Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 207 / Wednesday, October 26, 2011 / Proposed Rules 66207 

because it addresses an unsafe condition 

that is likely to exist or develop on 

products identified in this rulemaking 

action. 

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39 

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation 

safety, Incorporation by reference, 

Safety. 

The Proposed Amendment 

Accordingly, pursuant to the 

authority delegated to me by the 

Administrator, the Federal Aviation 

Administration proposes to amend part 

39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations 

(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. Section 39.13 is amended by 

adding a new airworthiness directive 

(AD) to read as follows: 

Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation: Docket No. 

FAA–2010–0517; Directorate Identifier 

2009–SW–73–AD. 

Applicability: Model S–76A helicopters, 

with an electric rotor brake (ERB), part 

number (P/N) 76363–09100–012, installed, 

certificated in any category. 

Compliance: Required as indicated, unless 

accomplished previously. 

To prevent overheating of the ERB 

assembly, ignition of the ERB hydraulic fluid, 

fire in the main gearbox area, and subsequent 

loss of control of the helicopter, do the 

following: 

(a) Within 120 days, modify the ERB by 

installing: 

(1) Warning relay system parts contained 

in modification kit, part number (P/N) 

76070–55023–011, and operationally testing 

the ERB system in accordance with 

paragraphs 2.A. through 2.F., of Sikorsky 

Customer Service Bulletin No. 76–66–10B, 

Revision 1 (pages 2 through 8), dated July 30, 

1981, and Revision 2, (pages 1 and 9 through 

13) dated November 25, 1981; 

(2) Circuit breaker and diodes contained in 

ERB circuit modification kit, P/N 76070– 

55033–012, and operationally testing the ERB 

system in accordance with paragraph B. 

through F. of Sikorsky Customer Service 

Notice 76–113, dated June 1, 1983; and 

(3) Manifold, relay box, junction box, righthand relay panel, and wiring harness parts 

contained in ERB modification kit, P/N 

76070–55207–011, and operationally testing 

the ERB system in accordance with 

paragraphs 3.B. through 3.I. of the 

Accomplishment Instructions of Sikorsky 

Alert Service Bulletin No. 76–66–48B, 

Revision B, dated July 8, 2009. 

(b) After accomplishing paragraph (a) of 

this AD, insert into the Sikorsky Rotorcraft 

Flight Manual (RFM) the changes to the 

‘‘Normal Procedures (Part I, Section II)’’ and 

‘‘Emergency Procedures (Part 1, Section III)’’ 

contained in Sikorsky RFM, Supplement No. 

41, dated September 6, 2005. 

(c) To request a different method of 

compliance or a different compliance time 

for this AD, follow the procedures in 14 CFR 

39.19. Contact the Manager, Boston Aircraft 

Certification Office, FAA, ATTN: Caspar 

Wang, Aviation Safety Engineer, 12 New 

England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 

01803, telephone (781) 238–7799, fax (781) 

238–7170, for information about previously 

approved alternative methods of compliance. 

(d) The Joint Aircraft System/Component 

(JASC) Code is 6321: Main Rotor Brake. 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on October 7, 

2011. 

Lance T. Gant, 

Acting Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–27659 Filed 10–25–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2011–1115; Directorate 

Identifier 2010–SW–011–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Sikorsky 

Aircraft Corporation (Sikorsky) Model 

S–92A Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration, DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: This document proposes 

adopting a new airworthiness directive 

(AD) for the Sikorsky Model S–92A 

helicopters. This proposal would 

require revising the Operating 

Limitations section of the Sikorsky 

Model S–92A Rotorcraft Flight Manual 

(RFM). This proposal is prompted by 

the manufacturer’s analysis of engine 

data that revealed the data was 

inaccurate in dealing with available 

above specification engine power 

margin. The actions specified by this 

proposed AD are intended to prevent 

the use of inaccurate engine 

performance data in calculating 

maximum gross weight by revising the 

Operating Limitations section of the 

RFM. 

DATES: Comments must be received on 

or before December 27, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: Use one of the following 

addresses to submit comments on this 

proposed AD: 

• 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. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John 

Coffey, Aviation Safety Engineer, Boston 

Aircraft Certification Office, 12 New 

England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 

01803, telephone (781) 238–7173, fax 

(781) 238–7170. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

We invite you to submit any written 

data, views, or arguments regarding this 

proposed AD. Send your comments to 

the address listed under the caption 

ADDRESSES. Include the docket number 

‘‘FAA–2011–1115, Directorate Identifier 

2010–SW–011–AD’’ at the beginning of 

your comments. We specifically invite 

comments on the overall regulatory, 

economic, environmental, and energy 

aspects of the proposed AD. We will 

consider all comments received by the 

closing date and may amend the 

proposed AD in light of 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 

rulemaking. Using the search function 

of our docket web site, you can find and 

read the comments to any of our 

dockets, including the name of the 

individual who sent or signed the 

comment. You may review the DOT’s 

complete Privacy Act Statement in the 

Federal Register published on April 11, 

2000 (65 FR 19477–78). 

Examining the Docket 

You may examine the docket that 

contains the proposed AD, any 

comments, and other information 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 Docket Operations office 

(telephone (800) 647–5527) is located in 

Room W12–140 on the ground floor of 

the West Building at the street address 

stated in the ADDRESSES section. 

Comments will be available in the AD 

docket shortly after receipt. 


jlentini on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
66208 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 207 / Wednesday, October 26, 2011 / Proposed Rules 

Discussion 

This document proposes adopting a 

new AD for the Sikorsky Model S–92A 

helicopters. This proposal would 

require revising the Operating 

Limitations section, Part 1, Section 1, 

Weight Limits, of the Sikorsky Model S– 

92A RFM with the following statement 

‘‘Performance credit for above 

specification engine power margin is 

prohibited.’’ Engine power margin is 

determined through power assurance 

checks. Previous flight manual revisions 

allowed for the use of above 

specification engine power margin as 

shown in the circled area of Figure 1 of 

this AD. The use of above-specification 

engine power margin is now being 

prohibited. Sikorsky has published 

various RFM revisions correcting the 

charts in Parts I and IV of the RFM. If 

those revisions have previously been 

incorporated into the RFM, the RFM 

revision specified by this proposed AD 

would not be required. The RFM 

revisions, all dated April 9, 2008, are as 

follows: 

Affected RFM Revision with 

correct charts 

S92A–RFM–002 ................ Revision 8. 

S92A–RFM–003 ................ Revision 7. 

S92A–RFM–004 ................ Revision 6. 

S92A–RFM–005 ................ Revision 5. 

S92A–RFM–006 ................ Revision 6. 

This proposal is prompted by the 

manufacturer’s analysis of engine data 

that revealed the data was inaccurate in 

dealing with available engine power 

margin. The actions specified by this 

proposed AD are intended to prevent 

the use of inaccurate performance data 

in calculating maximum gross weight by 

revising the Operating Limitations 

section of the RFM. 

This unsafe condition is likely to exist 

or develop on other helicopters of the 

same type design. Therefore, the 

proposed AD would require inserting a 

limitation into the Operating Limitation 

section of the RFM prohibiting the use 

of power margin percentage credit in 

calculating gross weight and inserting 

the revisions into the Operating 

Limitations, Part 1, Section 1, of 

Sikorsky RFM SA S92A–RFM–002, 

–003, –004, –005, and –006. 

We estimate that this proposed AD 

would affect 37 helicopters of U.S. 

registry, and the proposed actions 

would take about 1 work hour per 

helicopter to insert the revisions into 

the RFM at an average labor rate of $85 

per work hour. Parts costs are not 

associated with this AD. Based on these 

figures, we estimate the total cost 

impact of the proposed AD on U.S. 

operators would be $3,145. 

Regulatory Findings 

We have determined that this 

proposed AD would not have federalism 

implications under Executive Order 

13132. Additionally, 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 above, I 

certify that the 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. See the AD docket to 

examine the draft economic evaluation. 

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. 

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39 

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation 

safety, Incorporation by reference, 

Safety. 

The Proposed Amendment 

Accordingly, pursuant to the 

authority delegated to me by the 

Administrator, the Federal Aviation 

Administration proposes to amend part 

39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations 

(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. Section 39.13 is amended by 

adding a new airworthiness directive to 

read as follows: 

Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation: Docket No. 

FAA–2011–1115; Directorate Identifier 

2010–SW–011–AD. 

Applicability: Model S–92A helicopters, 

certificated in any category. 

Compliance: Within 90 days, unless 

accomplished previously. 

To prevent the use of inaccurate 

performance data in calculating the 

maximum gross weight, revise the Operating 

Limitations section of the Rotorcraft Flight 

Manual (RFM) as follows: 

(a) By making pen and ink changes, insert 

into the Operating Limitations section, Part 1, 

Section 1, Weight Limits, of RFM SA S92A– 

RFM–002, –003, –004, –005, and –006 the 

following limitation ‘‘Performance credit for 

above specification engine power margin is 

prohibited.’’ 

(b) If the RFM already contains the 

revisions appropriate for your helicopter as 

listed in the following Table 1, all dated 

April 9, 2008, with the correct performance 

charts, without the performance credit as 

depicted in the circled area of Figure 1 of this 

AD, the operating limitation required by 

paragraph (a) of this AD does not need to be 

inserted into the RFM. 

TABLE 1 

Affected RFM Revision with 

correct charts 

S92A–RFM–002 ................ Revision 8. 

S92A–RFM–003 ................ Revision 7. 

S92A–RFM–004 ................ Revision 6. 

S92A–RFM–005 ................ Revision 5. 

S92A–RFM–006 ................ Revision 6. 

Note 1: Previous RFM revisions allowed for 

the use of above-specification engine power 

margin as depicted in the circled area of 

Figure 1 of this AD. 


jlentini on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 207 / Wednesday, October 26, 2011 / Proposed Rules 66209 

(c) To request a different method of 

compliance or a different compliance time 

for this AD, follow the procedures in 14 CFR 

39.19. Contact the Manager, Boston Aircraft 

Certification Office, FAA, Attn: John Coffey 

Aviation Safety Engineer, 12 New England 

Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803, 

telephone (781) 238–7173, fax (781) 238– 

7170, for information about previously 

approved alternative methods of compliance. 

(d) The Joint Aircraft System/Component 

(JASC) Code is 7200: Engine (Turbine/ 

Turboprop). 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on October 7, 

2011. 

Lance T. Gant, 

Acting Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–27670 Filed 10–25–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2011–1113; Directorate 

Identifier 2009–SW–53–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Sikorsky 

Aircraft Corporation (Sikorsky) Model 

S–92A Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration, DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: This document proposes 

adopting a new airworthiness directive 

(AD) for the Sikorsky Model S–92A 

helicopters. This proposal would 

require inspecting each tail rotor blade 

(blade) for mislocated aluminum wire 

mesh in the blade skin. This proposal is 

prompted by the discovery that blades 

were manufactured with aluminum wire 

mesh mislocated, leaving portions of the 

graphite torque tube (spar) region 

unprotected from a lightning strike. This 

condition can exist in both the upper 

and lower blade skin airfoils. The 

actions specified by this proposed AD 

are intended to detect mislocated blade 

wire mesh and to prevent spar 

delamination, loss of the blade tip cap 

during a lightning strike, blade 


jlentini on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALSEP26OC11.066</GPH>