Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 80 / Thursday, April 25, 2013 / Proposed Rules 24367 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2013–0350; Directorate 

Identifier 2012–SW–050–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; 

AgustaWestland S.p.A. Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for 

AgustaWestland S.p.A. 

(AgustaWestland) Model A119 and 

AW119 MKII helicopters to require 

inspecting the pilot and co-pilot doors 

to ensure that the windows are properly 

bonded within the doors. If the 

windows are not properly bonded, the 

proposed AD would require applying 

bonding to the windows, the seals, and 

the window frames of the pilot and copilot doors. This proposed AD is 

prompted by the loss of a pilot-door 

window during a test flight. The 

proposed actions are intended to ensure 

the windows do not detach from the 

doors, potentially injuring persons on 

the ground and damaging the 

helicopter’s tailboom and the tail rotor 

blades. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by June 24, 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 

AgustaWestland, Customer Support & 

Services, Via Per Tornavento 15, 21019 

Somma Lombardo (VA) Italy, ATTN: 

Giovanni Cecchelli; telephone 39–0331– 

711133; fax 39 0331 711180; or at http:// 

www.agustawestland.com/technicalbullettins. You may review 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: 

Sharon Miles, Aviation Safety Engineer, 

Regulations and Policy Group, 

Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 2601 

Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 

76137; telephone (817) 222–5110; email 

sharon.y.miles@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 

The European Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA), which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Union, has issued EASA AD No. 2012– 

0058, dated April 3, 2012, to correct an 

unsafe condition for AgustaWestland 

Model A119 and AW119 MKII 

helicopters. EASA advises that the pilotdoor window detached during a test 

flight of an AW119 MKII helicopter. The 

occupant was not injured, and the 

helicopter was not damaged. 

According to EASA, an investigation 

revealed that a ‘‘lack of the bonding of 

the seal both to the window and to the 

door structure’’ caused the window’s 

detachment. To address this unsafe 

condition, AugustaWestland issued 

Bollettino Tecnico (BT) No. 119–47, 

dated March 29, 2012, and EASA issued 

AD No. 2012–0058 to require an 

inspection of the bonding in the pilot 

and co-pilot door windows and, if there 

is no bonding, applying bonding. 

If this condition is not corrected, it 

could lead to detachment of the 

windows from the pilot- and co-pilot 

doors, potentially injuring persons on 

the ground and damaging the helicopter. 

FAA’s Determination 

These helicopters have been approved 

by the aviation authority of Italy and are 

approved for operation in the United 

States. Pursuant to our bilateral 

agreement with Italy, EASA, its 

technical representative, has notified us 

of the unsafe condition described in its 

AD. We are proposing this AD because 

we evaluated all known relevant 

information and determined that an 

unsafe condition is likely to exist or 

develop on other products of the same 

type design. 

Related Service Information 

We reviewed BT No. 119–47 for all 

AgustaWestland A119 and AW119 MKII 

helicopters, which contains procedures 

to ensure that the pilot- and co-pilot 

door windows are correctly bonded. 

Proposed AD Requirements 

This proposed AD would require, 

within the next 50 hours time-in-service 

(TIS) or within the next five months, 

whichever comes first, inspecting the 

pilot and co-pilot doors to determine 

whether there is bonding between the 

seals, the window frames, and the 

windows in the external and internal 

sides of the seals’ junction areas. If no 

bonding exists, before further flight, this 

proposed AD would require applying 

bonding to the windows, seals, and 

window frames. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this proposed AD 

would affect 65 helicopters of U.S. 

Registry and that labor costs would 

average $85 an hour. Based on these 

estimates, we expect the following costs: 

• Inspecting for bonding between the 

seals and the windows in the internal 


wreier-aviles on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
24368 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 80 / Thursday, April 25, 2013 / Proposed Rules 

and external sides of the junction areas 

would require 0.5 work-hour for a labor 

cost of about $43. No parts would be 

needed, so the cost for the U.S. fleet 

would total $2,795. 

• Adding the bonding material if 

needed would require about 1.5 workhours for a labor cost of about $128. The 

cost of materials would be negligible. 

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): 

AGUSTAWESTLAND S.p.A.: Docket No. 

FAA–2013–0350; Directorate Identifier 

2012–SW–050–AD. 

(a) Applicability 

This AD applies to AgustaWestland S.p.A. 

(AgustaWestland) Model A119 and AW119 

MKII helicopters, serial numbers up to and 

including 14781, certificated in any category. 

(b) Unsafe Condition 

This AD defines the unsafe condition as a 

window detaching from the pilot or co-pilot 

doors, which could result in damage to the 

helicopter and injury to persons on the 

ground. 

(c) Reserved 

(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 

Within the next 50 hours time-in-service 

(TIS) or within the next five months, 

whichever comes first: 

(1) Visually inspect the pilot and co-pilot 

doors by referencing Figure 1 of Bollettino 

Tecnico No. 119–47, dated March 29, 2012 

(BT), to determine whether there is bonding 

between the seal (3) and the window (4) in 

the internal and external side of the seal’s 

junction area. 

(2) If there is no bonding, before further 

flight, apply bonding to the windows, seals, 

and window frames in accordance with the 

Compliance Instructions, paragraphs 5 

through 20, of the BT. 

(f) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, Safety Management 

Group, FAA, may approve AMOCs for this 

AD. Send your proposal to: Sharon Miles, 

Aviation Safety Engineer, Rotorcraft 

Directorate, FAA, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort 

Worth, Texas 76137; telephone (817) 222– 

5110; email sharon.y.miles@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 

The subject of this AD is addressed in 

European Aviation Safety Agency AD No. 

2012–0058, dated April 3, 2012. 

(h) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 5610, Flight Compartment Windows. 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on April 12, 

2013. 

Lance T. Gant, 

Acting Directorate Manager, Rotorcraft 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2013–09715 Filed 4–24–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2013–0379; Directorate 

Identifier 2009–SW–26–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Bell 

Helicopter Textron, Inc. (Bell) Model 

Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration, DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to supersede an 

existing revised airworthiness directive 

(AD) for all Bell Model 204B and certain 

serial-numbered Model 205A–1 

helicopters with a certain tail rotor pitch 

control chain (chain) installed. The 

existing AD requires visually inspecting 

the chain to detect a crack in the link 

segments and, for affected Model 205A– 

1 helicopters, replacing the tail rotor 

chain and cable control system with a 

push-pull control system. Since we 

issued that AD, we have determined the 

need to apply the requirements to a 

newly-produced, similarly-designed 

chain with a different part number. 

Also, for the Model 204B, data shows 

the need to reduce the inspection 

interval of the chain and revise its 

inspection procedures because the rapid 

growth of a crack can lead to premature 

chain failure and to install a tail rotor 

cable and chain damper kit (damper kit) 

to reduce the oscillatory loading. We 

have also determined that installing a 

push-pull control system should apply 

to Model 205A–1 helicopters with 


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