Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 213 / Monday, November 4, 2013 / Rules and Regulations 65871 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2013–0479; Directorate 

Identifier 2011–SW–070–AD; Amendment 

39–17649; AD 2013–22–17] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter 

France Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for 

Eurocopter France (Eurocopter) Model 

AS332C, AS332L, AS332L1, AS332L2, 

and EC225LP helicopters. This AD 

requires inspecting the intermediate 

gearbox (IGB) fairing for a crack and 

inspecting the IGB fairing gutter (gutter), 

if installed, for a crack, separation, or 

interference. This AD is prompted by 

reports of cracks, separation of the IGB 

fairing from the gutter and attachment 

supports, and subsequent interference 

with the tail rotor (T/R) inclined drive 

shaft. These actions are intended to 

detect a crack and prevent separation of 

the IGB fairing, which could result in 

interference with the T/R inclined drive 

shaft and subsequent loss of control of 

the helicopter. 

DATES: This AD is effective December 9, 

2013. 

ADDRESSES: For service information 

identified in this AD, contact American 

Eurocopter Corporation, 2701 N. Forum 

Drive, Grand Prairie, TX 75052; 

telephone (972) 641–0000 or (800) 232– 

0323; fax (972) 641–3775; or at http://

www.eurocopter.com/techpub. You may 

review the referenced service 

information at the FAA, Office of the 

Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 

2601 Meacham Blvd., Room 663, Fort 

Worth, Texas 76137. 

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 AD, the foreign 

authority’s AD, the economic 

evaluation, any comments received, and 

other information. The street address for 

the Docket Operations Office (phone: 

800–647–5527) is U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations 

Office, M–30, West Building Ground 

Floor, Room W12–140, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gary 

Roach, Aviation Safety Engineer, 

Regulations and Policy Group, 

Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 2601 

Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 

76137; telephone (817) 222–5110; email 

gary.b.roach@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

On June 5, 2013, at 78 FR 33764, the 

Federal Register published our notice of 

proposed rulemaking (NPRM), which 

proposed to amend 14 CFR part 39 to 

include an AD that would apply to 

Eurocopter Model AS332C, AS332L, 

AS332L1, AS332L2, and EC225LP 

helicopters with an intermediate 

gearbox (IGB) fairing, part number (P/N) 

332A24–0303–0501, P/N 332A24–0303– 

0601, P/N 332A081391.00, or P/N 

332A081391.01 installed. The NPRM 

proposed to require, for helicopters with 

an IGB fairing with a gutter, repetitively 

inspecting the gutter, IGB fairing, and 

attachment supports for a crack, 

separation, or interference. For 

helicopters with an IGB fairing without 

a gutter, the NPRM proposed to require 

repetitively inspecting the IGB fairing 

and attachment supports for a crack. If 

during any inspection there is a crack, 

interference, or separation, the NPRM 

proposed replacing the cracked or 

damaged part with an airworthy part. 

The proposed requirements were 

intended to detect a crack and prevent 

separation of the IGB fairing, which 

could result in interference with the 

T/R inclined drive shaft and subsequent 

loss of control of the helicopter. 

The NPRM was prompted by AD No. 

2011–0189–E, dated September 21, 2011 

(AD 2011–0189–E), issued by the 

European Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA), which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Union. EASA advises of cracks along 

the rivet line joining the IGB fairing to 

the gutter and in the associated 

attachment points, which have caused 

some fairings to separate and interfere 

with the T/R inclined drive shaft. EASA 

issued AD 2011–0189–E to require 

inspecting the IGB fairing gutter and 

also require inspecting the IGB fairing 

and attachment supports for cracks 

every 15 flight hours. 

Comments 

We gave the public the opportunity to 

participate in developing this AD, but 

we did not receive any comments on the 

NPRM (78 FR 33764, June 5, 2013). 

FAA’s 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, 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 and that air 

safety and the public interest require 

adopting the AD requirements as 

proposed. 

Related Service Information 

Eurocopter has issued one emergency 

alert service bulletin (ASB) with three 

numbers, revision 4, dated September 

27, 2011: ASB No. 53.01.47 for Model 

AS 332 series helicopters, ASB No. 

53.00.48 for Model AS532 series 

helicopters, and ASB No. 53A001 for 

Model EC225 and EC725 helicopters. 

The ASB requires inspecting the IGB 

fairings and their attachment supports 

and replacing any cracked or damaged 

parts every 15 flight hours. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this AD will affect 

10 helicopters of U.S. Registry. We 

estimate that operators may incur the 

following costs in order to comply with 

this AD. Inspecting the IGB fairing and 

attachment supports require about 0.5 

work hours at an average labor rate of 

$85 per work hour, for a total cost per 

helicopter of $43 per inspection cycle. 

The total cost to the U.S. operator fleet 

will be $430 per inspection cycle. 

Replacing a cracked IGB fairing would 

require about 2 work hours at an average 

labor rate of $85 per work hour, and 

required parts would cost $1,905, for a 

total cost per helicopter of $2,075. 

Replacing a damaged T/R inclined drive 

shaft tube would require about 2 work 

hours, and required parts would cost 

$16,726, for a total cost per helicopter 

of $16,896. Replacing a damaged 

hydraulic pipe would require about 2 

work hours and required parts would 

cost $1,202, for a total cost per 

helicopter of $1,372. Replacing a 

damaged flight control component 

would require about 2 work hours, and 

required parts would cost $440, for a 

total cost per helicopter of $610. 

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. 


wreier-aviles on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with RULES
65872 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 213 / Monday, November 4, 2013 / Rules and Regulations 

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 

helicopters identified in this rulemaking 

action. 

Regulatory Findings 

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, 

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): 

2013–22–17 Eurocopter France: 

Amendment 39–17649; Docket No. 

FAA–2013–0479; Directorate Identifier 

2011–SW–070–AD. 

(a) Applicability 

This AD applies to Eurocopter France 

(Eurocopter) Model AS332C, AS332L, 

AS332L1, AS332L2, and EC225LP 

helicopters with an intermediate gearbox 

(IGB) fairing, part number (P/N) 332A24– 

0303–0501, P/N 332A24–0303–0601, P/N 

332A081391.00, or P/N 332A081391.01 

installed, certificated in any category. 

(b) Unsafe Condition 

This AD defines the unsafe condition as a 

crack in the IGB fairing, which could result 

in separation of the IGB fairing from its 

attachment supports, resulting in interference 

with the tail rotor (T/R) inclined driveshaft, 

failure of the T/R inclined driveshaft, and 

subsequent loss of control of the helicopter. 

(c) Effective Date 

This AD becomes effective December 9, 

2013. 

(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 

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

thereafter at intervals not to exceed 15 hours 

TIS: 

(1) For all helicopters, inspect the IGB 

fairing and both attachment supports for a 

crack. If there is a crack, replace the cracked 

part with an airworthy part. 

(2) For helicopters with an IGB fairing, part 

number (P/N) 332A24–0303–0501 or P/N 

332A24–0303–0601, installed, inspect the 

IGB fairing gutter (gutter) for a crack. If there 

is a crack, replace the gutter with an 

airworthy gutter, and inspect the IGB fairing 

for separation, or interference between the 

gutter and the T/R inclined drive shaft, 

hydraulic pipes, or flight controls. 

(i) If there is interference between the 

gutter and the T/R inclined drive shaft tube, 

replace the T/R inclined drive shaft tube and 

the IGB fairing/gutter assembly with an 

airworthy T/R inclined drive shaft tube and 

IGB fairing/gutter assembly. 

(ii) If there is interference between the 

gutter and the hydraulic pipes, replace the 

IGB fairing/gutter assembly with an 

airworthy IGB fairing/gutter assembly. 

Inspect the hydraulic pipes for a dent, score, 

distortion, or chafing. If there is a dent, score, 

distortion, or chafing, replace the affected 

hydraulic pipe with an airworthy hydraulic 

pipe. 

(iii) If there is interference between the 

gutter and the flight controls, replace the IGB 

fairing/gutter assembly with an airworthy 

IGB fairing/gutter assembly. Inspect the 

cables on the left hand side of the pylon, the 

quadrant on which the cables are coiled, the 

flight control lever, the rod, and the T/R 

servo-control operating mechanism for 

friction, chafing, broken strands, buckling, 

distortion, or scoring. If there is any friction, 

chafing, broken strands, buckling, distortion, 

or scoring, replace the affected flight control 

component with an airworthy flight control 

component. 

(iv) If there is any separation of the gutter, 

replace the IBG fairing/gutter assembly with 

an airworthy fairing/gutter assembly. 

(f) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, Safety Management 

Group, FAA, may approve AMOCs for this 

AD. Send your proposal to: Gary Roach, 

Aviation Safety Engineer, Regulations and 

Policy Group, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 

2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 

76137; telephone (817) 222–5110; email 

gary.b.roach@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 

(1) Eurocopter Emergency Alert Service 

Bulletin (EASB) No. 53.01.47 for Model AS 

332 helicopters, EASB No. 53.00.48 for 

Model AS532 helicopters, and EASB No. 

53A001 for Model EC225 and EC725 

helicopters, all revision 4, dated September 

27, 2011, which are not incorporated by 

reference, contain additional information 

about the subject of this AD. For service 

information identified in this AD, contact 

American Eurocopter Corporation, 2701 N. 

Forum Drive, Grand Prairie, TX 75052; 

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

fax (972) 641–3775; or at http://

www.eurocopter.com/techpub. You may 

review a copy of the service information at 

the FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, 

Southwest Region, 2601 Meacham Blvd., 

Room 663, Fort Worth, Texas 76137. 

(2) The subject of this AD is addressed in 

European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) 

Emergency AD No. 2011–0189–E, dated 

September 29, 2011. You may view the EASA 

AD on the internet in Docket No. FAA–2013– 

0479 at http://www.regulations.gov. 

(h) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 5350: Aerodynamic Fairings. 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on October 24, 

2013. 

Kim Smith, 

Directorate Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2013–26052 Filed 11–1–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 


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