42958 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 141 / Monday, July 23, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 

(ii) If the serial number is not listed in the 

table in paragraph 3.B.(2) of Bombardier 

Service Bulletin 8–32–170, dated February 

25, 2011: Within 2,000 flight hours or 12 

months after the effective date of this AD, 

whichever occurs first, replace the 

accumulator with a new non-suspect 

accumulator, in accordance with the 

Accomplishment Instructions of Bombardier 

Service Bulletin 8–32–172, dated March 15, 

2011. 

(h) Parts Installation Prohibition 

As of the effective date of this AD, no 

person may install a parking brake 

accumulator, P/N 0860162001 or 0860162002 

with a serial number that is not listed in the 

table in paragraph 3.B.(2) of Bombardier 

Service Bulletin 8–32–170, dated February 

25, 2011, on any airplane. 

(i) Other FAA AD Provisions 

The following provisions also apply to this 

AD: 

(1) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs): The Manager, New York Aircraft 

Certification Office (ACO), ANE–170, FAA, 

has the authority to approve AMOCs for this 

AD, if requested using the procedures found 

in 14 CFR 39.19. In accordance with 14 CFR 

39.19, send your request to your principal 

inspector or local Flight Standards District 

Office, as appropriate. If sending information 

directly to the ACO, send it to ATTN: 

Program Manager, Continuing Operational 

Safety, FAA, New York ACO, 1600 Stewart 

Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, New York 

11590; telephone 516–228–7300; fax 516– 

794–5531. Before using any approved AMOC, 

notify your appropriate principal inspector, 

or lacking a principal inspector, the manager 

of the local flight standards district office/ 

certificate holding district office. The AMOC 

approval letter must specifically reference 

this AD. 

(2) Airworthy Product: For any requirement 

in this AD to obtain corrective actions from 

a manufacturer or other source, use these 

actions if they are FAA-approved. Corrective 

actions are considered FAA-approved if they 

are approved by the State of Design Authority 

(or their delegated agent). You are required 

to assure the product is airworthy before it 

is returned to service. 

(j) Related Information 

Refer to MCAI Canadian Airworthiness 

Directive CF–2011–29, dated August 2, 2011, 

and the service information identified in 

paragraphs (j)(1) and (j)(2) of this AD, for 

related information. 

(1) Bombardier Service Bulletin 8–32–170, 

dated February 25, 2011. 

(2) Bombardier Service Bulletin 8–32–172, 

dated March 15, 2011. 

(k) Material Incorporated by Reference 

(1) The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

(IBR) of the following service information 

under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. 

(2) You must use the following service 

information to do the actions required by this 

AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise. 

(i) Bombardier Service Bulletin 8–32–170, 

dated February 25, 2011. 

(ii) Bombardier Service Bulletin 8–32–172, 

dated March 15, 2011. 

(3) For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Bombardier, Inc., Q-Series 

Technical Help Desk, 123 Garratt Boulevard, 

Toronto, Ontario M3K 1Y5, Canada; 

telephone 416–375–4000; fax 416–375–4539; 

email thd.qseries@aero.bombardier.com; 

Internet http://www.bombardier.com. 

(4) You may review copies of the service 

information at the FAA, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, 

Washington. For information on the 

availability of this material at the FAA, call 

425–227–1221. 

(5) You may also review copies of the 

service information that is incorporated by 

reference at the National Archives and 

Records Administration (NARA). For 

information on the availability of this 

material at an NARA facility, call 202–741– 

6030, or go to http://www.archives.gov/

federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/

ibr_locations.html. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on June 28, 

2012. 

Kalene C. Yanamura, 

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–16967 Filed 7–20–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2012–0704; Directorate 

Identifier 2012–SW–040–AD; Amendment 

39–17113; AD 2012–13–11] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter 

Deutschland GmbH Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Final rule; request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for 

Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH (ECD) 

Model MBB–BK 117 (all versions) and 

BO–105LS A–3 helicopters. This AD 

requires inspecting the tail rotor pitch 

link spherical bearing for proper 

swaging. This AD is prompted by a 

report of a tail rotor pitch link with a 

spherical bearing that had migrated out 

of the bearing bore. The actions 

specified by this AD are intended to 

prevent failure of the tail rotor pitch 

link and subsequent loss of control of 

the helicopter. 

DATES: This AD becomes effective 

August 7, 2012. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of certain documents August 7, 2012. 

We must receive comments on this 

AD by September 21, 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 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 AD, contact Able Engineering and 

Support Services, 2920 East Chambers 

Street, Phoenix, AZ 85040; telephone 

(602) 304–1227; fax (602) 304–1277; 

email info@ableengineering.com. You 

may review a copy of 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: 

Sharon Miles, Aviation Safety Engineer, 

Regulations and Policy Group, 

Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 2601 

Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76137; 

telephone (817) 222–5110; email 

sharon.y.miles@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

This AD is a final rule that involves 

requirements affecting flight safety, and 

we did not provide you with notice and 

an opportunity to provide your 

comments prior to it becoming effective. 

However, 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 

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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 141 / Monday, July 23, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 42959 

federalism impacts that resulted from 

adopting this AD. The most helpful 

comments reference a specific portion of 

the AD, 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 them 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 

rulemaking during the comment period. 

We will consider all the comments we 

receive and may conduct additional 

rulemaking based on those comments. 

Discussion 

Able Engineering & Component 

Services (Able) received a report of a tail 

rotor pitch link with a spherical bearing 

that had migrated out of the bearing 

bore. Investigation by Able revealed that 

the migration resulted from the 

spherical bearing being improperly 

swaged during a repair process and that 

the affected parts were limited to those 

repaired after January 1, 2011. Able 

determined that an inspection of other 

tail rotor pitch links repaired after that 

date is necessary to determine their 

airworthiness and issued Alert Service 

Bulletin (ASB) No.: 2012–001, Revision 

IR, dfated March 7, 2012 (Able ASB). 

On March 19, 2012, Eurocopter issued 

one ASB with multiple numbers: 

Eurocopter Emergency Alert Service 

Bulletin (EASB) No. BO105 LS–30A– 

013 for model BO–105LS A–3 

helicopters; EASB No. BO105 LS A–3– 

STC–0654/3058–30A–001 for model 

BO–105LS A–3 Superlifter helicopters; 

EASB No. MBB–BK117–30A–115 for 

model MBB–BK 117 A–1, A–3, A–4, B– 

1, B–2, and C–1 helicopters; and EASB 

No. MBB–BK117 C–2–67A–016 for 

model MBB–BK117 C–2 helicopters, all 

Revision 0. The EASB specifies 

complying with the inspection 

described in the Able ASB. 

FAA’s Determination 

We are issuing this AD because we 

evaluated all the relevant information 

and determined the unsafe condition 

described previously is likely to exist or 

develop in other helicopters of these 

same type designs. 

Related Service Information 

We reviewed the Able ASB, which 

identifies certain tail rotor pitch links 

(pitch links) that are affected by the 

improper swaging of the spherical 

bearings. The Able ASB describes 

procedures to remove the pitch links 

and visually inspect the spherical 

bearings with an 8X magnifying glass for 

a bearing that has not been swaged and 

will migrate out of the bearing bore. If 

a pitch link is discovered with a bearing 

not properly swaged, the Able ASB 

specifies removing the pitch link from 

service and returning it to Able 

Engineering. 

AD Requirements 

This AD requires: 

• Removing the pitch link from the 

helicopter and cleaning the spherical 

bearings. 

• Applying hand pressure to the 

bearing faces and inspecting with an 8X 

or higher power magnifying glass for 

complete swaging of the bearing bore. 

• If the pitch link has not been 

completely swaged, removing the pitch 

link and replacing it with an airworthy 

pitch link. 

Differences Between This AD and the 

Service Information 

The service information requires 

returning unairworthy pitch links to 

Able Engineering; this AD does not. The 

Eurocopter ASB applies to the Model 

BO105 LS A–3 ‘‘Superlifter,’’ and this 

AD does not as that model is not type 

certificated in the U.S. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this AD will affect 

130 helicopters of U.S. Registry, and 

that operators may incur the following 

costs in order to comply with this AD. 

Inspecting each pitch link will require 

about 1.5 work hours at an average labor 

rate of $85 per hour, for a total cost per 

helicopter of about $127 and a cost to 

the U.S. operator fleet of $16,510. If 

required, replacing a pitch link with an 

airworthy pitch link will require about 

1.5 work hours at an average labor rate 

of $85 per hour, and required parts will 

cost $1,442, for a total cost per 

helicopter of about $1,569. 

FAA’s Justification and Determination 

of the Effective Date 

Providing an opportunity for public 

comments prior to adopting these AD 

requirements would delay 

implementing the safety actions needed 

to correct this known unsafe condition. 

Therefore, we find that the risk to the 

flying public justifies waiving notice 

and comment prior to the adoption of 

this rule because some of the corrective 

actions must be accomplished before 

further flight. 

Since an unsafe condition exists that 

requires the immediate adoption of this 

AD, we determined that notice and 

opportunity for public comment before 

issuing this AD are impracticable and 

that good cause exists for making this 

amendment effective in less than 30 

days. 

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 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, 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: 

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42960 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 141 / Monday, July 23, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 

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): 

2012–13–11 Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH 

Helicopters: Amendment 39–17113; 

Docket No. FAA–2012–0704; Directorate 

Identifier 2012–SW–040–AD. 

(a) Applicability 

This AD applies to Eurocopter Deutschland 

GmbH (ECD) Model MBB–BK 117 A–1, 

MBB–BK 117 A–3, MBB–BK 117 A–4, MBB– 

BK 117 B–1, MBB–BK 117 B–2, MBB–BK 117 

C–1, MBB–BK 117 C–2, and BO–105LS A–3 

helicopters, with a tail rotor pitch link (pitch 

link) part number (P/N) 117–31821, 117– 

31822, or B642M1018101 with a serial 

number listed in Appendix 1 of Able 

Engineering & Component Services (Able) 

Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) No. 2012–001, 

Revision IR, dated March 7, 2012, installed, 

certificated in any category. 

(b) Unsafe Condition 

This AD defines the unsafe condition as an 

improperly swaged spherical bearing on the 

pitch link, which could result in loss of tail 

rotor control and subsequent loss of control 

of the helicopter. 

(c) Effective Date 

This AD becomes August 7, 2012. 

(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 

For pitch links installed within the last 10 

hours time-in-service (TIS), before further 

flight; for all other affected pitch links, 

within the next 10 hours TIS: 

(1) Remove the pitch link. 

(2) Clean the area around the spherical 

bearings and pitch link bearing bore chamfer. 

(3) Apply axial hand pressure to the faces 

of both spherical bearings as shown in Figure 

1 to Paragraph (e) of this AD. 


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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 141 / Monday, July 23, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 42961 

(4) Using an 8X or higher power 

magnifying glass, inspect the boundaries 

between the bearing and the bearing bore 

chamfer surface. Determine that the bearings 

have been completely swaged and there is no 

gap between the edge of the bearing and the 

chamfer as shown in Figure 2 to Paragraph 

(e) of this AD. 

(5) If a bearing is not completely swaged 

or there is a gap between the edge of the 

bearing and the chamfer, as shown in Figure 3 to Paragraph (e) of this AD, replace the 

pitch link with an airworthy pitch link. 


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42962 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 141 / Monday, July 23, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 

(f) Special Flight Permits 

Special flight permits will not be issued. 

(g) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, Safety Management 

Group, FAA, may approve AMOCs for this 

AD. Send your proposal to: Sharon Miles, 

Aviation Safety Engineer, Regulations and 

Policy Group, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 

2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76137; 

telephone (817) 222–5110; email 

sharon.y.miles@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) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 6420: Tail Rotor Head. 

(i) Material Incorporated by Reference 

(1) The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

(IBR) of the service information listed in this 

paragraph under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR 

part 51. 

(2) You must use this service information 

as applicable to do the actions required by 

this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise. 

(i) Able Engineering & Component Services 

Alert Service Bulletin No. 2012–001, 

Revision IR, dated March 7, 2012. 

(ii) Reserved. 

(3) For Able Engineering & Component 

Services service information identified in 

this AD, contact Able Engineering & 

Component Services, 2920 East Chambers 

Street, Phoenix, AZ 85040; telephone (602) 

304–1227; fax (602) 304–1277; email 

info@ableengineering.com. 

(4) You may view this service information 

at the FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, 

Southwest Region, 2601 Meacham Blvd., 

Room 663, Fort Worth, Texas 76137. 

(5) You may also view this service 

information at the National Archives and 

Records Administration (NARA). For 

information on the availability of this 

material at NARA, call (202) 741–6030, or go 

to: http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/ 

code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_

locations.html. 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on July 2, 

2012. 

Kim Smith, 

Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft 

Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–17559 Filed 7–20–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2012–0149; Directorate 

Identifier 2011–NM–255–AD; Amendment 

39–17117; AD 2012–14–03] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing 

Company Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 

The Boeing Company Model 777–200 

and –300 series airplanes. This AD was 

prompted by reports of fatigue cracks in 

the lap joints, which initiated at scribe 

lines that were made during production 

when maskant was removed from the 

affected skin panels during the chemical 

milling process. This AD requires 

repetitive external phased-array 

ultrasonic inspections to detect cracks 

of the affected fuselage skin lap splices 

in Sections 41, 43, and 44, as applicable, 

and repair if necessary. We are issuing 


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