Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 28 / Thursday, February 10, 2022 / Rules and Regulations 7687 

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) Will not affect intrastate aviation 

in Alaska, 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. 

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39 

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation 

safety, Incorporation by reference, 

Safety. 

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: 

2022–02–13 Airbus Helicopters: 

Amendment 39–21910; Docket No. 

FAA–2021–0887; Project Identifier 

MCAI–2021–00045–R. 

(a) Effective Date 

This airworthiness directive (AD) is 

effective March 17, 2022. 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to Airbus Helicopters 

Model EC120B helicopters, certificated in 

any category. 

(d) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 5302, Rotorcraft Tail Boom. 

(e) Unsafe Condition 

This AD was prompted by a report of 

corrosion found on the external tail boom 

skin of a Model EC120B helicopter under the 

Very High Frequency antenna. The FAA is 

issuing this AD to detect corrosion in that 

area and prevent the degradation of the tail 

boom structure. The unsafe condition, if not 

addressed, could result in possible roll-over 

during landing. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(g) Requirements 

Except as specified in paragraph (h) of this 

AD: Comply with all required actions and 

compliance times specified in, and in 

accordance with, European Union Aviation 

Safety Agency AD 2021–0015, dated January 

13, 2021 (EASA AD 2021–0015). 

(h) Exceptions to EASA AD 2021–0015 

(1) Where EASA AD 2021–0015 refers to its 

effective date, this AD requires using the 

effective date of this AD. 

(2) Where the service information 

referenced in paragraph (1) of EASA AD 

2021–0015 specifies to check for corrosion, 

including to ‘‘make sure that there is no 

aluminum oxide (white powder),’’ ‘‘make 

sure that there is no pitting corrosion,’’ and 

‘‘make sure that there are no crack,’’ this AD 

requires inspecting for any aluminum oxide 

(white powder), pitting corrosion, and cracks. 

(3) Where the service information 

referenced in EASA AD 2021–0015 specifies 

discarding parts, this AD requires removing 

those parts from service. 

(4) Where paragraph (4) of EASA AD 2021– 

0015 requires certain actions prior to the 

installation of a tail boom on any helicopter, 

including inspecting the tail boom, for this 

AD, the requirements of paragraph (h)(2) of 

this AD also apply to the inspection of the 

tail boom. 

(5) This AD does not mandate compliance 

with the ‘‘Remarks’’ section of EASA AD 

2021–0015. 

(i) No Reporting Requirement 

Although the service information 

referenced in EASA AD 2021–0015 specifies 

to submit certain information to the 

manufacturer, this AD does not include that 

requirement. 

(j) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, International Validation 

Branch, FAA, has the authority to approve 

AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the 

procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. In 

accordance with 14 CFR 39.19, send your 

request to your principal inspector or local 

Flight Standards District Office, as 

appropriate. If sending information directly 

to the manager of the International Validation 

Branch, send it to the attention of the person 

identified in paragraph (k) of this AD. 

Information may be emailed to: 9-AVS-AIR730-AMOC@faa.gov. 

(2) Before using any approved AMOC, 

notify your appropriate principal inspector, 

or lacking a principal inspector, the manager 

of the local flight standards district office/ 

certificate holding district office. 

(k) Related Information 

For more information about this AD, 

contact Gregory Koenig, Aerospace Engineer, 

Airframe & Administrative Services Section, 

Chicago ACO Branch, Compliance & 

Airworthiness Division, FAA, 2300 E Devon 

Ave., Des Plaines, IL 60018; telephone (847) 

294–7127; email Gregory.L.Koenig@faa.gov. 

(l) Material Incorporated by Reference 

(1) The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 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 this AD specifies otherwise. 

(i) European Union Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA) AD 2021–0015, dated January 13, 

2021. 

(ii) [Reserved] 

(3) For EASA AD 2021–0015, contact 

EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 

Cologne, Germany; telephone +49 221 8999 

000; email ADs@easa.europa.eu; internet 

www.easa.europa.eu. You may find the 

EASA material on the EASA website at 

https://ad.easa.europa.eu. 

(4) You may view this service information 

at the FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, 

Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., 

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

information on the availability of this 

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

This material may be found in the AD docket 

at https://www.regulations.gov by searching 

for and locating Docket No. FAA–2021–0887. 

(5) You may view this material that is 

incorporated by reference at the National 

Archives and Records Administration 

(NARA). For information on the availability 

of this material at NARA, email 

fr.inspection@nara.gov, or go to: https:// 

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

Issued on January 11, 2022. 

Lance T. Gant, 

Director, Compliance & Airworthiness 

Division, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2022–02749 Filed 2–9–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2021–0964; Project 

Identifier 2018–SW–051–AD; Amendment 

39–21909; AD 2022–02–12] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Leonardo 

S.p.a. Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for all 

Leonardo S.p.a. Model AB139 and 

AW139 helicopters. This AD was 

prompted by the identification of 

certain parts needing maintenance 

actions, including life limits and 

maintenance tasks. This AD requires 

incorporating into maintenance records 

requirements (airworthiness 

limitations), as specified in a European 

Aviation Safety Agency (now European 

Union Aviation Safety Agency) (EASA) 


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7688 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 28 / Thursday, February 10, 2022 / Rules and Regulations 

AD, which is incorporated by reference. 

The FAA is issuing this AD to address 

the unsafe condition on these products. 

DATES: This AD is effective March 17, 

2022. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain publication listed in this AD 

as of March 17, 2022. 

ADDRESSES: For EASA material 

incorporated by reference (IBR) in this 

AD, contact EASA, Konrad-AdenauerUfer 3, 50668 Cologne, Germany; 

telephone +49 221 8999 000; email 

ADs@easa.europa.eu; internet 

www.easa.europa.eu. You may find the 

EASA material on the EASA website at 

https://ad.easa.europa.eu. You may 

view this material at the FAA, Office of 

the Regional Counsel, Southwest 

Region, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Room 

6N–321, Fort Worth, TX 76177. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call (817) 222– 

5110. It is also available in the AD 

docket at https://www.regulations.gov 

by searching for and locating Docket No. 

FAA–2021–0964. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket at 

https://www.regulations.gov by 

searching for and locating Docket No. 

FAA–2021–0964; or in person at Docket 

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

Monday through Friday, except Federal 

holidays. The AD docket contains this 

final rule, the EASA AD, any comments 

received, and other information. The 

address for Docket Operations is 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: 

Kristi Bradley, Program Manager, COS 

Program Management Section, 

Operational Safety Branch, Compliance 

& Airworthiness Division, FAA, 10101 

Hillwood Pkwy., Fort Worth, TX 76177; 

telephone (817) 222–5110; email 

kristin.bradley@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

EASA, which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Union, has issued EASA AD 2018–0132, 

dated June 21, 2018 (EASA AD 2018– 

0132) (also referred to as the Mandatory 

Continuing Airworthiness Information, 

or the MCAI), to correct an unsafe 

condition for all Leonardo S.p.A. Model 

AB139 and AW139 helicopters. 

The FAA issued a notice of proposed 

rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 

part 39 by adding an AD that would 

apply to all Leonardo S.p.A. Model 

AB139 and AW139 helicopters. The 

NPRM published in the Federal 

Register on November 12, 2021 (86 FR 

62744). The NPRM was prompted by the 

identification of certain parts needing 

maintenance actions, including life 

limits and maintenance tasks. The parts 

include a certain part-numbered main 

rotor damper, tail gear box center 

housing, and tail assembly, the fuselage 

structure assembly (station (STA) 5700, 

right-hand (RH)/left-hand (LH) side), 

and tail structure assembly (tail/rear 

fuselage attachment fittings). The NPRM 

proposed to require incorporating into 

maintenance records requirements 

(airworthiness limitations), as specified 

in EASA AD 2018–0132. 

The FAA is issuing this AD to address 

the failure of certain parts, which could 

result in the loss of control of the 

helicopter. See EASA AD 2018–0132 for 

additional background information. 

Discussion of Final Airworthiness 

Directive 

Comments 

The FAA received a comment from 

one commenter, Bristow Group, who 

commented on the service information. 

The following presents the comment 

received on the NPRM and the FAA’s 

response to the comment. 

Request To Consider Service 

Information 

The commenter stated it would take 

into consideration that the service 

information identified in EASA AD 

2018–0132 (Leonardo AB139 and 

AW139 Maintenance Manual (MM), 39– 

A–AMPI–00–P, Chapter IV, 

Airworthiness Limitations, Issue 9, 

dated March 6, 2018, as well as Issue 8) 

has already been added. The commenter 

noted the EASA AMPI (i.e., the 

airworthiness limitations section (ALS) 

document) is already on Issue 14 and 

the FAA AMPI is on Issue 13. The FAA 

infers the commenter is requesting the 

FAA consider the effect of later 

revisions of the ALS document on the 

proposed AD. 

The FAA agrees to clarify the effect of 

later revisions of the ALS document on 

this AD. This AD mandates a specific 

revision of the ALS document. Later 

revisions of the ALS document are not 

required to be incorporated into 

maintenance records requirements 

(airworthiness limitations) for that 

helicopter unless an AD mandates those 

revisions. However, this AD also allows 

operators to incorporate later approved 

revisions of the ALS document as 

specified in the Ref. Publications 

section of EASA AD 2018–0132 without 

the need for an alternative method of 

compliance (AMOC). Historically, 

operators needed an AMOC to use later 

revisions of an ALS. The FAA has not 

changed this AD in this regard. 

Conclusion 

These helicopters have been approved 

by EASA and are approved for operation 

in the United States. Pursuant to the 

FAA’s bilateral agreement with the 

European Union, EASA has notified the 

FAA about the unsafe condition 

described in its AD. The FAA reviewed 

the relevant data, considered the 

comment received, and determined that 

air safety requires adopting this AD as 

proposed. Accordingly, the FAA is 

issuing this AD to address the unsafe 

condition on these helicopters. Except 

for minor editorial changes, this AD is 

adopted as proposed in the NPRM. 

None of the changes will increase the 

economic burden on any operator. 

Related Service Information Under 1 

CFR Part 51 

EASA AD 2018–0132 requires certain 

actions and associated thresholds and 

intervals, including life limits and 

maintenance tasks. These requirements 

(airworthiness limitations) include new 

life limits for a certain part-numbered 

main rotor damper, tail gear box center 

housing, and tail assembly; and new 

maintenance tasks (e.g., inspections for 

cracking) for the fuselage structure 

assembly (STA 5700, RH/LH side), and 

tail structure assembly (tail/rear fuselage 

attachment fittings). 

This material 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. 

ADs Mandating Airworthiness 

Limitations 

The FAA has previously mandated 

airworthiness limitations by mandating 

each airworthiness limitation task (e.g., 

inspections and replacements (life 

limits)) as an AD requirement or issuing 

ADs that require revising the ALS of the 

existing maintenance manual or 

instructions for continued airworthiness 

to incorporate new or revised 

inspections and life limits. This AD, 

however, requires operators to 

incorporate into maintenance records 

required by 14 CFR 91.417(a)(2) or 

135.439(a)(2), as applicable for your 

rotorcraft, the requirements 

(airworthiness limitations) specified in 

an MCAI AD. The FAA does not intend 

this as a substantive change. For these 

ADs, the ALS requirements for operators 

are the same but are complied with 

differently. Requiring the incorporation 


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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 28 / Thursday, February 10, 2022 / Rules and Regulations 7689 

of the new ALS requirements into the 

maintenance records, rather than 

requiring individual ALS tasks (e.g., 

repetitive inspections and 

replacements), requires operators to 

record AD compliance once after 

updating the maintenance records, 

rather than after every time the ALS task 

is completed. 

In addition, paragraph (h) of this AD 

allows operators to incorporate later 

approved revisions of the ALS 

document as specified in the Ref. 

Publications section of EASA AD 2018– 

0132 without the need for an AMOC. 

Differences Between This AD and the 

EASA AD 

Paragraph (1) of EASA AD 2018–0132 

requires compliance with actions and 

associated thresholds and intervals, 

including life limits and maintenance 

tasks, from the effective date of EASA 

AD 2018–0132. Paragraph (3) of EASA 

AD 2018–0132 requires incorporating 

the actions and associated thresholds 

and intervals, including life limits and 

maintenance tasks, into the approved 

maintenance program within 12 months 

after the effective date of EASA AD 

2018–0132. This AD requires 

incorporating into maintenance records 

requirements (airworthiness limitations) 

within 30 days after the effective date of 

this AD. 

Costs of Compliance 

The FAA estimates that this AD 

affects 130 helicopters of U.S. Registry. 

Labor rates are estimated at $85 per 

work-hour. Based on these numbers, the 

FAA estimates the following costs to 

comply with this AD. Incorporating 

requirements (airworthiness limitations) 

into maintenance records would require 

about 2 work-hours for a cost of $170 

per helicopter and a cost of $22,100 for 

the U.S. fleet. 

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. 

The FAA is 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) Will not affect intrastate aviation 

in Alaska, 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. 

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39 

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation 

safety, Incorporation by reference, 

Safety. 

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: 

2022–02–12 Leonardo S.p.a.: Amendment 

39–21909; Docket No. FAA–2021–0964; 

Project Identifier 2018–SW–051–AD. 

(a) Effective Date 

This airworthiness directive (AD) is 

effective March 17, 2022. 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to all Leonardo S.p.a. 

Model AB139 and AW139 helicopters, 

certificated in any category. 

(d) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 5101, Aircraft Structures; and 6300, 

Main Rotor Drive Systems. 

(e) Unsafe Condition 

This AD was prompted by the 

identification of certain parts needing 

maintenance actions, including life limits 

and maintenance tasks. The FAA is issuing 

this AD to address the failure of certain parts, 

which could result in the loss of control of 

the helicopter. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(g) Required Action 

Within 30 days after the effective date of 

this AD, incorporate into maintenance 

records required by 14 CFR 91.417(a)(2) or 

135.439(a)(2), as applicable for your 

rotorcraft, the requirements (airworthiness 

limitations) specified in paragraph (1) of 

European Aviation Safety Agency (now 

European Union Aviation Safety Agency) 

(EASA) AD 2018–0132, dated June 21, 2018 

(EASA AD 2018–0132). 

(h) Provisions for Alternative Requirements 

(Airworthiness Limitations) 

After the action required by paragraph (g) 

of this AD has been done, no alternative 

requirements (airworthiness limitations) are 

allowed unless they are approved as 

specified in the provisions of the ‘‘Ref. 

Publications’’ section of EASA AD 2018– 

0132. 

(i) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, International Validation 

Branch, FAA, has the authority to approve 

AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the 

procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. In 

accordance with 14 CFR 39.19, send your 

request to your principal inspector or local 

Flight Standards District Office, as 

appropriate. If sending information directly 

to the manager of the International Validation 

Branch, send it to the attention of the person 

identified in paragraph (j) of this AD. 

Information may be emailed to: 9-AVS-AIR730-AMOC@faa.gov. 

(2) Before using any approved AMOC, 

notify your appropriate principal inspector, 

or lacking a principal inspector, the manager 

of the local flight standards district office/ 

certificate holding district office. 

(j) Related Information 

For more information about this AD, 

contact Kristi Bradley, Program Manager, 

COS Program Management Section, 

Operational Safety Branch, Compliance & 

Airworthiness Division, FAA, 10101 

Hillwood Pkwy., Fort Worth, TX 76177; 

telephone (817) 222–5110; email 

kristin.bradley@faa.gov. 

(k) Material Incorporated by Reference 

(1) The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 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 this AD specifies otherwise. 


jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with RULES1
7690 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 28 / Thursday, February 10, 2022 / Rules and Regulations 

(i) European Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA) AD 2018–0132, dated June 21, 2018. 

(ii) [Reserved] 

(3) For EASA AD 2018–0132, contact 

EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 

Cologne, Germany; telephone +49 221 8999 

000; email ADs@easa.europa.eu; internet 

www.easa.europa.eu. You may find the 

EASA material on EASA website at https:// 

ad.easa.europa.eu. 

(4) You may view this service information 

at the FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, 

Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., 

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

information on the availability of this 

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

This material may be found in the AD docket 

at https://www.regulations.gov by searching 

for and locating Docket No. FAA–2021–0964. 

(5) You may view this material that is 

incorporated by reference at the National 

Archives and Records Administration 

(NARA). For information on the availability 

of this material at NARA, email 

fr.inspection@nara.gov, or go to: https:// 

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

Issued on January 11, 2022. 

Lance T. Gant, 

Director, Compliance & Airworthiness 

Division, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2022–02747 Filed 2–9–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2021–0694; Project 

Identifier MCAI–2021–00305–T; Amendment 

39–21919; AD 2022–03–02] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; De Havilland 

Aircraft of Canada Limited (Type 

Certificate Previously Held by 

Bombardier, Inc.) Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 

De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited 

Model DHC–8–401 and –402 airplanes. 

This AD was prompted by reports of a 

possible hard contact between the #2 

top high level sensor (HLS) terminal 

screw head and the #6 outer wing fuel 

access panel stiffener flange. This AD 

requires removing and replacing or 

reworking the #6 outer wing fuel access 

panel assembly. The FAA is issuing this 

AD to address the unsafe condition on 

these products. 

DATES: This AD is effective March 17, 

2022. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain publication listed in this AD 

as of March 17, 2022. 

ADDRESSES: For service information 

identified in this final rule, contact De 

Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited, 

Q-Series Technical Help Desk, 123 

Garratt Boulevard, Toronto, Ontario 

M3K 1Y5, Canada; telephone 416–375– 

4000; fax 416–375–4539; email thd@

dehavilland.com; internet https:// 

dehavilland.com. You may view this 

service information at the FAA, 

Airworthiness Products Section, 

Operational Safety Branch, 2200 South 

216th St., Des Moines, WA. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call 206–231–3195. 

It is also available on the internet at 

https://www.regulations.gov by 

searching for and locating Docket No. 

FAA–2021–0694. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the internet at https:// 

www.regulations.gov by searching for 

and locating Docket No. FAA–2021– 

0694; or in person at Docket Operations 

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

through Friday, except Federal holidays. 

The AD docket contains this final rule, 

any comments received, and other 

information. The address for Docket 

Operations is 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: 

Thomas Niczky, Aerospace Engineer, 

Avionics and Electrical Systems 

Section, FAA, New York ACO Branch, 

1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, 

Westbury, NY 11590; telephone 516– 

228–7347; fax 516–794–5531; email 9- 

avs-nyaco-cos@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

Transport Canada Civil Aviation 

(TCCA), which is the aviation authority 

for Canada, has issued TCCA AD CF– 

2021–08, dated March 9, 2021 (TCCA 

AD CF–2021–08) (also referred to after 

this as the Mandatory Continuing 

Airworthiness Information, or the 

MCAI), to correct an unsafe condition 

for De Havilland Aircraft of Canada 

Limited Model DHC–8–401 and –402 

airplanes, serial numbers 4001 and 4003 

through 4628 inclusive. You may 

examine the MCAI in the AD docket at 

https://www.regulations.gov by 

searching for and locating Docket No. 

FAA–2021–0694. 

The FAA issued a notice of proposed 

rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 

part 39 by adding an AD that would 

apply to certain De Havilland Aircraft of 

Canada Limited Model DHC–8–401 and 

–402 airplanes. The NPRM published in 

the Federal Register on August 24, 2021 

(86 FR 47258). The NPRM was 

prompted by reports of a possible hard 

contact between the #2 top HLS 

terminal screw head and the #6 outer 

wing fuel access panel stiffener flange. 

The NPRM proposed to require 

removing and replacing or reworking 

the #6 outer wing fuel access panel 

assembly. The FAA is issuing this AD 

to address the possibility of electrical 

arcing during a lightning strike, which 

could be a source of ignition inside the 

fuel tank. See the MCAI for additional 

background information. 

Comments 

The FAA gave the public the 

opportunity to participate in developing 

this final rule. The following presents 

the comments received on the NPRM 

and the FAA’s response to each 

comment. The Air Line Pilots 

Association, International, supported 

the NPRM. 

Request To Specify the Latest Revision 

of the Service Information 

Horizon Air requested that the 

specified service information in 

paragraphs (g)(1) and (2) of the proposed 

AD be updated to the latest revision: De 

Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited 

Service Bulletin 84–57–35, Revision B, 

dated June 9, 2021. Horizon Air also 

requested that De Havilland Aircraft of 

Canada Limited Service Bulletin 84–57– 

35, Revision A, dated February 11, 2021, 

be added to paragraph (i) of the 

proposed AD in order to give credit for 

incorporating that revision. 

The FAA agrees, De Havilland 

Aircraft of Canada Limited Service 

Bulletin 84–57–35, Revision B, dated 

June 9, 2021, revises a NOTE and steps 

to include all part numbers of access 

panel #6. These changes do not affect 

operators who use previous revisions of 

the service information to show 

compliance with this AD. There are no 

substantive changes to the procedures 

between Revision B of the service 

information and Revision A of the 

service information, which was 

proposed as required in the NPRM. The 

FAA has updated this AD as requested. 

Conclusion 

The FAA reviewed the relevant data, 

considered the comments received, and 

determined that air safety and the 

public interest require adopting this 

final rule with the change described 


jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with RULES1