This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains regulatory documents having general

applicability and legal effect, most of which

are keyed to and codified in the Code of

Federal Regulations, which is published under

50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.

The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by

the Superintendent of Documents.

Rules and Regulations Federal Register

46761 

Vol. 86, No. 159 

Friday, August 20, 2021 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2021–0455; Project 

Identifier 2018–SW–031–AD; Amendment 

39–21699; AD 2021–17–16] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Leonardo 

S.p.a. Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 

Leonardo S.p.a. Model AW189 

helicopters. This AD was prompted by 

fatigue testing and analyses. This AD 

requires establishing a life limit for a 

certain part-numbered tail gearbox 

fitting. The FAA is issuing this AD to 

address the unsafe condition on these 

products. 

DATES: This AD is effective September 

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. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket at 

https://www.regulations.gov by 

searching for and locating Docket No. 

FAA–2021–0455; 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 street 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: 

Kristi Bradley, Program Manager, COS 

Program Management Section, 

Operational Safety Branch, Compliance 

& Airworthiness Division, FAA, 10101 

Hillwood Pkwy., Fort Worth, TX 76177; 

telephone (817) 222–5110; email 

kristin.bradley@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

The FAA issued a notice of proposed 

rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 

part 39 by adding an AD that would 

apply to certain Leonardo S.p.a. Model 

AW189 helicopters. The NPRM 

published in the Federal Register on 

June 10, 2021 (86 FR 30822). In the 

NPRM, the FAA proposed to require 

determining the total hours time-inservice (TIS) and total number of 

landings of tail gearbox fitting part 

number (P/N) 4F5350A04152. If the 

total hours TIS and total number of 

landings cannot be determined, the 

NPRM would require removing the part 

from service. Also, the NPRM would 

establish a life limit for tail gearbox 

fitting P/N 4F5350A04152 and require 

removing the part from service 

according to the new life limit. The 

NPRM was prompted by EASA AD 

2018–0087, dated April 18, 2018 (EASA 

AD 2018–0087), issued by EASA, which 

is the Technical Agent for the Member 

States of the European Union, to correct 

an unsafe condition for Leonardo S.p.A. 

Helicopters (formerly Finmeccanica 

S.p.A., AgustaWestland S.p.A.) Model 

AW189 helicopters. EASA advises of 

revisions resulting in Leonardo AW189 

Maintenance Manual, Document 89–A– 

AMPI–00–P, Chapter IV, Airworthiness 

Limitations, Issue 13 (89–A–AMPI–00– 

P ALS Issue 13), which includes new 

and/or more restrictive airworthiness 

limitations and maintenance tasks since 

its original issuance. Failure to 

accomplish those airworthiness 

limitations and maintenance tasks could 

result in an unsafe condition. This 

condition, if not addressed, could result 

in failure of a part, which could result 

in loss of control of the helicopter. 

Accordingly, EASA AD 2018–0087 

requires accomplishing the actions 

specified in 89–A–AMPI–00–P ALS 

Issue 13 and revising the Aircraft 

Maintenance Program (AMP) with the 

actions specified in 89–A–AMPI–00–P 

ALS Issue 13. 

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. This AD 

is adopted as proposed in the NPRM. 

Related Service Information 

The FAA reviewed AW189 Air 

Vehicle Maintenance Planning 

Information, 89–B–AMPI–00–P, Chapter 

4, Issue 6, dated July 17, 2018 (89–B– 

AMPI–00–P ALS Issue 6). 89–B–AMPI– 

00–P ALS Issue 6 specifies various 

airworthiness limitations information 

including retirement lives, mandatory 

inspections, and certification 

maintenance requirements. 89–B– 

AMPI–00–P ALS Issue 6 is equivalent to 

89–A–AMPI–00–P ALS Issue 13. 

Differences Between This AD and the 

EASA AD 

EASA AD 2018–0087 applies to 

Model AW189 helicopters, whereas this 

AD applies to that model helicopter 

with tail gearbox fitting P/N 

4F5350A04152 installed instead. EASA 

AD 2018–0087 requires accomplishing 

the actions specified in 89–A–AMPI– 

00–P ALS Issue 13 and revising the 

AMP with the actions specified in 89– 

A–AMPI–00–P ALS Issue 13, whereas 

this AD requires establishing a life limit 

for tail gearbox fitting P/N 


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46762 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 159 / Friday, August 20, 2021 / Rules and Regulations 

4F5350A04152 and removing that part 

from service accordingly instead. 

Costs of Compliance 

The FAA estimates that this AD 

affects 4 helicopters of U.S. Registry. 

Labor rates are estimated at $85 per 

work-hour. Based on these numbers, the 

FAA estimates the following costs to 

comply with this AD. 

Replacing a tail gearbox fitting takes 

about 48 work-hours and parts cost 

about $30,000 for an estimated cost of 

$34,080 per helicopter and $136,320 for 

the U.S. fleet, per replacement 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 helicopters 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 adding 

the following new airworthiness 

directive: 

2021–17–16 Leonardo S.p.a.: Amendment 

39–21699; Docket No. FAA–2021–0455; 

Project Identifier 2018–SW–031–AD. 

(a) Effective Date 

This airworthiness directive (AD) is 

effective September 24, 2021. 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

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

AW189 helicopters, certificated in any 

category, with tail gearbox fitting part 

number (P/N) 4F5350A04152 installed. 

(d) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 6520, Tail Rotor Gearbox. 

(e) Unsafe Condition 

This AD was prompted by fatigue testing 

and analyses. The FAA is issuing this AD to 

prevent parts from remaining in service 

beyond their fatigue life. The unsafe 

condition, if not addressed, could result in 

failure of a part, which could result in loss 

of control of the helicopter. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(g) Required Actions 

Before further flight after the effective date 

of this AD: 

(1) Determine the total hours time-inservice (TIS) and total number of landings of 

tail gearbox fitting P/N 4F5350A04152. For 

purposes of this AD, a landing is counted 

anytime a helicopter lifts off into the air and 

then lands again regardless of the duration of 

the landing and regardless of whether the 

engine is shutdown. If the total hours TIS 

and total number of landings cannot be 

determined, before further flight, remove the 

part from service. 

(2) Remove any part from service that has 

reached or exceeded its life limit as follows. 

Thereafter, remove any part from service on 

or before reaching its life limit as follows. 

Tail gearbox fitting P/N 4F5350A04152: 

14,600 total hours TIS or 57,300 total 

landings, whichever occurs first. 

(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 Kristi Bradley, Program Manager, 

COS Program Management Section, 

Operational Safety Branch, Compliance & 

Airworthiness Division, FAA, 10101 

Hillwood Pkwy., Fort Worth, TX 76177; 

telephone (817) 222–5110; email 

kristin.bradley@faa.gov. 

(2) The subject of this AD is addressed in 

European Aviation Safety Agency (now 

European Union Aviation Safety Agency) 

(EASA) AD 2018–0087, dated April 18, 2018. 

You may view the EASA AD on the internet 

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

FAA–2021–0455. 

(j) Material Incorporated by Reference 

None. 

Issued on August 13, 2021. 

Lance T. Gant, 

Director, Compliance & Airworthiness 

Division, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–17841 Filed 8–19–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2021–0672; Project 

Identifier MCAI–2021–00304–R; Amendment 

39–21693; AD 2021–17–10] 

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 certain 

Leonardo S.p.a. Model A109A, A109A 

II, A109C, A109E, A109K2, A109S, and 

AW109SP helicopters, having a certain 

rotor brake kit installed. This AD was 


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