50554 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 161 / Thursday, August 20, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2014–0364; Directorate 

Identifier 2013–SW–041–AD; Amendment 

39–18234; AD 2015–17–01] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus 

Helicopters (Previously Eurocopter 

France) (Airbus Helicopters) 

Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are superseding 

Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2013–21– 

01 for Eurocopter France Model 

AS350B, AS350BA, AS350B1, 

AS350B2, AS350B3, AS350C, AS350D, 

AS350D1, AS355E, AS355F, AS355F1, 

AS355F2, AS355N, and AS355NP 

helicopters. AD 2013–21–01 required 

certain inspections of each tail rotor 

pitch horn assembly (pitch horn) for a 

crack, replacing a cracked pitch horn 

before further flight, and a one-time 

visual inspection of pitch horns above 

certain hours time-in-service (TIS). This 

new AD retains the requirements of AD 

2013–21–01 but requires a repetitive 

visual inspection for all pitch horns 

regardless of hours TIS. This AD was 

prompted by a report of a crack in the 

yoke of a pitch horn and is intended to 

detect a crack in the pitch horn to 

prevent failure of the pitch horn, loss of 

the anti-torque function, and subsequent 

loss of control of the helicopter. 

DATES: This AD is effective September 

24, 2015. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of certain documents listed in this AD 

as of October 25, 2013 (78 FR 63853, 

October 25, 2013). 

ADDRESSES: For service information 

identified in this 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 view this referenced service 

information at the FAA Office of the 

Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 

10101 Hillwood Pkwy, Room 6N–321, 

Fort Worth, Texas 76177. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the Internet at http://

www.regulations.gov by searching for 

and locating Docket No. FAA–2014– 

0364; or in person at the Docket 

Management Facility between 9 a.m. 

and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal holidays. The AD docket 

contains this AD, the European Aviation 

Safety Agency (EASA) AD, any 

incorporated-by-reference information, 

the economic evaluation, any comments 

received, and other information. The 

address for the Docket Office (phone: 

800–647–5527) is Document 

Management Facility, U.S. Department 

of Transportation, Docket Operations, 

M–30, West Building Ground Floor, 

Room W12–140, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Robert Grant, Aviation Safety Engineer, 

Safety Management Group, FAA, 10101 

Hillwood Pkwy, Fort Worth, Texas 

76177; telephone (817) 222–5110; email 

robert.grant@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

On May 30, 2014, we issued a notice 

of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) (79 FR 

32881, June 9, 2014) to amend 14 CFR 

part 39 to remove AD 2013–21–01, 

Amendment 39–17625 (78 FR 63853, 

October 25, 2013) and add a new AD. 

AD 2013–21–01 applied to Eurocopter 

France Model AS350B, AS350BA, 

AS350B1, AS350B2, AS350B3, AS350C, 

AS350D, AS350D1, AS355E, AS355F, 

AS355F1, AS355F2, AS355N, and 

AS355NP helicopters and required a 

one-time visual inspection of each pitch 

horn with 135 or more hours TIS for a 

crack and replacing the pitch horn if 

there is a crack. AD 2013–21–01 also 

required a dye-penetrant inspection of 

any pitch horn before it is installed. AD 

2013–21–01 was prompted by AD No. 

2013–0133, dated June 28, 2013, issued 

by EASA, which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Union, to correct an unsafe condition 

for Model AS350B, AS350BA, 

AS350BB, AS350B1, AS350B2, 

AS350B3, AS350D, AS355E, AS355F, 

AS355F1, AS355F2, AS355N, and 

AS355NP helicopters. EASA advises of 

an ongoing investigation of a crack in 

the yoke of a pitch horn for which a 

cause has not been determined. The 

EASA AD requires repetitive visual 

inspections of each pitch horn for a 

crack and replacing the pitch horn with 

a serviceable assembly if a crack is 

found. 

The NPRM proposed to continue to 

require the visual inspection for the 

pitch horn but to require it for all pitch 

horns regardless of hours TIS. The 

NPRM also proposed to require 

repeating the visual inspection every 

165 hours TIS and changing the 

requirement for the dye penetration 

inspection so that it only applies to 

pitch horns that are not new. Also, since 

we issued AD 2013–12–01, Eurocopter 

France changed its name to Airbus 

Helicopters. The NPRM proposed to 

reflect that change. 

Comments 

We gave the public the opportunity to 

participate in developing this AD, but 

we did not receive any comments on the 

NPRM (79 FR 32881, June 9, 2014). 

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. 

Interim Action 

We consider this AD to be an interim 

action. If final action is later identified, 

we might consider further rulemaking 

then. 

Differences Between This AD and the 

EASA AD 

The EASA AD applies to Eurocopter 

Model AS350BB that does not have an 

FAA type certificate and therefore is not 

a part of this AD. The EASA AD does 

not apply to Eurocopter Model AS350C 

or AS350D1, but this AD does because 

those models have an FAA type 

certificate and may have the applicable 

pitch horn installed. This AD requires a 

dye-penetrant inspection before 

installing a pitch horn; the EASA AD 

does not. 

Related Service Information Under 1 

CFR Part 51 

We reviewed a Eurocopter (now 

Airbus Helicopters) Emergency Alert 

Service Bulletin (EASB), Revision 1, 

dated June 25, 2013, with four different 

numbers. EASB No. 05.00.74 is for 

Model AS350B, B1, B2, B3, BA, and D 

helicopters; and EASB No. 05.00.65 is 

for Model AS355E, F, F1, F2, N, and NP 

helicopters. EASB No. 05.00.74 and 

EASB No. 05.00.65 are co-published as 

one document along with EASB No. 

05.00.49 and EASB No. 05.00.44, which 

are not incorporated by reference in this 

AD. These EASBs specify Airbus 


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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 161 / Thursday, August 20, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 50555 

Helicopters has been informed of a case 

of a crack on the yoke of a pitch horn, 

which may lead to failure of the pitch 

horn, resulting in loss of the anti-torque 

function. These EASBs specify a check 

for cracks on the yokes of the two pitch 

horns and specifies replacing any 

cracked pitch horn. These EASBs state 

that it may be necessary to modify the 

log card of the tail rotor blade assembly 

due to some of the pitch horn part 

numbers being recorded incorrectly. 

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 AD. 

EASA classified these EASBs as 

mandatory and issued EASA AD No. 

2013–0133, dated June 28, 2013, to 

ensure the continued airworthiness of 

these helicopters. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this AD will affect 

938 helicopters of U.S. Registry. We 

estimate that operators may incur the 

following costs in order to comply with 

this AD. Labor costs are estimated at $85 

per work hour. We estimate 0.1 work 

hours to visually inspect a pitch horn 

for a total cost of $8.50 per helicopter 

or $7,973 for the fleet, per inspection 

cycle. We estimate 1 work hour to do a 

dye-penetrant inspection for a total cost 

of $85 per helicopter. We estimate 1 

work hour to replace a part, if necessary, 

and a cost for required parts of $1,946, 

for a total cost of $2,031 per helicopter. 

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 have determined that 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. 

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 

removing Airworthiness Directive (AD) 

2013–21–01, Amendment 39-17625 (78 

FR 63853, October 25, 2013), Docket No. 

FAA–2013–0878, Directorate Identifier 

2013–SW–033–AD, and adding the 

following new AD: 

2015–17–01 Airbus Helicopters (Previously 

Eurocopter France) (Airbus Helicopters): 

Amendment 39–18234; Docket No. 

FAA–2014–0364; Directorate Identifier 

2013–SW–041–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 tail rotor hub pitch horn (pitch horn) 

assembly, part number (P/N) 350A121368.01, 

350A121368.02, 350A121368.03, or 

350A121368.04, with a pitch horn, P/N 

350A121368.XX, where XX stands for a twodigit dash number, installed, certificated in 

any category. The pitch horn may be marked 

with either the pitch horn assembly P/N or 

pitch horn P/N. 

(b) Unsafe Condition 

This AD defines the unsafe condition as a 

crack in the yoke of a pitch horn. This 

condition could result in failure of a pitch 

horn, loss of the anti-torque function, and 

subsequent loss of control of the helicopter. 

(c) Affected ADs 

This AD supersedes 2013–21–01, 

Amendment 39–17625 (78 FR 63853, October 

25, 2013). 

(d) Effective Date 

This AD becomes effective September 24, 

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 parts with 155 or less hours timein-service (TIS), before exceeding 165 hours 

TIS, or for parts with more than 155 hours 

TIS, within 10 hours TIS, and thereafter at 

intervals not to exceed 165 hours TIS, 

visually inspect each pitch horn for a crack 

in the areas shown in Figure 1 of Eurocopter 

Emergency Alert Service Bulletin (EASB) No. 

05.00.74 or No. 05.00.65, both Revision 1 and 

both dated June 25, 2013, as appropriate for 

your model helicopter. 

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

replace the pitch horn with an airworthy 

pitch horn. 

(3) Do not install a pitch horn, P/N 

350A121368 (any dash number), with more 

than 0 hours TIS on any helicopter unless it 

has passed a dye penetrant inspection for a 

crack in the areas shown in Figure 1 of 

Eurocopter EASB No. 05.00.74 or No. 

05.00.65, both Revision 1 and both dated 

June 25, 2013, as appropriate for your model 

helicopter. 

(g) Special Flight Permits 

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, Texas 76177; telephone (817) 222– 

5110; email 9-ASW-FTW-AMOC-Requests@

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. 

(i) Additional Information 

The subject of this AD is addressed in 

European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 

No. 2013–0133, dated June 28, 2013. You 

may view the EASA AD on the Internet at 

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

FAA–2014–0364. 


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50556 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 161 / Thursday, August 20, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 

(j) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 6400 Tail Rotor. 

(k) Material Incorporated by Reference 

(1) The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

(IBR) of the service information listed in this 

paragraph under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR 

part 51. 

(2) You must use this service information 

as applicable to do the actions required by 

this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise. 

(3) The following service information was 

approved for IBR on October 25, 2013 (78 FR 

63853, October 25, 2013). 

(i) Eurocopter Emergency Alert Service 

Bulletin No. 05.00.74, Revision 1, dated June 

25, 2013. 

(ii) Eurocopter Emergency Alert Service 

Bulletin No. 05.00.65, Revision 1, dated June 

25, 2013. 

Note 1 to paragraph (k)(3) of this AD: 

Eurocopter Emergency Alert Service Bulletin 

No. 05.00.74 and No. 05.00.65, both Revision 

1, and both dated June 25, 2013, are copublished as one document along with 

Eurocopter Emergency Alert Service Bulletin 

No. 05.00.49 and No. 05.00.44, both Revision 

1, and both dated June 25, 2013, which are 

not incorporated by reference in this AD. 

(4) For Eurocopter service information 

identified in this 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. 

(5) You may view this service information 

at FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, 

Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy, 

Room 6N–321, Fort Worth, Texas 76177. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call (817) 222–5110. 

(6) You may view this service information 

that is incorporated by reference at the 

National Archives and Records 

Administration (NARA). For information on 

the availability of this material at NARA, call 

(202) 741–6030, or go to: http://

www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibrlocations.html. 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on August 6, 

2015. 

Larry M. Kelly, 

Acting Directorate Manager, Rotorcraft 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2015–20510 Filed 8–19–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2015–0492; Directorate 

Identifier 2014–NM–232–AD; Amendment 

39–18237; AD 2015–17–04] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Bombardier, 

Inc. Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 

Bombardier, Inc. Model CL–600–2C10 

(Regional Jet Series 700, 701, & 702), 

CL–600–2D15 (Regional Jet Series 705), 

and CL–600–2D24 (Regional Jet Series 

900) airplanes. This AD was prompted 

by reports of a disconnect between the 

elevator lever and control rod. This AD 

requires replacement of left and right 

fixed control rods and lever assemblies 

of the elevator control system. We are 

issuing this AD to prevent a disconnect 

between the elevator lever and control 

rod, which could lead to uncommanded elevator movement of the 

associated control surface, a large 

difference between the position of the 

left and the right elevator control 

surfaces, and consequent reduced 

controllability of the airplane and 

degradation of the structural integrity of 

the horizontal stabilizer. 

DATES: This AD becomes effective 

September 24, 2015. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain publication listed in this AD 

as of September 24, 2015. 

ADDRESSES: You may examine the AD 

docket on the Internet at http://

www.regulations.gov/

#!docketDetail;D=FAA-2015-0492; or in 

person at the Docket Management 

Facility, U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 

Washington, DC. 

For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Bombardier, Inc., 400 

Coˆte Vertu Road West, Dorval, Que ́bec 

H4S 1Y9, Canada; telephone: 514–855– 

5000; fax: 514–855–7401; email: 

thd.crj@aero.bombardier.com; Internet 

http://www.bombardier.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. It is also available 

on the Internet at http://

www.regulations.gov by searching for 

and locating Docket No. FAA–2015– 

0492. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Cesar Gomez, Aerospace Engineer, 

Airframe and Mechanical Systems 

Branch, ANE–171, FAA, New York 

Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), 1600 

Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, 

NY 11590; telephone: 516–228–7318; 

fax: 516–794–5531. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

We issued a notice of proposed 

rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 

part 39 by adding an AD that would 

apply to certain Bombardier, Inc. Model 

CL–600–2C10 (Regional Jet Series 700, 

701, & 702), CL–600–2D15 (Regional Jet 

Series 705), and CL–600–2D24 (Regional 

Jet Series 900) airplanes. The NPRM 

published in the Federal Register on 

March 24, 2015 (80 FR 15528). 

Transport Canada Civil Aviation 

(TCCA), which is the aviation authority 

for Canada, has issued Canadian 

Airworthiness Directive CF–2014–44, 

dated December 9, 2014 (referred to 

after this as the Mandatory Continuing 

Airworthiness Information, or ‘‘the 

MCAI’’), to correct an unsafe condition 

for certain Bombardier, Inc. Model CL– 

600–2C10 (Regional Jet Series 700, 701, 

& 702), CL–600–2D15 (Regional Jet 

Series 705), and CL–600–2D24 (Regional 

Jet Series 900) airplanes. The MCAI 

states: 

During an engineering review of the 

Elevator Control system, it was discovered 

that a disconnect between the elevator lever 

and control rod could lead to uncommanded 

elevator movement of the associated control 

surface. This uncommanded movement may 

cause a large difference between the position 

of the left and the right elevator control 

surface resulting in reduced controllability of 

the aeroplane and degradation of the 

structural integrity of the horizontal 

stabilizer. 

This [Canadian] AD mandates the 

replacement of the existing elevator lever 

assemblies and control rods with newly 

designed ones, which will prevent a 

disconnect between the components of the 

elevator control system should a failure 

occur. 

You may examine the MCAI in the 

AD docket on the Internet at http://

www.regulations.gov/

#!documentDetail;D=FAA-2015-0492- 

0002. 

Comments 

We gave the public the opportunity to 

participate in developing this AD. The 


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