DEPARTMENTOFTRANSPORTATIONFederalAviationAdministration14CFRPart39[DocketNo.FAA-2015-3805;DirectorateIdentifier2015-NE-28-AD]RIN2120-AA64AirworthinessDirectives;TurbomecaS.A.TurboshaftEnginesAGENCY:FederalAviationAdministration(FAA),DOT.ACTION:Noticeofproposedrulemaking(NPRM).[4910-13-P]SUMMARY:Weproposetoadoptanewairworthinessdirective(AD)forallTurbomecaS.A.ARRIEL2C,2Cl,2C2,2Sl,and2S2turboshaftengineswithmodificationTU34orTU34Ainstalled.ThisproposedADwaspromptedbytorqueconformationbox(TCB)failures.ThisproposedADwouldrequireinspectingtheTCBforcorrectresistancevaluesandremovingTCBsthatfailinspectionbeforefurtherflight.WeareproposingthisADtopreventfailureoftheTCBwhichcouldleadtolossofenginethrustcontrolanddamagetotheaircraft.DATES:WemustreceivecommentsonthisproposedADby[INSERTDATE60DAYSAFTERDATEOFPUBLICATIONINTHEFEDERALREGISTER].ADDRESSES:Youmaysendcommentsbyanyofthefollowingmethods:•FederaleRulemakingPortal:Gotohttp://www.regulations.gov.Followtheinstructionsforsubmittingcomments.•Mail:DocketManagementFacility,U.S.DepartmentofTransportation,1200NewJerseyAvenueSE.,WestBuildingGrm.mdFloor,RoomW12-140,Washington,DC20590-0001.•HandDelivery:DelivertoMailaddressabovebetween9a.m.and5p.m.,MondaythroughFriday,exceptFederalholidays.•Fax:202-493-2251.ForserviceinformationidentifiedinthisproposedAD,contactTurbomecaS.A.,40220Tarnos,France;phone:33(0)559744000;fax:33(0)559744515.YoumayviewthisserviceinformationattheFAA,Engine&PropellerDirectorate,12NewEnglandExecutivePark,Burlington,MA.ForinformationontheavailabilityofthismaterialattheFAA,call781-238-7125.ExaminingtheADDocketYoumayexaminetheADdocketontheInternetathttp://www.regulations.govbysearchingforandlocatingDocketNo.FAA-2015-3805;orinpersonattheDocketOperationsofficebetween9a.m.and5p.m.,MondaythroughFriday,exceptFederalholidays.TheADdocketcontainsthisproposedAD,themandatorycontinuingairworthinessinformation(MCAI),theregulatoryevaluation,anycommentsreceived,andotherinformation.TheaddressfortheDocketOffice(phone:800-647-5527)isintheADDRESSESsection.CommentswillbeavailableintheADdocketshortlyafterreceipt.FORFURTHERINFORMATIONCONTACT:BrianKierstead,AerospaceEngineer,EngineCertificationOffice,FAA,Engine&PropellerDirectorate,12NewEnglandExecutivePark,Burlington,MA01803;phone:781-238-7772;fax:781-238-7199;email:brian.kierstead@faa.gov.SUPPLEMENTARYINFORMATION:CommentsInvitedWeinviteyoutosendanywrittenrelevantdata,views,orargumentsaboutthisproposedAD.SendyourcommentstoanaddresslistedundertheADDRESSESsection.Include"DocketNo.FAA-2015-3805;DirectorateIdentifier2015-NE-28-AD"atthebeginningofyourcomments.Wespecificallyinvitecommentsontheoverallregulatory,2economic,envirorunental,andenergyaspectsofthisproposedAD.WewillconsiderallcommentsreceivedbytheclosingdateandmayamendthisproposedADbasedonthosecomments.Wewillpostallcommentswereceive,withoutchange,tohttp://www.regulations.gov,includinganypersonalinformationyouprovide.WewillalsopostareportsummarizingeachsubstantiveverbalcontactwithFAApersonnelconcerningthisproposedAD.DiscussionTheEuropeanAviationSafetyAgency(EASA),whichistheTechnicalAgentfortheMemberStatesoftheEuropeanCommunity,hasissuedEASAAD2015-0177,datedAugust25,2015(referredtohereinafteras''theMCAI"),tocorrectanunsafeconditionforthespecifiedproducts.TheMCAIstates:Severalcasesoftorqueconformationbox(TCB)failureshavebeenreportedonenginesincorporatingmodTU34ormodTU34A.InvestigationconcludedthatthesefailureswerecausedbycracksonsolderedjointsofTCBresistors.Thiscondition,ifnotcorrected,couldleadtolimitedpoweravailabilityinaOneEngineInoperative(OEI)case,possiblyresultinginreducedcontrolofthehelicopter.YoumayobtainfurtherinformationbyexaminingtheMCAIintheADdocketontheInternetathttp://www.regulations.govbysearchingforandlocatingDocketNo.FAA-2015-3805.RelatedServiceInformationunder1CFRPart51TurbomecaS.A.hasissuedMandatoryServiceBulletin(MSB)No.292722860,VersionA,datedJuly15,2015.TheMSBdescribesproceduresforcheckingTCB3resistancevalues.ThisserviceinformationisreasonablyavailablebecausetheinterestedpartieshaveaccesstoitthroughtheirnormalcourseofbusinessorbythemeansidentifiedintheADDRESSESsectionofthisNPRM.FAA'sDeterminationandRequirementsofThisProposedADThisproducthasbeenapprovedbytheaviationauthorityofFrance,andisapprovedforoperationintheUnitedStates.PursuanttoourbilateralagreementwiththeEuropeanCommunity,EASAhasnotifiedusoftheunsafeconditiondescribedintheMCAIandserviceinformationreferencedabove.WeareproposingthisADbecauseweevaluatedallinformationprovidedbyEASAanddeterminedtheunsafeconditionexistsandislikelytoexistordeveloponotherproductsofthesametypedesign.ThisproposedADwouldrequireinspectingtheTCBforcorrectresistancevaluesandremovingTCBsthatfailinspection.CostsofComplianceWeestimatethatthisproposedADaffects300enginesinstalledonhelicoptersofU.S.registry.Weestimatethatitwouldtakeabout1hourtoperforman'inspection.Wealsoestimatethat20%oftheseengineswouldfailtheinspectionandrequireTCBremoval,whichwouldtakeabout1hour.Theaveragelaborrateis$85perhour.Basedonthesefigures,weestimatethecostofthisproposedADonU.S.operatorstobe$30,600,AuthorityforThisRulemakingTitle49oftheUnitedStatesCodespecifiestheFAA'sauthoritytoissuerulesonaviationsafety.SubtitleI,section106,describestheauthorityoftheFAAAdministrator.4"SubtitleVII:AviationPrograms,"describesinmoredetailthescopeoftheAgency'sauthority.Weareissuingthisrulemakingundertheauthoritydescribedin"SubtitleVII,PartA,SubpartIII,Section44701:Generalrequirements."Underthatsection,CongresschargestheFAAwithpromotingsafeflightofcivilaircraftinaircommercebyprescribingregulationsforpractices,methods,andprocedurestheAdministratorfindsnecessaryforsafetyinaircommerce.Thisregulationiswithinthescopeofthatauthoritybecauseitaddressesanunsafeconditionthatislikelytoexistordeveloponproductsidentifiedinthisrulemakingaction.RegulatoryFindingsWedeterminedthatthisproposedADwouldnothavefederalismimplicationsunderExecutiveOrder13132.ThisproposedADwouldnothaveasubstantialdirecteffectontheStates,ontherelationshipbetweenthenationalGovernmentandtheStates,oronthedistributionofpowerandresponsibilitiesamongthevariouslevelsofgovernment.Forthereasonsdiscussedabove,Icertifythisproposedregulation:(1)Isnota"significantregulatoryaction"underExecutiveOrder12866,(2)Isnota"significantrule"undertheDOTRegulatoryPoliciesandProcedures(44FR11034,February26,1979),(3)WillnotaffectintrastateaviationinAlaskatotheextentthatitjustifiesmakingaregulatorydistinction,and5(4)Willnothaveasignificanteconomicimpact,positiveornegative,onasubstantialnumberofsmallentitiesunderthecriteriaoftheRegulatoryFlexibilityAct.ListofSubjectsin14CFRPart39Airtransportation,Aircraft,Aviationsafety,Incorporationbyreference,Safety.TheProposedAmendmentAccordingly,undertheauthoritydelegatedtomebytheAdministrator,theFAAproposestoamend14CFRpart39asfollows:PART39-AIRWORTHINESSDIRECTIVES1.Theauthoritycitationforpart39continuestoreadasfollows:Authority:49U.S.C.106(g),40113,44701.§39.13[Amended]2.TheFAAamends§39.13byaddingthefollowingnewairworthinessdirective(AD):TurbomecaS.A.:DocketNo.FAA-2015-3805;DirectorateIdentifier2015-NE-28-AD.(a)CommentsDueDateWemustreceivecommentsby[INSERTDATE60DAYSAFTERDATEOFPUBLICATIONINTHEFEDERALREGISTER].(b)AffectedADsNone.(c)ApplicabilityThisADappliestoTurbomecaS.A.ARRIEL2C,2Cl,2C2,2Sl,and2S2turboshaftengineswithmodificationTU34orTU34Ainstalled.6(d)ReasonThisADwaspromptedbytorqueconformationbox(TCB)failures.WeareissuingthisADtopreventfailureoftheTCB,whichcouldleadtolossofenginethrustcontrolanddamagetotheaircraft.(e)ActionsandComplianceComplywiththisADwithinthecompliancetimesspecified,unlessalreadydone.(1)Within600engineflighthours(EFHs)or6monthsaftertheeffectivedateofthisAD,whicheveroccursfirst,checktheresistancevaluesontheTCB.UseAccomplishmentInstructions,paragraph2.3.2ofTurbomecaS.A.MandatoryServiceBulletin(MSB)292722860,VersionA,datedJuly15,2015,todotheinspection.Repeatthisinspectionevery600EFHssincelastinspection.(2)RemovebeforefurtherflightanyTCBthatfailstheinspectionrequiredbyparagraph(e)(l)ofthisAD.(f)AlternativeMethodsofCompliance(AMOCs)TheManager,EngineCertificationOffice,FAA,mayapproveAMOCsforthisAD.Usetheproceduresfoundin14CFR39.19tomakeyourrequest.Youmayemailyourrequestto:ANE-AD-AMOC@faa.gov.(g)RelatedInformation(1)FormoreinformationaboutthisAD,contactBrianKierstead,AerospaceEngineer,EngineCertificationOffice,FAA,Engine&PropellerDirectorate,12NewEnglandExecutivePark,Burlington,MA01803;phone:781-238-7772;fax:781-238-7199;email:brian.kierstead@faa.gov.7(2) Refer

to MCAI European

Aviation

Safety Agency

AD 2015-0177,

dated August 25,2015,

for more information.

You

may examine

the MCAI

in the

AD docket on the Internet

at http://www.regulations.gov

by searching

for and locating

it

in Docket No. FAA-2015-3805.

(3) Turbomeca

S.A. Mandatory

Service Bulletin

No.

292

72 2860, Version

A, dated

July 15,2015,

can

be obtained

from Turbomeca

S.A., using

the contact information in paragraph

(g)(4)

of this proposed

AD. (4) For service information

identified

in this proposed

AD, contact Turbomeca S.A., 40220 Tamas,

France;

phone:

33 (0)5

59

74

40

00;

fax:

33 (0)5

59

74

45

15. ( 5) You

may view

this service information

at the FAA, Engine

& Propeller Directorate,

12 New England Executive

Park, Burlington,

MA.

For information

on the availability

of this material

at the FAA,

call 781-238-7125. Issued

in Burlington, Massachusetts,

on October 28,2015. Colleen

M.

D' Alessandro, Directorate

Manager,

Engine

& Propeller Directorate, Aircraft Certification

Service.

8