Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 21 / Friday, January 31, 2014 / Proposed Rules 5321 

Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on January 

23, 2014. 

Earl Lawrence, 

Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft 

Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–01950 Filed 1–30–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2014–0038; Directorate 

Identifier 2013–SW–023–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus 

Helicopters (Type Certificate 

Previously Held by Eurocopter France) 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for Airbus 

Model EC225LP helicopters. This 

proposed AD would require repetitive 

visual and tap test inspections of each 

main rotor blade (blade) leading edge 

stainless steel protective strip (strip) for 

a crack, cut, or blind or open debonding 

(debonding), and taking approved 

corrective measures. If there is a crack 

or if there is debonding that exceeds 

acceptable limits, this AD would 

require, before further flight, repairing 

or replacing the blade with an airworthy 

part. This proposed AD is prompted by 

suspected water seepage through a crack 

in the blade strip resulting in significant 

debonding. The proposed actions are 

intended to prevent loss of the blade 

strip, excessive vibrations induced by 

blade weight imbalance, and subsequent 

loss of control of the helicopter. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by April 1, 2014. 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by 

any of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Docket: Go to 

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

online instructions for sending your 

comments electronically. 

• Fax: 202–493–2251. 

• Mail: Send comments to the U.S. 

Department of Transportation, Docket 

Operations, M–30, West Building 

Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, 

DC 20590–0001. 

• Hand Delivery: Deliver to the 

‘‘Mail’’ address between 9 a.m. and 5 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

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 proposed AD, the 

foreign authority’s AD, the economic 

evaluation, any comments received, and 

other information. The street address for 

the Docket Operations Office (telephone 

800–647–5527) is in the ADDRESSES

section. Comments will be available in 

the AD docket shortly after receipt. 

For service information identified in 

this proposed AD, contact Airbus 

Helicopters, Inc., 2701 N. Forum Drive, 

Grand Prairie, TX 75052; telephone 

(972) 641–0000 or (800) 232–0323; fax 

(972) 641–3775; or at http://

www.airbushelicopters.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. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gary 

Roach, Aviation Safety Engineer, 

Regulations and Policy Group, 

Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 2601 

Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 

76137; telephone (817) 222–5110; email 

gary.b.roach@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

We invite you to participate in this 

rulemaking by submitting written 

comments, data, or views. We also 

invite comments relating to the 

economic, environmental, energy, or 

federalism impacts that might result 

from adopting the proposals in this 

document. The most helpful comments 

reference a specific portion of the 

proposal, explain the reason for any 

recommended change, and include 

supporting data. To ensure the docket 

does not contain duplicate comments, 

commenters should send only one copy 

of written comments, or if comments are 

filed electronically, commenters should 

submit only one time. 

We will file in the docket all 

comments that we receive, as well as a 

report summarizing each substantive 

public contact with FAA personnel 

concerning this proposed rulemaking. 

Before acting on this proposal, we will 

consider all comments we receive on or 

before the closing date for comments. 

We will consider comments filed after 

the comment period has closed if it is 

possible to do so without incurring 

expense or delay. We may change this 

proposal in light of the comments we 

receive. 

Discussion 

The European Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA), which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Union, issued EASA AD No. 2013–0103, 

dated May 2, 2013, which supersedes 

EASA AD No. 2007–0180–E, dated June 

29, 2007, to correct an unsafe condition 

for the Eurocopter Model EC225LP 

helicopters with certain blades 

installed. EASA advises that an 

investigation of significant debonding of 

a blade strip revealed rapidly 

progressing debonding caused by water 

seepage through a crack in the blade 

strip. EASA AD No. 2007–0180–E 

required repetitive inspections of the 

blade strip and accomplishing any 

corrective actions. After issuance of 

EASA AD No. 2007–0180–E, Eurocopter 

developed a modified strip and reidentified blade part numbers with the 

modified strip. Because these other 

blades with the modified strip are still 

susceptible to debonding, EASA issued 

superseding AD 2013–0103 to extend 

the applicability to the new partnumbered blades. 

FAA’s Determination 

This helicopter has been approved by 

the aviation authority of France and is 

approved for operation in the United 

States. Pursuant to our bilateral 

agreement with France, EASA, its 

technical representative, has notified us 

of the unsafe condition described in the 

EASA AD. We are proposing this AD 

because we evaluated all known 

relevant information and determined 

that an unsafe condition is likely to 

exist or develop on other helicopters of 

the same type design. 

Related Service Information 

Eurocopter issued an Emergency Alert 

Service Bulletin (EASB) No. 05A010, 

Revision 2, dated April 22, 2013, for the 

Model EC225LP helicopter and for the 

non-FAA typed certificated Model 

EC725AP military helicopter. The EASB 

specifies a visual check and tapping test 

of the bonding of the strip on the 

leading edge of the blades for cracks, 

cuts, and debonding and taking 

corrective actions as applicable. 

Revision 1 to the EASB changed the 

visual check and the tapping test so that 

they can be performed without 

removing the blades. Revision 2 

extended the applicability to additional 

part-numbered blades with a modified 

strip installed. 

Proposed AD Requirements 

This proposed AD would require: 

• Within 15 hours time-in-service 

(TIS) and thereafter at intervals not to 

exceed 85 hours TIS, visually and tap 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS-1
5322 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 21 / Friday, January 31, 2014 / Proposed Rules 

test inspecting each blade strip for a 

crack, a cut, or open or blind debonding. 

For purposes of this proposed AD, open 

debonding, also known as edge bond 

separation, occurs when a bonded part 

becomes unattached (debonded) leaving 

the surface under it exposed to open air 

around the periphery of the part. Blind 

debonding occurs when a bonded part 

becomes unattached internally yet 

remains bonded around its entire 

periphery. 

• If there is debonding beyond 

acceptable limits or located outside a 

specific area, or if there is a crack, 

before further flight, repairing or 

replacing the blade. 

• If there is a cut in the blade root 

polyurethane protective strip, tap test 

inspecting the area. If there is no 

debonding, tap test inspecting the blade 

strip every 15 hours TIS. If there is 

debonding beyond acceptable limits or 

located outside a specific area, before 

further flight, repairing or replacing the 

blade. 

Differences Between This Proposed AD 

and the EASA AD 

If there is a crack in the blade leading 

edge, this proposed AD would require 

repairing or replacing the blade before 

further flight, while the EASA AD 

permits a re-inspection within 15 hours 

TIS. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this proposed AD 

would affect 4 helicopters of U.S. 

Registry. We estimate that operators 

may incur the following costs in order 

to comply with this AD. Labor costs are 

estimated at $85 per work hour. We 

estimate 4 work hours to inspect the 

helicopter for a total of $340 per 

helicopter and $1,360 for the U.S. 

operator fleet per inspection cycle. If 

necessary, it would take 4 work hours 

to repair the blade and $600 for required 

parts for a total of $940 per helicopter. 

It would take about 5 work hours to 

replace a blade at a cost of $425 for 

labor. Parts would cost $315,495 to 

replace P/N 332A11–0050–01 and 

$403,650 to replace P/N 332A11–0055– 

00, for a total cost of $315,920 and 

$404,075, respectively. 

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 

We determined that this proposed AD 

would not have federalism implications 

under Executive Order 13132. 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, I certify 

this 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); 

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 proposed 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. 

The Proposed Amendment 

Accordingly, under the authority 

delegated to me by the Administrator, 

the FAA proposes to amend 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): 

Airbus Helicopters (Type Certificate 

previously held by Eurocopter France): 

Docket No. FAA–2014–0038; Directorate 

Identifier 2013–SW–023–AD. 

(a) Applicability 

This AD applies to Model EC225LP 

helicopters with a main rotor blade (blade), 

part number (P/N) 332A11.0050.00, 

332A11.0055.00, 332A11.0050.02, or 

332A11.0055.02, installed, certificated in any 

category. 

(b) Unsafe Condition 

This AD defines the unsafe condition as 

loss of a blade stainless steel protective strip 

(strip), which could result in excessive 

vibrations induced by blade weight 

imbalance and subsequent loss of control of 

the helicopter. 

(c) Comments Due Date 

We must receive comments by April 1, 

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 15 hours time-in-service (TIS) and 

thereafter at intervals not to exceed 85 hours 

TIS, visually and tap test inspect each blade 

strip for a crack, a cut, or open and blind 

debonding. For purposes of this AD, open 

debonding, also known as edge bond 

separation, occurs when a bonded part 

becomes unattached (debonded) leaving the 

surface under it exposed to open air around 

the periphery of the part. Blind debonding 

occurs when a bonded part becomes 

unattached internally yet remains bonded 

around its entire periphery. 

(1) If there is open or blind debonding 

within acceptable limits and the debonded 

area is located inside Area D of Figure 1 of 

Eurocopter Emergency Alert Service Bulletin 

No. 05A010, Revision 2, dated April 22, 2013 

(EASB), no further action is required until 

the next inspection. 

(2) If there is open or blind debonding and 

the debonded area is located outside Area D 

of Figure 1 of the EASB, before further flight, 

repair or replace the blade. 

(3) If there is open or blind debonding 

beyond acceptable limits, before further 

flight, repair or replace the blade. 

(4) If there is a cut in the blade root 

polyurethane protective strip as depicted in 

Area A of Figure 2 of the EASB, tap test 

inspect the area. 

(i) If there is no open and blind debonding, 

at intervals not to exceed 15 hours TIS, tap 

test inspect the blade strip in the blade root 

area, in the stainless steel leading edge/

neoprene junction area for open or blind 

debonding. 

(ii) If there is open or blind debonding 

within acceptable limits and the debonded 

area is located inside Area D of Figure 1 of 

the EASB, no further action is required until 

the next inspection. 

(iii) If there is open or blind and the 

debonded area is located outside Area D of 

Figure 1 of the EASB, before further flight, 

repair or replace the blade. 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS-1
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 21 / Friday, January 31, 2014 / Proposed Rules 5323 

(iv) If there is open or blind debonding 

beyond acceptable limits, before further 

flight, repair or replace the blade. 

(5) If there is a crack, before further flight, 

repair or replace the blade. 

(f) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, Safety Management 

Group, FAA, may approve AMOCs for this 

AD. Send your proposal to: Gary Roach, 

Aviation Safety Engineer, Regulations and 

Policy Group, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 

2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 

76137; telephone (817) 222–5110; email 

gary.b.roach@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. 

(g) Additional Information 

The subject of this AD is addressed in 

European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 

No. 2013–0103, dated May 2, 2013. You may 

view the EASA AD on the Internet in the AD 

Docket at www.regulations.gov. 

(h) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 6210 Main Rotor Blades. 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on January 16, 

2014. 

Lance T. Gant, 

Acting Directorate Manager, Rotorcraft 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–01951 Filed 1–30–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2014–0042; Directorate 

Identifier 2013–CE–050–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; British 

Aerospace Regional Aircraft Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for British 

Aerospace Regional Aircraft Jetstream 

Series 3101 and Jetstream Model 3201 

airplanes. This proposed AD results 

from mandatory continuing 

airworthiness information (MCAI) 

originated by an aviation authority of 

another country to identify and correct 

an unsafe condition on an aviation 

product. The MCAI describes the unsafe 

condition as inadequate instructions for 

inspection for corrosion on the rudder 

upper hinge bracket and certain internal 

wing and drainage paths. We are issuing 

this proposed AD to require actions to 

address the unsafe condition on these 

products. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by March 17, 2014. 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by 

any of the following methods: 

• 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. 

For service information identified in 

this proposed AD, contact BAE Systems 

(Operations) Limited, Customer 

Information Department, Prestwick 

International Airport, Ayrshire, KA9 

2RW, Scotland, United Kingdom; 

telephone: +44 1292 675207; fax: +44 

1292 675704; email: RApublications@

baesystems.com; Internet: http://

www.baesystems.com/Businesses/

RegionalAircraft/. You may review this 

referenced service information at the 

FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 

Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. 

For information on the availability of 

this material at the FAA, call (816) 329– 

4148. 

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–2014– 

0042; 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 proposed AD, the 

regulatory evaluation, any comments 

received, and other information. The 

street address for the Docket Office 

(telephone (800) 647–5527) is in the 

ADDRESSES section. Comments will be 

available in the AD docket shortly after 

receipt. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Taylor Martin, Aerospace Engineer, 

FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 

Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, 

Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 329– 

4138; fax: (816) 329–4090; email: 

taylor.martin@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

We invite you to send any written 

relevant data, views, or arguments about 

this proposed AD. Send your comments 

to an address listed under the 

ADDRESSES section. Include ‘‘Docket No. 

FAA–2014–0042; Directorate Identifier 

2013–CE–050–AD’’ at the beginning of 

your comments. We specifically invite 

comments on the overall regulatory, 

economic, environmental, and energy 

aspects of this proposed AD. We will 

consider all comments received by the 

closing date and may amend this 

proposed AD because of those 

comments. 

We will post all comments we 

receive, without change, to http://

regulations.gov, including any personal 

information you provide. We will also 

post a report summarizing each 

substantive verbal contact we receive 

about this proposed AD. 

Discussion 

The European Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA), which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Community, has issued AD No.: 2012– 

0036, dated March 12, 2012 (referred to 

after this as ‘‘the MCAI’’), to correct an 

unsafe condition for British Aerospace 

Regional Aircraft Jetstream Series 3101 

and Jetstream Model 3201 airplanes. 

The MCAI states: 

Compliance with the inspections in the 

Corrosion Prevention and Control Programme 

(CPCP) has been identified as a mandatory 

action for continued airworthiness and UK 

CAA AD 003–04–94 was issued to require 

operators to comply with those inspection 

instructions. 

Since the issuance of that AD, reports have 

been received of finding extensive corrosion 

on the rudder upper hinge bracket. Although 

there is an existing zonal inspection of the 

area in the CPCP, it has been concluded that 

this is inadequate to identify the corrosion on 

this bracket and consequently, a new specific 

inspection of the rudder upper hinge bracket, 

task 200/EX/01 C2, has been added to the 

CPCP, currently at Revision 6. Failure of the 

rudder upper hinge bracket could lead to the 

onset of flutter and loss of control of the 

aeroplane. 

In addition, although the CPCP already 

included a wing internal inspection to check 

for corrosion and to verify that all drainage 

paths are clear, prompted by feedback from 

the fleet sampling programme, a new, more 

specific, inspection of wing stations 36, 51 

and 83, together with a check of the drainage 

paths, has been introduced into the CPCP 

through task 3/400/IN/01 C2. Failure to 

comply with these instructions could result 

in an unsafe condition. 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS-1