13204 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 46 / Monday, March 10, 2014 / Rules and Regulations 

(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 Fort Worth, Texas, on February 

24, 2014. 

Bruce E. Cain, 

Acting Directorate Manager, Rotorcraft 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–04570 Filed 3–7–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2013–0642; Directorate 

Identifier 2011–SW–035–AD; Amendment 

39–17777; AD 2014–05–04] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter 

Deutschland GmbH Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for 

Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH 

(Eurocopter) Model MBB–BK 117 C–2 

helicopters with a jettisonable sliding 

door (door) installed. This AD requires 

inspecting the lock release assembly and 

the middle and upper lever locking 

bolts of each door, replacing any 

damaged parts with airworthy parts, and 

ensuring the door is correctly installed. 

This AD was prompted by the 

uncommanded detaching of a door from 

an MBB–BK 117 C–2 fuselage. The 

actions of this AD are intended to 

prevent the in-flight loss of the door, 

which could damage the helicopter and 

injure persons on the ground. 

DATES: This AD is effective April 14, 

2014. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain document listed in this AD 

as of April 14, 2014. 

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, the foreign 

authority’s AD, any incorporated-byreference 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: Matt 

Fuller, Senior Aviation Safety Engineer, 

Safety Management Group, Rotorcraft 

Directorate, FAA, 2601 Meacham Blvd., 

Fort Worth, Texas 76137; telephone 

(817) 222–5110; email matthew.fuller@

faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

On July 23, 2013, at 78 FR 44039, the 

Federal Register published our notice of 

proposed rulemaking (NPRM), which 

proposed to amend 14 CFR part 39 by 

adding an AD that would apply to 

Model MBB–BK 117 C–2 helicopters 

with a jettisonable door installed. The 

NPRM proposed to require inspecting 

the lock release assembly and the 

middle and upper lever locking bolts of 

each door, replacing any damaged parts 

with airworthy parts, and ensuring the 

door is correctly installed. The proposed 

requirements were intended to prevent 

the in-flight loss of the door, which 

could damage the helicopter and injure 

persons on the ground. 

The NPRM was prompted by AD No. 

2011–0107, dated June 7, 2011, issued 

by the European Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA), which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Union. AD No. 2011–0107 was issued to 

correct an unsafe condition for 

Eurocopter Model MBB–BK 117 C–2 

helicopters with jettisonable sliding 

doors installed. EASA states that in 

early 2010 it received a report that the 

door guides of the jettison mechanism 

on an MBB–BK 117 C–2 helicopter 

released uncommanded while the door 

was being opened, resulting in the door 

detaching from the fuselage. EASA has 

determined that ‘‘this condition, if not 

detected and corrected, could result in 

cases of in-flight loss of the jettisonable 

door, possibly resulting in damage to, or 

loss of control of, the helicopter, or 

injury to persons on the ground.’’ As a 

result, EASA requires repetitive 

inspections for the correct installation of 

the doors, door guides, and release 

cables. 

Comments 

We gave the public the opportunity to 

participate in developing this AD, but 

we received no comments on the NPRM 

(78 FR 44039, July 23, 2013). 

FAA’s Determination 

These helicopters have been approved 

by the aviation authority of Germany 

and are approved for operation in the 

United States. Pursuant to our bilateral 

agreement with Germany, 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 

This AD requires that the inspections 

be conducted within 50 hours time-inservice (TIS). The EASA AD requires 

that the inspections be conducted 

within 50 hours TIS or 60 days, 

whichever occurs first after the effective 

date of the EASA AD. 

The EASA AD requires that you 

contact Eurocopter to determine 

corrective action, and this AD does not. 

The EASA AD requires a repetitive 

inspection, each time when the 

installation of the door guides for the 

jettisonable sliding doors is 

accomplished. This AD does not require 

this repetitive inspection because that is 

considered normal maintenance. 

Related Service Information 

We reviewed Eurocopter Alert Service 

Bulletin MBB–BK117 C–2–52A–015, 

Revision 0, dated April 26, 2011 (ASB), 

for Model MBB–BK 117 C–2 helicopters 

with jettisonable sliding doors installed. 

The ASB calls for inspecting the lock 

release assembly for damage and correct 

installation and inspecting the middle 

lever and upper lever locking bolts for 

correct installation. The ASBs require 

the inspections to be conducted within 

50 hours TIS or two months, whichever 

occurs first, and thereafter after every 

door guide installation. 


pmangrum on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with RULES
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 46 / Monday, March 10, 2014 / Rules and Regulations 13205 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this AD affects 108 

helicopters of U.S. Registry and that 

labor costs average $85 a work-hour. 

Based on these estimates, we expect the 

following costs: 

• Visually inspecting the door’s lock 

release assembly and the middle and 

upper levers requires 4 work-hours for 

a labor cost of $340 per helicopter. No 

parts are needed, so that the total cost 

for the U.S. fleet is $36,720. 

• Visually inspecting all hardware, 

guides and door attachment points for 

misaligned or bent fittings requires 4 

work-hours for a labor cost of $340 per 

helicopter. Parts may be needed but on 

an individual basis, so that the total cost 

for the U.S. fleet is at least $36,720. 

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): 

2014–05–04 Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH 

(Eurocopter): Amendment 39–17777; 

Docket No. FAA–2013–0642; Directorate 

Identifier 2011–SW–035–AD. 

(a) Applicability 

This AD applies to Model MBB–BK 117 C– 

2 helicopters with a jettisonable main cabin 

sliding door (door) installed, certificated in 

any category. 

(b) Unsafe Condition 

This AD defines the unsafe condition as 

the door detaching uncommanded from the 

fuselage. This condition could result in the 

in-flight loss of the door, which could 

damage the helicopter or cause injury or 

damage on the ground. 

(c) Effective Date 

This AD becomes effective April 14, 2014. 

(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 

Within 50 hours time-in-service: 

(1) Visually inspect each door lock release 

assembly for a frayed cable, a stripped thread 

on a screw joint, pitting on a door guide, 

release cable, or associated hardware, and for 

correct installation by following the 

Accomplishment Instructions, paragraph 

3.B.1. (a) through (c), except (c)(1) and (c)(2), 

of Eurocopter Alert Service Bulletin MBB– 

BK117 C–2–52A–015, Revision 0, dated April 

26, 2011 (ASB). 

(i) Replace with an airworthy part any 

frayed cables, screw joints with stripped 

threads, or any door guides, release cables, 

and associated hardware with pitting. Allow 

for a minimum of one millimeter clearance 

at each end of the release cables. 

(ii) Install the aft cover and aft inner 

handle. 

(2) Inspect each middle lever and upper 

lever locking bolt for correct installation by 

following the Accomplishment Instructions, 

paragraphs 3.B.2 and 3.B.3, of the ASB, 

except that we do not require you to contact 

Eurocopter. 

(3) If the door cannot be correctly rigged 

after performing the actions required by 

paragraph (e)(2) of this AD, inspect all 

hardware, guides, and door attachment 

points for misalignment or bent fittings. 

Replace misaligned or bent parts with 

airworthy parts before you operate the door 

in-flight and re-inspect according to the 

requirements in paragraph (e)(2) of this AD. 

(f) Special Flight Permits 

A one-time flight to a maintenance facility 

is permitted provided that the door is not 

opened in flight. 

(g) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, Safety Management 

Group, FAA, may approve AMOCs for this 

AD. Send your proposal to: Matt Fuller, 

Senior Aviation Safety Engineer, Safety 

Management Group, Rotorcraft Directorate, 

FAA, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, 

Texas 76137; telephone (817) 222–5110; 

email matthew.fuller@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. 

(h) Additional Information 

The subject of this AD is addressed in 

European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 

No. 2011–0107, dated June 7, 2011. You may 

view the EASA AD on the Internet at http:// 

www.regulations.gov in Docket No. FAA– 

2013–0642. 

(i) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 5200, Doors. 

(j) 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) Eurocopter Alert Service Bulletin MBB– 

BK117 C–2–52A–015, Revision 0, dated April 

26, 2011. 

(ii) Reserved. 

(3) For Eurocopter 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. 

(4) You may view this service information 

at FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, 


pmangrum on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with RULES
13206 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 46 / Monday, March 10, 2014 / Rules and Regulations 

Southwest Region, 2601 Meacham Blvd., 

Room 663, Fort Worth, Texas 76137. For 

information on the availability of this 

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

(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 Fort Worth, Texas, on February 

20, 2014. 

Lance T. Gant, 

Acting Directorate Manager, Rotorcraft 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–04571 Filed 3–7–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2013–0789; Directorate 

Identifier 2013–NM–127–AD; Amendment 

39–17782; AD 2014–05–09] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing 

Company Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are superseding 

Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2012–12– 

08 for certain The Boeing Company 

Model 777–200 and –300 series 

airplanes. AD 2012–12–08 required an 

inspection for the part number of the 

main landing gear retract actuator fuse 

pin, and replacement of the pin if 

necessary. This new AD retains the 

actions required by AD 2012–12–08 and 

adds airplanes to the applicability. This 

AD was prompted by a determination 

that additional airplanes may be subject 

to the identified unsafe condition. We 

are issuing this AD to prevent structural 

damage to the side and drag brace lock 

assemblies, which could result in 

landing gear collapse during 

touchdown, rollout, or taxi. 

DATES: This AD is effective April 14, 

2014. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain publication listed in this AD 

as of April 14, 2014. 

ADDRESSES: 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. 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. 

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–2013– 

0789; 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 regulatory 

evaluation, any comments received, and 

other information. The address for the 

Docket Office (phone: 800–647–5527) is 

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 20590. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Melanie Violette, Aerospace Engineer, 

Airframe Branch, ANM–120S, FAA, 

Seattle Aircraft Certification Office, 

1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 

98057–3356; phone: 425–917–6422; fax: 

425–917–6590; email: melanie.violette@

faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

We issued a notice of proposed 

rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 

part 39 to supersede AD 2012–12–08, 

Amendment 39–17088 (77 FR 37781, 

June 25, 2012). (A correction of AD 

2012–12–08 was published in the 

Federal Register on July 20, 2012 (77 FR 

42625)). AD 2012–12–08 applied to 

certain The Boeing Company Model 

777–200 and –300 series airplanes. The 

NPRM published in the Federal 

Register on September 19, 2013 (78 FR 

57542). The NPRM was prompted by a 

determination that additional airplanes 

may be subject to the identified unsafe 

condition. The NPRM also proposed to 

continue to require the actions required 

by AD 2012–12–08. The NPRM also 

proposed to add airplanes to the 

applicability; and to require an 

inspection for the part number of the 

main landing gear retract actuator fuse 

pin, and replacement of the pin if 

necessary. We are issuing this AD to 

prevent structural damage to the side 

and drag brace lock assemblies, which 

could result in landing gear collapse 

during touchdown, rollout, or taxi. 

Comments 

We gave the public the opportunity to 

participate in developing this AD. The 

following presents the comments 

received on the proposal (78 FR 57542, 

September 19, 2013) and the FAA’s 

response to each comment. 

Request for Clarification of Compliance 

Time 

Boeing requested that we revise the 

last sentence of paragraph (g) of the 

NPRM (78 FR 57542, September 19, 

2013) to add the phrase, ‘‘Except as 

required by paragraph (h) of this AD,’’ 

at the beginning of the sentence. Boeing 

reasoned that it is unclear if the 

replacement referred to in the last 

sentence should be done within the 

specified compliance time after the 

release date of Boeing Special Attention 

Service Bulletin 777–32–0083, Revision 

2, dated May 2, 2013, or within the 

specified compliance time after the 

effective date of this AD. 

We agree to revise this final rule for 

the reasons stated by Boeing. We have 

revised paragraph (g) of this final rule 

accordingly. 

Conclusion 

We reviewed the relevant data, 

considered the comment received, and 

determined that air safety and the 

public interest require adopting this AD 

with the change described previously 

and minor editorial changes. We have 

determined that these minor changes: 

• Are consistent with the intent that 

was proposed in the NPRM (78 FR 

57542, September 19, 2013) for 

correcting the unsafe condition; and 

• Do not add any additional burden 

upon the public than was already 

proposed in the NPRM (78 FR 57542, 

September 19, 2013). 

We also determined that these 

changes will not increase the economic 

burden on any operator or increase the 

scope of this AD. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this AD affects 129 

airplanes of U.S. registry. 

We estimate the following costs to 

comply with this AD: 


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