38218 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 136 / Tuesday, July 20, 2021 / Rules and Regulations 

Issued on July 2, 2021. 

Gaetano A. Sciortino, 

Deputy Director for Strategic Initiatives, 

Compliance & Airworthiness Division, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–15391 Filed 7–15–21; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2021–0348; Project 

Identifier 2018–SW–076–AD; Amendment 

39–21645; AD 2021–14–18] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Leonardo 

S.p.a. (Type Certificate Previously Held 

by Agusta S.p.A.) Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: The FAA is superseding 

Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2011–18– 

52 for certain Agusta S.p.A. (now 

Leonardo S.p.a.) Model AB139 and 

AW139 helicopters. AD 2011–18–52 

required revising the life limit for 

certain part-numbered tail rotor (T/R) 

blades, updating the helicopter’s 

historical records, repetitively 

inspecting each T/R blade for a crack or 

damage, and depending on the results, 

replacing the T/R blade. This AD was 

prompted by the manufacturer 

developing improved T/R blades using 

different materials and establishing life 

limits for each improved blade. This AD 

retains certain requirements from AD 

2011–18–52, revises certain 

requirements from AD 2011–18–52, and 

expands the applicability to include the 

newly-designed T/R blades. The FAA is 

issuing this AD to address the unsafe 

condition on these products. 

DATES: This AD is effective August 24, 

2021. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain publication listed in this AD 

as of August 24, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: For service information 

identified in this final rule, contact 

Leonardo S.p.A. Helicopters, Emanuele 

Bufano, Head of Airworthiness, Viale 

G.Agusta 520, 21017 C. Costa di 

Samarate (Va) Italy; telephone +39– 

0331–225074; fax +39–0331–229046; or 

at https://www.leonardocompany.com/ 

en/home. 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. It is also 

available at https://www.regulations.gov 

by searching for and locating Docket No. 

FAA–2021–0348. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket at 

https://www.regulations.gov by 

searching for and locating Docket No. 

FAA–2021–0348; 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 European Aviation Safety 

Agency (now European Union Aviation 

Safety Agency) (EASA) AD, any 

comments received, and other 

information. The address for Docket 

Operations is 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: Matt 

Fuller, AD Program Manager, General 

Aviation & Rotorcraft Unit, 

Airworthiness Products Section, 

Operational Safety Branch, FAA, 10101 

Hillwood Pkwy., Fort Worth, TX 76177; 

telephone (817) 222–5110; email 

matthew.fuller@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

The FAA issued a notice of proposed 

rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 

part 39 to supersede AD 2011–18–52, 

Amendment 39–17020 (77 FR 23109, 

April 18, 2012) (AD 2011–18–52). AD 

2011–18–52 applied to Agusta S.p.A. 

(now Leonardo S.p.a.) Model AB139 

and AW139 helicopters with a T/R 

blade part number (P/N) 3G6410A00131 

or P/N 4G6410A00131 installed. The 

NPRM published in the Federal 

Register on May 10, 2021 (86 FR 24780). 

AD 2011–18–52 required, within 5 

hours time-in-service (TIS), establishing 

a life limit of 600 hours TIS or 1,500 

takeoff and landing cycles (cycles), 

whichever occurs first, on the affected 

T/R blades and updating the 

helicopter’s historical records. If a T/R 

blade’s total number of cycles was 

unknown, determining the T/R blade 

cycles by multiplying the T/R blade’s 

hours TIS by 4 was required. For a T/ 

R blade that, on the effective date of AD 

2011–18–52, had already exceeded 600 

hours TIS or 1,500 cycles, the AD 

required replacing the T/R blade with 

an airworthy T/R blade within 5 hours 

TIS. 

AD 2011–18–52 also required, within 

25 hours TIS, and thereafter at intervals 

not to exceed 25 hours TIS, inspecting 

the T/R blade for a crack or damage that 

exceeds the limits of the applicable 

maintenance manual. The inspection 

was required to be accomplished using 

a mirror, magnifying glass (5X or 

greater), and light source; or borescope. 

If there was a crack, or if there was 

damage that exceeded the limits of the 

applicable maintenance manual, AD 

2011–18–52 required, before further 

flight, replacing the T/R blade with an 

airworthy T/R blade. 

AD 2011–18–52 was prompted by a 

fatal accident involving an Agusta 

Model AW139 helicopter, which may 

have been caused by cracks in a T/R 

blade. EASA, which is the Technical 

Agent for the Member States of the 

European Union, issued EASA 

Emergency AD 2011–0156–E, dated 

August 25, 2011 (EASA AD 2011–0156– 

E) to require repetitive inspections and 

reducing the life limit of the T/R blades. 

According to EASA, this condition, if 

not detected and corrected, could result 

in failure of a T/R blade and subsequent 

loss of control of the helicopter. 

After the FAA issued AD 2011–18–52, 

EASA issued a series of ADs as follows: 

• EASA AD 2012–0030, dated 

February 17, 2012 (EASA AD 2012– 

0030), which superseded Emergency AD 

2011–0156–E, advised that the 

manufacturer developed improved, 

newly-designed T/R blades P/N 

3G6410A00132 and P/N 

4G6410A00132, established life limits 

for each improved T/R blade, added 

repetitive inspections for the improved 

T/R blades, and advised that each T/R 

blade P/N had its own individual life 

limit. 

• EASA AD 2012–0076, dated May 2, 

2012 (EASA AD 2012–0076), which 

superseded EASA AD 2012–0030 and 

was issued after the manufacturer 

developed another version of improved 

T/R blades P/N 3G6410A00133 and P/ 

N 4G6410A00133 with different 

materials. AD 2012–0076 required 

interim life limits for the new improved 

version of the T/R blades while also 

retaining the inspection requirements of 

EASA AD 2012–0030. 

• EASA AD 2012–0076R1, dated July 

13, 2012 (EASA AD 2012–0076R1), 

which revised EASA AD 2012–0076 

after a modification was developed to 

allow installation of certain partnumbered 

T/R blades under certain conditions. 

• EASA AD 2012–0076R2, dated 

February 20, 2014 (EASA AD 2012– 

0076R2), which revised EASA AD 

2012–0076R1, was issued after another 

modification was developed. EASA AD 

2012–0076R2 requires removing the 25 

hours TIS inspection of certain partnumbered T/R blades, extending the life 


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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 136 / Tuesday, July 20, 2021 / Rules and Regulations 38219 

limit of certain part-numbered T/R 

blades, retaining the repetitive 

inspections of certain part-numbered 

T/R blades and depending on the 

inspection results, performing certain 

applicable corrections. 

Also, after AD 2011–18–52 was 

issued, the FAA issued an NPRM (78 FR 

54596), which published in the Federal 

Register on September 5, 2013. The 

NPRM proposed to require retaining the 

inspection requirements for certain partnumbered blades and expand the 

applicability to include the newly 

designed blades and establish life limits 

for those blades. The NPRM also 

proposed to require replacing any 

cracked blade or any blade that has 

reached its life limit. That NPRM was 

prompted by improved modifications of 

the T/R blades. However, because the 

FAA determined that the NPRM did not 

adequately address the identified unsafe 

condition, the NPRM was withdrawn on 

February 25, 2021 (86 FR 11477). 

Additional review also revealed 

necessary changes to address the unsafe 

condition. Therefore, in the NPRM 

published in the Federal Register on 

May 10, 2021 (86 FR 24780), the FAA 

proposed to clarify the repetitive 

inspection for T/R blade P/Ns 

3G6410A00131 and P/N 4G6410A00131 

from, ‘‘visually inspect the T/R blade for 

a crack or damage’’ to ‘‘visually inspect 

the T/R blade for a crack and damage.’’ 

The NPRM further proposed to revise 

that repetitive inspection from ‘‘damage 

that exceeds the limits of the applicable 

maintenance manual’’ to ‘‘damage that 

exceeds allowable limits’’ to meet 

current publishing requirements. The 

NPRM also clarified the inspection area 

for that repetitive inspection by 

proposing to require using a figure in 

the related service information instead 

of using a figure in the body of the AD 

action. The NPRM also proposed to 

revise the requirements of AD 2011–18– 

52 by removing unnecessary 

information, including the special flight 

permits paragraph. 

Discussion of Final Airworthiness 

Directive 

Comments 

The FAA received no comments on 

the NPRM or on the determination of 

the costs. 

Conclusion 

These helicopters have been approved 

by EASA and are approved for operation 

in the United States. Pursuant to the 

FAA’s bilateral agreement with the 

European Union, EASA has notified the 

FAA about the unsafe condition 

described in its AD. The FAA reviewed 

the relevant data and determined that 

air safety requires adopting this AD as 

proposed. Accordingly, the FAA is 

issuing this AD to address the unsafe 

condition on these helicopters. 

Related Service Information Under 1 

CFR Part 51 

The FAA reviewed AgustaWestland 

Mandatory Bollettino Tecnico No. 139– 

265, Revision B, dated February 18, 

2014. This service information specifies 

a precautionary inspection for a crack, 

a life limit for the affected T/R blades, 

and a quarantine of T/R blades that have 

exceeded their life limit. This service 

information also provides instructions 

for mixed usage of the affected T/R 

blades and sending certain data to the 

manufacturer. 

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. 

Differences Between This AD and the 

EASA AD 

The EASA AD does not list the T/R 

blade life limits and instead references 

the Airworthiness Limitations Section 

of AW139 AMPI Chapter 4, while this 

AD includes the life limits in the AD. 

The EASA AD requires reporting 

information to Product Support 

Engineering, whereas this AD does not. 

The EASA AD requires contacting 

AgustaWestland if a crack or damage is 

found during the inspection, whereas 

this AD requires removing the T/R blade 

from service. 

Costs of Compliance 

The FAA estimates that this AD 

affects 130 helicopters of U.S. Registry 

and that operators may incur the 

following costs in order to comply with 

this AD. Labor costs are estimated at $85 

per work-hour. 

Inspecting one T/R blade for a crack 

will take about 1 work-hour for an 

estimated cost of $85 per T/R blade per 

inspection cycle and up to $44,200 for 

the U.S. fleet per inspection cycle. 

Replacing one T/R blade will take 

about 8 work-hours and parts will cost 

about $40,560 for an estimated cost of 

$41,240 per replacement. 

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 

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) Will not affect intrastate aviation 

in Alaska, and 

(3) 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. 

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: 

■ a. Removing Airworthiness Directive 

(AD) 2011–18–52, Amendment 39– 

17020 (77 FR 23109, April 18, 2012); 

and 

■ b. Adding the following new AD: 

2021–14–18 Leonardo S.p.a. (Type 

Certificate Previously Held by Agusta 

S.p.A.): Amendment 39–21645; Docket No. 

FAA–2021–0348; Project Identifier 2018– 

SW–076–AD. 


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38220 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 136 / Tuesday, July 20, 2021 / Rules and Regulations 

(a) Effective Date 

This airworthiness directive (AD) is 

effective August 24, 2021. 

(b) Affected ADs 

This AD replaces AD 2011–18–52, 

Amendment 39–17020 (77 FR 23109, April 

18, 2012) (AD 2011–18–52). 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to Leonardo S.p.a. (type 

certificate previously held by Agusta S.p.A.) 

Model AB139 and AW139 helicopters, 

certificated in any category, with tail rotor 

(T/R) blade, part number (P/N) 

3G6410A00131, 3G6410A00132, 

3G6410A00133, 4G6410A00131, 

4G6410A00132, or 4G6410A00133, installed. 

(d) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 6410, Tail Rotor Blades. 

(e) Unsafe Condition 

This AD defines the unsafe condition as a 

crack in a T/R blade. This condition could 

result in failure of a T/R blade and 

subsequent loss of control of the helicopter. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(g) Required Actions 

(1) For T/R blade P/Ns 3G6410A00131 and 

4G6410A00131, within 5 hours time-inservice (TIS) after May 3, 2012 (the effective 

date of AD 2011–18–52), establish a life limit 

of 600 hours TIS or 1,500 takeoff and landing 

cycles (cycles), whichever occurs first, on the 

affected T/R blades and update the 

helicopter’s historical records. If a T/R 

blade’s total number of cycles is unknown, 

determine the T/R blade cycles by 

multiplying the T/R blade’s hours TIS by 4. 

(2) For T/R blade P/Ns 3G6410A00131 and 

4G6410A00131, thereafter following 

paragraph (g)(1) of this AD, remove any T/R 

blade from service before accumulating 600 

total hours TIS or 1,500 total cycles, 

whichever occurs first. 

(3) For T/R blade P/Ns 3G6410A00132, 

3G6410A00133, 4G6410A00132, and 

4G6410A00133, within 5 hours TIS after the 

effective date of this AD, determine the total 

number of cycles. If a T/R blade’s total 

number of cycles is unknown, determine the 

T/R blade cycles by multiplying the blade’s 

hours TIS by 4. Before further flight, remove 

any T/R blade from service that has 

accumulated or exceeded its life limit as 

follows. Thereafter, remove any T/R blade 

from service before accumulating its life limit 

as follows: 

(i) T/R blade P/Ns 3G6410A00132 and 

4G6410A00132: 1,200 total hours TIS or 

3,200 total cycles, whichever occurs first. 

(ii) T/R blade P/N 3G6410A00133: 40,000 

total cycles. 

(iii) T/R blade P/N 4G6410A00133: 4,033 

total hours TIS or 40,000 cycles, whichever 

occurs first. 

Note 1 to paragraph (g)(3): A combination 

of T/R blades having different P/Ns can be 

installed on the same helicopter. The eligible 

combinations of T/R blades P/N are listed in 

AgustaWestland Mandatory Bollettino 

Tecnico No. 139–265, Revision B, dated 

February 18, 2014 (BT No. 139–265). 

(4) For T/R blade P/Ns 3G6410A00131 and 

P/N 4G6410A00131, within 25 hours TIS 

after the effective date of this AD, and 

thereafter at intervals not to exceed 25 hours 

TIS, visually inspect the T/R blade for a crack 

and damage that exceeds allowable limits. 

Inspect in the area depicted in Figure 1 of BT 

No. 139–265 using a mirror, a 5X or higher 

power magnifying glass, and a flashlight, or 

borescope. If there is a crack or damage that 

exceeds allowable limits, before further 

flight, remove the T/R blade from service. 

(5) As of the effective date of this AD, do 

not install on any helicopter any T/R blade 

P/N 3G6410A00131 or P/N 4G6410A00131, 

unless the actions required by paragraphs 

(g)(1), (2), and (4) of this AD have been 

accomplished. 

(h) 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 (i)(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. 

(i) Related Information 

(1) For more information about this AD, 

contact Matt Fuller, AD Program Manager, 

General Aviation & Rotorcraft Unit, 

Airworthiness Products Section, Operational 

Safety Branch, FAA, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., 

Fort Worth, TX 76177; telephone (817) 222– 

5110; email matthew.fuller@faa.gov. 

(2) The subject of this AD is addressed in 

European Aviation Safety Agency (now 

European Union Aviation Safety Agency) 

(EASA) AD 2012–0076R2, dated February 20, 

2014. You may view the EASA AD at https:// 

www.regulations.gov in Docket No. FAA– 

2021–0348. 

(j) Material Incorporated by Reference 

(1) The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 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) AgustaWestland Mandatory Bollettino 

Tecnico No. 139–265, Revision B, dated 

February 18, 2014. 

(ii) [Reserved] 

(3) For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Leonardo S.p.A. Helicopters, 

Emanuele Bufano, Head of Airworthiness, 

Viale G.Agusta 520, 21017 C. Costa di 

Samarate (Va) Italy; telephone +39–0331– 

225074; fax +39–0331–229046; or at https:// 

www.leonardocompany.com/en/home. 

(4) 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. 

(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, 

email: fedreg.legal@nara.gov, or go to: 

https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ 

ibr-locations.html. 

Issued on July 2, 2021. 

Gaetano A. Sciortino, 

Deputy Director for Strategic Initiatives, 

Compliance & Airworthiness Division, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–15303 Filed 7–19–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2021–0175; Project 

Identifier 2001–SW–33–AD; Amendment 39– 

21643; AD 2021–14–16] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus 

Helicopters (Type Certificate 

Previously Held by Eurocopter France) 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for all 

Airbus Helicopters (type certificate 

previously held by Eurocopter France) 

Model SA–365N, SA–365N1, AS– 

365N2, AS 365 N3, and SA–366G1 

helicopters. This AD was prompted by 

a quality control check that revealed 

some stretcher attachment holes were 

improperly located on the frame where 

there was insufficient edge distance. 

This AD requires measuring the 9- 

degree frame flange (frame) for the 

correct edge distance of the four 

attachment holes for the stretcher 

support and inspecting for cracks, and 

repairing the frame, if necessary, and 

installation of a reinforcement plate 

(reinforcing angle), as specified in two 

Direction Ge ́ne ́rale de l’Aviation Civile 

(DGAC) ADs, which are incorporated by 

reference. The FAA is issuing this AD 

to address the unsafe condition on these 

products. 

DATES: This AD is effective August 24, 

2021. 


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