66606 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 208 / Thursday, October 27, 2011 / Rules and Regulations 

§ 917.143 [Amended] 

■ 21. In § 917.143, lift the suspension of 

April 18, 2011 (76 FR 21618); remove 

the words ‘‘and peaches’’ from the 

introductory text of paragraph (b) and 

from paragraphs (b)(1), (b)(2), and (b)(4); 

remove the words ‘‘and 200 pounds of 

peaches’’ from paragraph (b)(3); and 

suspend the section indefinitely. 

§ 917.150 [Removed] 

■ 22. Remove § 917.150. 

Subpart—Assessment Rates 

(§§ 917.258 through 917.259) 

[Removed] 

■ 23. Remove Subpart—Assessment 

Rates, consisting of §§ 917.258 through 

917.259. 

Subpart—Container and Pack 

Regulation (§§ 917.442) [Removed] 

■ 24. Remove Subpart—Container and 

Pack Regulation, consisting of § 917.442. 

§ 917.459 [Removed] 

■ 25. Remove §§ 917.459. 

Dated: October 14, 2011. 

David R. Shipman, 

Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing 

Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–27286 Filed 10–26–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2011–0939; Directorate 

Identifier 2010–SW–067–AD; Amendment 39 

16798; AD 2011–18–16] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter 

France (Eurocopter) Model AS332C, 

AS332L, AS332L1, and AS332L2 

Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration, DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule; request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a 

new airworthiness directive (AD) for the 

specified Eurocopter model helicopters. 

This action requires inspecting the 

upper end fitting ball joints of the main 

rotor servocontrols for lateral play, and 

depending on the findings either 

repetitively inspecting the ball joint or 

replacing the servocontrol. This 

amendment is prompted by reports of 

noncompliant swaging of the end fitting 

ball joints on main rotor servocontrols. 

Investigation has shown that the 

swaging load applied to the ball joints 

was 1.3 metric tons instead of the 

specified 13 metric tons. The actions 

specified in this AD are intended to 

prevent failure of the upper end fitting 

ball joints of the main rotor 

servocontrols, failure of the upper end 

fittings, and loss of control of the 

helicopter. 

DATES: Effective November 14, 2011. 

Comments for inclusion in the Rules 

Docket must be received on or before 

December 27, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: Use one of the following 

addresses to submit comments on this 

AD: 

• 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: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 

Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. 

and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal holidays. 

You may get the service information 

identified in this AD from American 

Eurocopter Corporation, 2701 Forum 

Drive, Grand Prairie, TX 75053–4005, 

telephone (800) 232–0323, fax (972) 

641–3710, or at http:// 

www.eurocopter.com. 

Examining the Docket: You may 

examine the docket that contains the 

AD, any comments, and other 

information 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 Docket 

Operations office (telephone (800) 647 

5527) is located in Room W12–140 on 

the ground floor of the West Building at 

the street address stated in the 

ADDRESSES section. Comments will be 

available in the AD docket shortly after 

receipt. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gary 

Roach, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 

Rotorcraft Directorate, Regulations and 

Guidance Group, 2601 Meacham Blvd., 

Fort Worth, Texas 76137, telephone 

(817) 222–5130, fax (817) 222–5961. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

The European Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA), which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Union, has issued EASA AD No. 2010– 

0117–E, dated June 16, 2010, to correct 

an unsafe condition for the specified 

Eurocopter model helicopters. EASA 

advises that the equipment 

manufacturer (Goodrich) has identified 

two servocontrol production batches as 

noncompliant with swaging of the end 

fitting ball joints on main rotor 

servocontrols. EASA states that 

investigations have revealed that the 

swaging load applied to the ball joints 

in these two batches was 1.3 metric 

tons, instead of the specified 13 metric 

tons, which could lead the ball joints to 

slip in service. The slipping of the ball 

joint of the servocontrol lower end 

fitting does not significantly affect the 

service life of the end fitting. However, 

the slipping of the ball joint of the 

servocontrol upper end fitting can lead 

to a significant reduction in the service 

life of the end fitting. This condition, if 

not corrected, could lead to failure of 

the upper end fitting ball joint of a main 

rotor servocontrol and result in loss of 

control of the helicopter. 

Differences Between This AD and the 

EASA AD 

We refer to flight hours as hours timein-service (TIS). 

Related Service Information 

Eurocopter has issued an Emergency 

Alert Service Bulletin (EASB), dated 

June 15, 2010, with two numbers: No. 

67.00.40 for FAA type-certificated 

Models AS332C, L, L1, and L2 and for 

Models AS332C1, B, B1, F1, M, and M1 

that are not FAA type certificated, and 

No. 67.00.27 for Models AS532AC, AL, 

SC, UC, UE, UL, A2, and U2 that are not 

FAA type certificated. The EASB 

specifies checking and restoring 

conformity of the affected end fitting 

ball joints of the servocontrols. The 

EASB contains Appendix 1 and 2, 

Goodrich Service Bulletins No. SC7203– 

67–31–02 and No. SC7221–67–39–02, 

both dated May 11, 2010, which specify 

the process for comforming each 

affected servocontrol. EASA classified 

this EASB as mandatory and issued 

Emergency AD No. 2010–0117–E, dated 

June 16, 2010, to ensure the continued 

airworthiness of these helicopters. 

FAA’s Evaluation and Unsafe Condition 

Determination 

These helicopters have been approved 

by the aviation authority of France and 

are approved for operation in the United 

States. Pursuant to our bilateral 

agreement with France, EASA, their 

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 

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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 208 / Thursday, October 27, 2011 / Rules and Regulations 66607 

unsafe condition exists and is likely to 

exist or develop on other helicopters of 

these same type designs. 

Eurocopter states that there are 

currently no helicopters with the 

affected part installed in the United 

States. However, this rule is necessary 

to ensure that the described unsafe 

condition is addressed in the event this 

part is installed on any helicopter in the 

future. 

Costs of Compliance 

There are no costs of compliance 

assuming that there are no helicopters 

on the U.S. Registry with the affected 

part installed as represented by the 

manufacturer. 

FAA’s Determination of the Effective 

Date 

This unsafe condition is likely to exist 

or develop on other helicopters of these 

same type designs. Therefore, this AD is 

being issued to prevent failure of the 

upper end fitting ball joints of the main 

rotor servocontrols, failure of the upper 

end fittings, and loss of control of the 

helicopter. Since there are currently no 

U.S. registered helicopters with the 

affected part installed, we have 

determined that notice and opportunity 

for prior public comment before issuing 

this AD are unnecessary and that good 

cause exists for making this amendment 

effective in less than 30 days. 

Requirements of This AD 

This AD requires: 

• Within 15 hours TIS, unless 

accomplished previously, using a feeler 

gage, measuring the lateral play between 

the outer ring of the ball joint and each 

of the two faces of the upper end fitting. 

• If the lateral play is greater than or 

equal to 1 millimeter (MM) (0.04 inch) 

and the servocontrol has accumulated 

825 or more hours TIS, replacing it with 

an airworthy servocontrol before further 

flight. 

• If the lateral play is greater than or 

equal to 1 mm (0.04 inch) and the 

servocontrol has accumulated less than 

825 hours TIS, on or before the 

servocontrol accumulates 825 hours 

TIS, replacing it with an airworthy 

servocontrol. 

• If the lateral play is less than 1 mm 

(0.04 inch), thereafter, at intervals not to 

exceed 300 hours TIS, repeating the 

inspection. At each 300-hour TIS 

inspection, if the lateral play is greater 

than or equal to 1 mm (0.04 inch), 

within 525 hours TIS, replacing the 

servocontrol with an airworthy 

servocontrol. 

• Replacing the servocontrol with an 

airworthy servocontrol that is not 

included in the AD applicability or that 

is modified with a letter ‘‘R’’ after the S/ 

N constitutes terminating action for the 

requirements of this AD. 

Because these affected parts have an 

unlimited operational fatigue life with 

no previous fatigue inspections 

required, the replacement criteria of this 

AD assumes that the affected 

servocontrols found to have greater than 

or equal to 1 MM of lateral play have 

already been operated for at least 825 

hours TIS with this fatigue damage and 

must be replaced at 825 hours TIS or if 

they have already accumulated 825 or 

more hours TIS, within 15 hours TIS of 

the effective date of this AD. However, 

if a subsequent 300-hour TIS repetitive 

inspection required by this AD reveals 

lateral play of 1 MM or greater, those 

affected servocontrols may be operated 

an additional 525 hours TIS because the 

previous 300-hours TIS inspection 

established the new baseline for the 825 

hours TIS thereby allowing an 

additional 525 hours TIS before 

replacement. 

Comments Invited 

This AD is a final rule that involves 

requirements that affect flight safety and 

was not preceded by notice and an 

opportunity for public comment; 

however, we invite you to submit any 

written data, views, or arguments 

regarding this AD. Send your comments 

to an address listed under ADDRESSES. 

Include FAA Docket No. ‘‘FAA–2011– 

0939; Directorate Identifier 2010–SW– 

067–AD’’ at the beginning of your 

comments. We specifically invite 

comments on the overall regulatory, 

economic, environmental, and energy 

aspects of the AD. We will consider all 

comments received by the closing date 

and may amend the AD in light of 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 with FAA 

personnel concerning this AD. Using the 

search function of the docket Web site, 

you can find and read the comments to 

any of our dockets, including the name 

of the individual who sent 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). 

Regulatory Findings 

We have determined that notice and 

prior public comment are unnecessary 

in promulgating this regulation; 

therefore, it can be issued immediately 

to correct an unsafe condition in aircraft 

because none of the model helicopters 

that are registered in the United States 

have the affected part installed. We have 

also determined that this regulation is 

not a ‘‘significant regulatory action’’ 

under Executive Order 12866. It has 

been determined further that this action 

involves an emergency regulation under 

DOT Regulatory Policies and Procedures 

(44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979). If it 

is determined that this emergency 

regulation otherwise would be 

significant under DOT Regulatory 

Policies and Procedures, a final 

regulatory evaluation will be prepared 

and placed in the AD docket. 

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, Incorporation by reference 

Safety. 

Adoption of the Amendment 

Accordingly, pursuant to the 

authority delegated to me by the 

Administrator, the Federal Aviation 

Administration amends 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. 

§ 39.13 [Amended] 

■ 2. Section 39.13 is amended by adding 

a new airworthiness directive (AD) to 

read as follows: 

2011–18–16 Eurocopter France: 

Amendment 39–16798; Docket No. FAA 

2011–0939; Directorate Identifier 2010– 

SW–067–AD. 

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66608 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 208 / Thursday, October 27, 2011 / Rules and Regulations 

Applicability: Models AS332C, L, L1, and 

L2 helicopters, with main rotor 

servocontrols, part number (P/N) SC7203–1 

with serial number (S/N) 633 through 643, 

645 through 659, 664 or 665, or P/N SC7221– 

1 with S/N 1693 through 1723 and 1726 or 

1727, which are not marked with a letter ‘‘R’’ 

after the S/N, certificated in any category. 

Compliance: Required as indicated. 

To prevent failure of the upper end fitting 

ball joints of the main rotor servocontrols, 

failure of the upper end fittings, and loss of 

control of the helicopter, do the following: 

(a) Within 15 hours time-in-service (TIS), 

unless accomplished previously, using a 

feeler gage, measure the lateral play between 

the outer ring of the ball joint and each of the 

two faces of the upper end fitting as depicted 

in Figure 1 of this AD. 

(b) If the lateral play is greater than or 

equal to 1 millimeter (MM) (0.04 inch) and 

the servocontrol has accumulated 825 or 

more hours TIS, before further flight, replace 

it with an airworthy servocontrol. 

(c) If the lateral play is greater than or 

equal to 1 mm (0.04 inch) and the 

servocontrol has accumulated less than 825 

hours TIS, on or before the servocontrol 

accumulates 825 hours TIS, replace it with 

an airworthy servocontrol. 

(d) If the lateral play is less than 1 mm 

(0.04 inch), at intervals not to exceed 300 

hours TIS, repeat the inspection required by 

paragraph (a) of this AD. At each 300 hour 

TIS interval inspection, if the lateral play is 

greater than or equal to 1 mm (0.04 inch), 

within 525 hours TIS, replace the 

servocontrol with an airworthy servocontrol. 

Note 1: An acceptable method of returning 

the servocontrol to an airworthy condition 


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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 208 / Thursday, October 27, 2011 / Rules and Regulations 66609 

for the purposes of this AD is by modifying 

the servocontrol and marking an ‘‘R’’ after the 

S/N by following Goodrich Service Bulletin 

(SB) No. SC7203–67–31–02, dated May 11, 

2010, for servocontrol, P/N SC7203–1, or 

Goodrich SB No. SC72216739–02, dated May 

11, 2010, for servocontrol, P/N SC7221 1. The 

Goodrich SBs are attached to Eurocopter 

Emergency Alert SB containing two numbers 

(67.00.40 and 67–00.27), dated June 15, 2010 

as Appendix 1 and Appendix 2, respectively. 

None of these three SBs is incorporated by 

reference in this AD. 

(e) Replacing a servocontrol with an 

airworthy servocontrol that is marked with a 

letter ‘‘R’’ by the manufacturer after the S/N 

constitutes terminating action for the 

requirements of this AD. 

(f) 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 Manager, Safety 

Management Group, Rotorcraft Directorate, 

FAA, ATTN: Gary Roach, Aviation Safety 

Engineer, FAA, Regulations and Guidance 

Group, 2601 Meacham Blvd, Fort Worth, 

Texas 76137, telephone (817) 222–5130, fax 

(817) 222 5961, for information about 

previously approved alternative methods of 

compliance. 

(g) The Joint Aircraft System/Component 

(JASC) Code is 6730: Rotorcraft Servo 

System. 

(h) This amendment becomes effective on 

November 14, 2011. 

Note 2: The subject of this AD is addressed 

in European Aviation Safety Agency 

Emergency AD No. 2010–0117–E, dated June 

16, 2010. 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on August 23, 

2011. 

Kim Smith, 

Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft 

Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–27673 Filed 10–26–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2011–1035; Directorate 

Identifier 2011–SW–038–AD; Amendment 

39–16817; AD 2011–15–51] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Bell 

Helicopter Textron Canada (Bell) Model 

407 and 427 Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration, DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule; request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: This document publishes in 

the Federal Register an amendment 

adopting Airworthiness Directive (AD) 

2011–15–51, which was sent previously 

to all known U.S. owners and operators 

of the specified Bell Model 407 and 427 

helicopters by individual letters. This 

AD requires inspecting certain 

hydraulic servo actuators to determine 

whether the shaft turns independently 

of the nut or the clevis assembly. If the 

shaft turns independently, this AD 

requires replacing the servo with an 

airworthy servo. If the shaft does not 

turn independently, the AD requires 

inspecting to determine the condition of 

the lock washers. Based on the 

condition of the lock washers, the AD 

requires either replacing the servo with 

an airworthy servo, or if any tab of the 

lock washer is not flush against a flat 

surface of the nut or clevis assembly, 

bending it flush against a flat surface. 

The AD also requires reidentifying the 

servo by metal-impression stamping or 

by vibro-etching ‘‘67.01’’ onto the 

modification plate. Also, the AD 

requires before installing a servo with a 

part number or serial number identified 

in this AD, not identified by ‘‘67–01’’ on 

the modification plate, inspecting it by 

following the requirements of this AD. 

This AD is prompted by a report that a 

quality escape by a supplier has 

occurred and certain servos may have a 

loose nut, shaft, and clevis assembly 

due to improper lock-washer 

installation. An investigation after an 

accident revealed the clevis nut on the 

servo was loose. The actions specified 

by this AD are intended to prevent a 

malfunction of a servo in the flight 

control system and subsequent loss of 

control of the helicopter. 

DATES: Effective November 14, 2011, to 

all persons except those persons to 

whom it was made immediately 

effective by Emergency AD 2011–15–51, 

issued on July 8, 2011, which contained 

the requirements of this amendment. 

The incorporation by reference of 

certain publications listed in the 

regulations is approved by the Director 

of the Federal Register as of November 

14, 2011. 

Comments for inclusion in the Rules 

Docket must be received on or before 

December 27, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: Use one of the following 

addresses to submit comments on this 

AD: 

• 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: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 

Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. 

and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal holidays. 

You may get the service information 

identified in this AD from Bell 

Helicopter Textron Canada Limited, 

12,800 Rue de l’Avenir, Mirabel, Quebec 

J7J1R4, telephone (450) 437–2862 or 

(800) 363–8023, fax (450) 433–0272, or 

at http://www.bellcustomer.com/files/. 

Examining the Docket: You may 

examine the docket that contains the 

AD, any comments, and other 

information 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 Docket 

Operations office (telephone (800) 647– 

5527) is located in Room W12–140 on 

the ground floor of the West Building at 

the street address stated in the 

ADDRESSES section. Comments will be 

available in the AD docket shortly after 

receipt. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matt 

Wilbanks, Aviation Safety Engineer, 

2601 Meacham Blvd, Fort Worth, Texas 

76137, telephone (817) 222–5051, fax 

(817) 222–5961. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On July 8, 

2011, the FAA issued Emergency AD 

2011–15–51 for the specified model 

helicopters, which requires inspecting 

certain servos to determine whether the 

shaft turns independently of the nut or 

the clevis assembly. If the shaft turns 

independently, the AD requires 

replacing the servo with an airworthy 

servo. If the shaft does not turn 

independently, the AD requires 

inspecting to determine the condition of 

the lock washers. If at least one lock 

washer is not bent flush against a flat 

surface of the nut and at least one tab 

of the lock washer is not bent flush 

against a flat surface of the clevis 

assembly, the AD requires replacing the 

servo with an airworthy servo. If any tab 

of the lock washer is not bent flush 

against either a flat surface of the nut or 

clevis assembly, the AD requires 

bending the tab flush against a flat 

surface. The AD also requires 

reidentifying the servo by metalimpression stamping or by vibro-etching 

‘‘67.01’’ onto the modification plate. 

Also, the AD requires before installing 

a servo with a part number or serial 

number identified in this AD, not 

identified by ‘‘67–01’’ on the 

modification plate, inspecting and 

reidentifying it by following the 

requirements of this AD. That action 

was prompted by a report that a quality 

escape by a supplier has occurred and 

certain servos may have a loose nut, 

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