8874 Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 22 / Tuesday, February 4, 2025 / Rules and Regulations 

(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) Britten-Norman Service Bulletin SB 298, 

Issue 3, dated July 7, 2023. 

(ii) [Reserved] 

(3) For Britten-Norman material identified 

in this AD, contact Britten-Norman 

Aerospace Ltd., Bembridge Airport, 

Bembridge, Isle of Wight, UK, PO35 5PR; 

phone: +44 20 3371 4000; email: 

customer.support@britten-norman.com; 

website: britten-norman.com/approvalstechnical-publications. 

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

Airworthiness Products Section, Operational 

Safety Branch, 901 Locust, Kansas City, MO 

64106. 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 2, 2025. 

Steven W. Thompson, 

Acting Deputy Director, Compliance & 

Airworthiness Division, Aircraft Certification 

Service. 

[FR Doc. 2025–02187 Filed 2–3–25; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2025–0017; Project 

Identifier MCAI–2024–00706–R; Amendment 

39–22951; AD 2025–03–03] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Leonardo 

S.p.a. Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule; request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for all 

Leonardo S.p.a. Model A109E, A109K2, 

A109S, AB412, AB412 EP, AB139, and 

AW139 helicopters. This AD was 

prompted by a report that certain rescue 

hoist cable assemblies may be equipped 

with a defective ball end. This AD 

requires inspecting certain rescue hoist 

cable assemblies and, depending on the 

results, replacing the rescue hoist cable 

assembly. This AD also allows installing 

certain rescue hoist cable assemblies 

and certain rescue hoists provided its 

requirements are met. These actions are 

specified in a European Union Aviation 

Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is 

incorporated by reference. The FAA is 

issuing this AD to address the unsafe 

condition on these products. 

DATES: This AD is effective February 19, 

2025. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain publication listed in this AD 

as of February 19, 2025. 

The FAA must receive comments on 

this AD by March 21, 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–2025–0017; 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 final rule, 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 

AD, contact EASA, Konrad-AdenauerUfer 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. It is also available 

at regulations.gov under Docket No. 

FAA–2025–0017. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eric 

Rivera, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 

1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, 

Westbury, NY 11590; phone: (847) 294– 

7166; email: eric.rivera01@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

The FAA invites you to send any 

written data, views, or arguments about 

this final rule. Send your comments to 

an address listed under the ADDRESSES

section. Include ‘‘Docket No. FAA– 

2025–0017; Project Identifier MCAI– 

2024–00706–R’’ at the beginning of your 

comments. The most helpful comments 

reference a specific portion of the final 

rule, 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 final rule 

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 final rule. 

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 AD 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 AD, 

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 AD. Submissions containing CBI 

should be sent to Eric Rivera, Aviation 

Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart 

Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 

11590; phone: (847) 294–7166; email: 

eric.rivera01@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 2024–0228, 

dated November 29, 2024 (EASA AD 

2024–0228) (also referred to as the 

MCAI), to correct an unsafe condition 

on Leonardo S.p.A. Model AB412, 

AB412EP, A109E, A109K2, A109S, 

AB139, and AW139 helicopters. The 


lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with RULES1
Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 22 / Tuesday, February 4, 2025 / Rules and Regulations 8875 

MCAI states the manufacturer reported 

that a defective testing tool was used 

during production, repair, and overhaul 

of certain recue hoist cable assemblies 

resulting in assemblies equipped with a 

defective ball end. 

The FAA is issuing this AD to detect 

and address defective rescue hoist cable 

assembly ball ends. This unsafe 

condition, if not addressed, could lead 

to failure of the rescue hoist cable 

assembly, possibly resulting in injuries 

to a human load, or to persons on 

ground. 

You may examine the MCAI in the 

AD docket at regulations.gov under 

Docket No. FAA–2025–0017. 

Material Incorporated by Reference 

Under 1 CFR Part 51 

The FAA reviewed EASA AD 2024– 

0228, which requires, for helicopters 

with certain rescue hoists installed, a 

one-time inspection of the rescue hoist 

cable assembly and, depending on the 

results, replacing the rescue hoist cable 

assembly. EASA AD 2024–0228 also 

allows installing certain rescue hoist 

cable assemblies on any helicopter 

provided it is new (never previously 

installed on a rescue hoist) and allows 

installing certain rescue hoists on any 

helicopter provided it passes its 

required inspection. 

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 AD after determining that 

the unsafe condition described 

previously is likely to exist or develop 

on other products of these same type 

designs. 

AD Requirements 

This AD requires accomplishing the 

actions specified in EASA AD 2024– 

0228, described previously, as 

incorporated by reference, except for 

any differences identified as exceptions 

in the regulatory text of this AD. 

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, EASA AD 2024–0228 

is incorporated by reference in this AD. 

This AD requires compliance with 

EASA AD 2024–0228 in its entirety 

through that incorporation, except for 

any differences identified as exceptions 

in the regulatory text of this AD. Using 

common terms that are the same as the 

heading of a particular section in EASA 

AD 2024–0228 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 2024–0228. 

Material required by EASA AD 2024– 

0228 for compliance will be available at 

regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA– 

2025–0017 after this AD is published. 

Justification for Immediate Adoption 

and Determination of the Effective Date 

Section 553(b) of the Administrative 

Procedure Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 551 et 

seq.) authorizes agencies to dispense 

with notice and comment procedures 

for rules when the agency, for ‘‘good 

cause,’’ finds that those procedures are 

‘‘impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary 

to the public interest.’’ Under this 

section, an agency, upon finding good 

cause, may issue a final rule without 

providing notice and seeking comment 

prior to issuance. Further, section 

553(d) of the APA authorizes agencies to 

make rules effective in less than thirty 

days, upon a finding of good cause. 

An unsafe condition exists that 

requires the immediate adoption of this 

AD without providing an opportunity 

for public comments prior to adoption. 

The FAA has found that the risk to the 

flying public justifies forgoing notice 

and comment prior to adoption of this 

rule because the rescue hoist assembly 

is essential during rescue operations 

and failure of this assembly could result 

in a failed rescue attempt and injury to 

a person being lifted or persons on the 

ground. Additionally, the FAA has no 

information pertaining to the extent of 

the defect in the rescue hoist assembly 

that may currently exist in helicopters 

or how quickly the condition may 

propagate to failure, therefore, the initial 

actions required by this AD must be 

accomplished before next rescue hoist 

operation. Accordingly, notice and 

opportunity for prior public comment 

are impracticable and contrary to the 

public interest pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 

553(b). 

In addition, the FAA finds that good 

cause exists pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d) 

for making this amendment effective in 

less than 30 days, for the same reasons 

the FAA found good cause to forgo 

notice and comment. 

Regulatory Flexibility Act 

The requirements of the Regulatory 

Flexibility Act (RFA) do not apply when 

an agency finds good cause pursuant to 

5 U.S.C. 553 to adopt a rule without 

prior notice and comment. Because the 

FAA has determined that it has good 

cause to adopt this rule without prior 

notice and comment, RFA analysis is 

not required. 

Costs of Compliance 

The FAA estimates that this AD 

affects up to 422 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 to comply with 

this AD. 

Inspecting a rescue hoist cable 

assembly will take 2 work-hours for an 

estimated cost of $170 per helicopter 

and up to $71,740 for the U.S. fleet. If 

required, replacing a rescue hoist cable 

assembly will take 1 work-hours and 

parts will cost $10,218 for an estimated 

cost of $10,303 per helicopter. 

The FAA has included all known 

costs in its cost estimate. According to 

the manufacturer, however, some of the 

costs of this 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. 


lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with RULES1
8876 Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 22 / Tuesday, February 4, 2025 / Rules and Regulations 

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, 

and 

(2) Will not affect intrastate aviation 

in Alaska. 

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39 

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation 

safety, Incorporation by reference, 

Safety. 

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: 

2025–03–03 Leonardo S.p.a.: Amendment 

39–22951; Docket No. FAA–2025–0017; 

Project Identifier MCAI–2024–00706–R. 

(a) Effective Date 

This airworthiness directive (AD) is 

effective February 19, 2025. 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to Leonardo S.p.a. Model 

A109E, A109K2, A109S, AB412, AB412 EP, 

AB139, and AW139 helicopters, certificated 

in any category. 

(d) Subject 

Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) 

Code 2500, Cabin Equipment/Furnishings. 

(e) Unsafe Condition 

This AD was prompted by a report that 

certain rescue hoist cable assemblies may be 

equipped with a defective ball end. The FAA 

is issuing this AD to detect and address 

defective rescue hoist cable assembly ball 

ends. This unsafe condition, if not addressed, 

could result in failure of the rescue hoist 

cable assembly, in-flight failure of the rescue 

hoist, and subsequent injury to a person 

being lifted or 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, European Union 

Aviation Safety Agency AD 2024–0228, dated 

November 29, 2024 (EASA AD 2024–0228). 

(h) Exceptions to EASA AD 2024–0228 

(1) Where EASA AD 2024–0228 refers to its 

effective date, this AD requires using the 

effective date of this AD. 

(2) Where EASA AD 2024–0228 defines the 

‘‘affected rescue hoist,’’ this AD requires 

replacing that definition with ‘‘Any rescue 

hoist, as identified in Table 2 of EASA AD 

2024–0228, either manufactured, repaired, or 

overhauled by Breeze-Eastern’s main facility 

in Whippany, New Jersey before April 8, 

2024 and which has not had the rescue hoist 

cable replaced since then, and any rescue 

hoist, as identified in Table 2 of EASA AD 

2024–0228, if the date of manufacture, repair, 

or overhaul cannot be determined.’’ 

(3) Where paragraph (2) of EASA AD 2024– 

0228 states ‘‘any discrepancy is detected, as 

defined in the ASB,’’ this AD requires 

replacing that text with ‘‘there is any 

gouging.’’ 

Note 1 to paragraph (h)(3): The material 

referenced in EASA AD 2024–0228 provides 

an illustration of gouging. 

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

section of EASA AD 2024–0228. 

(i) No Reporting Requirement 

Although the material referenced in EASA 

AD 2024–0228 specifies to submit certain 

information to the manufacturer, this AD 

does not require that action. 

(j) Special Flight Permit 

Special flight permits may be issued under 

14 CFR 21.197 and 21.199 to operate the 

helicopter to a location where the 

requirements of this AD can be accomplished 

provided that the rescue hoist is not used. 

(k) 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 (l) 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. 

(l) Related Information 

For more information about this AD, 

contact Eric Rivera, Aviation Safety Engineer, 

FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, 

Westbury, NY 11590; phone: (847) 294–7166; 

email: eric.rivera01@faa.gov. 

(m) 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 2024–0228, dated November 29, 

2024. 

(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 27, 2025. 

Steven W. Thompson, 

Acting Deputy Director, Compliance & 

Airworthiness Division, Aircraft Certification 

Service. 

[FR Doc. 2025–02249 Filed 1–31–25; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2024–1303; Project 

Identifier AD–2023–01252–T; Amendment 

39–22933; AD 2025–01–09] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing 

Company Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for all The 

Boeing Company Model 787–8, 787–9, 

and 787–10 airplanes. This AD was 

prompted by a report of operators 

receiving No. 1 flight compartment 

windows that may not meet type design 

requirements for withstanding a bird 

impact. This AD requires replacing 

affected No. 1 flight compartment 

windows and prohibits the installation 


lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with RULES1