Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 211 / Thursday, October 31, 2013 / Rules and Regulations 65195 

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. 

(k) Related Information 

For more information about this AD, 

contact Suzanne Lucier, Aerospace Engineer, 

Propulsion Branch, ANM–140S, FAA, Seattle 

Aircraft Certification Office, 1601 Lind 

Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98057–3356; 

phone: 425–917–6438; fax: 425–917–6590; 

email: suzanne.lucier@faa.gov. 

(l) 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. 

(i) Boeing Service Bulletin 727–28–0134, 

dated January 12, 2012. 

(ii) Critical Design Configuration Control 

Limitation (CDCCL) Task 57–AWL–01, 

‘‘Impact-Resistant Fuel Tank Access Door,’’ 

of Section 1, Airworthiness Limitations 

(AWLs) of Boeing 727–100/200 

Airworthiness Limitations (AWLs) Document 

D6–8766–AWL, Revision September 2012. 

(3) 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. 

(4) You may view this service information 

at 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. 

(5) 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 Renton, Washington, on October 

15, 2013. 

Jeffrey E. Duven, 

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2013–25132 Filed 10–30–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2013–0486; Directorate 

Identifier 2010–SW–031–AD; Amendment 

39–17622; AD 2013–20–16] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; MD 

Helicopters, Inc. (MDHI) Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for MDHI 

Model MD900 helicopters with certain 

main rotor blade (MRB) retention bolts 

(bolts) installed. This AD requires a 

daily check of the position of each bolt, 

a daily check and a repetitive inspection 

for a gap in each bolt, and, if necessary, 

removing and inspecting the bolt for a 

crack and replacing any cracked bolt 

with an airworthy bolt. This AD was 

prompted by multiple reports of inservice bolt failures. The actions are 

intended to prevent failure of a bolt, 

which could lead to loss of MRB 

structural integrity and subsequent loss 

of control of the helicopter. 

DATES: This AD is effective December 5, 

2013. 

ADDRESSES: For service information 

identified in this AD, contact MDHI, 

Attn: Customer Support Division, 4555 

E. McDowell Rd., Mail Stop M615, 

Mesa, AZ 85215–9734, telephone (800) 

388–3378, fax (480) 346–6813, or at 

http://www.mdhelicopters.com. You 

may review a copy of 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, 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: 

Roger Durbin, Aerospace Engineer, 

FAA, Los Angeles Aircraft Certification 

Office, Airframe Branch, ANM–120L, 

3960 Paramount Blvd., Lakewood, CA 

90712, telephone (562) 627–5233, fax 

(562) 627–5210, email roger.durbin@

faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

On June 14, 2013, at 78 FR 35773, the 

Federal Register published our notice of 

proposed rulemaking (NPRM), which 

proposed to amend 14 CFR part 39 to 

add an AD that would apply to MDHI 

Model MD900 helicopters with certain 

bolts installed. The NPRM proposed to 

require a daily check of the position of 

each bolt, a daily check and a repetitive 

inspection for a gap in each bolt, and, 

if necessary, removing and inspecting 

the bolt for a crack and replacing any 

cracked bolt with an airworthy bolt. The 

NPRM was prompted by multiple 

reports of in-service bolt failures. The 

proposed requirements were intended to 

prevent failure of a bolt, which could 

lead to loss of MRB structural integrity 

and subsequent loss of control of the 

helicopter. 

Comments 

We gave the public the opportunity to 

participate in developing this AD, but 

we did not receive any comments on the 

NPRM (78 FR 35773, June 14, 2013). 

FAA’s Determination 

We have reviewed the relevant 

information and determined that an 

unsafe condition exists and is likely to 

exist or develop on other helicopters of 

the same type designs and that air safety 

and the public interest require adopting 

the AD requirements as proposed. 

Related Service Information 

MDHI issued Alert Service Bulletin 

SB900–116R1, dated April 9, 2010 (ASB 

SB900–116R1), which supersedes ASB 

SB900–116, dated February 24, 2010 

(ASB SB900–116). 

ASB SB900–116 specifies a repetitive 

check of the blade retention bolts, part 

number (P/N) 900R3100001–103 and 

900R3100001–105, for a gap and, 

depending on the outcome of the 

inspection, removing and inspecting the 

bolt for damage. The ASB also specifies 

a repetitive force check of each bolt, P/ 

N 900R3100001–103, and a torque 

check of each bolt, P/N 900R3100001– 

105. Lastly, the ASB specifies a daily 

preflight check of each bolt to examine 

the position of the bolt and for a gap, 

and, if any bolt has moved up or down 

or if there was no gap, removing and 

inspecting the bolt. 

Superseding ASB SB900–116R1 

retains the same specifications as ASB 

SB90016, except that it revises the 


wreier-aviles on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with RULES
65196 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 211 / Thursday, October 31, 2013 / Rules and Regulations 

interval for the bolt force and torque 

checks from 4–6 flight-hours to 8–10 

flight-hours. ASB SB90016R1 also 

revises the change of force or torque 

from not more than 10 percent to not 

more than ±10 percent. 

Differences Between This AD and the 

Service Information 

This AD uses the term ‘‘inspect’’ 

when describing the action of inspecting 

a bolt for a crack and inspecting for a 

gap between the thrust washer and the 

retainer. The ASB uses the term 

‘‘check.’’ 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this AD will affect 

29 helicopters in the U.S. registry. We 

estimate that operators may incur the 

following costs to comply with this AD: 

The average labor rate is $85 per work 

hour. It will take about .5 work hour to 

do a gap inspection of each bolt. It will 

take about 1 work hour to replace a 

cracked bolt and the required parts will 

cost $800 at a total cost per helicopter 

of $928. 

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 

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): 

2013–20–16 MD Helicopters, Inc. (MDHI): 

Amendment 39–17622; Docket No. 

FAA–2013–0486; Directorate Identifier 

2010–SW–031–AD. 

(a) Applicability 

This AD applies to Model MD 900 

helicopters with a main rotor blade retention 

bolt (bolt), part number (P/N) 900R3100001– 

103 or 900R3100001–105, installed; 

certificated in any category. 

(b) Unsafe Condition 

This AD defines the unsafe condition as 

bolt failure. This condition could result in 

loss of main rotor blade structural integrity 

and subsequent loss of control of the 

helicopter. 

(c) Effective Date 

This AD becomes effective December 5, 

2013. 

(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) Before the first flight of each day: 

(i) Visually check each bolt for failure. 

Failure of a bolt may be indicated by 

movement of the bolt out of the bolt hole or 

by inconsistent extension of the bolt above or 

below the other bolts being inspected (a 

failed bolt migrates out of the bolt hole). 

(ii) Visually check for a gap between the 

thrust washer and the retainer, P/N 

900R2100009–101 or –103. The thrust 

washer is depicted as item 2 and the retainer 

is depicted as item 8 in Figure 1 to paragraph 

(e) of this AD. 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 


wreier-aviles on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with RULES
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 211 / Thursday, October 31, 2013 / Rules and Regulations 65197 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–C 

(iii) The actions required by paragraphs 

(e)(1)(i) and (e)(1)(ii) may be performed by 

the owner/operator (pilot) holding at least a 

private pilot certificate and must be entered 

into the aircraft maintenance records 

showing compliance with this AD in 

accordance with 14 CFR 43.9(a)(1)–(4) and 14 

CFR 91.417(a)(2)(v). The record must be 

maintained as required by 14 CFR 91.417, 

121.380, or 135.439. 

(iv) If there is any indication of bolt failure 

or if there is no gap between the thrust 

washer and retainer, before further flight, 

remove and inspect the bolt for a crack. 

Replace any cracked bolt with an airworthy 

bolt. 

(2) Within 300 hours time-in-service (TIS), 

and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 300 

hours TIS, inspect each bolt for a gap 

between the thrust washer and the retainer. 

(i) Determine whether an O-ring is 

installed. Install any missing O-ring. 

(ii) If there is no gap between the thrust 

washer and retainer, before further flight, 

remove and inspect the bolt for a crack. 

Replace any cracked bolt with an airworthy 

bolt. 

(iii) If there is a gap between the thrust 

washer and retainer, measure the gap in two 

locations, 180 degrees apart, with a feeler 

gage. If the gap is more than 0.100 inch (2.54 

mm) at either location, before further flight, 

remove and inspect the bolt for a crack. 

Replace any cracked bolt with an airworthy 

bolt. 

(f) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, Los Angeles Aircraft 

Certification Office, Airframe Branch (ANM– 

120L), FAA, may approve AMOCs for this 

AD. Send your request to Roger Durbin, 

Aerospace Engineer, FAA, Los Angeles 

Aircraft Certification Office, Airframe 

Branch, ANM–120L, 3960 Paramount Blvd., 

Lakewood, CA 90712, telephone (562) 627– 

5233, fax (562) 627–5210, email 

roger.durbin@faa.gov. 


wreier-aviles on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with RULESER31OC13.000</GPH>
65198 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 211 / Thursday, October 31, 2013 / Rules and Regulations 

(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 

MDHI Alert Service Bulletin SB900–116R1, 

dated April 9, 2010, which supersedes MDHI 

Alert Service Bulletin SB SB900–116, dated 

February 24, 1010, neither of which is 

incorporated by reference, contains 

additional information about the subject of 

this AD. For service information identified in 

this AD, contact MDHI, Attn: Customer 

Support Division, 4555 E. McDowell Rd., 

Mail Stop M615, Mesa, AZ 85215–9734, 

telephone (800) 388–3378, fax (480) 346– 

6813, or at http://www.mdhelicopters.com. 

You may review copies of the service 

information at the FAA, Office of the 

Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 2601 

Meacham Blvd., Room 663, Fort Worth, 

Texas. 

(h) Subject 

Joint Aircraft System Component: 6210: 

Main rotor blade retention bolts. 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on September 

27, 2013. 

Lance T. Gant, 

Acting Directorate Manager, Rotorcraft 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2013–25702 Filed 10–30–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2012–0594; Directorate 

Identifier 2012–NM–019–AD; Amendment 

39–17641; AD 2013–22–09] 

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 DHC–8–400, 

–401, and –402 airplanes. This AD was 

prompted by reports of movement of the 

rudder pedals being impeded due to 

corrosion of the trunnion shaft of the 

rudder feel trim unit (RFTU). This AD 

requires an inspection to determine if 

certain RFTUs are installed, an 

operational check for signs of seizure of 

affected parts, repetitive lubrication of 

certain RFTUs, and replacement of the 

RFTU if necessary. Installing 

replacement RFTUs having conformal 

bushings terminates the repetitive 

lubrication requirements. We are issuing 

this AD to detect and correct any sign 

of rough movement or seizure of the 

trunnion shaft and its bushing, which 

could cause a rudder control jam or a 

large and rapid alternating rudder input 

leading to a structural failure of the 

vertical fin. 

DATES: This AD becomes effective 

December 5, 2013. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain publication listed in this AD 

as of December 5, 2013. 

ADDRESSES: You may examine the AD 

docket on the Internet at http://

www.regulations.gov/

#!docketDetail;D=FAA-2012-0594 or in 

person at the 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., QSeries Technical Help Desk, 123 Garratt 

Boulevard, Toronto, Ontario M3K 1Y5, 

Canada; telephone 416–375–4000; fax 

416–375–4539; email thd.qseries@

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. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Cesar Gomez, Aerospace Engineer, 

Airframe and Mechanical Systems 

Branch, ANE–171, FAA, New York 

Aircraft Certification Office, 1600 

Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, 

New York 11590; telephone (516) 228– 

7318; fax (516) 794–5531. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

We issued a supplemental notice of 

proposed rulemaking (SNPRM) to 

amend 14 CFR part 39 by adding an AD 

that would apply to the specified 

products. The SNPRM was published in 

the Federal Register on March 12, 2013 

(78 FR 15655). We preceded the SNPRM 

with a notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM), which published in the 

Federal Register on June 12, 2012 (77 

FR 34874). The NPRM and the SNPRM 

both proposed to correct an unsafe 

condition for the specified products. 

Transport Canada Civil Aviation 

(TCCA), which is the aviation authority 

for Canada, has issued Canadian 

Airworthiness Directive CF–2012–02R1, 

dated October 12, 2012 (referred to after 

this as the Mandatory Continuing 

Airworthiness Information, or ‘‘the 

MCAI’’), to correct an unsafe condition 

for the specified products. The MCAI 

states: 

There have been several reported incidents 

on DHC–8 Series 400 aeroplanes where the 

movement of the rudder pedals has been 

impeded. An investigation showed that the 

Rudder Feel Trim Unit (RFTU) trunnion shaft 

was corroded. The root cause of the corrosion 

was a quality escape where cadmium plating 

on the trunnion bushing within the RFTU 

assembly was not removed. Corrosion on the 

shaft and in the trunnion bushing seized the 

trunnion and caused difficulties in 

controlling the rudder movement. 

This condition, if not corrected, could 

cause a rudder control jam or a large and 

rapid alternating rudder input leading to a 

structural failure of the vertical fin. 

This [TCCA] Airworthiness Directive (AD) 

is issued [inspect to determine serial number, 

an operational check for seizure, repetitive 

lubrication and] to replace the affected 

RFTUs to limit the possibility of binding and 

replace the affected RFTUs with units that 

have been reworked with conformal bushings 

to terminate the lubrication requirements. 

You may examine the MCAI in the 

AD docket on the Internet at http://

www.regulations.gov/

#!documentDetail;D=FAA-2012-0594- 

0006. 

Comments 

We gave the public the opportunity to 

participate in developing this AD. We 

considered the comments received. 

Request To Revise Compliance Time for 

Operational Check 

Horizon Air (Horizon) requested that 

paragraph (g)(2) of the SNPRM (78 FR 

15655, March 12, 2013) be revised to 

allow operators that perform a review of 

airplane maintenance records, in lieu of 

visually inspecting the serial number of 

the RFTU, time to schedule the 

operational check specified by 

paragraph (g)(2) of the SNPRM. Horizon 

stated that the compliance time ‘‘before 

further flight’’ specified in paragraph 

(g)(2) of the SNPRM would immediately 

ground aircraft. 

We agree with Horizon’s request. We 

have revised the compliance time in 

paragraph (g)(2) of this final rule to ‘‘200 

flight hours or 2 months, whichever 

occurs first after the effective date of 

this AD’’ for performing the operational 

check specified in that paragraph. 

Explanation of Changes Made to This 

AD 

We have revised paragraph (h) of this 

final rule to specify that installing 

replacement RFTUs having conformal 

bushings terminates the repetitive 

lubrication requirements of paragraph 


wreier-aviles on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with RULES