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Rules and Regulations Federal Register

54353 

Vol. 77, No. 172 

Wednesday, September 5, 2012 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2012–0354; Directorate 

Identifier 2010–SW–104–AD; Amendment 

39–17165; AD 2012–17–02] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter 

France Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for all 

Eurocopter France (EC) Model SA– 

365N, SA–365N1, SA–366G1, AS– 

365N2, AS 365 N3, EC 155B, and 

EC155B1 helicopters. This AD was 

prompted by the discovery of a cracked 

main rotor mast nut. This condition, if 

not corrected, could lead to complete 

failure of the mast nut, resulting in 

failure of the rotor mast and loss of 

control of the helicopter. This AD will 

require replacing the main rotor mast 

nut with an airworthy main rotor mast 

nut to prevent this scenario. 

DATES: This AD is effective October 10, 

2012. 

ADDRESSES: For service information 

identified in this AD, contact American 

Eurocopter Corporation, 2701 N. Forum 

Drive, Grand Prairie, TX 75052, 

telephone (972) 641–0000 or (800) 232– 

0323, fax (972) 641–3775, or at http:// 

www.eurocopter.com/techpub. 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. 

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 AD, any 

incorporated-by-reference service 

information, the economic evaluation, 

any comments received, and other 

information. The street address for the 

Docket Operations Office (phone: 800– 

647–5527) is U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations 

Office, M–30, West Building Ground 

Floor, Room W12–140, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gary 

Roach, Aviation Safety Engineer, 

Regulations and Policy Group, 

Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 2601 

Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76137; 

telephone (817) 222–5110; email 

gary.b.roach@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

On April 4, 2012, at 77 FR 20319, the 

Federal Register published our notice of 

proposed rulemaking (NPRM), which 

proposed to amend 14 CFR part 39 to 

include an AD that would apply to all 

Eurocopter France (EC) Model SA– 

365N, SA–365N1, SA–366G1, AS– 

365N2, AS 365 N3, EC 155B, and 

EC155B1 helicopters. That NPRM 

proposed to require replacing the main 

rotor mast nut with an airworthy main 

rotor mast nut to prevent failure of the 

main rotor mast and subsequent loss of 

control of the helicopter. 

The European Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA), which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Union, has issued EASA AD No.: 2006– 

0368R1, dated December 2, 2010, and 

corrected December 8, 2010 (AD 2006– 

0368R1), to correct an unsafe condition 

for the EC Model SA 365 N, SA 365 N1, 

AS 365 N2, AS 365 N3, SA 366 G1, EC 

155 B, and EC 155 B1 helicopters. 

EASA advises that a cracked (partially 

failed) main rotor mast nut was 

discovered during a complete overhaul 

of a main rotor mast. The start of the 

crack was related to circular scoring 

found in the nut threads. EASA states 

that this condition, if not corrected, 

‘‘could lead to complete failure of the 

mast nut, possibly resulting in failure of 

the rotor mast and consequent loss of 

control of the helicopter.’’ To address 

this unsafe condition, EASA issued 

Emergency AD 2006–0368–E, dated 

December 6, 2006 (AD 2006–0368–E), to 

require repetitive inspections of the 

mast nut, and replacement of the nut if 

cracked. Since issuance of AD 2006– 

0368–E, EC has developed modification 

(MOD) 0762C42 to improve the strength 

of the mast nut by changing its material. 

Replacing mast nut part number (P/N) 

360A31–1020–20 with mast nut P/N 

365A31–2060–20 or 365A31–2060–21 

(as applicable to helicopter type) 

‘‘constitutes an optional terminating 

action’’ for the repetitive inspection 

requirements. For this reason, EASA 

issued AD 2006–0368R1 ‘‘to inform 

which helicopters remain subject to 

inspections and replacement 

requirements’’ of the AD. 

Comments 

We gave the public the opportunity to 

participate in developing this AD, but 

we did not receive any comments on the 

NPRM. 

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 the 

EASA AD. We are issuing this AD 

because we evaluated all information 

provided by EASA and determined the 

unsafe condition exists and is likely to 

exist or develop on other helicopters of 

these same type designs and that air 

safety and the public interest require 

adopting the AD requirements as 

proposed. 

Differences Between This AD and the 

EASA AD 

The EASA AD allows for either 

inspecting the mast nut at regular 

intervals or replacing the mast nut, 

while this AD requires replacing the 

mast nut. The EASA AD uses flight 

hours of the main rotor mast assembly, 

while this AD uses TIS of the helicopter. 

Related Service Information 

We reviewed EC Alert Service 

Bulletin (ASB) No. 62.00.23, Revision 1, 

for Model SA–365N, SA–365N1, AS– 

365N2, and AS 365 N3 helicopters; EC 

ASB 62.12, Revision 1, for Model SA– 

366G1 helicopters; and EC ASB 62A014, 

Revision 1, for Model EC 155B and 

EC155B1 helicopters, all dated October 

27, 2010. The ASBs contain procedures 

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54354 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 172 / Wednesday, September 5, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 

for repetitively inspecting the mast nut 

for a crack or failure. The ASBs remove 

any helicopter with MOD 0762C42 

incorporated from the applicability of 

the ASB. EASA classified this ASB as 

mandatory and issued AD 2006–0368R1 

to ensure the continued airworthiness of 

these helicopters. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this AD affects 30 

helicopters of U.S. registry. We estimate 

that replacing the mast nut with an 

airworthy mast nut will require 32 

work-hours, at an average labor cost of 

$85 per work-hour. Parts will cost about 

$3,100. Based on these costs, we 

estimate a total cost per helicopter of 

$5,820, and a total cost for the U.S. 

operator fleet of $174,600. 

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 

helicopters identified in this rulemaking 

action. 

Regulatory Findings 

This AD will not have federalism 

implications under Executive Order 

13132. This AD will 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 this AD: 

(1) Is not a ‘‘significant regulatory 

action’’ under Executive Order 12866; 

(2) Is not a ‘‘significant rule’’ under 

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 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. 

Adoption of the Amendment 

Accordingly, under the authority 

delegated to me by the Administrator, 

the FAA amends 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): 

2012–17–02 Eurocopter France Helicopters: 

Amendment 39–17165; Docket No. 

FAA–2012–0354; Directorate Identifier 

2010–SW–104–AD. 

(a) Applicability 

This AD applies to Eurocopter France (EC) 

Model SA–365N, SA–365N1, SA–366G1, 

AS–365N2, AS 365 N3, EC 155B, and 

EC155B1 helicopters with a mast nut, part 

number (P/N) 360A31–1020–20, installed, 

certificated in any category. 

(b) Unsafe Condition 

This AD describes the unsafe condition as 

a cracked main rotor mast nut. This 

condition could result in failure of the rotor 

mast and subsequent loss of control of the 

helicopter. 

(c) Effective Date 

This AD becomes effective October 10, 

2012. 

(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 

(1) For EC Models SA–365N, SA–365N1, 

AS–365N2, and AS 365 N3, prior to 

accumulating 1,650 hours time-in-service 

(TIS) or within the next 50 hours TIS, 

whichever occurs later, remove mast nut 

P/N 360A31–1020–20 and replace with an 

airworthy mast nut that has a P/N other than 

P/N 360A31–1020–20. 

(2) For EC Model SA–366G1, prior to 

accumulating 990 hours TIS or within the 

next 30 hours TIS, whichever occurs later, 

remove mast nut P/N 360A31–1020–20 and 

replace with an airworthy mast nut that has 

a P/N other than P/N 360A31–1020–20. 

(3) For EC Models EC 155B and EC155B1, 

prior to accumulating 660 hours TIS or 

within the next 50 hours TIS, whichever 

occurs later, remove mast nut P/N 360A31– 

1020–20 and replace with an airworthy mast 

nut that has a P/N other than P/N 360A31– 

1020–20. 

(f) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, Safety Management 

Group, FAA, may approve AMOCs for this 

AD. Send your proposal to: Gary Roach, 

Aviation Safety Engineer, Regulations and 

Policy Group, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 

2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76137; 

telephone (817) 222–5110; email 

gary.b.roach@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 

(1) Eurocopter Alert Service Bulletin No. 

62.00.23, No. 62.12, and No. 62A014, which 

are not incorporated by reference, contain 

additional information about the subject of 

this AD. All of the service bulletins are 

Revision 1 and all are dated October 27, 

2010. For service information identified in 

this AD, contact American Eurocopter 

Corporation, 2701 N. Forum Drive, Grand 

Prairie, TX 75052, telephone (972) 641–0000 

or (800) 232–0323, fax (972) 641–3775, or at 

http://www.eurocopter.com/techpub. You 

may review a copy of the service information 

at the FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, 

Southwest Region, 2601 Meacham Blvd., 

Room 663, Fort Worth, Texas 76137. 

(2) The subject of this AD is addressed in 

in European Aviation Safety Agency AD No.: 

2006–0368R1, dated December 2, 2010, and 

corrected December 8, 2010. 

(h) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 6300, main rotor drive system. 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on August 16, 

2012. 

Kim Smith, 

Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft 

Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–21262 Filed 9–4–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

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