This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains notices to the public of the proposed

issuance of rules and regulations. The

purpose of these notices is to give interested

persons an opportunity to participate in the

rule making prior to the adoption of the final

rules.

Proposed Rules Federal Register

26888 

Vol. 75, No. 92 

Thursday, May 13, 2010 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2010–0490; Directorate 

Identifier 2010–SW–037–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Sikorsky 

Aircraft Corporation (Sikorsky) Model 

S–70A and S–70C Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration, DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: This document proposes 

adopting a new airworthiness directive 

(AD) for the Sikorsky Model S–70A and 

S–70C helicopters. This proposal would 

require an ultrasonic test (UT) 

inspection of the tail gearbox output 

bevel gear (gear) for a crack. If you find 

a crack, replacing the gear with an 

airworthy gear before further flight 

would be required. This proposal is 

prompted by three gear cracking 

incidents, one of which resulted in the 

tail rotor separating from the helicopter. 

The actions specified by this proposed 

AD are intended to detect a crack in the 

gear to prevent a tail rotor separating, 

loss of tail rotor control, and subsequent 

loss of control of the helicopter. 

DATES: Comments must be received on 

or before July 12, 2010. 

ADDRESSES: Use one of the following 

addresses to submit comments on this 

proposed AD: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Fax: 202–493–2251. 

• Mail: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 

Washington, DC 20590. 

• Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 

Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. 

and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal holidays. 

You may get the service information 

identified in this proposed AD from 

Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, Attn: 

Manager, Commercial Technical 

Support, mailstop s581a, 6900 Main 

Street, Stratford, CT, telephone (203) 

383–4866, e-mail address 

tsslibrary@sikorsky.com, or at http:// 

www.sikorsky.com. 

You may examine the comments to 

this proposed AD in the AD docket on 

the Internet at http:// 

www.regulations.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Terry Fahr, Aviation Safety Engineer, 

Boston Aircraft Certification Office, 12 

New England Executive Park, 

Burlington, MA 01803, telephone (781) 

238–7155, fax (781) 238–7170. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

We invite you to submit any written 

data, views, or arguments regarding this 

proposed AD. Send your comments to 

the address listed under the caption 

ADDRESSES. Include the docket number 

‘‘FAA–2010–0490, Directorate Identifier 

2010–SW–037–AD’’ at the beginning of 

your comments. We specifically invite 

comments on the overall regulatory, 

economic, environmental, and energy 

aspects of the proposed AD. We will 

consider all comments received by the 

closing date and may amend the 

proposed AD in light of those 

comments. 

We will post all comments we 

receive, without change, to http:// 

www.regulations.gov, including any 

personal information you provide. We 

will also post a report summarizing each 

substantive verbal contact with FAA 

personnel concerning this proposed 

rulemaking. Using the search function 

of our docket web site, you can find and 

read the comments to any of our 

dockets, including the name of the 

individual who sent or signed the 

comment. You may review the DOT’s 

complete Privacy Act Statement in the 

Federal Register published on April 11, 

2000 (65 FR 19477–78). 

Examining the Docket 

You may examine the docket that 

contains the proposed AD, any 

comments, and other information in 

person at the Docket Operations office 

between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday 

through Friday, except Federal holidays. 

The Docket Operations office (telephone 

(800) 647–5527) is located in Room 

W12–140 on the ground floor of the 

West Building at the street address 

stated in the ADDRESSES section. 

Comments will be available in the AD 

docket shortly after receipt. 

Discussion 

This document proposes adopting a 

new AD for the Sikorsky Model S–70A 

and S–70C helicopters. This proposal 

would require a UT inspection of the 

gear for a crack. If you find a crack, 

replacing the gear with an airworthy 

gear would be required before further 

flight. This proposal is prompted by 

three gear crack incidents, one of which 

resulted in the tail rotor separating from 

the helicopter. The tail gearbox on the 

helicopter where the tail rotor separated 

from the helicopter experienced a 

fracture of the output shaft spline that 

drives the tail rotor blades. An 

investigation into the cause of the cracks 

is ongoing. The unsafe condition 

described previously, if not corrected, 

could result in a tail rotor separating, 

loss of tail rotor control, and subsequent 

loss of control of the helicopter. 

We have reviewed Sikorsky Alert 

Service Bulletin No. 70–06–28A, 

Revision A, dated May 21, 2009 (ASB), 

which refers to procedures for a UT 

inspection of the gear in accordance 

with Special Service Instructions (SSI) 

No. 70–121A or latest revision. 

This unsafe condition is likely to exist 

or develop on other helicopters of the 

same type design. Therefore, the 

proposed AD would require a UT 

inspection of the gear, part number 

70358–06620, for a crack. If you find a 

crack, the AD requires replacing the gear 

with an airworthy gear before further 

flight. The actions would be required to 

be to be done by following the SSI 

described previously. 

We estimate that this proposed AD 

would affect 5 helicopters of U.S. 

registry, and the proposed actions 

would take about 4 work hours per 

helicopter at an average labor rate of $85 

per work hour. Required parts would 

cost about $20,000 for each gear. Based 

on these figures, we estimate the total 

cost impact of the proposed AD on U.S. 

operators to be $101,700, assuming the 

gear is replaced on the entire fleet. 


cprice-sewell on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with PROPOSALS
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 92 / Thursday, May 13, 2010 / Proposed Rules 26889 

Regulatory Findings 

We have determined that this 

proposed AD would not have federalism 

implications under Executive Order 

13132. Additionally, this proposed AD 

would 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 the proposed regulation: 

1. Is not a ‘‘significant regulatory 

action’’ under Executive Order 12866; 

2. Is not a ‘‘significant rule’’ under the 

DOT Regulatory Policies and Procedures 

(44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979); and 

3. 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 a draft economic 

evaluation of the estimated costs to 

comply with this proposed AD. See the 

AD docket to examine the draft 

economic evaluation. 

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. 

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39 

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation 

safety, Incorporation by reference, 

Safety. 

The Proposed Amendment 

Accordingly, pursuant to the 

authority delegated to me by the 

Administrator, the Federal Aviation 

Administration proposes to amend part 

39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations 

(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. Section 39.13 is amended by 

adding a new airworthiness directive to 

read as follows: 

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp.: Docket No. FAA– 

2010–0490; Directorate Identifier 2010– 

SW–037–AD. 

Applicability 

Model S–70A and S–70C helicopters, tail 

gearbox output bevel gear (gear), part number 

70358–06620, certificated in any category. 

Compliance 

Required as indicated. 

To prevent a tail rotor separating, loss of 

tail rotor control, and subsequent loss of 

control of the helicopter, do the following: 

(a) Within 500 hours time-in-service (TIS), 

unless accomplished previously, and 

thereafter at intervals not to exceed 500 hours 

TIS, remove the tail rotor servo control and 

pitch beam shaft, and using a Level II 

Ultrasonic Testing Technician or equivalent, 

ultransonic inspect the gear for a crack. 

Ultrasonic inspect the gear by following 

paragraphs A.(5)a. through A(5)n., Note 7, 

Special Service Instructions (SSI) No. 70– 

121A, Revision A, dated May 21, 2009. If you 

find a crack, before further flight, replace the 

gear with an airworthy gear. 

(b) To request a different method of 

compliance or a different compliance time 

for this AD, follow the procedures in 14 CFR 

39.19. Contact the Manager, Boston Aircraft 

Certification Office, FAA, ATTN: Terry Fahr, 

Aviation Safety Engineer, Boston Aircraft 

Certification Office, 12 New England 

Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803, 

telephone (781) 238–7155, fax (781) 238– 

7170, for information about previously 

approved alternative methods of compliance. 

(c) The Joint Aircraft System/Component 

(JASC) Code is: 6520: Tail rotor gearbox. 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on May 3, 

2010. 

Mark R. Schilling, 

Acting Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2010–11423 Filed 5–12–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2010–0488; Directorate 

Identifier 2008–SW–20–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Arrow 

Falcon Exporters, Inc. (previously Utah 

State University) et al. Model HH–1K, 

TH–1F, TH–1L, UH–1A, UH–1B, UH–1E, 

UH–1F, UH–1H, UH–1L, and UH–1P 

Helicopters; and Southwest Florida 

Aviation Model UH–1B (SW204 and 

SW204HP) and UH–1H (SW205) 

Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration, DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: This document proposes 

adopting a new airworthiness directive 

(AD) for the specified model 

helicopters. The AD would require 

inspecting each affected tail rotor blade 

(blade) forward tip weight retention 

block (tip block) and the aft tip closure 

(tip closure) for adhesive bond voids 

and removing any blade with an 

excessive void from service. This AD 

would also require modifying certain 

blades by installing shear pins and tip 

closure rivets. This proposal is 

prompted by five occurrences of missing 

tip blocks or tip closures resulting in 

minor to substantial damage to blades 

installed on Bell Model 212 and 412 

helicopters. The actions specified by the 

proposed AD are intended to prevent 

loss of a tip block or tip closure, loss of 

a blade, and subsequent loss of control 

of the helicopter. 

DATES: Comments must be received on 

or before July 12, 2010. 

ADDRESSES: Use one of the following 

addresses to submit comments on this 

proposed AD: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Fax: 202–493–2251. 

• Mail: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 

Washington, DC 20590. 

• Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 

Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. 

and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal holidays. 

You may get the service information 

identified in this proposed AD from Bell 


cprice-sewell on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with PROPOSALS