This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains regulatory documents having general

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are keyed to and codified in the Code of

Federal Regulations, which is published under

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Rules and Regulations Federal Register

5037 

Vol. 81, No. 20 

Monday, February 1, 2016 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2016–2069; Directorate 

Identifier 2015–SW–070–AD; Amendment 

39–18386; AD 2015–22–51] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Agusta 

S.p.A. Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Final rule; request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: We are publishing a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for Agusta 

S.p.A. (Agusta) Model A109A and 

A109AII helicopters, which was sent 

previously to all known U.S. owners 

and operators of these helicopters. This 

AD requires checking and inspecting 

each main rotor blade (blade) for a crack 

and replacing any cracked blade before 

further flight. This AD is prompted by 

abnormal vibrations leading to a 

precautionary landing and a post-flight 

inspection finding of a crack in a blade. 

These actions are intended to detect a 

crack in a blade and prevent failure of 

a blade and subsequent loss of control 

of the helicopter. 

DATES: This AD is effective February 16, 

2016 to all persons except those persons 

to whom it was made immediately 

effective by Emergency AD 2015–22–51 

issued on October 23, 2015, which 

contains the requirements of this AD. 

We must receive comments on this 

AD by March 17, 2016. 

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 above 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–2016– 

2069; 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 

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 service information identified in 

this final rule, contact Agusta Westland, 

Product Support Engineering, Via del 

Gregge, 100, 21015 Lonate Pozzolo (VA) 

Italy, ATTN: Maurizio D’Angelo; 

telephone 39–0331–664757; fax 39– 

0331–664680; or at http://

www.agustawestland.com/technicalbulletins. 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 Group, Rotorcraft 

Directorate, FAA, 10101 Hillwood 

Pkwy., Fort Worth, TX 76177; telephone 

(817) 222–5110; email matthew.fuller@

faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

This AD is a final rule that involves 

requirements affecting flight safety, and 

we did not provide you with notice and 

an opportunity to provide your 

comments prior to it becoming effective. 

However, 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 resulted from 

adopting this AD. The most helpful 

comments reference a specific portion of 

the AD, 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 them 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 

rulemaking during the comment period. 

We will consider all the comments we 

receive and may conduct additional 

rulemaking based on those comments. 

Discussion 

On October 23, 2015, we issued 

Emergency AD 2015–22–51 to correct an 

unsafe condition for Agusta Model 

A109A and A109AII helicopters with 

certain part-numbered blades installed. 

Emergency AD 2015–22–51 requires 

inspecting each blade for a crack before 

further flight and then once each day, 

checking each blade for a crack before 

each flight, and replacing any cracked 

blade. The manufacturer’s maintenance 

program specifies inspecting each blade 

every 25 hours time-in-service (TIS). 

The actions in Emergency AD 2015–22– 

51 were prompted by abnormal 

vibrations leading to a precautionary 

landing and a post-flight inspection 

finding of a crack in a blade. The crack 

extended from the trailing edge to the 

rear face of the spar at the joint between 

the spar and the body of the blade. This 

condition, if not detected, could result 

in failure of a blade and subsequent loss 

of control of a helicopter. 

Emergency AD 2015–22–51 was 

prompted by AD No. 2015–0190–E, 

dated September 18, 2015, issued by 

EASA, which is the Technical Agent for 

the Member States of the European 

Union, to correct an unsafe condition 

for Agusta Model A109A and A109A II 

helicopters. EASA advises that 

abnormal vibrations were reported 

during a flight on a Model A109A II 

helicopter. During a post-flight 

inspection, a crack was found on a part 

number (P/N) 109–0103–01–9 blade. 

EASA AD 2015–0190–E requires preflight inspections and repetitive 


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5038 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 20 / Monday, February 1, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 

inspections of each blade. EASA advises 

that due to similarity of design, the 

inspections also apply to P/N 109– 

0103–01–7 and P/N 109–0103–01–115 

blades. EASA advises that a cracked 

blade, if not detected and corrected, 

could affect the structural integrity of 

the blade, possibly resulting in blade 

failure and loss of control of the 

helicopter. 

FAA’s Determination 

These helicopters have been approved 

by the aviation authority of Italy and are 

approved for operation in the United 

States. Pursuant to our bilateral 

agreement with Italy, EASA, its 

technical representative, has notified us 

of the unsafe condition described in the 

EASA AD. We are issuing this AD 

because we evaluated all information 

provided by EASA and determined the 

unsafe condition exists and is likely to 

exist or develop on other helicopters of 

these same type designs. 

Related Service Information 

We reviewed AgustaWestland 

Mandatory Alert Bollettino Tecnico No. 

109–150, dated September 17, 2015 

(ABT). The ABT specifies for blades 

with more than 500 flight hours, before 

the next flight and then before each 

flight, visually inspecting each affected 

blade for a crack in the area between the 

station at the end of the doublers and 

the station at the beginning of the 

abrasion strip (both top and bottom 

surfaces for a crack. The ABT also 

specifies inspecting the blades for a 

crack at every airworthiness check and, 

in case of doubt about a crack, dye 

penetrant inspecting each blade. If a 

crack is found, the ABT specifies 

replacing the blade with a serviceable 

one. 

AD Requirements 

This AD requires for each blade P/N 

109–0103–01–7, P/N 109–0103–01–9, or 

P/N 109–0103–01–115 that has 500 or 

more hours TIS: 

• Before further flight and thereafter 

at intervals not exceeding 24 clockhours, using a 3X or higher power 

magnifying glass, visually inspecting the 

top and bottom surface of each blade for 

a crack in the area between the station 

at the end of the doublers and the 

station at the beginning of the abrasion 

strip. If there is a crack, before further 

flight, replacing the blade with an 

airworthy blade. 

• Before each flight, checking the top 

and bottom surface of each blade for a 

crack in the area between the station at 

the end of the doublers and the station 

at the beginning of the abrasion strip. 

This check may be performed by the 

owner/operator (pilot) holding at least a 

private pilot certificate and must be 

entered into the aircraft records showing 

compliance with this AD in accordance 

with 14 CFR 43.9 (a)(1) through (a)(4) 

and 14 CFR 91.417(a)(2)(v). The record 

must be maintained as required by 14 

CFR 91.417, 121.380, or 135.439. This 

check is an exception to our standard 

maintenance regulations. If there is a 

crack, the blade must be inspected using 

a 3X or higher power magnifying glass. 

Differences Between This AD and the 

EASA AD 

This AD does not require a change to 

the Rotorcraft Flight Manual nor does it 

require a dye-penetrant inspection, 

whereas the EASA AD does. This AD 

requires the blade inspection before 

further flight, whereas the EASA AD 

allows an initial check prior to the 

inspection. 

Interim Action 

We consider this AD interim action. If 

final action is later identified, we might 

consider further rulemaking then. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this AD affects 33 

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. We estimate 1 work-hour to 

inspect a blade at a cost of $85 per 

helicopter and $2,805 for the fleet. We 

estimate 4 work-hours to replace a blade 

at a cost of $340 per helicopter, and the 

required parts will cost $30,000 for a 

total of $30,340 per helicopter. 

FAA’s Justification and Determination 

of the Effective Date 

Providing an opportunity for public 

comments prior to adopting these AD 

requirements would delay 

implementing the safety actions needed 

to correct this known unsafe condition. 

Therefore, we found and continue to 

find that the risk to the flying public 

justifies waiving notice and comment 

prior to the adoption of this rule 

because the previously described unsafe 

condition can adversely affect the 

controllability of the helicopter and the 

required actions must be accomplished 

before each flight and daily. 

Since it was found that immediate 

corrective action was required, notice 

and opportunity for prior public 

comment before issuing this AD were 

impracticable and contrary to public 

interest and good cause existed to make 

the AD effective immediately by issuing 

Emergency AD 2015–22–51 on October 

23, 2015, to all known U.S. owners and 

operators of these helicopters. These 

conditions still exist and the AD is 

hereby published in the Federal 

Register as an amendment to section 

39.13 of the Federal Aviation 

Regulations (14 CFR 39.13) to make it 

effective to all persons. 

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 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, 


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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 20 / Monday, February 1, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 5039 

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): 

2015–22–51 Agusta S.p.A.: Amendment 39– 

18386; Docket No. FAA–2016–2069 

Directorate Identifier 2015–SW–070–AD. 

(a) Applicability 

This AD applies to Model A109A and 

A109AII helicopters with a main rotor blade 

(blade) part number (P/N) 109–0103–01–7, P/ 

N 109–0103–01–9, or P/N 109–0103–01–115 

that has 500 or more hours time-in-service 

installed, certificated in any category. 

(b) Unsafe Condition 

This AD defines the unsafe condition as a 

crack in a blade. This condition, if not 

detected, could result in failure of a blade 

and subsequent loss of control of the 

helicopter. 

(c) Effective Date 

This AD becomes effective February 16, 

2016 to all persons except those persons to 

whom it was made immediately effective by 

Emergency AD 2015–22–51, issued on 

October 23, 2015, which contains the 

requirements of this AD. 

(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) Before further flight, and thereafter at 

intervals not to exceed 24 clock-hours, using 

a 3X or higher power magnifying glass, 

visually inspect the top and bottom surface 

of each blade for a crack in the area between 

the station at the end of the doublers and the 

station at the beginning of the abrasion strip. 

If there is a crack, before further flight, 

replace the blade with an airworthy blade. 

(2) Before each flight, check the top and 

bottom surface of each blade for a crack in 

the area between the station at the end of the 

doublers and the station at the beginning of 

the abrasion strip. If there is a crack, inspect 

the blade in accordance with paragraph (e)(1) 

of this AD. The check required by this 

paragraph may be performed by the owner/ 

operator (pilot) holding at least a private pilot 

certificate and must be entered into the 

aircraft records showing compliance with 

this AD in accordance with 14 CFR 43.9 

(a)(1) through (a)(4) and 14 CFR 

91.417(a)(2)(v). The record must be 

maintained as required by 14 CFR 91.417, 

121.380, or 135.439. 

(f) Special Flight Permits 

A special flight permit may be permitted 

for the inspection in paragraph (e)(1) of this 

AD provided there is no crack in a blade. 

(g) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, Safety Management 

Group, FAA, may approve AMOCs for this 

AD. Send your proposal to: Matt Fuller, 

Senior Aviation Safety Engineer, Safety 

Management Group, Rotorcraft Directorate, 

FAA, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Fort Worth, TX 

76177; telephone (817) 222–5110; email: 9- 

ASW-FTW-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. 

(h) Additional Information 

(1) AgustaWestland Mandatory Alert 

Bollettino Tecnico No. 109–150, dated 

September 17, 2015, which is not 

incorporated by reference, contains 

additional information about the subject of 

this final rule. For service information 

identified in this final rule, contact 

AgustaWestland, Product Support 

Engineering, Via del Gregge, 100, 21015 

Lonate Pozzolo (VA) Italy, ATTN: Maurizio 

D’Angelo; telephone 39–0331–664757; fax 

39–0331–664680; or at http:// 

www.agustawestland.com/technicalbulletins. You may review a copy of the 

service information at the FAA, Office of the 

Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 10101 

Hillwood Pkwy., Room 6N–321, Fort Worth, 

TX 76177. 

(2) The subject of this AD is addressed in 

European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 

No. 2015–0190–E, dated September 18, 2015. 

You may view the EASA AD on the Internet 

at http://www.regulations.gov by searching 

for and locating it in Docket No. FAA–2016– 

2069. 

(i) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Tracking Code: 6210 Main Rotor Blade. 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on January 21, 

2016. 

Lance T. Gant, 

Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft 

Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2016–01739 Filed 1–29–16; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 

SECURITY 

Coast Guard 

33 CFR Part 117 

[Docket No. USCG–2016–0040] 

Drawbridge Operation Regulation; 

Inner Harbor Navigation Canal, New 

Orleans, LA 

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. 

ACTION: Notice of deviation from 

drawbridge regulation. 

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard has issued a 

temporary deviation from the operating 

schedule that governs the Senator Ted 

Hickey (Leon C. Simon Blvd./Seabrook) 

bascule bridge across the Inner Harbor 

Navigation Canal, mile 4.6, at New 

Orleans, Louisiana. The deviation is 

necessary to accommodate the New 

Orleans Endurance Festival event. This 

deviation allows the bridge to remain 

closed-to-navigation during the event. 

DATES: This deviation is effective from 

7 a.m. through 2 p.m. on April 3, 2016. 

ADDRESSES: The docket for this 

deviation, [USCG–2016–0040] is 

available at http://www.regulations.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If 

you have questions on this temporary 

deviation, call or email Jim 

Wetherington, Bridge Administration 

Branch, Coast Guard, telephone 

(504)671–2128, email 

james.r.wetherington@uscg.mil. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Premier 

Event Management, through the 

Louisiana Department of Transportation 

and Development (LDOTD), requested a 

temporary deviation from the operating 

schedule of the Senator Ted Hickey 

(Leon C. Simon Blvd./Seabrook) bascule 

bridge across the Inner Harbor 

Navigation Canal, mile 4.6, at New 

Orleans, Louisiana. The deviation was 

requested to accommodate the New 

Orleans Endurance Festival event. The 

vertical clearance of the bascule span 

bridge is 46 feet above mean high water 

in the closed-to-navigation position and 

unlimited in the open-to-navigation 

position. The bridge is governed by 33 

CFR 117.458(c). 

This deviation is effective on April 3, 

2016, from 7 a.m. through 2 p.m. This 

deviation allows the bridge to remain 

closed-to-navigation for seven hours on 

the day of the event. 

Navigation on the waterway consists 

of small tugs with and without tows, 

commercial vessels, and recreational 

craft, including sailboats. 

Vessels able to pass through the 

bridge in the closed-to-navigation 


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