12254 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 36 / Friday, February 22, 2013 / Proposed Rules 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Parts 27 and 29 

Interest in Restructure of Rotorcraft 

Airworthiness Standards 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration, DOT. 

ACTION: Request for comments. 

SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA) is requesting 

comments and information on the 

public’s interest in restructuring the 

rotorcraft airworthiness standards of 

normal category rotorcraft and transport 

category rotorcraft. Specifically, the 

agency is seeking comments on whether 

to change the existing applicability 

standards for maximum weight and 

number of passenger seats for either or 

both types of rotorcraft, or whether to 

consider other approaches for 

determining applicability. The FAA is 

soliciting public input because of some 

rotorcraft community interest in 

increasing the 7,000 pound maximum 

weight limit for the modern normal 

category rotorcraft and because there 

may be recommendations for new 

approaches to make the rotorcraft 

airworthiness standards more efficient 

and adaptable to future technology. This 

action is part of an effort to develop 

recommendations for possible FAA 

rulemaking action. 

DATES: Send your comments to reach us 

on or before May 23, 2013. 

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified 

by docket number FAA–2013–0144 

using any of the following methods: 

b Federal eRegulations Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov, use the 

search function to locate the docket 

number, and follow the online 

instructions for sending your comments 

electronically. 

b Mail: Send comments to Docket 

Operations, M–30, U.S. Department of 

Transportation (DOT), 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE, Room W12–140, West 

Building Ground Floor, Washington, 

DC, 20590–0001. 

b Hand Delivery: Take comments to 

Docket Operations in Room W12–140 of 

the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, 

DC, between 8 a.m., and 5 p.m., Monday 

through Friday, except Federal holidays. 

b Fax: Fax comments to Docket 

Operations at 202–493–2251. 

Privacy: The FAA will post all 

comments it receives, without change, 

to http://www.regulations.gov, including 

any personal information the 

commenter provides. Using the search 

function of the docket Web site, anyone 

can find and read the electronic form of 

all comments received into any FAA 

docket, including the name of the 

individual sending the comment (or 

signing the comment for an association, 

business, labor union, etc.). DOT’s 

complete Privacy Act Statement can be 

found in the Federal Register published 

on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477–19478), 

as well as at http://DocketsInfo.dot.gov. 

Docket: Comments received can be 

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

Follow the online instructions for 

accessing the docket or go to the Docket 

Operations in Room W12–140 of the 

West Building Ground Floor at 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, 

DC, between 9 a.m., and 5 p.m., Monday 

through Friday, except Federal holidays. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

FAA, Rotorcraft Directorate, Regulations 

and Policy Group (Attn: John Vanhoudt, 

ASW–111), 2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort 

Worth, Texas 76137; telephone (817) 

222–5167; facsimile (817) 222–5961; or 

email john.vanhoudt@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Your Comments Are Welcome 

We invite your comments on the 

issues described in this request. The 

most useful comments are those that 

address the questions identified in the 

Request for Comments section below. 

Responses to these questions will be 

helpful in evaluating the issues and 

determining what future actions we 

should undertake. 

To ensure consideration, you must 

submit comments as specified under the 

ADDRESSES section of this preamble. We 

will consider all communications 

received on or before the closing date 

for comments. All comments submitted 

will be available for examination, both 

before and after the closing date for 

comments, under the docket number 

FAA–2013–0144 at http:// 

www.regulations.gov. 

Background and Discussion 

Currently, the applicability rule for 

part 27 (14 CFR 27.1) prescribes 

airworthiness standards for ‘‘normal 

category rotorcraft with maximum 

weights of 7,000 pounds or less and 

nine or less passenger seats.’’ Rotorcraft 

with a maximum weight greater than 

7,000 pounds or with 10 or more 

passenger seats are certificated as 

transport category rotorcraft under part 

29. 

The applicability rules for rotorcraft 

certificated under parts 27 and 29 have 

been discussed since the early 1990s. In 

February 1994, the FAA held a public 

meeting to determine a course of action 

that was in the best interest of the 

public and the aviation community. 

Subsequently, an Aviation Rulemaking 

Advisory Committee working group was 

established with representatives from 

the FAA, the Joint Aviation Authorities, 

and Transport Canada Civil Aviation, as 

well as from U.S. and European 

helicopter manufacturers. In February 

1995, the Rotorcraft Gross Weight and 

Passenger Issues Working Group was 

established and tasked with 

recommending new or revised 

requirements for increasing the gross 

weight and passenger limitations for 

normal category rotorcraft. There was 

agreement to increase the gross weight 

limitation of part 27 from 6,000 to 7,000 

pounds with added passenger safety 

requirements. 

More recently we have recognized 

that the evolution of the part 27 and 29 

rules has not kept pace with technology 

and the capability of newer rotorcraft. 

Therefore, the FAA is interested in 

investigating new approaches to make 

the rotorcraft airworthiness regulations 

more efficient and adaptable to future 

technology. Additionally, the FAA has 

found that without a rulemaking effort 

to extensively revise the rotorcraft 

standards, we are left with the option of 

issuing multiple special conditions for 

the same technologies (fly-by-wire flight 

control systems, search and rescue 

approach, etc.). 

If we find adequate interest from the 

rotorcraft community, we would 

consider initiating a rulemaking effort, 

similar in scope to the proposed 

revisions of the small airplane part 23 

standards. The new part 23 rulemaking 

initiative resulted from a determination 

that applying a weight standard to 

certification for small aircraft was no 

longer relevant. Conversely, if the level 

of interest indicates the current 

standards remain appropriate but would 

benefit from some revision, we may 

undertake a smaller rulemaking effort to 

update a limited number of regulations 

in parts 27 and 29. 

Request for Comments 

As noted above, the FAA is seeking 

comments to determine whether an all 

new approach for parts 27 and 29 is 

appropriate for future rotorcraft 

airworthiness standards and safety 

levels, or whether the existing standards 

philosophy based on weight (currently 

7,000 pound maximum for part 27) and 

maximum number of passengers 

(currently maximum of 9 passengers for 

part 27) is appropriate. In providing 

your comments, we would find it most 

useful if you address some or all of the 

following questions: 


pmangrum on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS-1
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 36 / Friday, February 22, 2013 / Proposed Rules 12255 

(a) To what extent do you believe the 

current rotorcraft certification standards 

need to be amended to remain relevant 

over the next 20 years, given the rapid 

pace of advances in technology? 

(b) Should the current rotorcraft 

certification standards be completely 

changed, or are weight and number of 

passengers still relevant for determining 

certification? 

(c) If you believe certification should 

continue to be based on weight and 

number of passengers, to what extent 

should the existing standards be 

updated, and how? 

(d) As revisions to regulatory 

certification standards would require 

participation in a rulemaking committee 

over a substantial period of time, to 

what extent would you be willing to 

participate? 

As a convenience, these questions are 

available for submission in the same 

format as above at the following Web 

site link: http://www.faa.gov/aircraft/ 

air_cert/design_approvals/rotorcraft/ 

comm. 

If the FAA decides to have further 

rulemaking discussions on these issues, 

we will issue a document, giving the 

public another opportunity to comment. 

Issued in Fort Worth, TX, on February 8, 

2013. 

Kimberly K. Smith, 

Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft 

Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2013–03709 Filed 2–21–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2012–1331; Directorate 

Identifier 2012–NE–44–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce 

(1971) Limited, Bristol Engine Division 

Turbojet Engines 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for all 

Rolls-Royce (1971) Limited, Bristol 

Engine Division (RR) Viper Mk. 601–22 

turbojet engines. This proposed AD was 

prompted by a review carried out by RR 

of the lives of certain critical parts. This 

proposed AD would require reducing 

the life of these parts. We are proposing 

this AD to prevent life-limited part 

failure, damage to the engine, and 

damage to the airplane. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by April 23, 2013. 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by 

any of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov and follow 

the instructions for sending your 

comments electronically. 

• Mail: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE., West Building Ground 

Floor, Room W12–140, Washington, DC 

20590–0001. 

• Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail 

address above between 9 a.m. and 5 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

• Fax: (202) 493–2251. 

For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Rolls-Royce plc, 

Corporate Communications, P.O. Box 

31, Derby, England, DE248BJ; phone: 

011–44–1332–242424; fax: 011–44– 

1332–249936; or email: http:// 

www.rolls-royce.com/contact/ 

civil_team.jsp. You may view this 

service information at the FAA, Engine 

& Propeller Directorate, 12 New England 

Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803. 

For information on the availability of 

this material at the FAA, call 781–238– 

7125. 

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 regulatory 

evaluation, any comments received, and 

other information. The street address for 

the Docket Operations office (phone: 

(800) 647–5527) is the same as the Mail 

address provided in the ADDRESSES

section. Comments will be available in 

the AD docket shortly after receipt. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Robert Green, Aerospace Engineer, 

Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine 

& Propeller Directorate, 12 New England 

Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; 

phone: 781–238–7754; fax: 781–238– 

7199; email: Robert.Green@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

We invite you to send any written 

relevant data, views, or arguments about 

this proposed AD. Send your comments 

to an address listed under the 

ADDRESSES section. Include ‘‘Docket No. 

FAA–2012–1331; Directorate Identifier 

2012–NE–44–AD’’ at the beginning of 

your comments. We specifically invite 

comments on the overall regulatory, 

economic, environmental, and energy 

aspects of this proposed AD. We will 

consider all comments received by the 

closing date and may amend this 

proposed AD based on 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 with FAA 

personnel concerning this proposed AD. 

Using the search function of the Web 

site, anyone can find and read the 

comments in any of our dockets, 

including, if provided, the name of the 

individual who sent the comment (or 

signed the comment on behalf of an 

association, business, labor union, etc.). 

You may review the DOT’s complete 

Privacy Act Statement in the Federal 

Register published on April 11, 2000 

(65 FR 19477–78). 

Discussion 

The European Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA), which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Community, has issued EASA 

Airworthiness Directive 2012–0243 

(Correction: November 13, 2012), dated 

November 12, 2012, a Mandatory 

Continuing Airworthiness Information 

(referred to hereinafter as ‘‘the MCAI’’), 

to correct an unsafe condition for the 

specified products. The MCAI states: 

A review, carried out by Rolls-Royce, of the 

lives of critical parts of the Viper Mk. 601– 

22 engine, has resulted in reduced cyclic life 

limits for certain critical parts. 

Operation of critical parts beyond these 

reduced cyclic life limits may result in part 

failure, possibly resulting in the release of 

high-energy debris, which may cause damage 

to the aeroplane and/or injury to the 

occupants. 

For the reasons described above, this AD 

requires implementation of the reduced 

cyclic life limits for the affected critical parts, 

i.e., replacement of each part before the 

applicable reduced life limit is exceeded, and 

replacement of those critical parts that have 

already exceeded the reduced cyclic life 

limits. 

You may obtain further information 

by examining the MCAI in the AD 

docket. 

Relevant Service Information 

RR Alert Service Bulletin 72–A206, 

dated November, 2012. 

FAA’s Determination and Requirements 

of This Proposed AD 

This product has been approved by 

the aviation authority of the United 

Kingdom and is approved for operation 

in the United States. Pursuant to our 

bilateral agreement with the European 


pmangrum on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS-1