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

37764 

Vol. 83, No. 149 

Thursday, August 2, 2018 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2017–0052; Product 

Identifier 2016–SW–081–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Bell 

Helicopter Textron Inc. Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to supersede 

airworthiness directive (AD) 2015–04– 

04 for Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. (Bell) 

Model 412 and 412EP helicopters. AD 

2015–04–04 requires revising the 

Rotorcraft Flight Manual (RFM) and 

installing a placard to limit flights to 

visual flight rules (VFR) and prohibiting 

night operations because of failing 

inverters. This proposed AD would 

require replacing the inverters with a 

new inverter. The actions in this 

proposed AD are intended to correct an 

unsafe condition on these products. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by October 1, 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–2017– 

0052; 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 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 Bell 

Helicopter Textron, Inc., P.O. Box 482, 

Fort Worth, TX 76101; telephone (817) 

280–3391; fax (817) 280–6466; or at 

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

You may review 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: Tim 

Beauregard, Aviation Safety Engineer, 

DSCO Branch, AIR–7J0, FAA, 10101 

Hillwood Pkwy, Fort Worth, TX 76177; 

telephone (817) 222–4357; email 

timothy.beauregard@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 issued AD 2015–04–04, 

Amendment 39–18106 (80 FR 9594, 

February 24, 2015), for Bell Model 412 

and 412EP helicopters with an inverter 

part number (P/N) 412–375–079–101 or 

412–375–079–103 with a serial number 

29145 or higher. AD 2015–04–04 was 

prompted by numerous failures of 

inverters. The failure of one inverter can 

result in smoke in the cockpit, making 

landing at night and during instrument 

meteorological conditions difficult. If 

two inverters fail, then the pilot will 

lose primary flight and navigation 

displays, autopilot, and alternate 

current powered engine and 

transmission indicators. 

To address this condition, Bell issued 

Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) 412–13– 

156, dated April 25, 2013, which 

specifies inspecting inverter part 

number (P/N) 412–375–079–101 and 

either repairing it or replacing it with 

inverter P/N 412–375–079–103 to 

prevent failure. Because the specific 

cause of the inverter failures had not 

been verified, and since inverter failures 

continued after Bell issued the ASB, we 

determined the actions specified in the 

ASB did not correct the unsafe 

condition. Therefore, AD 2015–04–04 

requires revising the RFM and installing 

a placard in full view of the pilot to 

limit flights to VFR only and prohibit 

night operations. 

Actions Since AD 2015–04–04 Was 

Issued 

Since we issued AD 2015–04–04, Bell 

determined the root causes of the 

failures were an external connector that 

caused a short circuit inside inverter 

P/N 412–375–079–101 and components 

chafing because of variations in the 

assembly process and packaging 

tolerances for inverter P/N 412–375– 

079–103. Bell introduced an improved 

inverter, P/N 412–375–079–105, and 

retrofit kits to replace inverter P/N 412– 

375–079–101 or 412–375–079–103 on 

helicopters with serial numbers 33001 

or higher. These replacements and 

repairs correct the unsafe condition by 

providing 250 voltage amperes (VA) of 

total power instead of 500 VA, thereby 

reducing the input power to the 

inverter. 


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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 149 / Thursday, August 2, 2018 / Proposed Rules 37765 

FAA’s Determination 

We are proposing this AD because we 

evaluated all the relevant information 

and determined the unsafe condition 

described previously is likely to exist or 

develop in other products of these same 

type designs. 

Related Service Information 

We reviewed Bell Alert Service 

Bulletin (ASB) 412–15–164, dated 

March 13, 2015 (ASB 412–15–164), 

which specifies an alternate means of 

compliance (AMOC) approved by the 

FAA for AD 2015–04–04 (80 FR 9594, 

February 24, 2015). Instead of the flight 

limitations mandated by AD 2015–04– 

04, ASB 412–15–164 limits allow 

operation under instrument flight rules 

(IFR) and night operations with two 

pilots. 

We also reviewed Bell ASB 412–16– 

171, dated March 22, 2016 (ASB 412– 

16–171), which specifies replacing 

certain serial-numbered inverters P/N 

412–375–079–101 and 412–375–079– 

103 with inverter P/N 412–375–079–105 

as a direct replacement or with a retrofit 

kit. Bell specifies that completing the 

actions specified by the ASB constitute 

terminating action for Bell ASB 412–15– 

164. 

Lastly, we reviewed Bell Service 

Instruction for Inverter Retrofit Kit 

BHT–412–SI–93, dated February 15, 

2016, which provides instructions for 

installing retrofit kit P/N 412–704–058– 

103. 

Proposed AD Requirements 

The proposed AD would require, 

within 25 hours time-in-service (TIS), 

replacing the inverter with inverter P/N 

412–375–079–105 and, for some 

helicopters, installing retrofit kit P/N 

412–704–058–103. 

After accomplishing the previous 

actions, the proposed AD would allow 

removing the placard and Rotorcraft 

Flight Manual limitations that prohibit 

night operations and restrict flights to 

visual flight rules. 

After the effective date of this AD, this 

proposed AD would prohibit installing 

an inverter P/N 412–375–079–101 or 

412–375–079–103 on any helicopter. 

Differences Between This Proposed AD 

and the Service Information 

Bell ASB 412–16–171 requires 

compliance no later than January 1, 

2017, while this proposed AD would 

require compliance within 25 hours TIS. 

Bell ASB 412–16–171 makes an 

electrical load analysis a determining 

factor for corrective actions. This 

proposed AD would make no such 

requirement. Bell ASB 412–16–171 

provides instructions for helicopters 

with serial numbers 36649, 36658, 

36659, 36673, 36681 through 36684, 

36686, 36688, 36690, 36692, 36694, and 

36696 through 36704, and this proposed 

AD would not. Bell has notified us of 

errors in the S/Ns listed for Part B of 

ASB 412–16–171. Accordingly, this 

proposed AD would only be applicable 

to those serial-numbered helicopters 

subject to the unsafe condition. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this proposed AD 

would affect 73 helicopters of U.S. 

Registry and that labor costs average $85 

per work-hour. Based on these 

estimates, we expect that installing a 

new inverter or retrofit kit would 

require about 3 work-hours and a parts 

cost of $15,749, for a total cost of 

$16,004 per helicopter and $1,168,292 

for the U.S. fleet. 

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 

removing Airworthiness Directive (AD) 

2015–04–04, Amendment 39–18106 (80 

FR 9594, February 24, 2015), and adding 

the following new AD: 

Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.: Docket No. 

FAA–2017–0052; Product Identifier 

2016–SW–081–AD. 

(a) Applicability 

This AD applies to Model 412 and 412EP 

helicopters with a serial number (S/N) 33001 

through 33213, 34001 through 34036, 36001 

through 36648, 36650 through 36657, 36660 

through 36672, 36674 through 36680, 36685, 

36687, 36689, 36691, 36693, 36695, and 

37002 through 37012, certificated in any 

category, with a static inverter (inverter) part 

number (P/N) 412–375–079–101 or 412–375– 

079–103 installed. 

(b) Unsafe Condition 

This AD defines the unsafe condition as 

the failure of an inverter under instrument 

meteorological conditions or night flight. 

This condition could result in smoke in the 

cockpit, increased pilot workload due to the 

loss of primary flight and navigation 

displays, alternating current powered engine 

and transmission indicators, and autopilot, 

and subsequent loss of control of the 

helicopter. 

(c) Affected ADs 

This AD replaces AD 2015–04–04, 

Amendment 39–18106 (80 FR 9594, February 

24, 2015). 

(d) Comments Due Date 

We must receive comments by October 1, 

2018. 

(e) Compliance 

You are responsible for performing each 

action required by this AD within the 


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37766 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 149 / Thursday, August 2, 2018 / Proposed Rules 

specified compliance time unless it has 

already been accomplished prior to that time. 

(f) Required Actions 

(1) Within 25 hours time-in-service: 

(i) For helicopters with a S/N 33001 

through 33213, 34001 through 34036, and 

36001 through 36086, replace the inverter 

with inverter P/N 412–375–079–105. 

(ii) For helicopters with a S/N 36087 

through 36648, 36650 through 36657, 36660 

through 36672, 36674 through 36680, 36685, 

36687, 36689, 36691, 36693, 36695, and 

37002 through 37012, install retrofit kit P/N 

412–704–058–103 and replace the inverter 

with inverter P/N 412–375–079–105. 

(2) After accomplishing the actions 

required by paragraph (f)(1) of this AD, you 

may remove the placard and Rotorcraft Flight 

Manual limitations, required by AD 2015– 

04–04, prohibiting night operations and 

restricting flights to visual flight rules. 

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

not install an inverter P/N 412–375–079–101 

or 412–375–079–103 on any helicopter. 

(g) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, DSCO, FAA, may 

approve AMOCs for this AD. Send your 

proposal to: Tim Beauregard, Aviation Safety 

Engineer, DSCO Branch, AIR–7J0, FAA, 

10101 Hillwood Pkwy, Fort Worth, TX 

76177; telephone 817–222–5190; email 9– 

ASW–190–COS@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 

Bell Alert Service Bulletin 412–15–164, 

dated March 13, 2015, and Bell Alert Service 

Bulletin 412–16–171, dated March 22, 2016, 

which are not incorporated by reference, 

contain additional information about the 

subject of this AD. For service information 

identified in this AD, contact Bell Helicopter 

Textron, Inc., P.O. Box 482, Fort Worth, TX 

76101; telephone (817) 280–3391; fax (817) 

280–6466; or at http://www.bellcustomer.

com/files/. You may review this service 

information at the FAA, Office of the 

Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 10101 

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

TX 76177. 

(i) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 2422, AC Inverter. 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on June 19, 

2018. 

Scott A. Horn, 

Deputy Director for Regulatory Operations, 

Compliance and Airworthiness Division, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2018–16495 Filed 8–1–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2018–0637; Product 

Identifier 2018–NM–091–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus SAS 

Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 

Airbus SAS Model A350–941 airplanes. 

This proposed AD was prompted by 

leakage of shrouded pipe T-boxes in the 

potable water system. This proposed AD 

would require replacement of the 

affected potable water T-boxes and 

clamps with new parts. We are 

proposing this AD to address the unsafe 

condition on these products. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by September 17, 

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 Airbus SAS, 

Airworthiness Office—EAL, Rond-Point 

Emile Dewoitine No: 2, 31700 Blagnac 

Cedex, France; telephone +33 5 61 93 36 

96; fax +33 5 61 93 45 80; email 

continued-airworthiness.a350@

airbus.com; internet http://

www.airbus.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. 

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– 

0637; 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 NPRM, the 

regulatory evaluation, any comments 

received, and other information. The 

street address for Docket Operations 

(phone: 800–647–5527) is in the 

ADDRESSES section. Comments will be 

available in the AD docket shortly after 

receipt. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Kathleen Arrigotti, Aerospace Engineer, 

International Section, Transport 

Standards Branch, FAA, 2200 South 

216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; 

telephone and fax 206–231–3218. 

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– 

2018–0637; Product Identifier 2018– 

NM–091–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 

because 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 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 2018–0111R1, dated May 30, 

2018 (referred to after this as the 

Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness 

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

an unsafe condition for certain Airbus 

SAS Model A350–941 airplanes. The 

MCAI states: 

During a pressure test on the A350 Final 

Assembly Line (FAL), leakage was observed 

on the potable water system shrouded pipes, 

due to a crack failure on the T-Boxes. 

Leakage of a primary pipe may cause water 

ingress into the avionics bay. Additionally, 

during another pressure proof test on the 

A350 FAL, loss of torque was detected on the 

clamps used to attach the shrouded pipes on 

the T-Boxes. 

This condition, if not corrected, could lead 

to loss of systems/equipment located inside 

the avionics bay, possibly resulting in an 

unsafe condition. 

Prompted by these findings, Airbus 

developed improved potable water T-Boxes 


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