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>
66210 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 207 / Wednesday, October 26, 2011 / Proposed Rules 

imbalance, loss of a blade, and 

subsequent loss of control of the 

helicopter. 

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. 

You may get the service information 

identified in this proposed AD from 

Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, Attn: 

Manager, Commercial Technical 

Support, mailstop s581a, 6900 Main 

Street, Stratford, CT, telephone (203) 

383–4866, e-mail address 

tsslibrary@sikorsky.com, or at http:// 

www.sikorsky.com. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Nicholas Faust, Aviation Safety 

Engineer, Boston Aircraft Certification 

Office, 12 New England Executive Park, 

Burlington, MA 01803, telephone (781) 

238–7763, 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–2011–1113, Directorate Identifier 

2009–SW–53–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. 

Discussion 

This document proposes adopting a 

new AD for the Sikorsky Model S–92A 

helicopters. This proposal would 

require inspecting each 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 on both the upper 

and lower blade skin airfoils. The 

actions specified by this proposed AD 

are intended to detect mislocated blade 

wire mesh to prevent spar delamination 

and loss of the blade tip cap during a 

lightning strike leading to blade 

imbalance, loss of a blade, and 

subsequent loss of control of the 

helicopter. 

We have reviewed Sikorsky Special 

Service Instructions SSI No. 92–021A, 

dated October 21, 2009 (SSI), which 

specifies inspecting the blade for 

mislocated blade wire mesh. Two 

options are identified in the SSI. One 

option is to conduct an eddy current 

inspection and the other option is to 

conduct a visual inspection after 

sanding to determine if there is 

mislocated wire mesh. 

This unsafe condition is likely to exist 

or develop on other helicopters of the 

same type design. Therefore, the 

proposed AD would require inspecting 

each blade to determine if the wire 

mesh is mislocated and replacing the 

blade with an airworthy blade if the 

wire mesh is mislocated. The actions 

would be required to be done by 

following the service information 

described previously. 

We estimate that this proposed AD 

would affect 44 helicopters of U.S. 

registry. There are 486 suspect blades 

worldwide, and we assume 29 percent 

(141) of those blades may be on 

helicopters of U.S. registry. We estimate 

that inspecting a blade for mislocated 

wire mesh would take about 4 work 

hours per blade, assuming all operators 

opt to do the blade sanding inspection 

rather than the eddy current inspection, 

at an average labor rate of $85 per work 

hour. Required parts would cost about 

$13,000 for each blade repaired by the 

manufacturer or $180,000 for each new 

blade. The total cost of the proposed AD 

for U.S. operators would be $3,215,940, 

assuming 51 blades are found with 

mislocated wire mesh, and assuming 36 

of those blades are replaced with blades 

repaired by the manufacturer and 15 

blades are replaced with new blades. 

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 a draft 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 


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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 207 / Wednesday, October 26, 2011 / Proposed Rules 66211 

1 16 U.S.C. 825(b), 825f(a). 

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–2011–1113; Directorate Identifier 

2009–SW–53–AD. 

Applicability: Model S–92A helicopters, 

tail rotor blade assembly (blade), part 

numbers (P/N) 92170–11000–044, –045, and 

–046, with a serial number with a prefix of 

‘‘A111’’ and a number equal to or less than 

‘‘–00585,’’ installed, certificated in any 

category. 

Compliance: Required as indicated, unless 

accomplished previously. 

To detect mislocated blade wire mesh and 

to prevent spar delamination, loss of the 

blade tip cap during a lightning strike, blade 

imbalance, loss of a blade, and subsequent 

loss of control of the helicopter, do the 

following: 

(a) Within 60 days, inspect the upper and 

lower airfoils of each tail rotor blade to 

determine if the wire mesh is mislocated. 

(1) Inspect by using either an eddy current 

inspection in accordance with paragraphs 

B.(1)(a) through B.(1)(o) or using the handsanding method and visually inspecting in 

accordance with paragraphs B.(2)(a) through 

B.(2)(d) of Sikorsky Special Service 

Instructions SSI No. 92–021A, Revision A, 

dated October 21, 2009, except you are not 

required to contact or report nonconforming 

blades to the manufacturer. If you sand and 

visually inspect and confirm the correct 

location of the wire mesh, touch-up and 

repaint the sanded area. 

(2) If there is a blade with a mislocated 

wire mesh, before further flight, replace the 

blade with an airworthy blade. 

(b) 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: Nicholas 

Faust, Aviation Safety Engineer, Boston 

Aircraft Certification Office, 12 New England 

Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803, 

telephone (781) 238–7763, fax (781) 238– 

7170, for information about previously 

approved alternative methods of compliance. 

(c) The Joint Aircraft System/Component 

(JASC) Code is 6410, Tail Rotor Blades. 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on October 7, 

2011. 

Lance T. Gant, 

Acting Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–27669 Filed 10–25–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission 

18 CFR Part 35 

[Docket No. RM11–17–000] 

Enhancement of Electricity Market 

Surveillance and Analysis Through 

Ongoing Electronic Delivery of Data 

From Regional Transmission 

Organizations and Independent 

System Operators 

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission, DOE. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking. 

SUMMARY: The Federal Energy 

Regulatory Commission (Commission) 

proposes to revise its regulations to 

require each regional transmission 

organization (RTO) and independent 

system operator (ISO) to electronically 

deliver to the Commission, on an 

ongoing basis, data related to the 

markets that it administers. Ongoing 

electronic delivery of data relating to 

physical and virtual offers and bids, 

market awards, resource outputs, 

marginal cost estimates, shift factors, 

financial transmission rights, internal 

bilateral contracts, and interchange 

pricing will facilitate the Commission’s 

development and evaluation of its 

policies and regulations and will 

enhance Commission efforts to detect 

anti-competitive or manipulative 

behavior, or ineffective market rules, 

thereby helping to ensure just and 

reasonable rates. 

DATES: Comments on the proposed rule 

are due December 27, 2011. 

Comments, identified by docket 

number, may be filed in the following 

ways: 

• Electronic Filing through http:// 

www.ferc.gov. Documents created 

electronically using word processing 

software should be filed in native 

applications or print-to-PDF format and 

not in a scanned format. 

• Mail/Hand Delivery: Those unable 

to file electronically may mail or handdeliver comments to: Federal Energy 

Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the 

Commission, 888 First Street, NE., 

Washington, DC 20426. 

Instructions: For detailed instructions 

on submitting comments and additional 

information on the rulemaking process, 

see the Comment Procedures Section of 

this document. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

William Sauer (Technical Information), 

Office of Enforcement, Federal Energy 

Regulatory Commission, 888 First 

Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426, 

(202) 502–6639, 

william.sauer@ferc.gov. 

Christopher Daignault (Legal 

Information), Office of the General 

Counsel, Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission, 888 First Street, NE., 

Washington, DC 20426, (202) 502– 

8286, christopher.daignault@ferc.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking 

October 20, 2011. 

1. In this Notice of Proposed 

Rulemaking (NOPR), the Federal Energy 

Regulatory Commission (Commission) 

proposes, pursuant to sections 301(b) 

and 307(a) of the Federal Power Act 

(FPA),1 to amend its regulations to 

require each regional transmission 

organization (RTO) and independent 

system operator (ISO) to electronically 

deliver to the Commission, on an 

ongoing basis, data related to the 

markets that it administers. Ongoing 

electronic delivery of data relating to 

physical and virtual offers and bids, 

market awards, resource outputs, 

marginal cost estimates, shift factors, 

financial transmission rights (FTR), 

internal bilateral contracts, and 

interchange pricing will facilitate the 

Commission’s development and 

evaluation of its policies and regulations 

and will enhance Commission efforts to 

detect anti-competitive or manipulative 

behavior, or ineffective market rules, 

thereby helping to ensure just and 

reasonable rates. 

I. Background 

2. Wholesale electricity markets have 

witnessed tremendous change in recent 

years. In the decades after the 1935 

enactment of the FPA, the industry was 

characterized by self-sufficient, 

vertically integrated utilities. Most 

utilities built their own generation, 

transmission, and distribution facilities 


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