34798 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 123 / Friday, June 26, 1998 /Rules and Regulations

(b) Before further flight, and thereafter at

intervals not to exceed 15 hours time-inservice (TIS), at each bearing support:

(1) Inspect each bearing attaching lock

plate that was installed with the Fenestron

Shaft Retrofit Kit L 535M3002 882 for bentopen tabs.

(2) Inspect for broken or missing slippage

marks that may indicate looseness or rotation

of attaching hardware.

(3) If a lock plate tab is bent open on

bearing supports A, B, or C (shown in Figure

1), or if slippage marks are broken or missing,

contact the Manager, Rotorcraft Standards

Staff.

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P

BILLING CODE 4910–13–C

(c) Before further flight, and thereafter at

intervals not to exceed 15 hours TIS, using

a 6-power or higher magnifying glass and a

bright light, visually inspect bearing supports

B and C as shown in Figure 1 for cracks. If

a crack is found, replace the bearing support

with an airworthy bearing support.

(d) An alternative method of compliance or

adjustment of the compliance time that

provides an acceptable level of safety may be

used if approved by the Manager, Rotorcraft

Standards Staff, FAA. Operators shall submit

their requests through an FAA Principal

Maintenance Inspector, who may concur or

comment and then send it to the Manager,

Rotorcraft Standards Staff.

Note 2: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this AD, if any, may be

obtained from the Rotorcraft Standards Staff.

(e) Special flight permits will not be

issued.

(f) This amendment becomes effective on

July 13, 1998, to all persons except those

persons to whom it was made immediately

effective by Priority Letter AD 98–09–11,

issued April 17, 1998, which contained the

requirements of this amendment.

Note 3: The subject of this AD is addressed

in Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (Federal Republic of

Germany) AD 1998–033/5, dated April 6,

1998.

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on June 18,

1998.

Eric Bries,

Acting Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate,

Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 98–17023 Filed 6–25–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 97–SW–65–AD; Amendment

39–10619; AD 98–13–28]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Agusta

S.p.A. Model A109C and A109K2

Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; request for

comments.

SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a

new airworthiness directive (AD) that is

applicable to Agusta S.p.A. (Agusta)

Model A109C and A109K2 helicopters.

This action requires a one-time

inspection of each tail rotor blade

(blade) for debonding, and if debonding

exists which exceeds certain limits,
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 123 / Friday, June 26, 1998 /Rules and Regulations 34799

replacement of the blade with an

airworthy blade. This amendment is

prompted by two incidents in which

helicopters lost a blade tip fairing

during ground run-up. The actions

specified in this AD are intended to

prevent loss of the tip fairing on a blade,

which could result in increased

vibrations, loss of the tail rotor

assembly, and subsequent loss of

control of the helicopter.

DATES: Effective July 13, 1998.

Comments for inclusion in the Rules

Docket must be received on or before

August 25, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in

triplicate to the Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), Office of the

Regional Counsel, Southwest Region,

Attention: Rules Docket No. 97–SW–65–

AD, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Room 663,

Fort Worth, Texas 76137.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Shep Blackman, Aerospace Engineer,

FAA, Rotorcraft Directorate, Rotorcraft

Standards Staff, 2601 Meacham Blvd.,

Fort Worth, Texas 76137, telephone

(817) 222–5296, fax (817) 222–5961.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

Registro Aeronautico Italiano (RAI)

which is the airworthiness authority for

Italy, recently notified the FAA that an

unsafe condition may exist on Agusta

Model A109C and A109K2 helicopters.

The RAI advises that a number of blades

may have been incorrectly

manufactured.

These helicopter models are

manufactured in Italy and are type

certificated for operation in the United

States under the provisions of section

21.29 of the Federal Aviation

Regulations (14 CFR 21.29) and the

applicable bilateral airworthiness

agreement. Pursuant to this bilateral

airworthiness agreement, the RAI has

kept the FAA informed of the situation

described above. The FAA has

examined the findings of the RAI,

reviewed all available information, and

determined that AD action is necessary

for products of this type design that are

certificated for operation in the United

States.

Since an unsafe condition has been

identified that is likely to exist or

develop on other Agusta Model A109C

and A109K2 of the same type design

registered in the United States, this AD

is being issued to prevent loss of the tip

fairing on the blade, which could result

in increased vibrations, loss of the tail

rotor assembly, and subsequent loss of

control of the helicopter.

The short compliance time involved

is required because the previously

described critical unsafe condition can

adversely affect the controllability of the

helicopter. Therefore, inspection of the

blades is required prior to further flight,

and this AD must be issued

immediately.

Since a situation exists that requires

the immediate adoption of this

regulation, it is found that notice and

opportunity for prior public comment

hereon are impracticable, and that good

cause exists for making this amendment

effective in less than 30 days.

The FAA estimates that 22 helicopters

of U.S. registry will be affected by this

AD, that it will take approximately 3

hours to accomplish the inspection and

replacement, if necessary, and that the

average labor rate is $60 per work hour.

Required parts will cost approximately

$11,000 per helicopter. Based on these

figures, the total cost impact of the AD

on U.S. operators is estimated to be

$245,960.

Comments Invited

Although this action is in the form of

a final rule that involves requirements

affecting flight safety and, thus, was not

preceded by notice and an opportunity

for public comment, comments are

invited on this rule. Interested persons

are invited to comment on this rule by

submitting such written data, views, or

arguments as they may desire.

Communications should identify the

Rules Docket number and be submitted

in triplicate to the address specified

under the caption ADDRESSES. All

communications received on or before

the closing date for comments will be

considered, and this rule may be

amended in light of the comments

received. Factual information that

supports the commenter’s ideas and

suggestions is extremely helpful in

evaluating the effectiveness of the AD

action and determining whether

additional rulemaking action would be

needed.

Comments are specifically invited on

the overall regulatory, economic,

environmental, and energy aspects of

the rule that might suggest a need to

modify the rule. All comments

submitted will be available, both before

and after the closing date for comments,

in the Rules Docket for examination by

interested persons. A report that

summarizes each FAA-public contact

concerned with the substance of this AD

will be filed in the Rules Docket.

Commenters wishing the FAA to

acknowledge receipt of their comments

submitted in response to this rule must

submit a self-addressed, stamped

postcard on which the following

statement is made: ‘‘Comments to

Docket No. 97–SW–65–AD.’’ The

postcard will be date stamped and

returned to the commenter.

The regulations adopted herein will

not have substantial direct effects 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. Therefore, in

accordance with Executive Order 12612,

it is determined that this final rule does

not have sufficient federalism

implications to warrant the preparation

of a Federalism Assessment.

The FAA has determined that this

regulation is an emergency regulation

that must be issued immediately to

correct an unsafe condition in aircraft,

and that it is not a ‘‘significant

regulatory action’’ under Executive

Order 12866. It has been determined

further that this action involves an

emergency regulation under DOT

Regulatory Policies and Procedures (44

FR 11034, February 26, 1979). If it is

determined that this emergency

regulation otherwise would be

significant under DOT Regulatory

Policies and Procedures, a final

regulatory evaluation will be prepared

and placed in the Rules Docket. A copy

of it, if filed, may be obtained from the

Rules Docket at the location provided

under the caption ADDRESSES.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation

safety, Safety.

Adoption of the Amendment

Accordingly, pursuant to the

authority delegated to me by the

Administrator, the Federal Aviation

Administration amends part 39 of the

Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR

part 39) as follows:

PART 39—AIRWORTHINESS

DIRECTIVES

1. The authority citation for part 39

continues to read as follows:

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

§ 39.13 [Amended]

2. Section 39.13 is amended by

adding a new airworthiness directive to

read as follows:

AD 98–13–28 AGUSTA S.p.A.: Amendment

39–10619. Docket No. 97–SW–65–AD.

Applicability: Model A109C and A109K2

helicopters, with tail rotor blades (blades),

part number (P/N) 109–8132–01–107, serial

number A5-all dash numbers, installed,

certificated in any category.

Note 1: This AD applies to each helicopter

identified in the preceding applicability

provision, regardless of whether it has been

modified, altered, or repaired in the area

subject to the requirements of this AD. For

helicopters that have been modified, altered,

or repaired so that the performance of the
34800 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 123 / Friday, June 26, 1998 /Rules and Regulations

requirements of this AD is affected, the

owner/operator must use the authority

provided in paragraph (d) to request approval

from the FAA. This approval may address

either no action, if the current configuration

eliminates the unsafe condition, or different

actions necessary to address the unsafe

condition described in this AD. Such a

request should include an assessment of the

effect of the changed configuration on the

unsafe condition addressed by this AD. In no

case does the presence of any modification,

alteration, or repair remove any helicopter

from the applicability of this AD.

Compliance: Required before further flight,

unless accomplished previously.

To prevent loss of the tip fairing on the

blade, which could result in increased

vibrations, loss of the tail rotor assembly, and

subsequent loss of control of the helicopter,

accomplish the following:

(a) Perform a one-time inspection of each

tail rotor blade for debonds. The area to be

inspected is located in a spanwise band from

620.0 mm to 670.0 mm (24.4 to 26.4 inches),

as measured outboard from the blade

retention bolt centerline. Inspect the entire

blade surface on both sides of each blade

within this band (see Figure 1).

Note 2: Agusta Bollettino Tecnico

(Technical Bulletin) Number 109K–15,

Revision A, dated April 18, 1997, pertains to

the subject of this AD.

(b) Perform a tapping inspection to detect

debonds within the blade surface area

identified in paragraph (a) of this AD, using

an aluminum hammer, P/N 109–3101–58–2,

or equivalent. The presence of paint cracks

on the tail rotor blade upper or lower surface

in the tip fairing area at the 670.0 mm

spanwise location (see Figure 1) may indicate

that debonds exist.

(c) Any blade that does not meet the

allowable debond criteria specified in the

applicable maintenance manual must be

replaced with an airworthy blade before

further flight.

(d) An alternative method of compliance or

adjustment of the compliance time that

provides an acceptable level of safety may be

used if approved by the Manager, FAA,

Rotorcraft Directorate, Rotorcraft Standards

Staff. Operators shall submit their requests

through an FAA Principal Maintenance

Inspector, who may concur or comment and

then send it to the Manager, Rotorcraft

Standards Staff.

Note 3: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this AD, if any, may be

obtained from the Rotorcraft Standards Staff.

(e) Special flight permits may be issued in

accordance with sections 21.197 and 21.199

of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR

21.197 and 21.199) to operate the helicopter

to a location where the requirements of this

AD can be accomplished.

(f) This amendment becomes effective on

July 13, 1998.

Note 4: The subject of this AD is addressed

in Registro Aeronautico Italiano (Italy) AD

97–124 and AD 97–125, both dated April 30,

1997.

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on June 15,

1998.

Eric Bries,

Acting Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate,

Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 98–16612 Filed 6–25–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 98–CE–60–AD; Amendment 39–

10634; AD 98–13–41]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Cessna

Aircraft Company Model 172R

Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; request for

comments.

SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a

new airworthiness directive (AD) that

applies to certain Cessna Aircraft

Company (Cessna) Model 172R

airplanes. This action requires:

inspecting for incorrectly routed aileron

control cables in the center console area;

inspecting for incorrectly routed aileron

control cables in the right-hand (RH)