Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 141 / Thursday, July 23, 2015 / Proposed Rules 43645 

required by this AD if it is approved by the 

Boeing Commercial Airplanes Organization 

Designation Authorization (ODA) that has 

been authorized by the Manager, Seattle 

ACO, to make those findings. For a repair 

method to be approved, the repair must meet 

the certification basis of the airplane, and the 

approval must specifically refer to this AD. 

(4) For service information that contains 

steps that are labeled as Required for 

Compliance (RC), the provisions of 

paragraphs (i)(4)(i) and (i)(4)(ii) apply. 

(i) The steps labeled as RC, including 

substeps under an RC step and any figures 

identified in an RC step, must be done to 

comply with the AD. An AMOC is required 

for any deviations to RC steps, including 

substeps and identified figures. 

(ii) Steps not labeled as RC may be 

deviated from using accepted methods in 

accordance with the operator’s maintenance 

or inspection program without obtaining 

approval of an AMOC, provided the RC steps, 

including substeps and identified figures, can 

still be done as specified, and the airplane 

can be put back in an airworthy condition. 

(j) Related Information 

(1) For more information about this AD, 

contact Melanie Violette, Senior Aerospace 

Engineer, Airframe Branch, ANM–120S, 

FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office 

(ACO), 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 

98057–3356; phone: 425–917–6422; fax: 425– 

917–6590; email: melanie.violette@faa.gov. 

(2) For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Boeing Commercial 

Airplanes, Attention: Data & Services 

Management, P.O. Box 3707, MC 2H–65, 

Seattle, WA 98124–2207; telephone 206– 

544–5000, extension 1; fax 206–766–5680; 

Internet https://www.myboeingfleet.com. You 

may view this referenced service information 

at the FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call 425–227–1221. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on July 14, 

2015. 

Suzanne Masterson, 

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2015–17955 Filed 7–22–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2015–2568; Directorate 

Identifier 2014–SW–026–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus 

Helicopters (Previously Eurocopter 

France) Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to supersede 

airworthiness directive (AD) 2014–07– 

52 for certain Airbus Helicopters 

(previously Eurocopter France) Model 

AS350B, AS350BA, AS350B1, 

AS350B2, AS350B3, AS350C, AS350D, 

AS350D1, AS355E, AS355F, AS355F1, 

AS355F2, AS355N, and AS355NP 

helicopters. AD 2014–07–52 currently 

requires repetitively inspecting certain 

reinforcement angles of the rear 

structure to tailboom junction frame 

(reinforcement angles) for a crack at 10 

hour time-in-service (TIS) intervals, 

repairing any cracked reinforcement 

angle, and allows an optional repetitive 

inspection with a 165 hour TIS 

inspection interval as a terminating 

action for the 10 hour TIS inspections. 

This proposed AD would retain the 

inspection requirements of AD 2014– 

07–52 and require the inspection of the 

area around each reinforcement angle 

screw hole as terminating action to the 

10 hour TIS inspections. These 

proposed actions are intended to detect 

a crack in the reinforcement angle, 

which if not corrected, could result in 

loss of the tailboom and subsequent loss 

of control of the helicopter. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by September 21, 

2015. 

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 

European Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA) 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 Airbus 

Helicopters, Inc., 2701 N. Forum Drive, 

Grand Prairie, TX 75052; telephone 

(972) 641–0000 or (800) 232–0323; fax 

(972) 641–3775; or at http://

www.airbushelicopters.com/techpub. 

You may review service information at 

the FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, 

Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood 

Pkwy., Room 6N–321, Fort Worth, TX 

76177. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Robert Grant, Aviation Safety Engineer, 

Safety Management Group, FAA, 10101 

Hillwood Pkwy., Fort Worth, TX 76177; 

telephone (817) 222–5110; email 

robert.grant@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 May 21, 2014, we issued AD 

2014–07–52, Amendment 39–17858, 79 

FR 33054, June 10, 2014) for Airbus 

Helicopters Model AS350B, AS350BA, 

AS350B1, AS350B2, AS350B3, AS350C, 

AS350D, AS350D1, AS355E, AS355F, 

AS355F1, AS355F2, AS355N, and 

AS355NP helicopters with Modification 

(MOD) 07 3215 installed or with a 

reinforcement angle, part-number (P/N) 

350A08.2493.21 or 350A08.2493.23, 

installed. AD 2014–07–52 requires, for 

helicopters with 640 or more hours TIS, 

within 10 hours TIS and thereafter at 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS

43646 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 141 / Thursday, July 23, 2015 / Proposed Rules 

intervals not exceeding 10 hours TIS, 

repetitively inspecting each 

reinforcement angle for a crack. If there 

is a crack, AD 2014–07–52 requires, 

before further flight, repairing the 

reinforcement angle. As an optional 

terminating action for the repetitive 10 

hour TIS inspections, AD 2014–07–52 

allows a repetitive 165 hour TIS 

inspection of the reinforcement angle 

under each attaching screw for a crack. 

AD 2014–07–52 was prompted by 

Emergency AD No. 2014–0076–E, dated 

March 25, 2014, issued by EASA, which 

is the Technical Agent for the Member 

States of the European Union, to correct 

an unsafe condition for Airbus 

Helicopters Model AS350B, AS350BA, 

AS350BB, AS350B1, AS350B2, 

AS350B3, AS350D, AS355E, AS355F, 

AS355F1, AS355F2, AS355N, and 

AS355NP helicopters with MOD 07 

3215 or with at least one reinforcement 

angle, P/N 350A08.2493.21 or P/N 

350A08.2493.23, installed. EASA 

advises that during the inspection of 

several AS355 helicopters, cracks found 

in the reinforcement angles had 

initiated on the non-visible surface of 

the angle, and that this condition, if not 

corrected, could lead to further crack 

propagation and subsequent loss of the 

tailboom, resulting in loss of control of 

the helicopter. The EASA AD requires 

repetitive inspections of the 

reinforcement angles, and states that a 

terminating action is under 

investigation. 

Actions Since AD 2014–07–52 Was 

Issued 

Since we issued AD 2014–07–52 (79 

FR 33054, June 10, 2014), we have 

determined that the optional 

terminating action in AD 2014–07–52 

should be a required terminating action. 

This NPRM would retain the actions in 

AD 2014–07–52 but would require the 

165-hour TIS visual inspection as 

terminating action for the 10-hour TIS 

inspections. In addition, because MOD 

07 3215 installed reinforcement angle P/ 

Ns 350A08.2493.21 and 

350A08.2493.23, AD 2014–07–52 was 

written to apply to helicopters with 

either the reinforcement angle P/Ns or 

with MOD 07 3215, so that operators 

could more easily determine whether 

AD 2014–07–52 applied to their aircraft. 

Airbus Helicopters then developed 

MOD 07 3232, which removes 

reinforcement angle P/N 

350A08.2493.21 and P/N 

350A08.2493.23. Because a helicopter 

with both MOD 07 3215 and MOD 07 

3232 in its aircraft records would not 

have reinforcement angle P/N 

350A08.2493.21 or P/N 350A08.2493.23 

installed, this NPRM would revise the 

applicability to no longer include 

helicopters with MOD 07 3215 and to 

include a note clarifying that the AD 

would not apply if MOD 07 3232 is 

installed. 

Comments 

After AD 2014–07–52 (79 FR 33054, 

June 10, 2014), was published, we 

received comments from three 

commenters. 

Request 

Two commenters requested that the 

AD not be applicable to aircraft with 

MOD 07 3232 installed, as this 

modification improved the attachment 

at the junction frame to prevent 

cracking. 

We partially agree. Although AD 

2014–07–52 does not apply to 

helicopters with MOD 07 3232 installed, 

we have revised the language in the 

proposed AD so that this exclusion is 

more clear. 

Two commenters requested that we 

increase the time between inspections 

or allow the repetitive inspections to 

end if no cracks are found after a few 

inspections. The commenters stated that 

the inspection frequency of the 

repetitive 165-hour TIS inspection is 

excessive and that if correctly installed, 

the doublers do not crack. One 

commenter stated that in practice the 

165-hour inspection is being completed 

at every 100-hour inspection to avoid 

repeated grounding of the aircraft. 

Another commenter stated that frequent 

removal of the bolts and nuts could 

affect the airworthiness of the aircraft. 

We do not agree. Analysis has 

demonstrated that cracking has been 

found in more than one location, which 

indicates there may be more than one 

cause of the cracking. The uncertainty 

regarding the root cause of the cracking 

supports requiring the 165-hour TIS 

inspections without any changes. 

FAA’s Determination 

These helicopters have been approved 

by the aviation authority of France and 

are approved for operation in the United 

States. Pursuant to our bilateral 

agreement with France, 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 Under 1 

CFR Part 51 

Airbus Helicopters issued Emergency 

Alert Service Bulletin (EASB) No. 

05.00.70 for Model AS350B, BA, BB, Bl, 

B2, B3, and D helicopters and EASB No. 

05.00.62 for Model AS355E, F, F1, F2, 

N, and NP helicopters, both Revision 0 

and dated March 24, 2014. EASB No. 

05.00.70 and EASB No. 05.00.62 

describe procedures for inspecting the 

angle reinforcements for a crack. This 

service information is reasonably 

available because the interested parties 

have access to it through their normal 

course of business or by the means 

identified in the ADDRESSES section of 

this NPRM. 

Proposed AD Requirements 

This proposed AD would retain the 10 

hour TIS repetitive inspection of the 

junction frame required by AD 2014– 

07–52 (79 FR 33054, June 10, 2014), and 

would also require the repetitive 165 

hour TIS inspection of the junction 

frame bores as a terminating action for 

the 10 hour TIS inspection. This 

proposed AD would also revise the 

applicability paragraph by no longer 

including helicopters with MOD 07 

3215. 

Differences Between This Proposed AD 

and the EASA AD 

This proposed AD is not applicable to 

the AS350BB as that model is not type 

certificated in the U.S. This proposed 

AD applies to Airbus Helicopters Model 

AS350C and AS350D1 helicopters 

because these helicopters have a similar 

design. Finally, the EASA AD requires 

operators to contact Airbus Helicopters 

if there is a crack, and this proposed AD 

does not, however it does require 

repairing the crack before further flight. 

Interim Action 

We consider this proposed AD to be 

an interim action. If final action is later 

identified, we might consider further 

rulemaking then. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this proposed AD 

would affect 822 helicopters of U.S. 

Registry. We estimate that operators 

may incur the following costs in order 

to comply with this proposed AD. At an 

average labor rate of $85 per hour, 

inspecting the reinforcement angles for 

a crack without removing the screws 

would require 1.0 work-hour, for a cost 

per helicopter of $85 and a total cost of 

$69,870 for the U.S. fleet per inspection 

cycle. Removing the screws and 

inspecting the reinforcement angle 

would require 2 work-hours, for a cost 

per helicopter of $170 and a total cost 

of $139,740 for the U.S. fleet, per 

inspection cycle. If required, repairing a 

cracked reinforcement angle would 

require about 10 work-hours, and 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 141 / Thursday, July 23, 2015 / Proposed Rules 43647 

required parts would cost about $300, 

for a total cost per helicopter of $1,150. 

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 

removing Airworthiness Directive (AD) 

2014–07052, Amendment 39–17858 (79 

FR 33054, June 10, 2014), and adding 

the following new AD: 

Airbus Helicopters (previously Eurocopter 

France): Docket No. FAA–2015–2568; 

Directorate Identifier 2014–SW–026–AD. 

(a) Applicability 

This AD applies to Airbus Helicopters 

Model AS350B, AS350BA, AS350B1, 

AS350B2, AS350B3, AS350C, AS350D, 

AS350D1, AS355E, AS355F, AS355F1, 

AS355F2, AS355N, and AS355NP 

helicopters, with a reinforcement angle part 

number (P/N) 350A08.2493.21 or P/N 

350A08.2493.23 installed, certificated in any 

category. 

Note 1 to paragraph (a) of this AD: 

Helicopters with Modification (MOD) 073232 

do not have P/N 350A08.2493.21 or P/N 

350A08.2493.23 installed. 

(b) Unsafe Condition 

This AD defines the unsafe condition as a 

crack in a rear structure to tailboom junction 

frame reinforcement angle (reinforcement 

angle), which if not detected could result in 

loss of the tail boom and subsequent loss of 

control of the helicopter. 

(c) Affected ADs 

This AD supersedes AD 2014–07–52, 

Amendment 39–17858 (79 FR 33054, June 

10, 2014). 

(d) Comments Due Date 

We must receive comments by September 

21, 2015. 

(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) For helicopters with 640 or more hours 

time-in-service (TIS) since installation of 

MOD 07 3215 or since installation of an 

applicable reinforcement angle, within 10 

hours TIS, and thereafter at intervals not 

exceeding 10 hours TIS, inspect each 

reinforcement angle for a crack as depicted 

in Figure 1 of Airbus Helicopters Emergency 

Alert Service Bulletin No. 05.00.70 for Model 

AS350B, AS350BA, AS350B1, AS350B2, 

AS350B3, AS350C, AS350D, and AS350D1 

helicopters and Airbus Helicopters 

Emergency Alert Service Bulletin No. 

05.00.62 for AS355E, AS355F, AS355F1, 

AS355F2, AS355N, and AS355NP 

helicopters, both Revision 0 and dated March 

24, 2014. 

(2) If there is a crack, before further flight, 

repair the reinforcement angle in a manner 

approved by the manager listed in paragraph 

(h)(1) of this AD. 

(3) Within 165 hours TIS after the first 

inspection required by paragraph (f)(1) of this 

AD, and thereafter at intervals not exceeding 

165 hours TIS, remove screw No. 5 from the 

reinforcement angle, thoroughly clean the 

area around the hole and inspect the 

reinforcement angle for a crack. If there is not 

a crack, reinstall the screw. Sequentially 

repeat the steps required by this paragraph 

for screws No. 6 through No. 12. If there is 

a crack, comply with paragraph (f)(2) of this 

AD. Accomplishment of the inspection 

required by this paragraph terminates the 

repetitive inspections required by paragraph 

(f)(1) of this AD. 

(g) Special Flight Permit 

Special flight permits are prohibited. 

(h) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, Safety Management 

Group, FAA, may approve AMOCs for this 

AD. Send your proposal to: Robert Grant, 

Aviation Safety Engineer, Safety Management 

Group, FAA, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Fort 

Worth, TX 76177; telephone (817) 222–5110; 

email robert.grant@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 2014–07–52, 

Amendment 39–17858 (79 FR 33054, June 

10, 2014) are approved as AMOCs for the 

corresponding requirements of paragraph 

(f)(2) of this AD. 

(i) Additional Information 

The subject of this AD is addressed in 

European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 

2014–0076–E, dated March 25, 2014. You 

may view the EASA AD on the Internet at 

http://www.regulations.gov in Docket No. 

FAA–2015–2568. 

(j) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 5302: Rotorcraft Tailboom. 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on July 15, 

2015. 

Bruce E. Cain, 

Acting Directorate Manager, Rotorcraft 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2015–17952 Filed 7–22–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS