Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 205 / Tuesday, October 23, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 64709 

any helicopter unless it has been inspected 

as required by this AD. 

(f) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, Safety Management 

Group, FAA, may approve AMOCs for this 

AD. Send your proposal to: Rao Edupuganti, 

Aviation Safety Engineer, Regulations and 

Policy Group, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 

2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 

76137; telephone (817) 222–5110; email rao.

edupuganti@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) Eurocopter Emergency Alert Service 

Bulletin No. 63A011, Revision 0, dated 

August 1, 2012, which is not incorporated by 

reference, contains additional information 

about the subject of this AD. For service 

information identified in this AD, contact 

American Eurocopter Corporation, 2701 N. 

Forum Drive, Grand Prairie, TX 75052; 

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

fax (972) 641–3775; or at http://www.

eurocopter.com/techpub. 

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 AD No. 

2012–0144–E, dated August 1, 2012. 

(h) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 6320: Main Rotor Gearbox. 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on October 15, 

2012. 

Lance T. Gant, 

Acting Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–25894 Filed 10–22–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2012–0342; Directorate 

Identifier 2011–SW–028–AD; Amendment 

39–17216; AD 2012–21–01] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; MD 

Helicopters, Inc. 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) to 

supersede an existing airworthiness 

directive for MD Helicopters, Inc. 

(MDHI), Model MD900 helicopters. The 

existing AD requires a visual inspection, 

and if necessary, an eddy current 

inspection of the main rotor lower hub 

assembly (lower hub) for a crack. If a 

crack exists, the AD requires replacing 

the lower hub with an airworthy lower 

hub before further flight. Because that 

AD was immediately effective, we 

declined to require certain long-term 

actions prior to public comment. This 

superseding AD will require the same 

inspections as the existing AD but will 

also require long-term recurring 

inspections and replacing the lower hub 

with an airworthy lower hub. We are 

issuing this AD to detect a crack in the 

lower hub and prevent failure of the 

lower hub and subsequent loss of 

control of the helicopter. 

DATES: This AD is effective November 

27, 2012. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of certain documents listed in this AD 

as of November 27, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: For service information 

identified in this AD, contact MD 

Helicopters Inc., Attn: Customer 

Support Division, 4555 E. McDowell 

Rd., Mail Stop M615, Mesa, AZ 85215– 

9734, telephone 1–800–388–3378, fax 

480–346–6813, or at http:// 

www.mdhelicopters.com. You may 

review a copy of the referenced service 

information at the FAA, Office of the 

Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 

2601 Meacham Blvd., Room 663, Fort 

Worth Texas 76137. 

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, any 

incorporated-by-reference service 

information, the economic evaluation, 

any comments received, and other 

information. The street address for the 

Docket Operations Office (phone: 800– 

647–5527) is U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations 

Office, M–30, West Building Ground 

Floor, Room W12–140, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eric 

Schrieber, Aviation Safety Engineer, Los 

Angeles Aircraft Certification Office, 

Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, 

3960 Paramount Blvd., Lakewood, CA 

90712; telephone (562) 627–5348; email 

eric.schrieber@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

On March 29, 2012, at 77 FR 18963, 

the Federal Register published our 

notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), 

which proposed to amend 14 CFR part 

39 to include an AD that would apply 

to MDHI Model MD900 helicopters. 

That NPRM proposed to supersede an 

existing AD to require the same 

inspections as the existing AD but also 

require recurring inspections and 

replacing the lower hub with an 

airworthy lower hub. The proposed 

requirements were intended to detect a 

crack in the lower hub and prevent 

failure of the lower hub and subsequent 

loss of control of the helicopter. 

Comments 

We gave the public the opportunity to 

participate in developing this AD, but 

we received no comments on the NPRM. 

FAA’s Determination 

We have reviewed the relevant 

information and determined that an 

unsafe condition exists and is likely to 

exist or develop on other products of 

these same type designs and that air 

safety and the public interest require 

adopting the AD requirements as 

proposed. 

Related Service Information 

We reviewed MDHI Service Bulletin 

SB900–117, dated January 14, 2011 

(SB). The SB specifies an initial 100- 

hour and recurring 300-hour visual and 

eddy current inspections of the lower 

hub for a crack and, if a crack exists, 

replacement of the lower hub with an 

airworthy lower hub. The SB requires 

the inspections at the stated intervals or 

during the next annual inspection, 

whichever occurs first. The SB also 

specifies replacing the lower hub within 

three years. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this AD will affect 

12 helicopters of U.S. registry. 

We estimate the following costs to 

comply with this AD: 

• Visually inspecting the hub. We 

estimate that will take one work-hour at 

$85 an hour, for a total cost per 

helicopter of $85 and a total cost of 

$1,020 for the fleet. 

• Eddy current inspecting the lower 

hub. We estimate that will take one 

work-hour at $85 an hour, for a total 

cost per helicopter of $85 and a total 

cost of $1,020 for the fleet. 

• Replacing the lower hub. We 

estimate that will take 11 work-hours at 

$85 an hour for a total labor cost of 

$935, and that parts will cost $12,480 

per hub, for a total cost of $13,415 per 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with RULES
64710 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 205 / Tuesday, October 23, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 

helicopter and a total cost of $160,980 

for the fleet. 

• The costs for U.S. operators will 

total $163,020, assuming that the lower 

hubs for the entire fleet get replaced. 

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 

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 

(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 

removing airworthiness directive (AD) 

2011–14–05, Amendment 39–16740 (76 

FR 41662, July 15, 2011), and adding the 

following new AD: 

2012–21–01 MD HELICOPTERS, Inc. 

(MDHI): Amendment 39–17216; Docket 

No. FAA–2012–0342; Directorate 

Identifier 2011–SW–028–AD. 

(a) Applicability 

This AD applies to MDHI Model MD900 

helicopters with main rotor lower hub 

assembly (lower hub) part number 

900R2101008–107, with serial numbers 

beginning with 5009, certificated in any 

category. 

(b) Unsafe Condition 

This AD defines the unsafe condition as a 

crack in the main rotor lower hub assembly 

(lower hub). This condition could result in 

failure of the lower hub and subsequent loss 

of control of the helicopter. 

(c) Other Affected ADs 

This AD supersedes AD 2011–14–05, 

amendment 39–16740 (76 FR 41662, July 15, 

2011). 

(d) Effective Date 

This AD becomes effective November 27, 

2012. 

(e) 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. 

(f) Required Actions 

(1) Within 100 hours time-in-service (TIS) 

or during the next annual inspection, 

whichever occurs first, unless done within 

the last 200 hours TIS, and thereafter at 

intervals not to exceed 300 hours TIS or 

during the next annual inspection, whichever 

occurs first: 

(i) Visually inspect the sides and bottom of 

the area between the arms for the centering 

bearing and the areas adjacent to the 

bushings of the lower hub assembly for a 

crack. If there is a crack, before further flight, 

replace the lower hub with an airworthy 

lower hub. 

(ii) If the lower hub is not replaced as a 

result of the visual inspection required by 

paragraph (f)(1)(i) of this AD, eddy current 

inspect the lower hub for a crack by 

following the Accomplishment Instructions, 

paragraphs 2.A(2) through 2.A.(10)., of MD 

Helicopters Inc. Service Bulletin SB900–117, 

dated January 14, 2011. If there is a crack, 

before further flight, replace the lower hub 

with an airworthy hub. 

(2) The eddy current inspection required 

by paragraph (f)(1)(ii) of this AD must be 

done by a Level II technician with ASNT– 

TC–1A, CEN EN 4179, MIL–STD–410, 

NAS410, or equivalent certification in eddy 

current inspections. The technician must 

have done an eddy current inspection in the 

last 12 months. 

(3) Within 3 years, replace the lower hub 

with an airworthy lower hub not included in 

the Applicability section of this AD. This 

replacement is terminating action for the 

requirements of this AD. 

(g) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, Los Angeles Aircraft 

Certification Office (LAACO), FAA, may 

approve AMOCs for this AD. Send your 

proposal to: Eric Schrieber, Aviation Safety 

Engineer, Los Angeles Aircraft Certification 

Office, Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, 

3960 Paramount Blvd., Lakewood, CA 90712; 

telephone (562) 627–5348; email 

eric.schrieber@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. 

(h) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 2597, Equipment/furnishing system 

wiring. 

(i) Material Incorporated by Reference 

(1) The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

(IBR) of the service information listed in this 

paragraph under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR 

part 51. 

(2) You must use this service information 

as applicable to do the actions required by 

this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise. 

(i) MD Helicopters Inc. Service Bulletin 

SB900–117, dated January 14, 2011. 

(ii) Reserved. 

(3) For service information identified in 

this AD, contact MD Helicopters Inc., Attn: 

Customer Support Division, 4555 E. 

McDowell Rd., Mail Stop M615, Mesa, AZ 

85215–9734, telephone 1–800–388–3378, fax 

480–346–6813, or at http:// 

www.mdhelicopters.com. 

(4) You may view this service information 

at FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, 

Southwest Region, 2601 Meacham Blvd., 

Room 663, Fort Worth, Texas 76137. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call (817) 222–5110. 

(5) You may view this service information 

that is incorporated by reference at the 

National Archives and Records 

Administration (NARA). For information on 

the availability of this material at NARA, call 

(202) 741–6030, or go to: http:// 

www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibrlocations.html. 


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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 205 / Tuesday, October 23, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 64711 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on October 5, 

2012. 

Kim Smith, 

Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft 

Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–25387 Filed 10–22–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2010–0856; Directorate 

Identifier 2010–NM–117–AD; Amendment 

39–17224; AD 2012–21–08] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing 

Company Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are superseding an 

existing airworthiness directive (AD) for 

certain The Boeing Company Model 

737–600, –700, –700C, –800, and –900 

series airplanes. That AD currently 

requires installing and testing an 

updated version of the operational 

program software (OPS) of the flight 

control computers (FCCs). This new AD 

requires an inspection for part numbers 

of the operational program software of 

the flight control computers, and 

corrective actions if necessary. This AD 

was prompted by reports of undetected 

erroneous output from a single radio 

altimeter channel, which resulted in 

premature autothrottle retard during 

approach. We are issuing this AD to 

detect and correct an unsafe condition 

associated with erroneous output from a 

radio altimeter channel, which could 

result in premature autothrottle landing 

flare retard and the loss of automatic 

speed control, and consequent loss of 

control of the airplane. 

DATES: This AD is effective November 

27, 2012. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of certain publications listed in the AD 

as of November 27, 2012. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain other publication listed in 

this AD as of May 12, 2005 (70 FR 

17603, April 7, 2005). 

ADDRESSES: For service information 

identified in this AD, contact Boeing 

Commercial Airplanes, Attention: Data 

& Services Management, P.O. Box 3707, 

MC 2H–65, Seattle, WA 98124–2207; 

telephone 206–544–5000, extension 1; 

fax 206–766–5680; Internet https:// 

www.myboeingfleet.com. You may 

review copies of the referenced service 

information at the FAA, Transport 

Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue 

SW., Renton, Washington. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call 425–227–1221. 

Examining the AD Docket 

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: 

Gregg Nesemeier, Senior Aerospace 

Engineer, Systems and Equipment 

Branch, ANM–130S, FAA, Seattle 

Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), 1601 

Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 

98057–3356; phone: (425) 917–6479; 

fax: (425) 917–6590; email: 

gregg.nesemeier@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

We issued a supplemental Notice of 

Proposed Rulemaking (SNPRM) to 

amend 14 CFR part 39 to supersede 

airworthiness directive (AD) 2005–07– 

20, Amendment 39–14045 (70 FR 

17603, April 7, 2005). That AD applied 

to the specified products. That SNPRM 

published in the Federal Register on 

May 30, 2012 (77 FR 31758). The 

original NPRM (75 FR 57885, September 

23, 2010) proposed to require inspecting 

for part numbers of the OPS of the FCCs, 

and doing corrective actions if 

necessary. The SNPRM contained the 

same requirements as the original 

NPRM, but also proposed to supersede 

an existing AD to require new software. 

Comments 

We gave the public the opportunity to 

participate in developing this AD. The 

following presents the comments 

received on the SNPRM (77 FR 31758, 

May 30, 2012) and the FAA’s response 

to each comment. 

Support for the SNPRM (77 FR 31758, 

May 30, 2012) 

Boeing supports the SNPRM (77 FR 

31758, May 30, 2012). 

Requests To Use Alternative Service 

Information 

Europe Airpost and Southwest 

Airlines requested that we revise the 

SNPRM (77 FR 31758, May 30, 2012) to 

include Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 

737–22A1224, dated May 18, 2012, as 

an alternative method of compliance 

(AMOC) in the SNPRM. 

Europe Airpost explained that Boeing 

Alert Service Bulletin 737–22A1224, 

dated May 18, 2012, takes into account 

the latest version (and later versions) of 

the OPS part number (P/N) 2274–COL– 

AC1–07 (P6.0 version number) and OPS 

software of the FCC. 

Southwest Airlines explained that 

Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 737– 

22A1224, dated May 18, 2012, requires 

installation of FCC software P/N 2274– 

COL–AC1–07, and that its latest Model 

737–800 deliveries have FCC software 

P/N 2274–COL–AC1–07 installed. 

Southwest Airlines stated that it has 

begun installing this version of the FCC 

software into all its airplanes, using 

Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 737– 

22A1224, dated May 18, 2012. 

Southwest Airlines also reasoned that 

Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 737– 

22A1224, dated May 18, 2012, has 

already been approved as an AMOC for 

AD 2005–07–20, Amendment 39–14045 

(70 FR 17603, April 7, 2005). 

We agree with the commenters’ 

requests. We agree to allow use of 

Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 737– 

22A1224, dated May 18, 2012, for the 

installation actions specified in 

paragraphs (h)(1)(ii) and (h)(2) of this 

AD, although the compliance time for 

this final rule remains the same as 

proposed: Within 3 months after the 

effective date of this AD. We have 

reformatted and revised paragraphs 

(h)(1) and (h)(2) of this final rule 

accordingly. 

Request To Remove the Phrase ‘‘Fully 

Interchangeable’’ 

Paragraph (h)(1) of the SNPRM (77 FR 

31758, May 30, 2012) specified 

installation of certain software that is 

‘‘fully interchangeable’’ with the 

software specified in table 2 of the 

Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing 

Alert Service Bulletin 737–22A1211, 

dated April 13, 2010. Southwest 

Airlines requested that we revise the 

SNPRM by removing the phrase ‘‘fully 

interchangeable’’ from paragraph (h)(1) 

of the SNPRM and allowing, as 

acceptable in paragraphs (h)(1) and 

(h)(2) of the SNPRM, ‘‘subsequent 

software versions that have been 

approved by the Boeing Commercial 

Airplanes Organization Designation 

Authorization (ODA) after April 13, 


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