[F ed eral Register: March 5, 20 01 (Volu me 66, Number 43)] [Rules and Regu la tion s] [Page 13232-13234] From the Federal Register Online via GPO A ccess [w ais

. access

. gpo.gov] [D O CID: fr05mr01-3] DEPARTMENT

OF TRAN SPO RTA TION Fed e ral Av iatio
n Administration 14 CFR Part 39 [Docket No. 200o-sw
31 -AD

; Amendment 39-1 2131; AD 20 01-04

- 12] RIN 212 0-AA
6 4 Airwo

r thiness Dire cti ves; Eurocopter France Model EC120

8 Helicopt er s AGENCY: Fed era

l Aviation Administration,

DO T. ACTION: Final rule; request for comments

. SUMMARY: This amendment adopts

a new airworthi
ne ss directiv

e (AD) for Eu roc opt er Fr ance Model EC1 20B hel

i copters.
Th
i s action re qui res vi s ually checking the engine to main gearbox coupling tube assembly (tube) for
a crack and replacing any cracked tube. This amendment
is pro mp ted by a report of a crack detected on a tub e. The actions specifie

d by th i s AD ar e intended

t o prevent

a tube fai lure, loss of engine drive, an d a subsequent forced landing. DA TE S: Effe ctiv e M ar ch 20, 200

1 . Comm ent
s for inc lus ion in the Rul es Do cket must be rec eiv ed on or before May 4, 2001. AD D RESS ES: Submit comments
in trip

l icat
e to th

e Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Office of the Regional Counsel, Southwest RegiQ Attention: Rules Dock et No. **200~SW-31-AD,** 2601 M eacham Blvd., Room 663, For t W or th, Tex as 7613 7. You may
a ls o send comments

e le ctronically to the Rules Docket at the following address:9-asw-adcomments®faa.qov. FO R FURTHER

I NFORMATION

CO NTACT: Pau

l Mad ej, Aviation Safety **Eng in**  **e~** FAA, Rot o rcraft Directorate, Rotorcraft Standards Staff, Fort Worth, Texas 76193-0110, telephone {817) **22~5125,** fax (817) **22~5961.** SU PPL EMENTARY INFORMATION: The Directio

n Gener

a le De L

' Aviation **v~** {DGAC), the airworthiness authority for France, notified the FAA that an unsafe condition

m a y exist on Eurocopter France Model EC120B h eli copters equ ip ped wi th tub e, part nu mb er

( P/N
) C631A1101101. The DGAC adv is es that

a crack was reported on a reinforced tube, which **~** lead to a tube failure. Eurocopter France has issued Eurocopter Service Bulletin 05003, dated July 20, 2000, which

s pecifies visually checking each tube, P/N C631Al101101,
for
a crack. This helicopter model is manu

f actured in France and is type certificated
for operation
in the United States under the provisionwf 14 CFR 21.29 and the applicable bilateral airworthiness agreement. Pursuant to this bilateral airworthiness agreement, the DGAC has kept th e FAA informed
of the situatio

n described above. The FAA ha s **ex am**  **~** the find

i ngs of the DGAC,

r e viewed all available information, and determined that AD action is necessary for products of this type **de~** that are certificated for
o p eration in the Uni te d States. Sinc
e we have identified
an unsafe condition that is likely to exist or develop on other Eurocopter France Model EC120B helicopterwf the same type design registered
in the United States, this AD is **be~** issued to prevent failure of a tube, P/N C631All01101

. This AD **requ~** visually checking each tube, P/N C631A1101101,
for
a crack. The short

4 / 29/2011 3:09:20 PM Page

I of4compliance time involved
is required because the previously described critical unsafe condition can adversely affect the structural integttjy of the helicopter. Therefore, visually checking each tube, P/N C631A1101101,
for
a crack within the next

5 hours timein-service (TIS) and thereafter
at intervals not to exceed

5 hours TIS and replacing [[Page 13233)) any cracked tube with an airworthy tube before further flight are required, and this AD must be issued immediately

. The owner/operator (pilot) may perform the visual check requirecby this AD and must enter compliance with paragraph
(a) of this AD into the aircraft maintenance records in accordance with 14 CFR 43.11 and 91.417(a) (2) (v). This AD allows

a pilot to perform this check because it involves only

a visual check for
a cracke

d tube and can be perfonnd equally well by a pilot or a mechanic. 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 existsdr making this amendment effective
in

l ess than 30 days. The FAA estimates that 30 hel

i cop ters will be affected by this proposed AD, that it will take approximately

2 work hours to check **~** tube, and that the average labor rate is $60 per work hour.
A replacement tube will cost approximate

l y $4020 per helicopte

r and wDl require approximately

2 work hours to install. Based on these figures and on an assumption
of one replacement and 100 checks per year per helicopter, the total cost impact of the AD on u.s. operators
is estimated
to be $484,200. 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 **submi~** in triplicate
to the address specified under the caption ADDRESSES.

]q communications received on or before the closing dates 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 aspec ts of the rule that might suggest

a need to modify the rule

. A l l comments submitted will be available
in the Rules Docket for examination
by interested personsA report that summarizes each FAApublic contact concerned with the substance
of this AD will be filed in the Rules Docket. Commenters wishing the FAA to acknowledge receipt of their mailed comments submitted
in response to this rule must submit

a **sel~** addressed, stamped postcard on which the following statement
is made

: ''Comments
to Docket No. **200~SW-31-AD.''**
The postcard will be date stamped and returned
to the commenter. The regulations adopted herein 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. Therefore,

ti is determined that this final rule does not have federalism implications under Executive Order 13132. 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 Regulatqr 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 4/29/20 II 3:09:20 PM Page 2 of4location provided under the caption ADDRESSES. List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39 Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Safety. Adoption
of the Amendment Accord

i ngly, pursuant to the authority dele ga ted to me by the Adm ini strator, the Federal Aviati

o n Admi
n istration amends part 39 of the Fe deral Aviation Regulations
(14 CFR part 39) as fo l lows

: PART 39-- AI RWORTH IN ESS DIRECTIVES 1. The
a uthority citation for part 39 conti nu es to
r ead as follaw. Authority:
49 U. S.C

. 10 6(g), 40113, 44701. Sec

. 39.13 (Amended] 2. Sec tio n 39 .1 3 is amended by addin

g a new airworthiness **direc~** to read as follows

: 2001

- 04-12 Eurocopter France: Amendment **3~12131.** Docket No. **200~** SW -31 -AD

. Applicability: Model EC120B helicopters, with engine to main gea rb ox (M GB ) coup

l ing tube assembly (tube), part number C63

1 A1101 10 1, ins ta lled, certificated

i n any category. Note

1 : This AD applies to each helicopter identified
in the preceding applicability provis io n, regardless
of whether it has been ot herw ise mod ifie d, alter ed

, or repaired
in the area su b ject to the requirements

of th i s AD. For he li copters that have been modified, altered, or repaired
so that the performance

of the requirements

of thi
s AD is affected, the own er/op

e rator must request ap pr oval

f or an alt ern ati ve method of co mpli ance in acc ordan ce w i th pa rag rap h
( d ) of thi
s AD. The request should include an assessment
of the effect of the modification, alteration,

or repair on the unsafe condition add
r essed by this AD; and if the unsafe condition has not been eliminated

, the re qu est should include

s p ecific proposed act

i ons to address
it

. Compliance: Required as indicated, unless accomplis

h ed previously

. To prevent

a tube failure, loss of engine drive, and
a subsequent forced landing, accomplish the following: (a) Within

5 hours **tim~in-service** (TIS) and thereafter

at in tervals not to exceed

5 hours TIS, visually check each affected tube for
a crack as follows: (1) Open the left and right cowlings. (2) Check inside the MGB in the area of the tube cylindrical casing on either side of

t he fitting th at attaches the tube to the MGB. (b) Before further flight, replace any cracked tube with an airworthy tube. Note 2: Eurocopter France Service Bulletin 05003, dated July 20, 2000, pertains
to the subject of this AD. (c) An owner/operator (pilot) holding at least

a private pilot certificate may perform the visual check required by paragraph
(a) and must enter compliance with paragraph
(a) of this AD into the aircraft maintenance records in accordance with 14 CFR 43.11 and 91.417(a) (2) (v). (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, Regulations Group, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA. Operators shall submit their requ ests through an FAA Principal Maintenance Inspector, who may concur or comment and 4/29/2011 3:09:20 PM Page
3 of4thensenditto theManager,RegulationsGroup.Note3:InformationconcerningtheexistenceofapprovedalternativemethodsofcompliancewiththisAD,ifany,maybeobtainedfromtheRegulationsGroup.(e)Specialflightpermitswillnotbeissued.(f)ThisamendmentbecomeseffectiveonMarch20,2001.Note4:ThesubjectofthisADisaddressedinDirectionGeneralDeL'AviationCivile(France),AD200G176-004(A)R1,datedAugust23,2000.[[Page13234))IssuedinFortWorth,Texas,onFebruary20,2001.EricBries,ActingManager,RotorcraftDirectorate,AircraftCertification[FRDoc.01-5166Filed3-2-01i8:45am]BILLINGCODE4/29/20113:09:20PMPage4of4