44118 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 145 / Friday, July 27, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 

This condition could result in loss of the 

helicopter hoist and load and subsequent 

injury to persons being lifted by the hoist. 

(c) Effective Date 

This AD becomes effective August 31, 

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 

(1) Before the next hoist operation or 

within 30 days, whichever comes first, 

comply with either paragraph (1)(i), (1)(ii), or 

(1)(iii): 

(i) Deactivate the hoist system by pulling 

the CABLE CUTTER, WINCH CONT, and 

WINCH BOOM circuit breakers and securing 

each circuit breaker with a cable tie; or 

(ii) Deactivate the hoist system by 

removing the hoist boom from the helicopter; 

or 

(iii) Deactivate the external hoist operator 

handle cable-cutter function by 

accomplishing the following: 

(A) Modify the helicopter wiring and the 

operator handle, P/N 76803, in accordance 

with the Accomplishment Instructions, 

Paragraph 3.B.1 (b), of Eurocopter Emergency 

Alert Service Bulletin MBB–BK117–80–166, 

Revision 1, dated August 4, 2011 (ASB). 

(B) Inspect the operator handle P/N 76803 

and the coiled cable of the operator handle 

for damage in accordance with Paragraph 

3.B.1.(a)(2) of the ASB. Damage is also 

defined as any condition that could prevent 

the part’s ability to perform its intended 

function. 

(1) If the operator handle or the coiled 

cable of the operator handle has damage, 

replace the operator handle with an 

airworthy operator handle P/N 76803, before 

the next hoist operation. 

(2) At intervals not to exceed 30 days, 

repeat the inspection in Paragraph (1)(iii)(B) 

of the Required Actions section of this AD. 

(2) Before installing an affected hoist 

system on any helicopter, comply with 

Paragraph (1) of the Required Actions section 

of this AD. 

(3) Before installing an operator handle 

P/N 76803 on any helicopter, comply with 

Paragraph (1)(iii)(A) of the Required Actions 

section of this AD. 

(f) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, Safety Management 

Group, FAA, may approve AMOCs for this 

AD. Send your proposal to: George Schwab, 

Aviation Safety Engineer, Safety Management 

Group, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 2601 

Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76137; 

telephone (817) 222–5110; email 

george.schwab@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 

The subject of this AD is addressed in the 

European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 

No. 2011–0126, dated July 1, 2011; EASA AD 

No. 2011–0131, dated July 8, 2011; and 

EASA AD No. 2011–0148, dated August 5, 

2011. 

(h) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 2597, Equipment/furnishing system 

wiring. 

(i) Material Incorporated by Reference 

(1) The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 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) Eurocopter Emergency Alert Service 

Bulletin MBB–BK117–80–166, Revision 1, 

dated August 4, 2011. 

(3) 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. 

(4) You may review the 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 review a copy 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 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 11, 

2012. 

Kim Smith, 

Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft 

Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–17604 Filed 7–26–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2012–0766; Directorate 

Identifier 2012–SW–056–AD; Amendment 

39–17133; AD 2012–15–04] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter 

France 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 France (Eurocopter) Model 

EC155B1 helicopters with a certain 

automated flight control system 

installed. This AD requires changing the 

minimum required crew for instrument 

flight rules (IFR) operations from one 

pilot to two. This AD is prompted by a 

report that an EC155B1 helicopter 

experienced significant intermittent roll 

oscillations while coupled to the 

autopilot. These actions are intended to 

decrease the pilot’s workload while 

experiencing any oscillations during 

landing, which could result in possible 

loss of control of the helicopter. 

DATES: This AD becomes effective 

August 13, 2012. 

We must receive comments on this 

AD by September 25, 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 FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Clark Davenport, Aviation Safety 

Engineer, Safety Management Group, 

Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 2601 

Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 

76137; telephone (817) 222–5110; email 

clark.davenport@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 


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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 145 / Friday, July 27, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 44119 

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 

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 

During a flight test of a Model 

EC155B1 helicopter, intermittent 

uncommanded roll oscillations were 

discovered during coupled instrument 

landing system (ILS) and localizer (LOC) 

approaches. The aircraft, which was 

coupled to the autopilot when these 

oscillations occurred, was not able to 

provide a stabilized approach from the 

final approach fix through the decision 

altitude or the minimum descent 

altitude. These intermittent oscillations 

occur during the landing phase of a 

flight, at an altitude of 500 feet or less 

above ground level, and result in higher 

single-pilot workload. 

After an investigation, Eurocopter 

determined that these oscillations were 

caused by software in the automated 

flight control system (AFCS) that does 

not adequately filter the electronic 

‘‘noise’’ from the U.S. ILS and LOC 

signals. This behavior of the autopilot 

was not experienced by aircraft 

operating in European airspace. An 

additional FAA flight test of an 

EC155B1 with unmodified AFCS 

software coupled to various ILS signals 

confirmed the oscillations, and that they 

can roll the helicopter up to +/¥15 

degrees. 

Eurocopter is developing a software 

modification that will update the 

filtering algorithms for U.S. category 1 

ILS and LOC signals. Until this update 

is approved by the European Aviation 

Safety Agency and validated by the 

FAA, we have determined that single 

pilot IFR operations constitute an unsafe 

condition for this model helicopter. 

FAA’s Determination 

These helicopters have been approved 

by the aviation authority of France and 

are approved for operation in the United 

States. We are issuing this AD because 

we evaluated all the relevant 

information and determined that an 

unsafe condition exists and is likely to 

exist or develop on other helicopters of 

the same type design. 

AD Requirements 

This AD requires, before further flight, 

changing the minimum flight crew 

requirements for IFR operations from 

one pilot to two by revising the 

rotorcraft flight manual (RFM) 

Operating Limitations section. 

Interim Action 

We consider this AD to be an interim 

action. The design approval holder is 

currently developing a modification that 

will address the unsafe condition 

identified in this AD. Once this 

modification is developed, approved, 

and available, we might consider 

additional rulemaking. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this AD will affect 

six helicopters of U.S. Registry. We 

estimate that operators may incur the 

following costs in order to comply with 

this AD. Revising the RFM will require 

about .25 hour at an average labor rate 

of $85 per work-hour, for a total cost per 

helicopter of about $22 and a total cost 

to U.S operator fleet of $132. 

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 the required 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: 

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): 


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44120 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 145 / Friday, July 27, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 

2012–15–04 EUROCOPTER FRANCE: 

Amendment 39–17133; Docket No. 

FAA–2012–0766; Directorate Identifier 

2012–SW–056–AD. 

(a) Applicability 

This AD applies to Model EC155B1 

helicopters with an automated flight control 

system part number (P/N) 416–00297–161 

and software level P/N 704A47–1332–79 

installed, certificated in any category. 

(b) Unsafe Condition 

This AD defines the unsafe condition as 

intermittent uncommanded roll oscillations 

during coupled instrument landing system 

and localizer approaches with the autopilot 

coupled, which could result in subsequent 

loss of control of the helicopter. 

(c) Effective Date 

This AD becomes effective August 13, 

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 

Before further flight, revise the Operating 

Limitations section of Eurocopter EC 155B1 

Flight Manual Section 2.1, by inserting a 

copy of this AD into the Flight Manual or by 

making pen and ink changes as follows. 

Under paragraph 5, Minimum Flight Crew/ 

Maximum Personnel Transport Capability, 

beneath ‘‘Minimum flight crew,’’ remove the 

phrase ‘‘—one pilot in right-hand seat’’ and 

replace it as follows: 

—VFR: One pilot in right-hand seat. 

—IFR: Two pilots required. 

(f) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, Safety Management 

Group, FAA, may approve AMOCs for this 

AD. Send your proposal to: Clark Davenport, 

Aviation Safety Engineer, Safety Management 

Group, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 2601 

Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 76137; 

telephone (817) 222–5110; email 

clark.davenport@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) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 2210: Autopilot System. 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on July 16, 

2012. 

Kim Smith, 

Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft 

Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–17960 Filed 7–26–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 71 

[Docket No. FAA–2012–0274; Airspace 

Docket No. 12–ANM–4] 

Establishment of Class E Airspace; 

Roundup, MT 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: This action establishes Class 

E airspace at Roundup Airport, 

Roundup, MT, to accommodate aircraft 

using new Area Navigation (RNAV) 

Global Positioning System (GPS) 

standard instrument approach 

procedures at Roundup Airport. This 

improves the safety and management of 

Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations 

at the airport. 

DATES: Effective date, 0901 UTC, 

September 20, 2012. The Director of the 

Federal Register approves this 

incorporation by reference action under 

1 CFR part 51, subject to the annual 

revision of FAA Order 7400.9 and 

publication of conforming amendments. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Eldon Taylor, Federal Aviation 

Administration, Operations Support 

Group, Western Service Center, 1601 

Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98057; 

telephone (425) 203–4537. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

History 

On May 9, 2012, the FAA published 

in the Federal Register a notice of 

proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to 

establish controlled airspace at 

Roundup, MT (77 FR 27148). Interested 

parties were invited to participate in 

this rulemaking effort by submitting 

written comments on the proposal to the 

FAA. The FAA received three 

comments, all from the National 

Business Aviation Association (NBAA). 

The NBAA comments recommended 

that the FAA lower some of the adjacent 

Class E airspace, which is beyond the 

TAAs, down to 1,200 feet above the 

surface to accommodate orderly en 

route descent into the respective TAA 

because the NBAA feels that aircraft 

will not have enough airspace to access 

the TAAs. The airspace in question 

includes the following areas where 

Class E begins at 14,500 feet MSL: The 

large area to the north, the two smaller 

areas to the west, and the small area to 

the east. The NBAA is also concerned 

that the Minimum Instrument Flight 

Rules Altitude (MIA) outside the 1,200 

feet above the surface would affect air 

traffic services into the TAAs from the 

north, west and east. Finally, the 

commenter points out that extending 

the Class E 1,200-foot area would 

provide relief to Salt Lake City Air 

Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC). 

The FAA believes that lowering this 

airspace is outside the scope of this 

rulemaking at this time, and would not 

serve the immediate purpose of 

establishing the airspace necessary for 

the safety of aircraft within the 

Roundup, MT, airport area. 

Class E airspace designations are 

published in paragraph 6005, of FAA 

Order 7400.9V dated August 9, 2011, 

and effective September 15, 2011, which 

is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 

71.1. The Class E airspace designations 

listed in this document will be 

published subsequently in that Order. 

The Rule 

This action amends Title 14 Code of 

Federal Regulations (14 CFR) Part 71 by 

establishing Class E airspace, extending 

upward from 700 feet above the surface, 

at Roundup Airport, to accommodate 

IFR aircraft executing new RNAV (GPS) 

standard instrument approach 

procedures at the airport. This action is 

necessary for the safety and 

management of IFR operations. 

The FAA has determined this 

regulation only involves an established 

body of technical regulations for which 

frequent and routine amendments are 

necessary to keep them operationally 

current. Therefore, this regulation: (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); and (3) 

does not warrant preparation of a 

regulatory evaluation because the 

anticipated impact is minimal. This rule 

will not have a significant economic 

impact on a substantial number of small 

entities under the criteria of the 

Regulatory Flexibility Act because this 

is a routine matter that will only affect 

air traffic procedures and air navigation. 

The FAA’s authority to issue rules 

regarding aviation safety is found in 

Title 49 of the U.S. Code. Subtitle 1, 

Section 106 discusses the authority of 

the FAA Administrator. Subtitle VII, 

Aviation Programs, describes in more 

detail the scope of the agency’s 

authority. This rulemaking is 

promulgated under the authority 

described in Subtitle VII, Part A, 

Subpart I, Section 40103. Under that 

section, the FAA is charged with 

prescribing regulations to assign the use 

of airspace necessary to ensure the 

safety of aircraft and the efficient use of 


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