63850 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 207 / Friday, October 25, 2013 / Rules and Regulations 

The substance of these special 

conditions has been subjected to the 

notice and comment period in several 

prior instances and has been derived 

without substantive change from those 

previously issued. It is unlikely that 

prior public comment would result in a 

significant change from the substance 

contained herein. Therefore, the FAA 

has determined that prior public notice 

and comment are unnecessary, and good 

cause exists for adopting these special 

conditions upon issuance. The FAA is 

requesting comments to allow interested 

persons to submit views that may not 

have been submitted in response to the 

prior opportunities for comment 

described above. 

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 25 

Aircraft, Aviation safety, Reporting 

and recordkeeping requirements. 

The authority citation for these 

special conditions is as follows: 

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701, 

44702, 44704. 

The Special Conditions 

Accordingly, pursuant to the 

authority delegated to me by the 

Administrator, the following special 

conditions are issued as part of the type 

certification basis for Embraer S.A. 

Model EMB–550 airplanes. 

In the absence of specific 

requirements for sidestick controllers, 

the following Special Conditions apply: 

1. Pilot strength: In lieu of the control 

force limits shown in § 25.143(d) for 

pitch and roll and in lieu of the specific 

pitch force requirements of 

§§ 25.143(i)(2), 25.145(b), and 25.175(d), 

it must be shown that the temporary and 

maximum prolonged force levels for the 

sidestick controllers are suitable for all 

expected operating conditions and 

configurations, whether normal or nonnormal. 

2. Pilot control authority: The 

electronic sidestick controller coupling 

design must provide for corrective and/ 

or overriding control inputs by either 

pilot with no unsafe characteristics. 

Annunciation of the controller status 

must be provided and must not be 

confusing to the flightcrew. 

3. Pilot control: It must be shown by 

flight tests that the use of sidestick 

controllers does not produce unsuitable 

pilot-in-the-loop control characteristics 

when considering precision path 

control/tasks and turbulence. In 

addition, pitch and roll control force 

and displacement sensitivity must be 

compatible, so that normal inputs on 

one control axis will not cause 

significant unintentional inputs on the 

other. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on 

September 6, 2013. 

Jeffrey E. Duven, 

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2013–25206 Filed 10–24–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2013–0881; Directorate 

Identifier 2013–SW–056–AD; Amendment 

39–17628; AD 2013–20–51] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; 

AgustaWestland S.p.A. (Agusta) 

Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule; request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for Agusta 

Model A109A, A109A II, A109C, 

A109E, A109K2, A109S, AW109SP, 

A119, and AW119 MKII helicopters. 

The emergency AD was sent previously 

to all known U.S. owners and operators 

of these helicopters. This AD requires, 

before further flight, inspecting certain 

Thomas coupling nuts on the tail rotor 

drive shaft line for a crack and replacing 

all the nuts if any nut is cracked. Also 

this AD requires replacing all affected 

Thomas coupling nuts within 10 hours 

time-in-service (TIS) or 30 days, 

whichever occurs first. This AD was 

prompted by two incidents of cracking 

on the nuts that connect the flexible 

disc coupling (Thomas coupling) with 

the splined adapter on the tail rotor 

drive shaft. We are issuing this AD to 

correct the unsafe condition on these 

helicopters. 

DATES: This AD is effective October 25, 

2013 to all persons except those persons 

to whom it was made immediately 

effective by Emergency AD 2013–20–51, 

issued on October 3, 2013, which 

contained the requirements of this 

amendment. 

We must receive comments on this 

AD by December 24, 2013. 

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: Deliver to Mail 

address above 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 AD, the foreign 

authority’s AD, the economic 

evaluation, any comments received, and 

other information. The street address for 

the Docket Operations Office (phone: 

800–647–5527) is in the ADDRESSES

section. 

For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Agusta Westland, 

Customer Support & Services, Via Per 

Tornavento 15, 21019 Somma Lombardo 

(VA) Italy, ATTN: Giovanni Cecchelli; 

telephone 39–0331–711133; fax 39 0331 

711180; or at http://

www.agustawestland.com/technicalbullettins. 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, TX 76137; 

telephone: (817) 222–5110; email 

gary.b.roach@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

On October 3, 2013, we issued 

Emergency AD 2013–20–51, which 

requires, before further flight, inspecting 

certain Thomas coupling nuts on the tail 

rotor drive shaft line for a crack and 

replacing all the nuts if any nut is 

cracked. Also the emergency AD 

requires replacing all affected Thomas 

coupling nuts within 10 hours TIS or 30 

days, whichever occurs first. This 

emergency AD was sent previously to 

all known U.S. owners and operators of 

these helicopters. This action was 

prompted by two incidents of cracking 

on the nuts that connect the flexible 

disc coupling (Thomas coupling) with 

the splined adapter on the tail rotor 

drive shaft. 

The European Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA), which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Union, has issued EASA AD No. 2013– 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with RULES
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 207 / Friday, October 25, 2013 / Rules and Regulations 63851 

0225–E, dated September 20, 2013, to 

correct an unsafe condition for certain 

Agusta Model A109A, A109A II, A109C, 

A109E, A109K2, A109S, AW109SP, 

A119, and AW119 MKII helicopters. 

The EASA advises that during 

scheduled inspection on the tail rotor 

drive shaft line of two in-service Model 

AW109SP helicopters, one partnumbered nut that connects the Thomas 

coupling with the splined adapter was 

cracked. The subsequent investigation 

identified that the reported cracks of the 

nuts are the results of a production 

deficiency (hydrogen embrittlement) at 

the nut supplier. 

Related Service Information 

Agusta has issued the following 

service information: 

• Alert Bollettino Tecnico (ABT) No. 

109K–58 for all Model A109K2 

helicopters; 

• ABT No. 109–136, for all Model 

A109A, A109A II, and A109C 

helicopters; 

• ABT No. 109EP–130, for Model 

A109E helicopters up to and including 

serial number (S/N) 11832, except S/N 

11796, from 11808 to 11810, and from 

11812 to 11829; 

• ABT No. 109L–066 for all Model 

A109LUH helicopters; 

• ABT No. 109S–055, for all Model 

A109S helicopters; 

• ABT No. 109SP–069, for Model 

AW109SP helicopters up to including 

S/N 22316, except S/N 22284, 22286, 

22307, and 22308; and 

• ABT No. 119–061 for Model A119 

and AW119 MKII helicopters up to and 

including S/N 14811, except S/N 14805 

and 14807. 

All the ABTs are dated September 20, 

2013, and specify a one-time inspection 

of the Thomas coupling nuts, part 

number (P/N) MS21042L4. If any nut is 

cracked, the ABTs specify replacing all 

nuts with nuts, P/N NAS1805–4. 

FAA’s Determination 

These helicopters have been approved 

by the aviation authority of Italy and are 

approved for operation in the United 

States. Pursuant to our bilateral 

agreement with Italy, EASA, its 

technical representative, has notified us 

of the unsafe condition described in 

their 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. 

AD Requirements 

This AD requires, before further flight, 

visually inspecting each Thomas 

coupling nut, P/N MS2104L4, along the 

tail rotor drive shaft line for a crack. If 

any nut is cracked, replacing all the nuts 

with nuts, P/N NAS1805–4, is required 

before further flight. Replacing all nuts, 

P/N MS21042L4, with nuts, P/N 

NAS1805–4, is required within 10 hours 

TIS or 30 days, whichever occurs first. 

Finally, this AD prohibits installing a 

Thomas coupling nut, P/N MS21042L4, 

on any tail rotor drive shaft line. 

Differences Between This AD and the 

EASA AD 

This AD differs from the EASA AD in 

that we include all model helicopters 

rather than limiting the applicability to 

specific serial-numbered helicopters, 

and we do not include Model A109LUH 

helicopters as they do not have a U.S. 

type certificate. 

FAA’s Justification and Determination 

of the Effective Date 

Providing an opportunity for public 

comments prior to adopting these AD 

requirements would delay 

implementing the safety actions needed 

to correct this known unsafe condition. 

Therefore, we find that the risk to the 

flying public justifies waiving notice 

and comment prior to adoption of this 

rule because inspecting for and 

replacing a cracked nut must be done 

before further flight, and replacing all 

nuts is required within 10 hours TIS or 

30 days, whichever occurs first, which 

is a very short time period based on the 

average flight-hour utilization rate of 

these helicopters. 

Since an unsafe condition exists that 

requires the immediate adoption of this 

AD, we determined that notice and 

opportunity for prior public comment 

are impracticable and that good cause 

exists for making this amendment 

effective in less than 30 days. 

Comments Invited 

This AD is a final rule that involves 

requirements affecting flight safety and 

was not preceded by notice and an 

opportunity for public comment. 

However, we invite you to send any 

written data, views, or arguments about 

this AD. Send your comments to an 

address listed under the ADDRESSES

section. Include the Docket Number 

FAA–2013–0881 and Directorate 

Identifier 2013–SW–056–AD at the 

beginning of your comments. We 

specifically invite comments on the 

overall regulatory, economic, 

environmental, and energy aspects of 

this AD. We will consider all comments 

received by the closing date and may 

amend this AD because 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 we receive 

about this AD. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this AD will affect 

222 helicopters of U.S. Registry. We 

estimate the following costs to comply 

with this AD. Labor costs are estimated 

at $85 per hour. We estimate 2 work 

hours to inspect each nut and 16 work 

hours to replace all nuts at a cost of 

$1,530 per helicopter and a total fleet 

cost of $339,600. 

According to the manufacturer, the 

costs of this AD may be covered under 

warranty, thereby reducing the cost to 

affected individuals. We do not control 

warranty coverage for affected 

individuals. As a result, we have 

included all costs in our cost estimate. 

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 


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63852 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 207 / Friday, October 25, 2013 / Rules and Regulations 

(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): 

2013–20–51 Agusta S.p.A: Amendment 39– 

17628; Docket No. FAA–2013–0881; 

Directorate Identifier 2013–SW–056–AD. 

(a) Applicability 

This AD applies to the following Agusta 

S.p.A. (Type certificate currently held by 

AgustaWestland S.p.A) (Agusta) helicopters, 

with a tail rotor drive shaft flexible disc 

coupling (Thomas coupling) nut, part 

number (P/N) MS21042L4, certificated in any 

category: 

(i) Model A109A, A109A II, A109C, A109E, 

A109S, A109K2, AW109SP helicopters; and 

(ii) Model A119 and AW119 MKII 

helicopters. 

(b) Unsafe Condition 

This AD defines the unsafe condition as a 

production deficiency in a certain Thomas 

coupling nut. This condition could result in 

failure of the Thomas coupling, failure of the 

tail drive shaft, and subsequent loss of 

control of the helicopter. 

(c) Effective Date 

This AD is effective October 25, 2013 to all 

persons except those persons to whom it was 

made immediately effective by Emergency 

AD 2013–20–51, issued on October 3, 2013, 

which contained the requirements of this 

amendment. 

(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 

(1) Before further flight, using a borescope 

or light source and mirror, inspect each 

Thomas coupling nut for a crack. If any 

Thomas coupling nut is cracked, before 

further flight, replace all the Thomas 

coupling nuts with nuts, P/N NAS1805–4, 

torqueing each nut to 5.6–7.9 Nm. 

(2) Within 10 hours time-in-service or 30 

days, whichever occurs first, replace each 

Thomas coupling nut, P/N MS21042L4, with 

a nut, P/N NAS1805–4, torqueing each nut to 

5.6–7.9 Nm. 

(3) After the effective date of this EAD, do 

not install a nut, P/N MS21042L4, on any 

Thomas coupling. 

(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, TX 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 

(1) Agusta Alert Bollettino Tecnico (ABT) 

No. 109K–58, ABT No. 109–136, ABT No. 

109EP–130, ABT No. 109L–066, ABT No. 

109S–055, ABT No. 109SP–069, and ABT No. 

119–061, all dated September 20, 2013, 

which are not incorporated by reference, 

contain additional information about the 

subject of this AD. For service information 

identified in this AD, contact: Agusta 

Westland, Customer Support & Services, Via 

Per Tornavento 15, 21019 Somma Lombardo 

(VA) Italy, ATTN: Giovanni Cecchelli; 

telephone 39–0331–711133; fax 39 0331 

711180; or at http://

www.agustawestland.com/technicalbullettins. You may review a copy of the 

service information at the FAA, Office of the 

Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 2601 

Meacham Blvd., Room 663, Fort Worth, 

Texas 76137. 

(2) The subject of this AD is addressed in 

European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) 

Emergency Airworthiness Directive 2013– 

0225–E, effective September 21, 2013. You 

may view the EASA AD at http://

www.regulations.gov in Docket No. FAA– 

2013–0881. 

(h) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC): 

6400 Tail rotor system. 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on October 16, 

2013. 

Kim Smith, 

Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft 

Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2013–24937 Filed 10–24–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2013–0262; Directorate 

Identifier 2013–NE–13–AD; Amendment 39– 

17548; AD 2013–16–10] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Hamilton 

Standard Division and Hamilton 

Sundstrand Corporation Propellers 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule; correction. 

SUMMARY: The FAA is correcting an 

airworthiness directive (AD) that 

published in the Federal Register. That 

AD applies to all Hamilton Standard 

Division model 6/5500/F and 24PF and 

Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation 

model 14RF, 14SF, 247F, and 568F 

series propellers. A maintenance 

manual number in paragraph (g) of the 

Compliance section is incorrect. This 

document corrects that error. In all other 

respects, the original document remains 

the same. 

DATES: This final rule is effective 

October 25, 2013. The effective date for 

AD 2013–16–10 (78 FR 49660, August 

15, 2013) remains September 19, 2013. 

ADDRESSES: You may examine the AD 

docket on the Internet at http://

www.regulations.gov; 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 

Document 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: 

Michael Schwetz, Aerospace Engineer, 

Boston Aircraft Certification Office, 

FAA, 12 New England Executive Park, 

Burlington, MA 01803; phone: 781– 

238–7761; fax: 781–238–7170; email: 

michael.schwetz@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: AD 2013– 

16–10, Amendment 39–17548 (78 FR 

49660, August 15, 2013), currently 

requires incorporating inspections, 

based on a calendar time, into the 

propeller maintenance schedule for 

Hamilton Standard Division model 6/

5500/F and 24PF and Hamilton 

Sundstrand Corporation model 14RF, 

14SF, 247F, and 568F series propellers. 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with RULES