 at 
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC. Comments will be available 
in the AD docket shortly after the DMS receives them.

Discussion

    Transport Canada, the airworthiness authority for Canada, notified 
the FAA that an unsafe condition may exist on BHTC Model 430 
helicopters, serial numbers 49001 through 49106. Transport Canada 
advises of the need to establish a new airworthiness life limitation of 
5000 hours for the three servo actuator support attachment bolts and to 
replace the three affected bolts.
    Bell Helicopter Textron has issued Alert Service Bulletin No. 430-
05-33, dated February 16, 2005 (ASB). The ASB introduces a retirement 
life of 5000 hours for the bolts. The ASB states that since these bolts 
have not been listed in the Helicopter Component Replace record, it is 
difficult to determine with accuracy the actual number of hours 
accumulated on fielded bolts. Also, the ASB states that Bell has 
elected to replace all the fielded bolts, part number (P/N) 50-047C8-
31. Transport Canada classified this ASB as mandatory and issued AD No. 
CF-2005-09, dated April 14, 2005, to ensure the continued airworthiness 
of these helicopters in Canada.
    This helicopter model is manufactured in Canada and is type 
certificated for operation in the United States under the provisions of 
14 CFR 21.29 and the applicable bilateral agreement. Pursuant to the 
applicable bilateral agreement, Transport Canada has kept us informed 
of the situation described above. The upper three bolts of the servo 
attaching to the collective and cyclic levers have a retirement life of 
5000 hours. However, three identical bolts at the lower end of the 
servos attaching to the actuator support do not have an established 
life limit. These three bolts may be subject to premature failure due 
to fatigue causing failure of the actuators and subsequent loss of 
control of the helicopter. We have examined the findings of Transport

[[Page 38798]]

Canada, reviewed all available information, and determined that AD 
action is necessary for products of this type design that are 
certificated for operation in the United States.
    This previously described unsafe condition is likely to exist or 
develop on other helicopters of the same type design registered in the 
United States. Further evaluation of certain fatigue-critical parts 
resulted in establishing a life limit of 5000 hours for the affected 
bolts which is intended to prevent fatigue failure of the bolt and 
subsequent loss of control of the helicopter. Therefore, the proposed 
AD would require the following:
    <bullet> Within 150 hours time-in-service (TIS), replace all three 
bolts, P/N 50-047C8-31, with airworthy, zero-time bolts, P/N 50-047C8-
31.
    <bullet> Revise the Airworthiness Limitations section of the 
maintenance manual by establishing a retirement life of 5000 hours TIS 
for each bolt.
    <bullet> Record a 5000-hour TIS life limit for each bolt on the 
component history card or equivalent record.
    We estimate that this proposed AD would affect 54 helicopters of 
U.S. registry. The proposed actions would take about 2 work hours per 
helicopter to replace 3 bolts at an average labor rate of $80 per work 
hour. Required parts would cost about $243 for each bolt. Based on 
these figures, we estimate the total cost impact of the proposed AD on 
U.S. operators to be $48,006, assuming that the recordkeeping cost 
would be negligible.

Regulatory Findings

    We have determined that this proposed AD would not have federalism 
implications under Executive Order 13132. Additionally, 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 that the 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); 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 draft economic evaluation of the estimated costs to 
comply with this proposed AD. See the DMS to examine the draft economic 
evaluation.

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.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

    Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Safety.

The Proposed Amendment

    Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the 
Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration proposes to amend 
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.


Sec.  39.13  [Amended]

    2. Section 39.13 is amended by adding a new airworthiness directive 
to read as follows:

Bell Helicopter Textron Canada: Docket No. FAA-2007-28688; 
Directorate Identifier 2005-SW-21-AD.

Applicability

    Model 430 helicopters, serial numbers 49001 through 49106, with 
a servo actuator-to-actuator support attachment bolt (bolt), part 
number (P/N) 50-047C8-31, installed, which attaches the lower two 
cyclic servo actuators and the lower collective servo actuator to 
the three lower actuator supports, certificated in any category.

Compliance

    Required as indicated, unless accomplished previously.
    To prevent fatigue failure of the bolt and subsequent loss of 
control of the helicopter, do the following:
    (a) Within 150 hours time-in-service (TIS), replace all three 
affected bolts, as depicted for one of these bolts in Figure 1 of 
this AD, with airworthy, zero-time bolts, P/N 50-047C8-31.

BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

[[Page 38799]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP16JY07.009

    (b) This AD revises the Airworthiness Limitations section of the 
maintenance manual by establishing a retirement life of 5000 hours 
TIS for each bolt.
    (c) Record a 5000-hour TIS life limit for each bolt on the 
component history card or equivalent record.
    (d) To request a different method of compliance or a different 
compliance time for this AD, follow the procedures in 14 CFR 39.19. 
Contact the Safety Management Group, FAA, ATTN: Sharon Miles, 
Aviation Safety Engineer, Rotorcraft Directorate, Regulations and 
Guidance Group, Fort Worth, Texas

[[Page 38800]]

76193-0111, telephone (817) 222-5122, fax (817) 222-5961 for 
information about previously approved alternative methods of 
compliance.

    Note: The subject of this AD is addressed in Transport Canada 
(Canada) AD No. CF 2005-09, dated April 14, 2005.


    Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on July 5, 2007.
David A. Downey,
Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 07-3434 Filed 7-13-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-C