Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 11 / Friday, January 17, 2025 / Proposed Rules 5759 

availability of this material at the FAA, call 

206–231–3195. 

(5) You may view this material at the 

National Archives and Records 

Administration (NARA). For information on 

the availability of this material at NARA, 

visit www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ 

ibr-locations, or email fr.inspection@

nara.gov. 

Issued on January 8, 2025. 

Suzanne Masterson, 

Deputy Director, Integrated Certificate 

Management Division, Aircraft Certification 

Service. 

[FR Doc. 2025–00824 Filed 1–16–25; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2025–0006; Project 

Identifier MCAI–2023–00803–R] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus 

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 

Airbus Helicopters Model AS350B, 

AS350BA, AS350B1, AS350B2, 

AS350B3, AS350D, AS355E, AS355F, 

AS355F1, AS355F2, AS355N, and 

AS355NP helicopters. This proposed 

AD was prompted by a report of a 

sliding door that was locked in the open 

position detaching from the helicopter 

during flight. This proposed AD would 

require modifying certain upper rail 

rollers, installing a label on each sliding 

door, and prohibit installing affected 

upper rail rollers or a door having an 

affected upper rail roller. These actions 

are 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 NPRM by March 3, 2025. 

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 

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. 

AD Docket: You may examine the AD 

docket at regulations.gov under Docket 

No. FAA–2025–0006; 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 mandatory 

continuing airworthiness information 

(MCAI), any comments received, and 

other information. The street address for 

Docket Operations is listed above. 

Material Incorporated by Reference: 

• For EASA material identified in this 

proposed AD, contact EASA, KonradAdenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 Cologne, 

Germany; phone: +49 221 8999 000; 

email: ADs@easa.europa.eu; website: 

easa.europa.eu. You may find the EASA 

material on the EASA website at 

ad.easa.europa.eu. 

• You may view this material at the 

FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, 

Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood 

Parkway, 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 regulations.gov under 

Docket No. FAA–2025–0006. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Adam Hein, Aviation Safety Engineer, 

FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, 

Westbury, NY 11590; phone: (316) 946– 

4116; email: Adam.Hein@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 the ADDRESSES section. Include 

‘‘Docket No. FAA–2025–0006; Project 

Identifier MCAI–2023–00803–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 

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 Adam Hein, Aviation 

Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart 

Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 

11590; phone: (316) 946–4116; email: 

Adam.Hein@faa.gov. Any commentary 

that the FAA receives which 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 2023–0131, 

dated July 3, 2023 (EASA AD 2023– 

0131) (also referred to as the MCAI), to 

correct an unsafe condition on Airbus 

Helicopters Model AS 350 B, AS 350 D, 

AS 350 BA, AS 350 BB, AS 350 B1, AS 

350 B2, AS 350 B3, AS 355 E, AS 355 

F, AS 355 F1, AS 355 F2, AS 355 N, and 

AS 355 NP helicopters if equipped with 

a left-hand (LH) and/or right-hand 

sliding door. The MCAI states that a LH 

sliding door of a Model AS 350 

B3helicopter was lost while flying with 

the door locked in the open position. 

Design review determined that the 

upper rail roller had a single locking 

device instead of two separate locking 

devices, which is required for that type 

of fastener. 

This proposed AD would apply to 

Model AS350B, AS350BA, AS350B1, 

AS350B2, AS350D, AS355E, AS355F, 

AS355F1, AS355F2, AS355N, and 

AS355NP helicopters because they are 

also affected by this unsafe condition 

due to design similarity. 

The FAA is proposing this AD to 

address the insufficient upper rail roller 

locking mechanism of the sliding door. 

The unsafe condition, if not addressed, 

could lead to the sliding door detaching 

from the helicopter during flight, and 


KHAMMOND on DSK9W7S144PROD with PROPOSALS
5760 Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 11 / Friday, January 17, 2025 / Proposed Rules 

subsequent damage to the helicopter 

and injury to persons on the ground. 

You may examine the MCAI in the 

AD docket at regulations.gov under 

Docket No. FAA–2025–0006. 

Material Incorporated by Reference 

Under 1 CFR Part 51 

The FAA reviewed EASA AD 2023– 

0131, which requires modifying affected 

upper rail rollers and installing a label 

on each sliding door. EASA AD 2023– 

0131 also prohibits installing an affected 

upper rail roller, or a door having an 

affected upper rail roller installed, on 

any helicopter. This material is 

reasonably available because the 

interested parties have access to it 

through their normal course of business 

or by the means identified in the 

ADDRESSES section. 

FAA’s Determination 

These products have been approved 

by the aviation authority of another 

country and are approved for operation 

in the United States. Pursuant to the 

FAA’s bilateral agreement with this 

State of Design Authority, it has notified 

the FAA about the unsafe condition 

described in the MCAI. The FAA is 

issuing this NPRM after determining 

that the unsafe condition described 

previously is likely to exist or develop 

on other products of these same type 

designs. 

Proposed AD Requirements in This 

NPRM 

This proposed AD would require 

accomplishing the actions specified in 

EASA AD 2023–0131, 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 NPRM and the MCAI.’’ 

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 2023–0131 by 

reference in the FAA final rule. This 

proposed AD would, therefore, require 

compliance with EASA AD 2023–0131 

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 2023–0131 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 2023–0131. 

Material required by EASA AD 2023– 

0131 for compliance will be available at 

regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA– 

2025–0006 after the FAA final rule is 

published. 

Differences Between This NPRM and 

the MCAI 

EASA AD 2023–0131 applies to 

Model AS350BB helicopters, whereas 

this proposed AD would not because 

that model is not FAA-type certificated. 

Costs of Compliance 

The FAA estimates that this AD, if 

adopted as proposed, would affect 972 

helicopters of U.S. registry. Labor rates 

are estimated at $85 per work-hour. 

Based on these numbers, the FAA 

estimates that operators may incur the 

following costs in order to comply with 

this proposed AD. 

Modifying the upper rail rollers and 

installing a label on the sliding doors 

(up to two doors per helicopter) would 

take up to 8 work-hours and parts 

would cost $2,668 for an estimated cost 

of up to $3,348 per helicopter and 

$3,254,256 for the U.S. fleet. 

The FAA has included all known 

costs in its cost estimate. According to 

the manufacturer, however, some of the 

costs of this proposed AD may be 

covered under warranty, thereby 

reducing the cost impact on affected 

operators. 

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: Docket No. FAA–2025– 

0006; Project Identifier MCAI–2023– 

00803–R. 

(a) Comments Due Date 

The FAA must receive comments on this 

airworthiness directive (AD) by March 3, 

2025. 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to Airbus Helicopters 

Model AS350B, AS350BA, AS350B1, 

AS350B2, AS350B3, AS350D, AS355E, 

AS355F, AS355F1, AS355F2, AS355N, and 

AS355NP helicopters, certificated in any 

category, as identified in European Union 

Aviation Safety Agency AD 2023–0131, dated 

July 3, 2023 (EASA AD 2023–0131). 


KHAMMOND on DSK9W7S144PROD with PROPOSALS
Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 11 / Friday, January 17, 2025 / Proposed Rules 5761 

(d) Subject 

Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC): 

Code 5200, Doors. 

(e) Unsafe Condition 

This AD was prompted by a report of a 

sliding door that was locked in the open 

position detaching from the helicopter during 

flight. The FAA is issuing this AD to address 

the insufficient upper rail roller locking 

mechanism of the sliding door. The unsafe 

condition, if not addressed, could lead to the 

sliding door detaching from the helicopter 

during flight, and subsequent damage to the 

helicopter and injury to persons on the 

ground. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(g) Requirements 

Except as specified in paragraphs (h) and 

(i) of this AD: Comply with all required 

actions and compliance times specified in, 

and in accordance with, EASA AD 2023– 

0131. 

(h) Exceptions to EASA AD 2023–0131 

(1) Where EASA AD 2023–0131 refers to its 

effective date, this AD requires using the 

effective date of this AD. 

(2) Where EASA AD 2023–0131 requires 

compliance in terms of flight hours, this AD 

requires using hours time-in-service. 

(3) Where the service information 

referenced in EASA AD 2023–0131 specifies 

to discard parts, this AD requires removing 

those parts from service. 

(4) This AD does not adopt the ‘‘Remarks’’ 

section of EASA AD 2023–0131. 

(i) No Reporting Requirement 

Although the material referenced in EASA 

AD 2023–0131 specifies to submit certain 

information to the manufacturer, this AD 

does not require that action. 

(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) of this AD. 

Information may be emailed to: 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 

For more information about this AD, 

contact Adam Hein, Aviation Safety 

Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 

410, Westbury, NY 11590; phone: (316) 946– 

4116; email: Adam.Hein@faa.gov. 

(l) Material Incorporated by Reference 

(1) The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference of 

the material listed in this paragraph under 5 

U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. 

(2) You must use this material as 

applicable to do the actions required by this 

AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise. 

(i) European Union Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA) AD 2023–0131, dated July 3, 2023. 

(ii) [Reserved] 

(3) For EASA material identified in this 

AD, contact EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 

50668 Cologne, Germany; phone: +49 221 

8999 000; email: ADs@easa.europa.eu; 

website: easa.europa.eu. You may find the 

EASA material on the EASA website at 

ad.easa.europa.eu. 

(4) You may view this material at the FAA, 

Office of the Regional Counsel, Southwest 

Region, 10101 Hillwood Parkway, Room 6N– 

321, Fort Worth, TX 76177. For information 

on the availability of this material at the 

FAA, call (817) 222–5110. 

(5) You may view this material at the 

National Archives and Records 

Administration (NARA). For information on 

the availability of this material at NARA, 

visit www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ 

ibr-locations or email fr.inspection@nara.gov. 

Issued on January 8, 2025. 

Steven W. Thompson, 

Acting Deputy Director, Compliance & 

Airworthiness Division, Aircraft Certification 

Service. 

[FR Doc. 2025–01030 Filed 1–16–25; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 71 

[Docket No. FAA–2024–2737; Airspace 

Docket No. 24–ANM–115] 

RIN 2120–AA66 

Establishment of Class E Airspace at 

Pine Bluffs Municipal Airport, Pine 

Bluffs, WY 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: This action proposes to 

establish Class E airspace area extending 

upward from 700 feet or more above the 

surface of the earth at Pine Bluffs 

Municipal Airport, Pine Bluffs, WY. 

This action would support the airport’s 

transition from visual flight rules (VFR) 

to instrument flight rules (IFR) 

operations. 

DATES: Comments must be received on 

or before March 3, 2025. 

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified 

by FAA Docket No. FAA–2024–2737 

and Airspace Docket No. 24–ANM–115 

using any of the following methods: 

* Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

www.regulations.gov and follow the 

online instructions for sending your 

comments electronically. 

* Mail: Send comments to Docket 

Operations, M–30; U.S. Department of 

Transportation, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE, Room W12–140, West 

Building Ground Floor, Washington, DC 

20590–0001. 

* Hand Delivery or Courier: Take 

comments to Docket Operations in 

Room W12–140 of the West Building 

Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE, Washington, DC, between 9 

a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 

Friday, except Federal holidays. 

* Fax: Fax comments to Docket 

Operations at (202) 493–2251. 

Docket: Background documents or 

comments received may be read at 

www.regulations.gov at any time. 

Follow the online instructions for 

accessing the docket or go to the Docket 

Operations in Room W12–140 of the 

West Building Ground Floor at 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, 

DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday 

through Friday, except Federal holidays. 

FAA Order JO 7400.11J, Airspace 

Designations and Reporting Points, and 

subsequent amendments can be viewed 

online at www.faa.gov/air_traffic/ 

publications/. You may also contact the 

Rules and Regulations Group, Office of 

Policy, Federal Aviation 

Administration, 800 Independence 

Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20591; 

telephone: (202) 267–8783. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Keith T. Adams, Federal Aviation 

Administration, Western Service Center, 

Operations Support Group, 2200 S 

216th Street, Des Moines, WA 98198; 

telephone (206) 231–2428. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Authority for This Rulemaking 

The FAA’s authority to issue rules 

regarding aviation safety is found in 

Title 49 of the United States Code. 

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. This rulemaking is 

promulgated under the authority 

described in Subtitle VII, Part A, 

Subpart I, Section 40103. Under that 

section, the FAA is charged with 

prescribing regulations to assign the use 

of the airspace necessary to ensure the 

safety of aircraft and the efficient use of 

airspace. This regulation is within the 

scope of that authority, as it as it would 

establish Class E airspace to support IFR 


KHAMMOND on DSK9W7S144PROD with PROPOSALS