Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 92 / Monday, May 13, 2013 / Proposed Rules 27867 

to make oral statements regarding any of 

the items on the agenda, email asrac@

ee.doe.gov. In the email, please indicate 

your name, organization (if appropriate), 

citizenship, and contact information. 

Please note that foreign nationals 

visiting DOE Headquarters are subject to 

advance security screening procedures. 

Any foreign national wishing to 

participate in the meeting should advise 

ASRAC staff as soon as possible by 

emailing asrac@ee.doe.gov to initiate 

the necessary procedures, no later than 

Wednesday, May 8, 2013. Anyone 

attending the meeting will be required 

to present a government photo 

identification, such as a passport, 

driver’s license, or government 

identification. Due to the required 

security screening upon entry, 

individuals attending should arrive 

early to allow for the extra time needed. 

Members of the public will be heard 

in the order in which they sign up for 

the Public Comment Period. Time 

allotted per speaker will depend on the 

number of individuals who wish to 

speak but will not exceed five minutes. 

Reasonable provision will be made to 

include the scheduled oral statements 

on the agenda. A third-party neutral 

facilitator will make every effort to 

allow the presentations of views of all 

interested parties and to facilitate the 

orderly conduct of business. 

Participation in the meeting is not a 

prerequisite for submission of written 

comments. Written comments are 

welcome from all interested parties. 

Any comments submitted must identify 

the Commercial HVAC, WH, and 

Refrigeration Certification Working 

Group, and provide docket number 

EERE–2013–BT–NOC–0023. Comments 

may be submitted using any of the 

following methods: 

1. Federal eRulemaking Portal: 

www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

2. Email: ASRACworkgroup

2013NOC0023@ee.doe.gov. Include 

docket number EERE–2013–BT–NOC– 

0023 in the subject line of the message. 

3. Mail: Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S. 

Department of Energy, Building 

Technologies Program, Mailstop EE–2J, 

1000 Independence Avenue SW., 

Washington, DC 20585–0121. If 

possible, please submit all items on a 

compact disc (CD), in which case it is 

not necessary to include printed copies. 

4. Hand Delivery/Courier: Ms. Brenda 

Edwards, U.S. Department of Energy, 

Building Technologies Program, 950 

L’Enfant Plaza SW., Suite 600, 

Washington, DC 20024. Telephone: 

(202) 586–2945. If possible, please 

submit all items on a CD, in which case 

it is not necessary to include printed 

copies. 

No telefacsimilies (faxes) will be 

accepted. 

Docket: The docket is available for 

review at www.regulations.gov, 

including Federal Register notices, 

public meeting attendee lists and 

transcripts, comments, and other 

supporting documents/materials. All 

documents in the docket are listed in 

the www.regulations.gov index. 

However, not all documents listed in 

the index may be publicly available, 

such as information that is exempt from 

public disclosure. 

The Secretary of Energy has approved 

publication of today’s notice of open 

meeting. 

Issued in Washington, DC, on May 7, 2013. 

Kathleen B. Hogan, 

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy 

Efficiency and Renewable Energy. 

[FR Doc. 2013–11309 Filed 5–10–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2013–0401; Directorate 

Identifier 2012–SW–047–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; MD 

Helicopters Inc. Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to supersede an 

existing airworthiness directive (AD) for 

MD Helicopters Inc. (MDHI) Model 

369A, 369D, 369E, 369H, 369HE, 

369HM, 369HS, 369F and 369FF 

helicopters with certain MDHI or 

Helicopter Technology Company (HTC) 

tail rotor blades installed. The existing 

AD currently requires reducing the 

retirement life of each tail rotor blade 

(blade), performing a one-time visual 

inspection of each blade’s pitch horn 

(pitch horn) for a crack or corrosion, and 

replacing any cracked blade or any 

blade that has exceeded its retirement 

life with an airworthy blade. The AD 

also requires reporting information to 

the FAA within 24 hours following the 

one-time inspection. Since we issued 

that AD, an accident in England 

prompted an investigation that showed 

corrosion on the blade’s pitch horn that 

had not been detected under the paint. 

This proposed AD would retain some of 

the requirements in the existing AD but 

would require paint removal for all 

pitch horn inspections, inspecting for 

pitting and the shot peen surface’s 

condition in addition to cracks and 

corrosion, and would add certain partnumbered blades to the applicability. 

The proposed actions are intended to 

prevent a pitch horn from cracking, 

leading to vibration, loss of tail rotor 

pitch control, and subsequent loss of tail 

rotor and helicopter control. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by July 12, 2013. 

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 proposed 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 proposed 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; email 

serviceengineering@mdhelicopters.com; 

Web site http://www.mdhelicopters.com 

or contact Helicopter Technology 

Company, 12923 South Spring Street, 

Los Angeles, CA 90061; telephone 310– 

523–2750; email 

gburdorf@helicoptertech.com; Web site 

www.helicoptertech.com. You may 

review 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: Fred 

Guerin, Aviation Safety Engineer, Los 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
27868 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 92 / Monday, May 13, 2013 / Proposed Rules 

Angeles Aircraft Certification Office, 

Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, 

3960 Paramount Blvd., Lakewood, 

California 90712; telephone (562) 627– 

5232; email fred.guerin @faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

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 might result 

from adopting the proposals in this 

document. The most helpful comments 

reference a specific portion of the 

proposal, 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 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 proposed rulemaking. 

Before acting on this proposal, we will 

consider all comments we receive on or 

before the closing date for comments. 

We will consider comments filed after 

the comment period has closed if it is 

possible to do so without incurring 

expense or delay. We may change this 

proposal in light of the comments we 

receive. 

Discussion 

On July 2, 2003, we published AD No. 

2003–08–51, Amendment 39–13215 (68 

FR 39449) for MDHI Model 369A, 369D, 

369E, 369H, 369HE, 369HM, 369HS, 

369F and 369FF helicopters. AD No. 

2003–08–51 requires reducing the 

retirement life of certain blades, 

performing a one-time visual inspection 

of each pitch horn for a crack or 

corrosion, and replacing an unairworthy 

blade with an airworthy blade. AD No. 

2003–08–51 also requires revising the 

Airworthiness Limitations section of the 

helicopter maintenance manual to 

reflect the reduced retirement life, and 

reporting the information to the FAA 

within 24 hours following the one-time 

inspection. AD No. 2003–08–51 

published in the Federal Register 

Emergency AD No. 2003–08–51, dated 

April 15, 2003. On August 11, 2003, the 

Federal Register published a correction 

to AD No. 2003–08–51 (68 FR 47447) to 

correct an error in a blade part number. 

AD No. 2003–08–51 (68 FR 39449, 

July 2, 2003) was prompted by two 

reports of cracked pitch horns that 

failed during flight. The failures were 

caused by a fatigue crack in the pitch 

horns that developed before the blades 

reached their retirement lives. The 

pilots, however, landed the helicopters 

without further incidents. 

The actions of AD No. 2003–08–51 

(68 FR 39449, July 2, 2003) are intended 

to prevent a pitch horn from cracking 

and separating from the blade, leading 

to an unbalanced condition, vibration, 

loss of tail rotor pitch control, and loss 

of directional control of the helicopter. 

Actions Since Existing AD Was Issued 

Since we published AD No. 2003–08– 

51 (68 FR 39449, July 2, 2003) and its 

correction (68 FR 47447, August 11, 

2003), a June 2011 accident in England 

prompted an investigation that found 

corrosion on the pitch horn of the blade 

that had not been detected under the 

paint. The corrosion compromised the 

shot peen surface, which caused 

premature fatigue failure. The pilot 

survived the accident but suffered 

serious injuries. These actions are 

intended to detect a crack or condition 

that could cause a crack on the blades, 

as well as on blades manufactured or 

reworked since the issuance of AD No. 

2003–08–51. We are including HTC 

blades in the applicability of the AD 

because that company manufactures 

blades for MDHI. 

FAA’s Determination 

We are proposing this AD because we 

evaluated all the relevant information 

and determined the unsafe condition 

described previously is likely to exist or 

develop in other products of these same 

type designs. 

Related Service Information 

We reviewed MDHI Service Bulletin 

SB369D–210/SB369E–105/SB369F–091/ 

SB369H–252, dated November 21, 2011, 

and HTC Mandatory Service Bulletin 

No. 3100–5, dated August 25, 2011 

(service bulletins). The service bulletins 

specify removing the paint from the 

pitch horn, performing an inspection of 

the blade using a 10x magnifying glass 

and a bright light, repainting the pitch 

horn area, and repeating the inspection 

annually. The service bulletins state that 

no corrosion, pitting, or cracking is 

acceptable. The MDHI service bulletin 

adds that a lack, removal, or blending of 

the shot peen surface is unacceptable. 

Proposed AD Requirements 

This proposed AD would require 

establishing a retirement life for new 

applicable blades of 400 hours time-inservice (TIS). Installed blades with 390 

to 700 hours TIS would need to be 

replaced within 10 hours TIS. Blades 

with more than 700 hours TIS would 

need to be replaced before further flight. 

Within 60 days and thereafter at 

intervals not to exceed one year, all 

other blades would need to be inspected 

with a 10X magnifying glass for a crack, 

pitting, corrosion and the condition of 

the dimpled shot peen surface. If there 

is a crack, pitting, corrosion or a 

nonconforming shot peen surface, then 

we would require replacement of the 

blade with an airworthy blade. 

Differences Between the Proposed AD 

and the Service Information 

The service bulletins require the 

initial corrosion inspection within 5 

flight hours and annually thereafter. 

This AD proposes that the initial 

corrosion inspection occur within 60 

days and annually thereafter. 

We use the term ‘‘pitch horn’’ to 

describe the section that connects the 

blade to the tail rotor pitch link. The 

service bulletins use the term ‘‘pitch 

control arm.’’ 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this proposed AD 

would affect 827 helicopters of U.S. 

Registry and that labor costs would 

average $85 a work-hour. Based on these 

estimates, we expect the following costs: 

• The inspection would require 4.5 

work hours, and parts would cost $20 

for a total cost of about $403 per 

helicopter and $333,281 for the U.S. 

fleet. 

• Replacing a tail rotor blade, if 

needed, would require 1 work hour. 

Parts would cost $15,951, for a total cost 

of $16,036 per helicopter. 

• The cost would be negligible to 

revise the Airworthiness Limitations 

section of the maintenance manual to 

reflect a blade’s new retirement life. 

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 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 92 / Monday, May 13, 2013 / Proposed Rules 27869 

products 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. 

For the reasons discussed, I certify 

this proposed regulation: 

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); 

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 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 39–13215 (68 FR 

39449, August 11, 2003), and adding the 

following new airworthiness directive 

(AD): 

MD Helicopters, Inc.: Docket No. FAA–2013– 

0401; Directorate Identifier 2012–SW– 

047–AD. 

(a) Applicability 

This AD applies to MD Helicopters, Inc., 

(MDHI) Model 369A, 369D, 369E, 369H, 

369HE, 369HM, 369HS, 369F and 369FF 

helicopters with a tail rotor blade (blade) part 

number (P/N) 369D21640–501, 369D21640– 

503, 369D21641–501, 369D21641–503, 

369D21642–501, 369D21642–503, 

369D21643–501, or 369D21643–503 

installed, or with a Helicopter Technology 

Company blade P/N 500P3100–101, 

500P3100–301, 500P3300–501, or 500P3500– 

701 installed, certificated in any category. 

(b) Unsafe Condition 

This AD defines the unsafe condition as 

the tail rotor blade pitch horn (pitch horn) 

separating from the tail rotor blade, leading 

to an unbalanced condition, vibration, loss of 

tail rotor pitch control and loss of directional 

control of the helicopter. 

(c) Affected ADs 

This AD supersedes AD No. 2003–08–51, 

Amendment 39–13215 (68 FR 39449, July 2, 

2003; correction 68 FR 47447, August 11, 

2003). 

(d) Comments Due Date 

Comments are due July 12, 2013. 

(e) 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. 

(f) Required Actions 

(1) Before further flight, for each applicable 

blade, revise the Airworthiness Limitations 

section of the maintenance manual to reflect 

that the blade has a retirement life of 400 

hours time-in-service (TIS). 

(2) For helicopters with an applicable 

blade installed that has 390 through 700 

hours TIS, within 10 hours TIS, replace the 

blade with an airworthy blade. 

(3) For all other applicable helicopters, 

within 60 days, and thereafter at intervals not 

to exceed one year, remove the paint from the 

blade pitch control arm in accordance with 

the Accomplishment Instructions, Section 

2.A.(1) through 2.A.(3), of MDHI Service 

Bulletin SB369D–210/SB369E–105/SB369F– 

091/SB369H–252, dated November 21, 2011 

(MDHI SB). 

(i) Using a 10X or higher power magnifying 

glass, inspect all four sides and the pocket of 

the blade pitch control arm for a crack, 

pitting, or corrosion and for the condition of 

the dimpled shot peen surface by referring to 

Figure 1 of the MDHI SB and by reviewing 

the rotorcraft maintenance records to 

determine whether rework was done in this 

area. 

(ii) If there is pitting, corrosion, a crack, 

blending or removal of any of the dimpled 

shot peen surface, or any indication that the 

shot peen has not been done, replace the 

blade with an airworthy blade. 

(iii) If there is no pitting, corrosion, cracks, 

or blending or removal of any of the dimpled 

shot peen surface, refinish the stripped pitch 

control arm in accordance with the 

Accomplishment Instructions, Section 

2.A.(6) through 2.A.(7), of the MDHI SB. 

(g) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, Los Angeles Aircraft 

Certification Office, FAA, may approve 

AMOCs for this AD. Send your proposal to: 

Fred Guerin, Aviation Safety Engineer, Los 

Angeles Aircraft Certification Office, 

Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, 3960 

Paramount Blvd., Lakewood, California 

90712; telephone (562) 627–5232; email 

fred.guerin@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. 

(3) AMOCs approved previously in 

accordance with AD No. 2003–08–51 (68 FR 

39449, July 2, 2003; correction 68 FR 47447, 

August 11, 2003) are approved as AMOCs for 

the corresponding requirements in this AD. 

(h) Additional Information 

MD Helicopters Inc. maintenance manuals 

CSP–HMI2, TR12–001, CHP–H–4, and TR12– 

001, which are not incorporated by reference, 

contain 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; email 

serviceengineering@mdhelicopters.com; Web 

site http://www.mdhelicopters.com or 

contact Helicopter Technology Company, 

12923 South Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 

90061; telephone 310–523–2750; email 

gburdorf@helicoptertech.com; Web site 

www.helicoptertech.com. You may review a 

copy of this information at the FAA, Office 

of the Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 

2601 Meacham Blvd., Room 663, Fort Worth, 

Texas 76137. 

(i) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 6410. 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on April 26, 

2013. 

Kim Smith, 

Directorate Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2013–11237 Filed 5–10–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2013–0400; Directorate 

Identifier 2009–SW–48–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Bell 

Helicopter Textron Canada Limited 

(Bell) Model Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for Bell 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS