Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 13 / Thursday, January 21, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 3319 

Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac Cedex, France; 

telephone +33 5 61 93 36 96; fax +33 5 61 

93 44 51; email account.airworth-eas@

airbus.com; Internet http://www.airbus.com. 

(5) You may view this service information 

at the FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call 425–227–1221. 

(6) You may view this 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/cfr/ibrlocations.html. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on 

December 31, 2015. 

Philip Forde, 

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2016–00373 Filed 1–20–16; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2015–1998; Directorate 

Identifier 2014–SW–035–AD; Amendment 

39–18379; AD 2016–01–19] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; MD 

Helicopters Inc. 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for MD 

Helicopters Inc. (MDHI) Model 500N 

and 600N helicopters with certain 

rotating cone assemblies installed. This 

AD requires establishing a life limit of 

10,000 hours time-in-service (TIS) on 

these rotating cone assemblies. This AD 

was prompted by the determination that 

MDHI created rotating cone assemblies 

with new dash numbers but incorrectly 

failed to identify them as life-limited 

parts. The actions are intended to 

prevent operation of rotating cone 

assemblies past their life limits, failure 

of the rotating cone assemblies, loss of 

directional control, and subsequent loss 

of control of the helicopter. 

DATES: This AD is effective February 25, 

2016. 

ADDRESSES: For service information 

identified in this final rule, contact MD 

Helicopters, Inc., Attn: Customer 

Support Division, 4555 E. McDowell 

Rd., Mail Stop M615, Mesa, AZ 85215– 

9734; telephone 1–800–388–3378; fax 

480–346–6813; or at http://

www.mdhelicopters.com. You may 

review a copy of the referenced service 

information at the FAA, Office of the 

Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 

10101 Hillwood Pkwy, Room 6N–321, 

Fort Worth, TX 76177. 

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–2015– 

1998; 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 (phone: 

800–647–5527) is U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations 

Office, M–30, West Building Ground 

Floor, Room W12–140, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Galib Abumeri, Aerospace Engineer, Los 

Angeles Aircraft Certification Office, 

Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, 

3960 Paramount Blvd., Lakewood, 

California 90712, telephone 562–627– 

5324; email Galib.Abumeri@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

On June 9, 2015, at 80 FR 32508, the 

Federal Register published our notice of 

proposed rulemaking (NPRM), which 

proposed to amend 14 CFR part 39 by 

adding an AD that would apply to 

MDHI Model 500N helicopters with a 

rotating cone assembly part number (P/ 

N) 500N3740–81 installed, and Model 

600N helicopters with a rotating cone 

assembly P/N 500N3740–71 installed. 

The NPRM proposed to require 

establishing a life limit of 10,000 hours 

TIS on these rotating cone assemblies. 

Although these parts have a life limit of 

10,000 hours TIS, they were incorrectly 

omitted from the Airworthiness 

Limitation Section of the Rotorcraft 

Maintenance Manual. Some of the 

affected parts were sold as spares, while 

others were installed on new helicopters 

in production. The proposed 

requirements were intended to prevent 

operation of rotating cone assemblies 

past their life limits, failure of the 

rotating cone assemblies, loss of 

directional control, and subsequent loss 

of control of the helicopter. 

Since the NPRM was issued, the FAA 

Southwest Regional Office has 

relocated. This AD includes the current 

physical address of the FAA Southwest 

Regional Office. 

Comments 

We gave the public the opportunity to 

participate in developing this AD, but 

we received no comments on the NPRM 

(80 FR 32508, June 9, 2015). 

FAA’s Determination 

We have reviewed the relevant 

information and determined that an 

unsafe condition exists and is likely to 

exist or develop on other products of 

these same type designs and that air 

safety and the public interest require 

adopting the AD requirements as 

proposed. 

Related Service Information 

MDHI issued Service Bulletin 

SB500N–046 and SB600N–054 (SB) as a 

single bulletin on July 9, 2012. The SB 

calls for a one-time inspection within 

100 flight hours to determine the 

rotating cone assembly’s part number on 

MDHI Model 500N and 600N 

helicopters. The SB then states the need 

to correct the component record for 

certain rotating cone assemblies. 

The SB also specifies determining the 

rotating cone assembly’s total service 

time since new and recording this on 

the component record. MDHI reports 

that failure to comply with the SB may 

result in an aircraft exceeding the life 

limit of the rotating cone assembly and 

that this could lead to component 

failure and loss of directional control of 

the helicopter. 

Differences Between This AD and the 

Service Information 

The SB calls for inspecting the 

rotating cone assembly to determine its 

P/N. We make no requirement about 

how to determine the P/N. The 

compliance time for the SB is within 

100 flight hours, while this AD requires 

compliance within 1 year or by the next 

annual inspection, whichever comes 

later. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this AD affects 8 

helicopters of U.S. Registry and that 

labor costs average $85 a work hour. We 

estimate that creating a component 

history card and revising the 

appropriate records takes 1 work-hour. 

No parts are needed for a total cost of 

$85 per helicopter and $680 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 


jstallworth on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with RULES
3320 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 13 / Thursday, January 21, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 

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 

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 above, 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): 

2016–01–19 MD Helicopters Inc.: 

Amendment 39–18379; Docket No. 

FAA–2015–1998; Directorate Identifier 

2014–SW–035–AD. 

(a) Applicability 

This AD applies to MD Helicopters Inc. 

(MDHI) Model 500N with a rotating cone 

assembly part number (P/N) 500N3740–81 

installed, and Model 600N helicopters with 

a rotating cone assembly P/N 500N3740–71 

installed, certificated in any category. 

(b) Unsafe Condition 

This AD defines the unsafe condition as a 

rotating cone assembly remaining in service 

beyond its fatigue life. This condition could 

result in failure of the rotating cone assembly 

and loss of control of the helicopter. 

(c) Effective Date 

This AD becomes effective February 25, 

2016. 

(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) Within 1 year or at the next annual 

inspection, whichever comes later: 

(i) Create a component history card or 

equivalent record for each rotating cone 

assembly, P/N 500N3740–81 and P/N 

500N3740–71, and record a life limit of 

10,000 hours time-in-service (TIS). 

(ii) Revise the Airworthiness Limitations 

Section of the applicable maintenance 

manual or Instructions for Continued 

Airworthiness by establishing a new 

retirement life of 10,000 hours TIS for each 

rotating cone assembly, P/N 500N3740–81 

and P/N 500N3740–71, by making pen-andink changes or by inserting a copy of this AD 

into the Airworthiness Limitations Section of 

the maintenance manual or the Instructions 

for Continued Airworthiness. 

(iii) Remove from service any rotating cone 

assembly, P/N 500N3740–81 and P/N 

500N3740–71, that has 10,000 or more hours 

TIS. 

(2) Do not install a rotating cone assembly, 

P/N 500N3740–81 or P/N 500N3740–71, on 

any helicopter unless you have complied 

with the requirements of this AD. 

(f) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, Los Angeles Aircraft 

Certification Office, FAA, may approve 

AMOCs for this AD. Send your proposal to: 

Galib Abumeri, Aerospace Engineer, Los 

Angeles Aircraft Certification Office, 

Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, 3960 

Paramount Blvd., Lakewood, California 

90712, telephone 562–627–5324; email 9- 

ANM-LAACO–AMOC-REQUESTS@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 

MD Helicopters Inc. Service Bulletin 

SB500N–046/SB600N–054, dated July 9, 

2012, which is not incorporated by reference, 

contains additional information about the 

subject of this AD. For service information 

identified in this AD, contact MD 

Helicopters, Inc., Attn: Customer Support 

Division, 4555 E. McDowell Rd., Mail Stop 

M615, Mesa, AZ 85215–9734; telephone 1– 

800–388–3378; fax 480–346–6813; or at 

http://www.mdhelicopters.com. You may 

review a copy of this service information at 

the FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, 

Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy, 

Room 6N–321, Fort Worth, TX 76177. 

(h) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 5302, Rotorcraft Tail Boom. 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on January 8, 

2016. 

Lance T. Gant, 

Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft 

Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2016–00945 Filed 1–20–16; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2015–2967; Directorate 

Identifier 2014–NM–072–AD; Amendment 

39–18376; AD 2016–01–16] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Dassault 

Aviation Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are superseding 

Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2002–23– 

20, for certain Dassault Aviation Model 

FALCON 900EX and MYSTEREFALCON 900 airplanes. AD 2002–23–20 

required repetitive operational tests of 

the flap asymmetry detection system to 

verify proper functioning, and repair if 

necessary; repetitive replacement of the 

inboard flap jackscrews with new or 

reconditioned jackscrews; and repetitive 

measurement of the screw/nut play of 

the jackscrews on the inboard and 

outboard flaps to detect discrepancies, 

and corrective action if necessary. AD 

2002–23–20 also required a revision of 

the airplane flight manual. Since we 

issued AD 2002–23–20, the 

maintenance manual has been revised. 

This AD requires revising the 

maintenance or inspection program, as 

applicable, to include the maintenance 

tasks and airworthiness limitations 


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