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.

Proposed Rules Federal Register

52264 

Vol. 77, No. 168 

Wednesday, August 29, 2012 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2012–0890; Directorate 

Identifier 2011–SW–019–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Hughes 

Helicopters, Inc., and McDonnell 

Douglas Helicopter Systems (Type 

Certificate Currently Held by MD 

Helicopters, Inc.) Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for MD 

Helicopters, Inc. (MDHI) Model 369D, 

369E, 369F, and 369FF helicopters with 

certain serial-numbered tailboom 

assemblies. This proposed AD is 

prompted by the discovery of short-edge 

margin conditions on two tailboom 

assemblies. The proposed actions are 

intended to detect a short-edge margin 

condition, to modify the tailboom by 

adding a longeron doubler over the area 

with the short-edge distance, and to 

prevent failure of the tailboom and 

subsequent loss of control of the 

helicopter. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by October 29, 2012. 

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 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 proposed 

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 proposed AD, contact MD 

Helicopters Inc., Attn: Customer 

Support Division, 4555 E. McDowell 

Rd., Mail Stop M615, Mesa, AZ 85215– 

9734, telephone 1–800–388–3378, fax 

480–346–6813, or at http:// 

www.mdhelicopters.com. You may 

review referenced service information at 

the FAA, Office of Regional Counsel, 

Southwest Region, 2601 Meacham 

Boulevard, Room 663, Fort Worth, 

Texas 76137. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John 

Cecil, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, Los 

Angeles Aircraft Certification Office, 

Airframe Branch, 3960 Paramount 

Blvd., Lakewood, California 90712– 

4137, telephone (562) 627–5228, fax 

(562) 627–5210, email 

john.cecil@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 

We are proposing to adopt a new AD 

for the specified MDHI helicopters with 

certain serial-numbered tailboom 

assemblies installed. Customers 

returned two tailboom assemblies to the 

manufacturer that contained an 

improperly installed frame ring at 

station 209.78. The frame rings were 

installed with too short a distance 

between an aft longeron rivet and the 

outboard edge of the frame ring. This is 

known as a short-edge margin 

condition. 

FAA’s Determination 

We are proposing this AD because we 

evaluated all known relevant 

information and determined that an 

unsafe condition exists and is likely to 

exist or develop on other helicopters of 

these same type designs. 

Related Service Information 

MDHI has issued one Service Bulletin 

(SB), dated July 20, 2010, with 3 

different numbers: SB No. SB369D–207 

for the Model 369D helicopters, SB No. 

SB369E–102 for the Model 369E 

helicopters, and SB No. SB369F–087 for 

the Model 369F and FF helicopters. The 

MDHI SB describes procedures for 

measuring the distance from the aft face 

of the station 209.78 canted frame ring 

to the center of the No. 1 and No. 2 aft 

rivet locations on each of the four 

longerons spaced 90° apart around the 

frame ring. If a short-edge margin 

condition exists, the SB specifies 

modifying the tailboom by installing a 

repair doubler at each affected location. 

Proposed AD Requirements 

This proposed AD would require 

measuring the distance from the aft face 

of the station 209.78 frame ring to the 

center of rivet No. 1 and rivet No. 2 at 

the four locations where the frame ring 

attaches to the tailboom longeron. If 

either the No. 1 or No. 2 aft rivet at a 

frame-ring-to-tailboom longeron 

location is more than 0.50 inches (12.7 

millimeters) from the aft face of the 


srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 168 / Wednesday, August 29, 2012 / Proposed Rules 52265 

station 209.78 frame ring, before further 

flight, the proposed AD would require 

modifying that location by fabricating 

and installing a doubler over the 

location in accordance with the 

previously-described service 

information. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this proposed AD 

would affect 109 helicopters of U.S. 

registry. We estimate that operators may 

incur the following costs in order to 

comply with this AD. $340 for 4 work 

hours to access and measure for a shortedge margin condition at $85 per hour 

for a total of $37,060 for the fleet. 

The on-condition costs for installing 

the doubler are not included in our cost 

estimate because we have no way of 

determining the number of aircraft that 

might need a doubler, which would 

require about 8 work hours at $85 per 

hour for a total of $699 additional labor 

for each helicopter and $19 for required 

parts. 

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): 

Hughes Helicopters Inc., and McDonnel 

Douglas Helicopter Systems (Type 

Certificate currently held by MD 

Helicopters, Inc. (MDHI)): Docket No. 

FAA–2012–0890; Directorate Identifier 

2011–SW–019–AD. 

(a) Applicability 

This AD applies to Model 369D, E, F, and 

FF helicopters with tailboom assembly, part 

number (P/N) 369D23500–505, –507, –511, or 

–513 with a serial number prefix of ‘‘7604’’ 

and –0001 through –0003, –0006 through 

–0047, –0049 through –0082, or –0084 

through –0113, installed, certificated in any 

category. 

(b) Unsafe Condition 

This AD defines the unsafe condition as 

too short an edge distance from an aft 

longeron rivet to the edge of a tailboom frame 

ring, which could result in failure of the 

tailboom and subsequent loss of control of 

the helicopter. 

(c) 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. 

(d) Required Actions 

(1) Within 6 months or 100 hours time-inservice, whichever occurs first, measure the 

distance from the aft face of the station 

209.78 frame ring to the center of rivet No. 

1 and rivet No. 2 at the four locations where 

the frame ring attaches to the tailboom 

longeron as depicted in Figure 2 of MD 

Helicopters Service Bulletin (SB) No. 

SB369D–207, SB369E–102, and SB369F–087, 

dated July 20, 2010. SB369D–207 applies to 

the Model 369D helicopters; SB369E–102 

applies to the Model 369E helicopters; and 

SB369F–087 applies to Model 369F and FF 

helicopters. 

Note to paragraph (d)(1) of this AD: The 

one MD Helicopters SB, dated July 20, 2010, 

contains three different numbers: SB369D– 

207; SB369E–102; and SB369F–087. 

(2) If either the No. 1 or No. 2 aft rivet at 

a frame-ring-to-tailboom-longeron location is 

more than 0.50 inches (12.7 millimeters) 

from the aft face of the station 209.78 frame 

ring, before further flight, modify that 

location by fabricating and installing a 

doubler over the location as depicted in 

Figures 3 and 4 and by following the 

Accomplishment Instructions, paragraph 

2.C., of the SB for your model helicopter. 

(e) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOC) 

(1) The Manager, Los Angeles Aircraft 

Certification Office, FAA, may approve 

AMOCs for this AD. Send your proposal to 

John Cecil, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, Los 

Angeles Aircraft Certification Office, 

Airframe Branch, 3960 Paramount Blvd., 

Lakewood, California 90712–4137, telephone 

(562) 627–5228, fax (562) 627–5210, email 

john.cecil@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. 

(f) Subject 

Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) 

Code 5302: Rotorcraft Tailboom. 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on August 16, 

2012. 

Kim Smith, 

Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft 

Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–21277 Filed 8–28–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2012–0887; Directorate 

Identifier 2009–SW–02–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter 

Deutschland GmbH Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 


srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS