55166 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 174 / Friday, September 7, 2012 / Proposed Rules 

Vladimir Ulyanov, Aerospace Engineer, 

International Branch, ANM–116, Transport 

Airplane Directorate, FAA, 1601 Lind 

Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 98057– 

3356; telephone (425) 227–1138; fax (425) 

227–1149. Information may be emailed to: 9- 

ANM-116-AMOC-REQUESTS@faa.gov. 

Before using any approved AMOC, notify 

your appropriate principal inspector, or 

lacking a principal inspector, the manager of 

the local flight standards district office/ 

certificate holding district office. The AMOC 

approval letter must specifically reference 

this AD. 

(2) Airworthy Product: For any requirement 

in this AD to obtain corrective actions from 

a manufacturer or other source, use these 

actions if they are FAA-approved. Corrective 

actions are considered FAA-approved if they 

are approved by the State of Design Authority 

(or their delegated agent). You are required 

to assure the product is airworthy before it 

is returned to service. 

(3) Reporting Requirements: A federal 

agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a 

person is not required to respond to, nor 

shall a person be subject to a penalty for 

failure to comply with a collection of 

information subject to the requirements of 

the Paperwork Reduction Act unless that 

collection of information displays a current 

valid OMB Control Number. The OMB 

Control Number for this information 

collection is 2120–0056. Public reporting for 

this collection of information is estimated to 

be approximately 5 minutes per response, 

including the time for reviewing instructions, 

completing and reviewing the collection of 

information. All responses to this collection 

of information are mandatory. Comments 

concerning the accuracy of this burden and 

suggestions for reducing the burden should 

be directed to the FAA at: 800 Independence 

Ave. SW., Washington, DC 20591, Attn: 

Information Collection Clearance Officer, 

AES–200. 

(o) Related Information 

(1) Refer to MCAI European Aviation 

Safety Agency Airworthiness Directive 2012– 

0053, dated March 30, 2012, and the service 

information specified in paragraphs (o)(1)(i) 

through (o)(1)(iii) of this AD, for related 

information. 

(i) Airbus Mandatory Service Bulletin 

A330–32–3240, Revision 02, including 

Appendices 01 and 02, dated December 2, 

2011 (for Model A330–200 series airplanes, 

Model A330–200 Freighter series airplanes, 

and Model A330–300 series airplanes). 

(ii) Airbus Mandatory Service Bulletin 

A340–32–4281, Revision 01, including 

Appendices 01 and 02, dated December 2, 

2011 (for Model A340–200 series airplanes 

and Model A340–300 series airplanes). 

(iii) Airbus Mandatory Service Bulletin 

A340–32–5096, Revision 01, including 

Appendices 01 and 02, dated December 2, 

2011 (for Model A340–541 airplanes and 

Model A340–642 airplanes). 

(2) For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Airbus SAS—Airworthiness 

Office—EAL, 1 Rond Point Maurice Bellonte, 

31707 Blagnac Cedex, France; telephone +33 

5 61 93 36 96; fax +33 5 61 93 45 80; email 

airworthiness.A330-A340@airbus.com; 

Internet http://www.airbus.com. You may 

review copies of the referenced service 

information at the FAA, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, 

Washington. For information on the 

availability of this material at the FAA, call 

425–227–1221. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on August 

31, 2012. 

Ali Bahrami, 

Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–22063 Filed 9–6–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2012–0945; Directorate 

Identifier 2010–SW–110–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Sikorsky 

Aircraft Corporation (Sikorsky) 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 the 

Sikorsky Model S–70, S–70A, S–70C, S– 

70C (M), and S–70C (M1) helicopters 

with General Electric (GE) T700–GE– 

401C or T700–GE–701C engines 

installed. This proposed AD is 

prompted by a reevaluation of the 

method for determining the life limit for 

certain GE engine gas generator turbine 

(GGT) rotor parts and the determination 

that these life limits need to be based on 

low cycle fatigue events instead of hours 

time-in-service. The proposed actions 

are intended to establish new fatigue life 

limits for certain GGT rotor parts to 

prevent fatigue failure of a GGT rotor 

part, engine failure, and subsequent loss 

of control of the helicopter. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by November 6, 2012. 

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 Sikorsky 

Aircraft Corporation, Attn: Manager, 

Commercial Technical Support, 

mailstop s581a, 6900 Main Street, 

Stratford, CT, telephone (800) 562–4409, 

email address tsslibrary@sikorsky.com, 

or at http://www.sikorsky.com. You may 

review a copy of the referenced 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: 

Michael Davison, Flight Test Engineer, 

New England Regional Office, FAA, 12 

New England Executive Park, 

Burlington, MA 01803; phone: (781) 

238–7156; fax: (781) 238–7170; email: 

michael.davison@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 

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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 174 / Friday, September 7, 2012 / Proposed Rules 55167 

possible to do so without incurring 

expense or delay. We may change this 

proposal in light of the comments we 

receive. 

Discussion 

We propose to adopt a new AD for the 

specified helicopters with GE partnumbered T700–GE–401C or specified 

T700–GE–701C engines installed. This 

proposed AD would require establishing 

a new life limit for certain GGT rotor 

parts based upon the accumulated low 

cycle fatigue events of the GGT rotor 

parts. This proposed AD is prompted by 

the determination that the affected 

engines could fail due to fatigue unless 

the life limits of certain GE engine rotor 

parts are changed from hours time-inservice to low cycle fatigue events. The 

GE T700–GE–701C engine is used in the 

military’s UH–60 fleet. Analysis and 

experience with this engine have caused 

the military to reduce the life limit of 

certain GGT rotor parts and to revise 

their maintenance documentation to 

reflect these revised life limits. The 

Sikorsky Model S–70 helicopters are 

similar to the military’s UH–60 fleet, 

some of which have been certificated by 

the FAA in the restricted category. The 

GE T700–GE–701C engine has not been 

type-certificated by the FAA for civil 

use, except to the extent that it is a part 

of a restricted category Model S–70 

helicopter. 

FAA’s Determination 

We are proposing this AD because we 

evaluated all known relevant 

information and determined that an 

unsafe condition exists and is likely to 

exist or develop on other helicopters of 

these same type designs. 

Related Service Information 

GE has issued GE T700 Turboshaft 

Engine Service Bulletin (ESB) 72–0038, 

dated October 1, 2008, for the T700–GE– 

701C engine (ESB 72–0038) and GE 

T700 Turboshaft ESB 72–0041, dated 

August 21, 2009, for the T700–GE–401C 

engine (ESB SB 72–041). These ESBs 

define a ‘‘full-cycle event’’ and a 

‘‘partial cycle event,’’ specify a method 

of calculating the low cycle fatigue 

(LCF) life limit using formulas and LCF 

Limit Diagrams, and specify counting 

LCF events to determine the remaining 

fatigue life for specified GGT rotor parts. 

Finally, the ESBs specify removing each 

life-limited rotor part from service when 

its newly-established LCF life limit is 

reached. 

Proposed AD Requirements 

This proposed AD would require, 

before further flight: 

• Inserting the LCF limit diagrams 

into the airworthiness limitation section 

of the maintenance manual or 

instructions for continued 

airworthiness, shown in Figures 2 

through 7 (pages 9 through 14) of ESB 

72–0041 or Figures 2 through 4 (pages 

10 through 12) of ESB 72–0038. 

• Obtaining the actual LCF1 and 

LCF2 count from the engine ‘‘history 

recorder’’ (HR), and calculating the 

LCF1 and LCF2 fatigue retirement life 

for each GGT rotor part. 

• Replacing each GGT rotor part that 

has reached the new fatigue cycle life 

limit with an airworthy rotor part. 

• Calculating the life limit for the 

GGT rotor part with the hours time-inservice for the part as shown in Table 

1 of ESB 72–0041, for those helicopters 

with the GE T700–GE–401C engine 

where the number of low cycle fatigue 

events cannot be determined manually 

from the HR or by combining both 

manual and HR counts. 

• Before further flight, beginning or 

continuing to count the full and partial 

low fatigue cycle events and recording 

on the component card or equivalent 

record that count at the end of each day 

for which the HR is inoperative. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this proposed AD 

would affect 9 helicopters of U.S. 

registry. We estimate that operators may 

incur the following costs in order to 

comply with this AD: 

• A minimal amount for work hours 

and labor costs because these parts are 

replaced as part of the periodic 

maintenance on the helicopter; 

• A minimal amount of time to 

calculate the new retirement life; 

• $360,000 to replace the GGT rotor 

parts per helicopter; and 

• $3,240,000 to replace the GGT rotor 

parts for the entire U.S. operator 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: 

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 

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 adding 

the following new Airworthiness 

Directive (AD): 

Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation: Docket No. 

FAA–2012–0945; Directorate Identifier 

2010–SW–110–AD. 

(a) Applicability 

This AD applies to Model S–70, S–70A, S– 

70C, S–70C (M), and S–70C (M1) helicopters 

with General Electric (GE) T700–GE–401C or 

T700–GE–701C part-numbered engines, 

certificated in any category. 

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55168 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 174 / Friday, September 7, 2012 / Proposed Rules 

(b) Unsafe Condition 

This AD defines the unsafe condition as a 

critical engine part remaining in service 

beyond its fatigue life because the current life 

limit is based on hours time-in-service (TIS) 

instead of fatigue cycles. This condition 

could result in fatigue failure of an engine 

rotor part, engine failure, and subsequent loss 

of control of the helicopter. 

(c) 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. 

(d) Required Actions 

(1) Before further flight, insert into the 

airworthiness limitation section of the 

maintenance manual or instructions for 

continued airworthiness the low cycle fatigue 

(LCF) limit diagrams shown in Figures 2 

through 7 (pages 9 through 14) of GE T700 

Turboshaft Engine Service Bulletin (ESB) No. 

T700 S/B 72–0041, dated August 21, 2009, 

for helicopters with the GE T700–GE–401C 

engine, or Figures 2 through 4 (pages 10 

through 12) of GE T700 Turboshaft ESB No. 

T700 S/B 72–0038, dated October 1, 2008, for 

helicopters with the GE T700–GE–701C 

engine. The diagonal line on each diagram 

represents the new cycle life limit (a 

combination of full low cycle fatigue events 

(LCF1) and partial low cycle fatigue events 

(LCF2) as those terms are defined in the 

Accomplishment Instructions, paragraphs 

3.A.(1) and 3.A.(2) of each ESB) for each gas 

generator turbine (GGT) rotor part. A 

combination of LCF1 and LCF2, which 

results in a number below the diagonal line 

of the applicable diagram for each engine, 

indicates that the part has not reached its 

fatigue life limit. 

(2) Before further flight: 

(i) Obtain the actual LCF1 and LCF2 count 

from the engine ‘‘history recorder’’ (HR); 

(ii) Calculate the LCF1 and LCF2 fatigue 

retirement life for each GGT rotor part as 

follows: 

(A) Determine the actual LCF ratio by 

dividing the total actual LCF2 cycle count 

obtained from the HR by the total actual 

LCF1 cycle count obtained from the HR. Add 

to the actual counts from the HR any actual 

additional fatigue cycle incurred during any 

period in which the HR was inoperative. 

(B) Determine the LCF1 retirement life by 

dividing the maximum number of LCF2 

events obtained from the applicable diagram 

for each engine by the sum of the actual LCF 

ratio obtained by following paragraph 

(d)(2)(ii)(A) of this AD plus the quotient of 

the maximum number of LCF2 events from 

the applicable diagram for each engine 

divided by the maximum number of LCF1 

events from the applicable diagram for each 

engine. 

(C) Determine the LCF2 retirement life by 

multiplying the actual LCF ratio obtained by 

following paragraph (d)(2)(ii)(A) of this AD 

times the LCF1 retirement life determined by 

following paragraph (d)(2)(ii)(B) of this AD. 

(iii) Replace each GGT rotor part that has 

reached the new fatigue cycle life limit with 

an airworthy rotor part. 

(3) For helicopters with the GE T700–GE– 

401C engine, if you cannot determine the 

number of low cycle fatigue events manually 

from the HR or by combining both manual 

and HR counts, then the life limit for the 

GGT rotor part is the hours TIS for the part 

as shown in Table 1 of ESB No. T700 S/B 72– 

0041, dated August 21, 2009. 

(4) Before further flight, begin or continue 

to count the full and partial low fatigue cycle 

events and record on the component card or 

equivalent record that count at the end of 

each day for which the HR is inoperative. 

(e) Special Flight Permit 

Special flight permits will not be issued to 

allow flight in excess of life limits. 

(f) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, Boston Aircraft 

Certification Office, FAA, may approve 

AMOCs for this AD. Send your proposal to: 

Michael Davison, Flight Test Engineer, New 

England Regional Office, FAA, 12 New 

England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 

01803; phone: (781) 238–7156; fax: (781) 

238–7170; email: michael.davison@faa.gov. 

(2) For operations conducted under 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 

For service information identified in this 

AD, contact Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, 

Attn: Manager, Commercial Technical 

Support, mailstop s581a, 6900 Main Street, 

Stratford, CT, telephone (800) 562–4409, 

email address tsslibrary@sikorsky.com, or at 

http://www.sikorsky.com. You may review a 

copy of the referenced service information at 

the FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, 

Southwest Region, 2601 Meacham Blvd., 

Room 663, Fort Worth, Texas 76137. 

(h) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 7250: Turbine Section. 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on August 30, 

2012. 

Kim Smith, 

Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft 

Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–22064 Filed 9–6–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

40 CFR Part 52 

[EPA–R03–OAR–2011–0926; FRL–9725–2] 

Approval and Promulgation of Air 

Quality Implementation Plans; Virginia; 

Permits for Major Stationary Sources 

and Major Modifications Locating in 

Prevention of Significant Deterioration 

Areas and Permits for Major Stationary 

Sources Locating in Nonattainment 

Areas or the Ozone Transport Region 

AGENCY: Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA). 

ACTION: Proposed rule. 

SUMMARY: EPA is proposing to approve 

State Implementation Plan (SIP) 

revisions submitted by the Virginia 

Department of Environmental Quality 

(VADEQ). These revisions propose to 

allow the terms and conditions of 

various elements of the preconstruction 

program in Virginia to be combined into 

a single permit, establish limitations for 

issuance of Plantwide Applicability 

Limits (PALs), and provide an 

exemption to Virginia’s New Source 

Review (NSR) Program for the use of 

alternate fuels. This action is being 

taken under the Clean Air Act (CAA). 

DATES: Written comments must be 

received on or before October 9, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, 

identified by Docket ID Number EPA– 

R03–OAR–2011–0926 by one of the 

following methods: 

A. www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

on-line instructions for submitting 

comments. 

B. Email: cox.kathleen@epa.gov. 

C. Mail: EPA–R03–OAR–2011–0926, 

Kathleen Cox, Associate Director, Office 

of Permits and Air Toxics, Mailcode 

3AP10, U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency, Region III, 1650 Arch Street, 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103. 

D. Hand Delivery: At the previously 

listed EPA Region III address. Such 

deliveries are only accepted during the 

Docket’s normal hours of operation, and 

special arrangements should be made 

for deliveries of boxed information. 

Instructions: Direct your comments to 

Docket ID No. EPA–R03–OAR–2011– 

0926. EPA’s policy is that all comments 

received will be included in the public 

docket without change, and may be 

made available online at 

www.regulations.gov, including any 

personal information provided, unless 

the comment includes information 

claimed to be Confidential Business 

Information (CBI) or other information 

whose disclosure is restricted by statute. 

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