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[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 128 (Wednesday, July 3, 2013)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 40072-40074]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-15964]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2013-0573; Directorate Identifier 2012-SW-042-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter France Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
certain serial-numbered Eurocopter France (Eurocopter) Model AS332C1 
and AS332L1 helicopters. This proposed AD would require replacing the 
rivets on the left-hand (LH) and right-hand (RH) Y350 longitudinal 
beams (longitudinal beams Y350). This proposed AD is prompted by a 
report that non-conforming rivets had been installed on an AS332 
helicopter during a production modification. The proposed actions are 
intended to prevent failure of the longitudinal beams Y350 and 
subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by September 3, 
2013.

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 
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.

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:

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

    The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical 
Agent for the Member States of the European Union, has issued EASA 
Emergency AD No.: 2012-0046-E, dated March 21, 2012 (EAD 2012-0046-E), 
to correct an unsafe condition for Eurocopter Model AS332 C1 and AS332 
L1 helicopters. EASA advises that an AS332 helicopter was found on the 
production line with non-conforming rivets installed on the RH and LH 
longitudinal beams Y350 of the bottom structure of the fuselage, 
between sections X4780 and X5295. According to EASA, the investigation 
revealed that a limited number of helicopters were documented as 
receiving a production modification requiring the replacement of 
certain 3.2 mm rivets with 4.8 mm rivets, but the actual replacement of 
the rivets had not been performed. EASA states that this condition 
leads to significant reduction in the safety margins during sling 
operations and may cause failure of the web/flange assembly connections 
of the longitudinal beams Y350, possibly resulting in loss of control 
of the helicopter. For these reasons, EASA issued EAD 2012-0046-E, 
which, pending inspection of the helicopter beams Y350 and replacement 
of the affected rivets, prohibits sling operations or limits the 3-ton 
sling to external loads of 2.28 tons or less.

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

[[Page 40073]]

agreement with France, EASA, its technical representative, has notified 
us of the unsafe condition described in its AD. We are proposing this 
AD because we evaluated all known relevant information and determined 
that an unsafe condition is likely to exist or develop on other 
products of the same type design.

Related Service Information

    We reviewed Eurocopter Emergency Alert Service Bulletin No. 
01.00.81 Revision 0, dated March 19, 2012 (EASB 01.00.81) for Model 
AS332 helicopters. The EASB describes procedures for temporarily 
prohibiting sling operations or limiting the use of the 3-ton sling to 
2.28 tons until the 3.2 mm diameter rivets are replaced with 4.8 mm 
diameter rivets.

Proposed AD Requirements

    This proposed AD would require, within 10 hours time in service 
(TIS), replacing the non-conforming 3.2 mm rivets, part-number (P/N) 
212 15DC 3200J, on the longitudinal beams Y350 with airworthy 4.8 mm 
rivets, P/N 212 15DC 4800J.

Differences Between This Proposed AD and the EASA AD

    The EASA AD requires limiting the use of the 3-ton sling, 
inspecting the longitudinal beams Y350 for loose or missing rivets, 
black marks around the rivets, and cracks, and, depending on the 
accumulated sling operation cycles, replacing the rivets within a 
period of up to 24 months. This proposed AD does not require the 
inspections as it would require replacing the rivets within 10 hours 
TIS, regardless of accumulated sling operation cycles.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this proposed AD would affect 1 helicopter of U.S. 
Registry. We estimate that operators may incur the following costs in 
order to comply with this AD. Modifying the longitudinal beams Y350 
with 4.8 mm rivets would require about 24 work-hours at an average 
labor rate of $85 per hour and required parts would cost about $110, 
for a total cost per helicopter of $2,150. Thus, the total cost to U.S. 
operators to comply with the proposed AD would be about $2,150.

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

0
1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.

Sec.  39.13  [Amended]

0
2. The FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by adding the following new airworthiness 
directive (AD):

Eurocopter France: Docket No. FAA-2013-0573; Directorate Identifier 
2012-SW-042-AD.

(a) Applicability

    This AD applies to Eurocopter France Model AS332C1 and AS332L1 
helicopters with the following serial numbers, certificated in any 
category: 2494, 2497, 2499, 2501, 2507, 2510, 2513, 2517, 2523, 
2524, 2526, 2528, 2531, 2533, 2538, 2544, 2546, 2548, 2550, 2553, 
2556, 2558, 2561, 2563, 2566, 2568, 2569, 2571, 2635, 2641, 2644, 
2649, 2652, 2657, 2665, 2667, 2669, 2671, 2682, 2683, 2686, 2689, 
2694, 2696, 2700, 2704, 2705, 2706, 2710, 2713, 2717, 2720, 2726, 
2733, 2737, 2738, 2748, 2751, 2754, 2757, 2758, 2761, 2763, 2765, 
2774, 2780, 2787, 2800, 2807, 2816, 2820, 2833, 9007, 9008, 9009 and 
9010.

(b) Unsafe Condition

    This AD defines the unsafe condition as non-conforming rivets 
installed on the left-hand (LH) and right-hand (RH) Y350 
longitudinal beams (longitudinal beams Y350) of the bottom 
structure. This condition could result in failure of the web/flange 
assembly connections of the longitudinal beams Y350 and subsequent 
loss of control of the helicopter.

(c) Comments Due Date

    We must receive comments by September 3, 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 10 hours time-in-service, replace the 3.2 mm rivets, 
part-number (P/N) 21215DC3200J, of the RH and LH longitudinal beams 
Y350 of the bottom structure with 4.8 mm rivets, P/N 21215DC4800J, 
as shown in Figures 2 and 3 of Eurocopter Emergency Alert Service 
Bulletin No. 01.00.81, Revision 0, dated March 19, 2012.

(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.

[[Page 40074]]

(g) Additional Information

    The subject of this AD is addressed in European Aviation Safety 
Agency (EASA) Emergency AD No.: 2012-0046-E, dated March 21, 2012. 
You may view the EASA AD at www.regulations.gov in Docket No. FAA-
2013-0573.

 (h) Subject

    Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) Code: 5314: Fuselage 
Main, Keel.

    Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on June 21, 2013.
Kim Smith,
Directorate Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-15964 Filed 7-2-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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