33918 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 121 / Monday, June 28, 2021 / Proposed Rules 

(i) Before the part accumulates 40,000 

equivalent air time hours, or 

(ii) Within 12 months after the effective 

date of this AD. 

(3) For airplanes with a maximum 

certificated gross weight that has ever 

exceeded 8,000 pounds: Remove from service 

each left and right hand wing strut fitting and 

tie-bar by following the Accomplishment 

Instructions in Viking Air Limited SB V3/ 

0008, Revision NC, dated February 9, 2017, 

and the Replacement section of the 

Accomplishment instructions in De 

Havilland Aircraft of Canada DHC–3 Otter 

Service Bulletin Number 3/37, Revision B, 

dated October 8, 1982, at whichever of the 

following compliance time that occurs later: 

(i) Before the part accumulates 32,200 

equivalent air time hours, or 

(ii) Within 12 months after the effective 

date of this AD. 

(g) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, New York ACO 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 

ACO Branch, send it to the attention of the 

person identified in paragraph (h)(1) of this 

AD. 

(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. 

(h) Related Information 

(1) For more information about this AD, 

contact Aziz Ahmed, Aviation Safety 

Engineer, New York ACO Branch, FAA, 1600 

Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 

11590; phone: (516) 287–7329; fax: (516) 

794–5531; email: aziz.ahmed@faa.gov. 

(2) Refer to Transport Canada AD Number 

CF–2017–29, dated August 24, 2017, for more 

information. You may examine the Transport 

Canada AD in the AD docket at https://

www.regulations.gov by searching for and 

locating it in Docket No. FAA–2021–0214. 

(3) For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Viking Air Limited 

Technical Support, 1959 De Havilland Way, 

Sidney, British Columbia, Canada, V8L 5V5; 

phone: (North America) (800) 663–8444; fax: 

(250) 656–0673; email: technical.support@

vikingair.com; website: https://

www.vikingair.com/support/service-bulletins. 

You may view this service information 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 (816) 329–4148. 

Issued on June 21, 2021. 

Lance T. Gant, 

Director, Compliance & Airworthiness 

Division, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–13636 Filed 6–25–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2021–0513; Project 

Identifier 2018–SW–116–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Bell Textron 

Canada Limited (Type Certificate 

Previously Held by Bell Helicopter 

Textron Canada Limited) 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 

certain Bell Textron Canada Limited 

(Bell) Model 429 helicopters. This 

proposed AD was prompted by reports 

of tail rotor gearbox assemblies found 

loose on the gearbox support. This 

proposed AD would require repetitive 

torque checks of the tail rotor gearbox 

attachment hardware, and corrective 

action if necessary. The FAA is 

proposing this AD to address the unsafe 

condition on these products. 

DATES: The FAA must receive comments 

on this proposed AD by August 12, 

2021. 

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 

https://www.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 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., 

Monday through Friday, except Federal 

holidays. 

For service information identified in 

this NPRM, contact Bell Textron Canada 

Limited, 12,800 Rue de l’Avenir, 

Mirabel, Quebec J7J 1R4, Canada; 

telephone 1–450–437–2862 or 1–800– 

363–8023; fax 1–450–433–0272; email 

productsupport@bellflight.com; or at 

https://www.bellflight.com/support/ 

contact-support. You may view this 

service information at the FAA, Office 

of the Regional Counsel, Southwest 

Region, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Room 

6N–321, Fort Worth, TX 76177. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call (817) 222– 

5110. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket at 

https://www.regulations.gov by 

searching for and locating Docket No. 

FAA–2021–0513; 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 Transport Canada AD, any 

comments received, and other 

information. The street address for 

Docket Operations is listed above. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Darren Gassetto, Aerospace Engineer, 

COS Program Management Section, 

FAA, Operational Safety Branch, 

Compliance & Airworthiness Division, 

1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, 

Westbury, NY 11590; telephone (516) 

228–7323; email Darren.Gassetto@

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 ADDRESSES. Include ‘‘Docket No. 

FAA–2021–0513; Project Identifier 

2018–SW–116–AD’’ 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 https://

www.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 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with PROPOSALS
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 121 / Monday, June 28, 2021 / Proposed Rules 33919 

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 Darren Gassetto, 

Aerospace Engineer, COS Program 

Management Section, FAA, Operational 

Safety Branch, Compliance & 

Airworthiness Division, 1600 Stewart 

Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 

11590; telephone (516) 228–7323; email 

Darren.Gassetto@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 

Transport Canada Civil Aviation 

(TCCA), which is the aviation authority 

for Canada, has issued Canadian AD 

CF–2018–35, dated December 19, 2018 

(Canadian AD CF–2018–35), to correct 

an unsafe condition for Bell Textron 

Canada Limited Model 429 helicopters. 

Transport Canada advises that there 

have been reports of tail rotor gearbox 

assemblies found loose on the gearbox 

support. Transport Canada issued 

Emergency Canadian Airworthiness 

Directive CF–2018–18, dated July 11, 

2018, which corresponds to FAA AD 

2018–16–51, Amendment 39–19421 (83 

FR 53171, October 22, 2018), to address 

the immediate safety concern. An 

ongoing investigation determined that 

this condition-loose tail rotor gearbox 

assemblies-could return even after the 

corrective actions by the previous AD 

have been completed. This condition, if 

not addressed, could result in structural 

damage and possible loss of control of 

the helicopter. 

Accordingly, Canadian AD CF–2018– 

35 requires repetitive torque checks of 

the tail rotor gearbox attachment 

hardware and corrective actions if 

necessary. The corrective action is doing 

additional repetitive torque checks at 

intervals of 10 to 25 hours air time until 

the torque stabilizes on all the nuts. 

FAA’s Determination 

The helicopter has been approved by 

the aviation authority of Canada and is 

approved for operation in the United 

States. Pursuant to the FAA’s bilateral 

agreement with Canada, Transport 

Canada, its technical representative, has 

notified the FAA of the unsafe condition 

described in its AD. The FAA is 

proposing this AD after evaluating all 

known relevant information and 

determining that the unsafe condition 

described previously is likely to exist or 

develop on other helicopters of the same 

type design. 

Related Service Information Under 1 

CFR Part 51 

The FAA reviewed Bell Alert Service 

Bulletin 429–18–41, dated July 24, 2018. 

This service information specifies 

procedures for repetitive torque checks 

of the tail rotor gearbox attachment 

hardware. 

This service information 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. 

Proposed AD Requirements in This 

NPRM 

This proposed AD would require 

accomplishing the actions specified in 

the service information already 

described, except as discussed under 

‘‘Differences Between this Proposed AD 

and the Transport Canada AD.’’ 

Differences Between This Proposed AD 

and the Transport Canada AD 

Where Canadian AD CF–2018–35 

refers to ‘‘200-hour’’ inspections and 

‘‘10 to 25 hours air time’’ for the torque 

checks, for this proposed AD use ‘‘timein-service’’ instead. 

Costs of Compliance 

The FAA estimates that this AD, if 

adopted as proposed, would affect 98 

helicopters of U.S. Registry. The FAA 

estimates the following costs to comply 

with this proposed AD: 

ESTIMATED COSTS FOR REQUIRED ACTIONS

Action Labor cost Parts cost Cost per 

product 

Cost on U.S. 

operators 

Torque check .................................................. 1 work-hour × $85 per hour = $85 ................. $0 $85 $8,330 

The FAA estimates the following 

costs to do any necessary on-condition 

actions that would be required based on 

the results of any required actions. The 

FAA has no way of determining the 

number of helicopters that might need 

these on-condition actions: 

ESTIMATED COSTS OF ON-CONDITION ACTIONS

Action Labor cost Parts cost Cost per product 

Repetitive torque check ............................................ 1 work-hour × $85 per hour = $85, per cycle .......... $0 $85, per cycle. 

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, I certify 

this proposed regulation: 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with PROPOSALS
33920 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 121 / Monday, June 28, 2021 / Proposed Rules 

(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: 

Bell Textron Canada Limited (Type 

Certificate Previously Held by Bell 

Helicopter Textron Canada Limited): 

Docket No. FAA–2021–0513; Project 

Identifier 2018–SW–116–AD. 

(a) Comments Due Date 

The FAA must receive comments on this 

airworthiness directive (AD) by August 12, 

2021. 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to Bell Textron Canada 

Limited (type certificate previously held by 

Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited) 

Model 429 helicopters, certificated in any 

category, serial numbers 57001 and 

subsequent. 

(d) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 6500, Tail Rotor Drive System; and 

6520, Tail Rotor Gearbox. 

(e) Unsafe Condition 

This AD was prompted by reports of tail 

rotor gearbox assemblies found loose on the 

gearbox support. The FAA is issuing this AD 

address tail rotor gearbox assemblies found 

loose on the gearbox support. The unsafe 

condition, if not addressed, could result in 

structural damage and possible loss of 

control of the helicopter. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(g) Required Actions 

Within 12 months after the effective date 

of this AD; or at the next scheduled 200- 

hours time-in-service (TIS) or 12-month 

inspection, whichever occurs first, do a 

torque check of the tail rotor gearbox 

attachment hardware, in accordance with the 

Accomplishment Instructions, paragraph 2., 

of Bell Alert Service Bulletin 429–18–41, 

dated July 24, 2018. Repeat the torque check 

thereafter at intervals not to exceed 200 hours 

TIS or 12 months, whichever occurs first. 

(h) Corrective Actions 

If, during any torque check required by 

paragraph (g) of this AD, any tail rotor 

gearbox attachment moves during any torque 

check, repeat the torque check specified in 

paragraph (g) of this AD at intervals no less 

than 10 hours TIS and not to exceed 25 hours 

TIS until the torque stabilizes on all the nuts. 

Stabilization has occurred when, at the next 

torque check, the value has remained within 

the specified acceptable limits (160 to 200 

inch-pounds (in-lbs) or 19 to 22 newton 

meters (Nms), inclusive), preventing 

movement of the gearbox housing. After the 

torque stabilizes on all the nuts, the 

repetitive torque checks specified in 

paragraph (g) of this AD are still required. 

(i) Credit for Previous Actions 

This paragraph provides credit for the 

initial torque check required by paragraph (g) 

of this AD, if that action was done before the 

effective date of this AD as required by 

paragraph (f)(2) of AD 2018–16–51, 

Amendment 39–19421 (83 FR 53171, October 

22, 2018). 

(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)(1) of this AD. 

Information may be emailed to: 9-AVS-AIR730-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 

(1) For more information about this AD, 

contact Darren Gassetto, Aerospace Engineer, 

COS Program Management Section, FAA, 

Operational Safety Branch, Compliance & 

Airworthiness Division, 1600 Stewart 

Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; 

telephone (516) 228–7323; email 

Darren.Gassetto@faa.gov. 

(2) For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Bell Textron Canada 

Limited, 12,800 Rue de l’Avenir, Mirabel, 

Quebec J7J 1R4, Canada; telephone 1–450– 

437–2862 or 1–800–363–8023; fax 1–450– 

433–0272; email productsupport@

bellflight.com; or at https://

www.bellflight.com/support/contact-support. 

You may view this referenced service 

information at the FAA, Office of the 

Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 10101 

Hillwood Pkwy., Room 6N–321, Fort Worth, 

TX 76177. For information on the availability 

of this material at the FAA, call (817) 222– 

5110. 

(3) The subject of this AD is addressed in 

Transport Canada AD CF–2018–35, dated 

December 19, 2018. You may view the 

Transport Canada AD on the internet at 

https://www.regulations.gov in Docket No. 

FAA–2021–0513. 

Issued on June 21, 2021. 

Ross Landes, 

Deputy Director for Regulatory Operations, 

Compliance & Airworthiness Division, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–13644 Filed 6–25–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 71 

[Docket No. FAA–2021–0424; Airspace 

Docket No. 21–ACE–13] 

RIN 2120–AA66 

Proposed Amendment of Class E 

Airspace; Malden, MO 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: This action proposes to 

amend Class E airspace extending 

upward from 700 feet above the surface 

at Malden Regional Airport, (formerly 

Malden Municipal Airport), Malden, 

MO. The FAA is proposing this action 

as a result of an airspace review caused 

by the decommissioning of the Malden 

Very High Frequency Omnidirectional 

Range (VOR) collocated with Tactical 

Air Navigation (TACAN) (VORTAC) 

navigation aid as part of the VOR 

Minimum Operational Network (MON) 

Program. Controlled airspace is 

necessary for the safety and 

management of instrument flight rules 

(IFR) in the area. 

DATES: Comments must be received on 

or before August 12, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: Send comments on this 

proposal to: The U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building 

Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 

Washington, DC 20590–0001; 

Telephone: (800) 647–5527, or (202) 

366–9826. You must identify the Docket 

No. FAA–2021–0424; Airspace Docket 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with PROPOSALS