Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 154 / Wednesday, August 11, 2010 / Proposed Rules 48617 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2010–0780; Directorate 

Identifier 2009–SW–68–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter 

Deutschland GmbH (ECD) Model MBB– 

BK 117 C–2 Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to supersede an 

existing airworthiness directive (AD) for 

ECD Model MBB–BK 117 C–2 

helicopters. This proposed AD results 

from a mandatory continuing 

airworthiness information (MCAI) AD 

issued by the European Aviation Safety 

Agency (EASA), which is the Technical 

Agent for the Member States of the 

European Community. The MCAI AD 

states there was an in-flight incident in 

which a dynamic weight broke off the 

control lever leading to considerable 

vibrations. A visual inspection revealed 

that the threaded bolt of the control 

lever had broken off. The proposed 

actions are intended to prevent 

separation of dynamic weights, severe 

vibration, and subsequent loss of control 

of the helicopter. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by September 10, 

2010. 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by 

any of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Fax: 202–493–2251. 

• Mail: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 

Washington, DC 20590. 

• Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 

Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. 

and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal holidays. 

You may get the service information 

identified in this proposed AD from 

American Eurocopter Corporation, 2701 

Forum Drive, Grand Prairie, Texas 

75053–4005, telephone (972) 641–3460, 

fax (972) 641–3527. 

Examining the 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 stated in the 

ADDRESSES section of this proposal. 

Comments will be available in the AD 

docket shortly after receipt. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

DOT/FAA Southwest Region, Sharon 

Miles, ASW–111, Aviation Safety 

Engineer, Rotorcraft Directorate, 

Regulations and Guidance Group, 2601 

Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 

76137, telephone (817) 222–5122, fax 

(817) 222–5961. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

We invite you to send any written 

data, views, or arguments about this 

proposed AD. Send your comments to 

an address listed in the ADDRESSES

section of this proposal. Include ‘‘Docket 

No. FAA–2010–0780; Directorate 

Identifier 2009–SW–68–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 we receive 

about this proposed AD. 

Discussion 

On March 14, 2007, we issued AD 

2006–26–51, Amendment 39–14961 (72 

FR 13679, March 23, 2007). That AD 

required actions intended to address an 

unsafe condition on the Model MBB–BK 

117 C–2 helicopters. Since we issued 

AD 2006–26–51, the manufacturer has 

modified the control lever and dynamic 

weights, which when installed on the 

helicopter will constitute terminating 

action for the requirements in AD 2006– 

26–51. 

EASA, which is the technical agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Community, has issued EASA AD No. 

2007–0237, dated August 31, 2007, to 

correct an unsafe condition for the 

Model MBB–BK 117 C–2 helicopters. 

The MCAI AD states: ‘‘EASA was 

informed by the manufacturer of an inflight incident in which a dynamic 

weight broke off the control lever 

subsequently leading to considerable 

vibrations. A visual inspection revealed 

that the threaded bolt of the control 

lever had broken off.’’ 

You may obtain further information 

by examining the MCAI AD and service 

information in the AD docket. 

Related Service Information 

ECD has issued ECD Alert Service 

Bulletin MBB BK117 C–2–64A–002, 

Revision 2, dated August 6, 2007. The 

actions described in the MCAI AD are 

intended to correct the same unsafe 

condition as that identified in the 

service information. 

FAA’s Evaluation and Unsafe Condition 

Determination 

This helicopter has been approved by 

the aviation authority of the Federal 

Republic of Germany and is approved 

for operation in the United States. 

Pursuant to our bilateral agreement with 

the Federal Republic of Germany, 

EASA, their Technical Agent, has 

notified us of the unsafe condition 

described in the MCAI AD. We are 

proposing this AD because we evaluated 

all information provided by EASA and 

determined the unsafe condition exists 

and is likely to exist or develop on other 

helicopters of this same type design. 

Differences Between the AD and the 

MCAI AD 

We refer to flight hours as hours timein-service. We do not refer to a date of 

October 31, 2007, for replacing the 

levers because the date has passed. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this proposed AD 

would affect 41 helicopters of U.S. 

registry. We also estimate that it would 

take about 20 work-hours per helicopter 

to inspect and replace the tail rotor 

control lever. The average labor rate is 

$85 per work-hour. Required parts 

would cost about $10,316 per 

helicopter. Based on these figures, we 

estimate the cost of this AD to the U.S. 

operators to be $492,656 or $12, 016 per 

helicopter, assuming the control lever is 

replaced on the entire 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 

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: 


jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with PROPOSALS
48618 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 154 / Wednesday, August 11, 2010 / Proposed Rules 

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 

product(s) 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. 

Therefore, I certify this proposed AD: 

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); and 

3. 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 

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 

removing Amendment 39–14961 (72 FR 

13679, dated March 23, 2007) and 

adding the following new AD: 

Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH: Docket No. 

FAA–2010–0780; Directorate Identifier 

2009–SW–68–AD. 

Comments Due Date 

(a) We must receive your comments by 

September 10, 2010. 

Other Affected ADs 

(b) This AD supersedes AD 2006–26–51, 

Amendment 39–14961, Docket No. FAA 

2006–26721, Directorate Identifier 2006–SW– 

28–AD. 

Applicability 

(c) This AD applies to Model MBB–BK 117 

C–2 helicopters with a tail rotor control lever 

B642M1009103, installed, certificated in any 

category. 

Reason 

(d) The mandatory continued 

airworthiness information (MCAI) AD states: 

‘‘EASA was informed by the manufacturer of 

an in-flight incident in which a dynamic 

weight broke off the control lever 

subsequently leading to considerable 

vibrations. A visual inspection revealed that 

the threaded bolt of the control lever had 

broken off.’’ This AD requires actions that are 

intended to prevent separation of dynamic 

weights, severe vibration, and subsequent 

loss of control of the helicopter. 

Actions and Compliance 

(e) Before further flight, unless already 

done, mark the position of the weights, 

remove the split pins, remove the weights, 

and visually inspect the tail rotor control 

lever in the area around the split pin bore for 

score marks, notching, scratching, or a crack. 

Inspect by following the Accomplishment 

Instructions, paragraph 3.A.(1) through 

3.A.(3) and Figure 1, of Eurocopter Alert 

Service Bulletin MBB BK 117 C–2–64A–002, 

Revision 2, dated August 6, 2007 (ASB). 

(1) If done previously, within the next 8 

hours time-in-service (TIS) or before reaching 

25 hours TIS after the last inspection, and 

thereafter at intervals not to exceed 8 hours 

TIS, repeat the visual inspection of the tail 

rotor control lever as required by paragraph 

(e) of this AD. 

(2) If you find a score mark, a notch, or a 

scratch that exceeds the maintenance manual 

limits, or find a crack, before further flight: 

(i) Replace the tail rotor control lever with 

an airworthy tail rotor control lever; and 

(ii) Reidentify the tail rotor head, head 

assembly, and drive system with the new 

part numbers by following the 

Accomplishment Instructions, paragraph 

3.B.(1) through 3.B.(8) and 3.C.(1) through 

3.C.(2), of the ASB. 

(f) Within 100 hours TIS, unless already 

done, replace the control levers and 

reidentify the tail rotor head, head assembly, 

and drive system with the new part numbers 

by following the Accomplishment 

Instructions, paragraph 3.B.(1) through 

3.B.(8) and 3.C.(1) through 3.C.(2), of the 

ASB. 

(g) Replacing the control levers and 

reidentifying the part numbers is terminating 

action for the requirements of this AD. 

Differences Between the FAA AD and the 

MCAI AD 

(h) We refer to flight hours as hours TIS. 

We do not refer to a date of October 31, 2007, 

for replacing the levers because the date has 

passed. 

Other Information 

(i) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs): The Manager, Safety Management 

Group, ATTN: DOT/FAA Southwest Region, 

Sharon Miles, ASW–111, Aviation Safety 

Engineer, Rotorcraft Directorate, Regulations 

and Guidance Group, 2601 Meacham Blvd., 

Fort Worth, Texas 76137, telephone (817) 

222–5122, fax (817) 222–5961, has the 

authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if 

requested, using the procedures found in 14 

CFR 39.19. 

(j) Special flight permits are prohibited. 

Related Information 

(k) MCAI EASA Airworthiness Directive 

No. 2006–0237, dated August 31, 2007, 

which supersedes EASA Emergency AD 

2007–0189–E, dated July 12, 2007, contains 

related information. 

Joint Aircraft System/Component (JASC) 

Code 

(l) The JASC Code is 6400: Tail rotor 

system-control lever. 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on August 3, 

2010. 

Scott A. Horn, 

Acting Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2010–19817 Filed 8–10–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2010–0781; Directorate 

Identifier 2007–SW–49–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter 

France Model AS–365N2, AS 365 N3, 

and SA–365N1 Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration, DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for the 

specified Eurocopter France model 

helicopters. This proposed AD would 

require replacing the aluminum tail 

rotor (T/R) blade pitch control shaft 

with a steel T/R blade pitch control 

shaft. This proposed AD is prompted by 

an incident involving a Eurocopter 

France Model AS–365N2 helicopter on 

which there was a loss of control of the 

T/R due to a broken shaft. The actions 

specified by this proposed AD are 

intended to prevent failure of the T/R 

blade pitch control shaft, loss of T/R 

control, and subsequent loss of control 

of the helicopter. 


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