Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 31 / Tuesday, February 15, 2022 / Proposed Rules 8439 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2022–0100; Project 

Identifier MCAI–2021–01128–R] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus 

Helicopters Deutschland GmbH (AHD) 

Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a 

new airworthiness directive (AD) for all 

Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH 

(AHD) Model MBB–BK 117 C–2 

helicopters. This proposed AD was 

prompted by a report of restricted 

collective lever movement caused by 

entanglement of the emergency 

flashlight strap with the cargo hook 

emergency release lever, causing the 

emergency flashlight to leave its seat. 

This proposed AD would require 

replacing each affected emergency 

flashlight with a serviceable part, as 

specified in a European Union Aviation 

Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is 

proposed for incorporation by reference. 

The FAA is proposing this AD to 

address the unsafe condition on these 

products. 

DATES: The FAA must receive comments 

on this proposed AD by April 1, 2022. 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, 

using the procedures found in 14 CFR 

11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following 

methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

https://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: Deliver to Mail 

address above between 9 a.m. and 

5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

For EASA material that is proposed 

for IBR in this AD, 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. 

For Airbus Helicopters service 

information identified in this NPRM, 

contact Airbus Helicopters, 2701 North 

Forum Drive, Grand Prairie, TX 75052; 

telephone (972) 641–0000 or (800) 232– 

0323; fax (972) 641–3775; or at https:// 

www.airbus.com/helicopters/services/ 

technical-support.html. 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. The EASA 

material is also available at https://

www.regulations.gov by searching for 

and locating Docket No. FAA–2022– 

0100. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket at 

https://www.regulations.gov by 

searching for and locating Docket No. 

FAA–2022–0100; 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 

NPRM, the EASA AD, any comments 

received, and other information. The 

street address for Docket Operations is 

listed above. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Andrea Jimenez, Aerospace Engineer, 

COS Program Management Section, 

Operational Safety Branch, Compliance 

& Airworthiness Division, FAA, 1600 

Stewart Ave., Suite 410, Westbury, NY 

11590; telephone (516) 228–7330; email 

andrea.jimenez@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

The FAA invites you to send any 

written relevant data, views, or 

arguments about this proposal. Send 

your comments to an address listed 

under ADDRESSES. Include ‘‘Docket No. 

FAA–2022–0100; Project Identifier 

MCAI–2021–01128–R’’ at the beginning 

of your comments. The most helpful 

comments reference a specific portion of 

the proposal, explain the reason for any 

recommended change, and include 

supporting data. The FAA will consider 

all comments received by the closing 

date and may amend this proposal 

because of those comments. 

Except for Confidential Business 

Information (CBI) as described in the 

following paragraph, and other 

information as described in 14 CFR 

11.35, the FAA will post all comments 

received, without change, to https://

www.regulations.gov, including any 

personal information you provide. The 

agency will also post a report 

summarizing each substantive verbal 

contact received about this NPRM. 

Confidential Business Information 

CBI is commercial or financial 

information that is both customarily and 

actually treated as private by its owner. 

Under the Freedom of Information Act 

(FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt 

from public disclosure. If your 

comments responsive to this NPRM 

contain commercial or financial 

information that is customarily treated 

as private, that you actually treat as 

private, and that is relevant or 

responsive to this NPRM, it is important 

that you clearly designate the submitted 

comments as CBI. Please mark each 

page of your submission containing CBI 

as ‘‘PROPIN.’’ The FAA will treat such 

marked submissions as confidential 

under the FOIA, and they will not be 

placed in the public docket of this 

NPRM. Submissions containing CBI 

should be sent to Andrea Jimenez, 

Aerospace Engineer, COS Program 

Management Section, Operational 

Safety Branch, Compliance & 

Airworthiness Division, FAA, 1600 

Stewart Ave., Suite 410, Westbury, NY 

11590; telephone (516) 228–7330; email 

andrea.jimenez@faa.gov. Any 

commentary that the FAA receives that 

is not specifically designated as CBI will 

be placed in the public docket for this 

rulemaking. 

Background 

EASA, which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Union, has issued EASA AD 2021–0231, 

dated October 15, 2021 (EASA AD 

2021–0231), to correct an unsafe 

condition for all serial-numbered Airbus 

Helicopters Deutschland GmbH (AHD) 

Model MBB–BK 117 C–2 helicopters. 

This proposed AD was prompted by 

a report of restricted collective lever 

movement caused by entanglement of 

the emergency flashlight strap with the 

cargo hook emergency release lever, 

causing the emergency flashlight to 

leave its seat. The FAA is proposing this 

AD to address entanglement of the 

emergency flashlight strap with the 

cargo hook emergency release lever. The 

unsafe condition, if not addressed, 

could result reduced control of the 

helicopter, resulting in damage to the 

helicopter and injury to occupants. See 

EASA AD 2021–0231 for additional 

background information. 

Related Service Information Under 1 

CFR Part 51 

EASA AD 2021–0231 requires 

replacing each affected emergency 

flashlight with a serviceable part. EASA 

AD 2021–0231 also specifies that an 

affected part can be modified and reidentified into a serviceable part. EASA 

AD 2021–0231 also prohibits the 

installation of an affected part. 

This material is reasonably available 

because the interested parties have 


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8440 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 31 / Tuesday, February 15, 2022 / Proposed Rules 

access to it through their normal course 

of business or by the means identified 

in the ADDRESSES section. 

Other Related Service Information 

The FAA also reviewed Airbus 

Helicopters Alert Service Bulletin ASB 

MBB–BK117 C-2–25A-021, Revision 0, 

dated August 25, 2021. This service 

information specifies procedures for 

removing the strap from the emergency 

flashlight and then writing a new part 

number on the emergency flashlight. 

FAA’s Determination 

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 is 

proposing this AD after evaluating all 

known relevant information and 

determining that the unsafe condition 

described previously is likely to exist or 

develop on other helicopters of the same 

type design. 

Proposed AD Requirements in This 

NPRM 

This proposed AD would require 

accomplishing the actions specified in 

EASA AD 2021–0231, described 

previously, as incorporated by 

reference, except for any differences 

identified as exceptions in the 

regulatory text of this proposed AD and 

except as discussed under ‘‘Differences 

Between this Proposed AD and the 

EASA AD.’’ 

Explanation of Required Compliance 

Information 

In the FAA’s ongoing efforts to 

improve the efficiency of the AD 

process, the FAA developed a process to 

use some civil aviation authority (CAA) 

ADs as the primary source of 

information for compliance with 

requirements for corresponding FAA 

ADs. The FAA has been coordinating 

this process with manufacturers and 

CAAs. As a result, the FAA proposes to 

incorporate EASA AD 2021–0231 by 

reference in the FAA final rule. This 

proposed AD would, therefore, require 

compliance with EASA AD 2021–0231 

in its entirety through that 

incorporation, except for any differences 

identified as exceptions in the 

regulatory text of this proposed AD. 

Using common terms that are the same 

as the heading of a particular section in 

EASA AD 2021–0231 does not mean 

that operators need comply only with 

that section. For example, where the AD 

requirement refers to ‘‘all required 

actions and compliance times,’’ 

compliance with this AD requirement is 

not limited to the section titled 

‘‘Required Action(s) and Compliance 

Time(s)’’ in EASA AD 2021–0231. 

Service information referenced in EASA 

AD 2021–0231 for compliance will be 

available at https://www.regulations.gov 

by searching for and locating Docket No. 

FAA–2022–0100 after the FAA final 

rule is published. 

Differences Between This Proposed AD 

and the EASA AD 

EASA AD 2021–0231 requires 

compliance within 12 months after the 

effective date of the EASA AD, whereas 

this proposed AD would require 

compliance within 3 months after the 

effective date of this AD. 

Costs of Compliance 

The FAA estimates that this AD, if 

adopted as proposed, would affect 117 

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 proposed AD. 

Replacing an emergency flashlight 

would take about 1 work-hour and parts 

would cost about $219 for an estimated 

cost of $304 per flashlight and up to 

$35,568 for the U.S. fleet. Alternatively, 

modifying an emergency flashlight 

would take about 1 work-hour for an 

estimated cost of $85 per flashlight. 

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 

The FAA 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 above, I 

certify this proposed regulation: 

(1) Is not a ‘‘significant regulatory 

action’’ under Executive Order 12866, 

(2) Would not affect intrastate 

aviation in Alaska, and 

(3) Would 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 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: 

Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH 

(AHD): Docket No. FAA–2022–0100; 

Project Identifier MCAI–2021–01128–R. 

(a) Comments Due Date 

The FAA must receive comments on this 

airworthiness directive (AD) by April 1, 

2022. 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to Airbus Helicopters 

Deutschland GmbH (AHD) Model MBB–BK 

117 C–2 helicopters, certificated in any 

category. 

(d) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 2510, Flight Compartment Equipment. 

(e) Unsafe Condition 

This AD was prompted by a report of 

restricted collective lever movement. 

Subsequent inspection determined that the 

emergency flashlight was stuck under that 

lever caused by entanglement of the 

emergency flashlight strap with the cargo 

hook emergency release lever, causing the 

emergency flashlight to leave its seat. The 

FAA is issuing this AD to address 

entanglement of the emergency flashlight 

strap with the cargo hook emergency release 

lever. The unsafe condition, if not addressed, 


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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 31 / Tuesday, February 15, 2022 / Proposed Rules 8441 

could result in reduced control of the 

helicopter, possibly resulting in damage to 

the helicopter and injury to occupants. 

(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 (EASA) AD 2021–0231, dated 

October 15, 2021 (EASA AD 2021–0231). 

(h) Exceptions to EASA AD 2021–0231 

(1) Where EASA AD 2021–0231 refers to its 

effective date, this AD requires using the 

effective date of this AD. 

(2) This AD does not mandate compliance 

with the ‘‘Remarks’’ section of EASA AD 

2021–0231. 

(3) Where paragraph (1) of EASA AD 2021– 

0231 requires replacing each affected part 

with a serviceable part within 12 months, 

this AD requires compliance within 3 months 

after the effective date of this AD. 

(i) No Reporting Requirement 

Although the service information 

referenced in EASA AD 2021–0231 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)(2) 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 

(1) For EASA AD 2021–0231, 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 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. 

This material may be found in the AD docket 

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

for and locating Docket No. FAA–2022–0100. 

(2) For more information about this AD, 

contact Andrea Jimenez, Aerospace Engineer, 

COS Program Management Section, 

Operational Safety Branch, Compliance & 

Airworthiness Division, FAA, 1600 Stewart 

Ave., Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; 

telephone (516) 228–7330; email 

andrea.jimenez@faa.gov. 

Issued on February 7, 2022. 

Lance T. Gant, 

Director, Compliance & Airworthiness 

Division, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2022–03108 Filed 2–14–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY 

COMMISSION 

16 CFR Parts 1112 and 1260 

[Docket No. CPSC–2013–0028] 

Safety Standard for Operating Cords 

on Custom Window Coverings; Notice 

of Opportunity for Oral Presentation of 

Comments 

AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety 

Commission. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking; 

notice of opportunity for oral 

presentation of comments. 

SUMMARY: The Consumer Product Safety 

Commission (Commission or CPSC) will 

be providing an opportunity for 

interested parties to present oral 

comments on the notice of proposed 

rulemaking (NPR) the Commission 

issued regarding a safety standard for 

operating cords on custom window 

coverings. Any oral comments will be 

part of the rulemaking record. 

DATES: The hearing will begin at 10 a.m. 

Eastern Standard Time (EST) on March 

16, 2022, via webinar. All attendees 

should pre-register for the webinar 

online at: https://attendee.

gotowebinar.com/register/2824746947

802696460. Any individual interested in 

making an oral presentation must 

register for the webinar and submit a 

request to make an oral presentation to 

the Division of the Secretariat, along 

with the written text of the oral 

presentation, and such requests must be 

received no later than 5 p.m. EST on 

March 2, 2022. All other individuals 

who wish to attend the hearing should 

register before the start of the hearing. 

ADDRESSES: The hearing will be held via 

webinar. Attendance is free of charge. 

Submit requests to make oral 

presentations and the written text of 

oral presentations to the Division of the 

Secretariat, with the caption, ‘‘Custom 

Window Coverings NPR; Oral 

Presentation,’’ by email to cpsc-os@

cpsc.gov, or by mail to the Division of 

the Secretariat, Consumer Product 

Safety Commission, 4330 East-West 

Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814. Detailed 

instructions for those making oral 

presentations and other attendees will 

be made available on the CPSC public 

calendar. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

information about the subject matter of 

this hearing, contact Rana Balci-Sinha, 

Director, Division of Human Factors, 

Directorate for Engineering Sciences, 

Office of Hazard Identification and 

Reduction, Consumer Product Safety 

Commission, National Product Testing 

and Evaluation Center, 5 Research 

Place, Rockville, MD 20850; telephone: 

301–987–2584; rbalcisinha@cpsc.gov. 

For information about the procedure to 

make an oral presentation, contact 

Alberta E. Mills, Division of the 

Secretariat, Consumer Product Safety 

Commission, 4330 East-West Highway, 

Bethesda, MD 20814; cpsc-os@cpsc.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background 

On January 7, 2022, the Commission 

published a notice of proposed 

rulemaking (NPR) in the Federal 

Register, proposing to issue a Safety 

Standard for Operating Cords on 

Custom Window Coverings under the 

Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA; 15 

U.S.C. 2051–2089), and seeking written 

comments. 87 FR 1014. The NPR seeks 

to address an unreasonable risk of 

strangulation to children 8 years old and 

younger associated with custom 

window coverings that have accessible 

operating cords that are longer than 8 

inches. The NPR would require that 

operating cords on custom window 

coverings meet the same requirements 

as operating cords on stock window 

coverings, as set forth in the applicable 

voluntary standard, ANSI/WCMA 

A100.1—2018, American National 

Standard for Safety of Corded Window 

Covering Products. Thus, the proposed 

rule proposes that operating cords on 

custom window coverings must be 

cordless, inaccessible, or 8 inches or 

shorter in length in any use position. If 

finalized, operating cords on custom 

window coverings would require testing 

and certification to the rule under 

section 14 of the CPSA. Moreover, 

operating cords on custom window 

coverings that meet the definition of a 

‘‘children’s product’’ would require 

third party testing by a CPSC-accredited 

third party conformity assessment body. 

Accordingly, the proposed rule also 

proposes to amend the Commission’s 

regulation at 16 CFR part 1112 to add 

‘‘Safety Standard for Operating Cords on 

Custom Window Coverings’’ to the list 

of rules that require third party testing. 

The NPR is available at: https://

www.federalregister.gov/d/2021-27896, 

and CPSC staff’s briefing package for the 


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