Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 110 / Thursday, June 7, 2018 / Proposed Rules 26387 

of the local flight standards district office/ 

certificate holding district office. 

(3) An AMOC that provides an acceptable 

level of safety may be used for any repair, 

modification, replacement, or alteration 

required by this AD if it is approved by the 

Boeing Commercial Airplanes Organization 

Designation Authorization (ODA) that has 

been authorized by the Manager, Los Angeles 

ACO Branch, to make those findings. To be 

approved, the repair method, modification 

deviation, replacement deviation, or 

alteration deviation must meet the 

certification basis of the airplane, and the 

approval must specifically refer to this AD. 

(p) Related Information 

(1) For more information about this AD, 

contact Jeffrey Chang, Aerospace Engineer, 

Propulsion Section, FAA, Los Angeles ACO 

Branch, 3960 Paramount Boulevard, 

Lakewood, CA 90712–4137; phone: 562–627– 

5263; fax: 562–627–5210; email: 

jeffrey.chang@faa.gov or George Garrido, 

Aerospace Engineer, Airframe Section, FAA, 

Los Angeles ACO Branch, 3960 Paramount 

Boulevard, Lakewood, CA 90712–4137; 

phone: 562–627–5232; fax: 562–627–5210; 

email george.garrido@faa.gov. 

(2) For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Boeing Commercial 

Airplanes, Attention: Contractual & Data 

Services (C&DS), 2600 Westminster Blvd., 

MC 110–SK57, Seal Beach, CA 90740–5600; 

telephone 562–797–1717; internet https://

www.myboeingfleet.com. You may view this 

service information at the FAA, Transport 

Standards Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des 

Moines, WA. For information on the 

availability of this material at the FAA, call 

206–231–3195. 

Issued in Des Moines, Washington, on May 

24, 2018. 

James Cashdollar, 

Acting Director, System Oversight Division, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2018–12128 Filed 6–6–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2018–0517; Product 

Identifier 2017–SW–098–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus 

Helicopters Deutschland GmbH 

Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for Airbus 

Helicopters Deutschland GmbH (Airbus 

Helicopters) Model MBB–BK 117 C–2 

and MBB–BK 117 D–2 helicopters. This 

proposed AD would require altering and 

re-identifying the overhead panel shock 

mount assembly (shock mount). This 

proposed AD is prompted by the 

manufacturer’s stress recalculations. 

The actions of this proposed AD are 

intended to correct an unsafe condition 

on these products. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by August 6, 2018. 

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 by searching for 

and locating Docket No. FAA–2018– 

0517; or in person at Docket Operations 

between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday 

through Friday, except Federal holidays. 

The AD docket contains this proposed 

AD, the European Aviation Safety 

Agency (EASA) AD, the economic 

evaluation, any comments received, and 

other information. The street address for 

Docket Operations (telephone 800–647– 

5527) is in the ADDRESSES section. 

Comments will be available in the AD 

docket shortly after receipt. 

For service information identified in 

this proposed rule, contact Airbus 

Helicopters, 2701 N. Forum Drive, 

Grand Prairie, TX 75052; telephone 

(972) 641–0000 or (800) 232–0323; fax 

(972) 641–3775; or at http://

www.helicopters.airbus.com/website/ 

en/ref/Technical-Support_73.html. You 

may review the referenced service 

information at the FAA, Office of the 

Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 

10101 Hillwood Pkwy, Room 6N–321, 

Fort Worth, TX 76177. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matt 

Fuller, Senior Aviation Safety Engineer, 

Safety Management Section, Rotorcraft 

Standards Branch, FAA, 10101 

Hillwood Pkwy., Fort Worth, TX 76177; 

telephone (817) 222–5110; email 

matthew.fuller@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

We invite you to participate in this 

rulemaking by submitting written 

comments, data, or views. We also 

invite comments relating to the 

economic, environmental, energy, or 

federalism impacts that might result 

from adopting the proposals in this 

document. The most helpful comments 

reference a specific portion of the 

proposal, explain the reason for any 

recommended change, and include 

supporting data. To ensure the docket 

does not contain duplicate comments, 

commenters should send only one copy 

of written comments, or if comments are 

filed electronically, commenters should 

submit only one time. 

We will file in the docket all 

comments that we receive, as well as a 

report summarizing each substantive 

public contact with FAA personnel 

concerning this proposed rulemaking. 

Before acting on this proposal, we will 

consider all comments we receive on or 

before the closing date for comments. 

We will consider comments filed after 

the comment period has closed if it is 

possible to do so without incurring 

expense or delay. We may change this 

proposal in light of the comments we 

receive. 

Discussion 

EASA, which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Union, has issued EASA AD No. 2017– 

0026, dated February 14, 2017, to 

correct an unsafe condition for Airbus 

Helicopters Model MBB–BK 117 C–2, 

MBB–BK117 C–2e, MBB–BK 117 D–2, 

and MBB–BK117 D–2m helicopters. 

EASA advises that a recent stress 

calculation identified that the shock 

mount may not withstand certification 

crash loads. EASA states that this 

condition, if not corrected, could lead to 

the overhead panel disconnecting 

during an emergency landing and 

injuring occupants. Accordingly, the 

EASA AD requires modifying and reidentifying the shock mounts. 

FAA’s Determination 

These helicopters have been approved 

by the aviation authority of Germany 

and are approved for operation in the 

United States. Pursuant to our bilateral 

agreement with Germany, EASA, its 

technical representative, has notified us 

of the unsafe condition described in its 

AD. We are proposing this AD because 

we evaluated all known relevant 

information and determined that an 

unsafe condition is likely to exist or 

develop on other products of the same 

type design. 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with PROPOSALS
26388 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 110 / Thursday, June 7, 2018 / Proposed Rules 

Related Service Information Under 1 

CFR Part 51 

We reviewed Airbus Helicopters Alert 

Service Bulletin (ASB) MBB–BK117 C– 

2–24A–015 for Model MBB–BK117 C–2 

helicopters and ASB MBB–BK117 D–2– 

24A–004 for Model MBB–BK117 D-2 

helicopters, both Revision 0 and dated 

September 14, 2016. This service 

information contains procedures for 

altering the shock mounts by installing 

retaining plates and re-identifying the 

shock mounts by changing the last three 

digits of the part number (P/N) to –966. 

This service information is reasonably 

available because the interested parties 

have access to it through their normal 

course of business or by the means 

identified in the ADDRESSES section. 

Proposed AD Requirements 

This proposed AD would require 

installing a retaining plate on the shock 

mount and re-identifying the shock 

mount by changing the last three digits 

of the P/N to –966. 

This proposed AD would also 

prohibit installing shock mount P/N 

B246M2035102 and P/N B246M2036101 

on any helicopter. 

Differences Between This Proposed AD 

and the EASA AD 

The EASA AD applies to Model 

MBB–BK117 D–2m helicopters, whereas 

this proposed AD would not since the 

Model MBB–BK117 D–2m is not FAA 

type-certificated. This proposed AD 

would also not include the Model MBB– 

BK117 C–2(e) in the applicability 

section because it is a marketing 

designation and not an FAA typecertificated model. However, this 

proposed AD would apply to those 

helicopters, as they are Model MBB– 

BK117 C–2 helicopters. The EASA AD 

specifies particular helicopter serial 

numbers (S/Ns) that may not be 

required to complete some of the 

requirements of the AD since the 

specified S/Ns were manufactured with 

shock mounts not affected by the unsafe 

condition. This proposed AD does not 

specify particular S/Ns. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this proposed AD 

would affect 144 helicopters of U.S. 

Registry. We estimate that operators 

may incur the following costs in order 

to comply with this AD. Labor costs are 

estimated at $85 per work-hour. 

Installing retaining plates and reidentifying the four shock mounts 

would take about 3 work-hours and 

parts would cost about $184 for a total 

estimated cost of $439 per helicopter 

and $63,216 for the U.S. fleet. 

According to Airbus Helicopter’s 

service information, some of the costs of 

this proposed AD may be covered under 

warranty, thereby reducing the cost 

impact on affected individuals. We do 

not control warranty coverage by 

Airbus. Accordingly, we have included 

all costs in our cost estimate. 

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 proposed AD 

would not have federalism implications 

under Executive Order 13132. 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, I certify 

this 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); 

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 proposed 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. 

The Proposed Amendment 

Accordingly, under the authority 

delegated to me by the Administrator, 

the FAA proposes to amend 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): 

Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH: 

Docket No. FAA–2018–0517; Product 

Identifier 2017–SW–098–AD. 

(a) Applicability 

This AD applies to Model MBB–BK 117 C– 

2 and Model MBB–BK 117 D–2 helicopters, 

certificated in any category, with an overhead 

panel shock mount assembly part number 

(P/N) B246M2035102 or P/N B246M2036101 

installed. 

Note 1 to paragraph (a) of this AD: 

Helicopters with an MBB–BK117 C–2e 

designation are Model MBB–BK117 C–2 

helicopters. 

(b) Unsafe Condition 

This AD defines the unsafe condition as 

failure of an overhead panel shock mount 

assembly (shock mount). This condition 

could result in detachment of the overhead 

panel and injury to occupants during an 

emergency landing. 

(c) Comments Due Date 

We must receive comments by August 6, 

2018. 

(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 300 hours time-in-service: 

(i) Install a retaining plate on each shock 

mount by following the Accomplishment 

Instructions, paragraphs 3.B.2.1. through 

3.B.2.4, of Airbus Helicopters Alert Service 

Bulletin (ASB) MBB–BK117 C–2–24A–015, 

Revision 0, dated September 14, 2016 (ASB 

MBB–BK117 C–2–24A–015), or ASB MBB– 

BK117 D–2–24A–004, Revision 0, dated 

September 14, 2016 (ASB MBB–BK117 D–2– 

24A–004), as applicable to your model 

helicopter. 

(ii) Re-identify shock mount P/N 

B246M2035102 as P/N B246M2035966 and 

shock mount P/N B246M2036101 as P/N 

B246M2036966 using permanent ink. When 

the ink is dry, apply varnish over the P/N. 

(iii) Re-install each shock mount. 

(2) After the effective date of this AD, do 

not install a shock mount P/N 

B246M2035102 or P/N B246M2036101 on 

any helicopter. 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with PROPOSALS
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 110 / Thursday, June 7, 2018 / Proposed Rules 26389 

(f) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, Safety Management 

Section, Rotorcraft Standards Branch, FAA, 

may approve AMOCs for this AD. Send your 

proposal to: Matt Fuller, Senior Aviation 

Safety Engineer, Safety Management Section, 

Rotorcraft Standards Branch, FAA, 10101 

Hillwood Pkwy., Fort Worth, TX 76177; 

telephone (817) 222–5110; email 9-ASWFTW-AMOC-Requests@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 

The subject of this AD is addressed in 

European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 

No. 2017–0026, dated February 14, 2017. You 

may view the EASA AD on the internet at 

http://www.regulations.gov in the AD Docket. 

(h) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 2400, Electrical Power System. 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on May 31, 

2018. 

James A. Grigg, 

Acting Director, Compliance & Airworthiness 

Division, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2018–12227 Filed 6–6–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2018–0503; Product 

Identifier 2018–NM–048–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; 328 Support 

Services GmbH (Type Certificate 

Previously Held by AvCraft Aerospace 

GmbH; Fairchild Dornier GmbH; 

Dornier Luftfahrt GmbH) Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for all 328 

Support Services GmbH Model 328–100 

and –300 airplanes. This proposed AD 

was prompted by reports indicating 

corrosion on the horizontal stabilizer 

bearing supports at the contact surface 

to the horizontal stabilizer rear spar. 

This proposed AD would require 

inspections for corrosion and any other 

damage (i.e., cracking and chafing) of 

the horizontal stabilizer rear bearing 

supports, replacement of the affected 

horizontal stabilizer rear bearing 

supports if necessary, and modification 

of the horizontal stabilizer rear spar. We 

are proposing this AD to address the 

unsafe condition on these products. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by July 23, 2018. 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, 

using the procedures found in 14 CFR 

11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following 

methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Fax: 202–493–2251. 

• 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. 

• Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail 

address above between 9 a.m. and 5 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

For service information identified in 

this NPRM, contact 328 Support 

Services GmbH, Global Support Center, 

P.O. Box 1252, D–82231 Wessling, 

Federal Republic of Germany; telephone 

+49 8153 88111 6666; fax +49 8153 

88111 6565; email gsc.op@

328support.de; internet http://

www.328support.de. You may view this 

service information at the FAA, 

Transport Standards Branch, 2200 

South 216th St., Des Moines, WA. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call 206–231–3195. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the internet at http://

www.regulations.gov by searching for 

and locating Docket No. FAA–2018– 

0503; 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 NPRM, the regulatory 

evaluation, any comments received, and 

other information. The street address for 

the Docket Operations office (telephone 

800–647–5527) is in the ADDRESSES

section. Comments will be available in 

the AD docket shortly after receipt. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Todd Thompson, Aerospace Engineer, 

International Section, Transport 

Standards Branch, FAA, 2200 South 

216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; 

telephone and fax 206–231–3228. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

We invite you to send any written 

relevant data, views, or arguments about 

this proposal. Send your comments to 

an address listed under the ADDRESSES

section. Include ‘‘Docket No. FAA– 

2018–0503; Product Identifier 2018– 

NM–048–AD’’ at the beginning of your 

comments. We specifically invite 

comments on the overall regulatory, 

economic, environmental, and energy 

aspects of this NPRM. We will consider 

all comments received by the closing 

date and may amend this NPRM based 

on those comments. 

We will post all comments we 

receive, without change, to http://

www.regulations.gov, including any 

personal information you provide. We 

will also post a report summarizing each 

substantive verbal contact we receive 

about this NPRM. 

Discussion 

The European Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA), which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Union, has issued EASA Airworthiness 

Directive 2017–0239, dated November 

30, 2017 (referred to after this as the 

Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness 

Information, or ‘‘the MCAI’’), to correct 

an unsafe condition for all 328 Support 

Services GmbH Model 328–100 and 

–300 airplanes. The MCAI states: 

Occurrences were reported on horizontal 

stabilizer bearing supports being found 

corroded at the contact surface to the 

horizontal stabilizer rear spar. The corroded 

area was at the lower flange position, which 

is connected to the stabilizer rear spar and 

not visible without detachment of the fitting. 

Investigation determined that the corrosion is 

triggered by galvanic effect, due to a direct 

contact between the horizontal stabilizer rear 

spar, made from CFRP (carbon fibre 

reinforced plastic), and the aluminium rear 

attachment fitting. 

This condition, if not detected and 

corrected, could lead to failure of the fitting 

and loss of one load path of the horizontal 

stabilizer attachment, possibly resulting in 

reduced control of the aeroplane. 

To address this potential unsafe condition, 

328 Support Services GmbH (328 SSG) 

issued Service Bulletin (SB) SB–328–55–557 

and SB–328J–55–324 to provide instructions 

for inspection of the affected area, 

replacement of the parts, and modification to 

improve corrosion behaviour by 

incorporating of glass fibre layer. 

For the reasons described above, this 

[EASA] AD requires a one-time inspection 

[detailed visual inspection and an eddy 

current inspection for chafing and corrosion] 

of the horizontal stabilizer rear bearing 

supports, and, depending on findings, 

accomplishment of applicable corrective 

action(s) [replacement of the affected 

horizontal stabilizer rear bearing supports]. 

This [EASA] AD also requires a modification 

of the horizontal stabilizer rear spar, 

irrespective of findings. 

You may examine the MCAI in the 

AD docket on the internet at http:// 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with PROPOSALS