48078 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 164 / Friday, August 27, 2021 / Proposed Rules 

(d) Subject 

Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) 

Code 2841, Fuel Quantity Indicator. 

(e) Unsafe Condition 

This AD was prompted by reports of fuel 

quantity disparities between the amount of 

fuel indicated and the actual amount of fuel. 

The FAA is issuing this AD to ensure that the 

amount of fuel indicated is the amount of 

fuel available. The unsafe condition, if not 

addressed, could result in fuel starvation and 

engine shutdown with consequent loss of 

airplane control. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(g) Action 

Within 100 hours time-in-service after the 

effective date of this AD or within 12 months 

after the effective date of this AD, whichever 

occurs first, modify the fuel probe interface 

by following the Modification Instructions in 

Garmin Mandatory STC Service Bulletin No. 

2134, Revision A, or Garmin Mandatory STC 

Service Bulletin No. 2135, Revision A, both 

dated April 23, 2021, whichever is 

applicable. 

(h) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, Wichita 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 

certification office, send it to the attention of 

the person identified in Related Information. 

(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 Kevin Marks, Aviation Safety 

Engineer, Wichita ACO Branch, FAA, 1801 

Airport Road, Wichita, KS 67209; phone: 

(316) 946–4153; fax: (316) 946–4107; email: 

kevin.marks@faa.gov or Wichita-COS@

faa.gov. 

(2) For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Garmin International, 

Garmin Aviation Support, 1200 E 151st 

Street, Olathe, KS 66062; phone: (866) 739– 

5687; email: avionics@garmin.com; website: 

https://fly.garmin.com/fly-garmin/support/. 

You may view this referenced 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 August 20, 2021. 

Lance T. Gant, 

Director, Compliance & Airworthiness 

Division, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–18385 Filed 8–26–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2021–0713; Project 

Identifier AD–2021–00180–R] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Bell Textron 

Inc., 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 

Bell Textron Inc., Model 412, 412EP, 

and 412CF helicopters. This proposed 

AD was prompted by evaluation results 

showing flight loads that impact the 

collective lever fatigue life. This 

proposed AD would require adding a 

permanent life penalty for certain 

collective levers and prohibit installing 

those collective levers unless the 

permanent life penalty has been added. 

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 October 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 above between 9 a.m. and 5 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

For service information identified in 

this NPRM, contact Bell Textron, Inc., 

P.O. Box 482, Fort Worth, TX 76101; 

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–2021–0713; 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, any comments received, and 

other information. The street address for 

Docket Operations is listed above. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Haytham Alaidy, Aerospace Engineer, 

Certification & Program Management 

Section, DSCO Branch, Compliance & 

Airworthiness Division, FAA, 10101 

Hillwood Pkwy., Fort Worth, TX 76177; 

telephone (817) 222–5224; email 

haytham.alaidy@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–2021–0713; Project Identifier AD– 

2021–00180–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 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 

marked submissions as confidential 

under the FOIA, and they will not be 


lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with PROPOSALS1
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 164 / Friday, August 27, 2021 / Proposed Rules 48079 

placed in the public docket of this 

NPRM. Submissions containing CBI 

should be sent to Haytham Alaidy, 

Aerospace Engineer, Certification & 

Program Management Section, DSCO 

Branch, Compliance & Airworthiness 

Division, FAA, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., 

Fort Worth, TX 76177; telephone (817) 

222–5224; email haytham.alaidy@

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 

The FAA proposes to adopt a new AD 

for Bell Textron Inc., Model 412, 412EP, 

and 412CF helicopters. This proposed 

AD was prompted by the results of an 

evaluation of BLR Aerospace Strake and 

FastFin system part number (P/N) 412– 

705–040–101. During the evaluation, 

additional flight loads were recorded 

that impact the collective lever fatigue 

life. Accordingly, this proposed AD 

would require adding a permanent life 

penalty for affected collective levers and 

prohibit installing those collective 

levers unless the permanent life penalty 

has been added. This condition, if not 

addressed, could result in fatigue 

damage and cracking, failure of the 

collective lever, and subsequent loss of 

control of the helicopter. 

FAA’s Determination 

The FAA is issuing this NPRM after 

determining that the unsafe condition 

described previously is likely to exist or 

develop on other products of the same 

type design. 

Related Service Information 

The FAA reviewed Bell Helicopter 

Alert Service Bulletin 412–12–151, 

Revision A, dated July 8, 2014. This 

service information specifies procedures 

for adding a permanent flight hour 

penalty for collective levers installed or 

previously installed on helicopters with 

a Strake and FastFin system P/N 412– 

705–040–101. 

Proposed AD Requirements in This 

NPRM 

This proposed AD would require, 

depending on the configuration, adding 

a permanent life penalty of 5,000 hours 

time-in-service (TIS) or 50% of the total 

hours TIS accumulated by the collective 

lever on the component history card or 

equivalent record for the collective 

lever. This proposed AD would also 

prohibit installing an affected collective 

lever unless the permanent life penalty 

has been added on its component 

history card or equivalent record. 

Differences Between This Proposed AD 

and the Service Information 

The service information specifies 

adding the permanent life penalty at the 

next scheduled inspection, whereas this 

proposed AD would require that action 

within 50 hours TIS after the effective 

date of this AD instead. This proposed 

AD would require adding the permanent 

life penalty for helicopters without a 

Strake and FastFin system P/N 412– 

705–040–101 installed, but with a 

collective lever P/N 412–010–408–101 

installed, whereas the service 

information does not specify this. 

Costs of Compliance 

The FAA estimates that this AD, if 

adopted as proposed, would affect 96 

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 proposed AD. 

Replacing a collective lever would 

take about 2 work-hours and parts 

would cost about $18,237, for an 

estimated cost of $18,407 per helicopter 

and up to $1,767,072 for the U.S. fleet. 

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: 

Bell Textron Inc.: Docket No. FAA–2021– 

0713; Project Identifier AD–2021–00180– 

R. 

(a) Comments Due Date 

The FAA must receive comments on this 

airworthiness directive (AD) by October 12, 

2021. 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to Bell Textron Inc., 

Model 412, 412EP, and 412CF helicopters, 

certificated in any category. 

(d) Subject 

Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) 

Code: 2700, Flight Control System. 

(e) Unsafe Condition 

This AD was prompted by evaluation 

results showing flight loads that impact the 

collective lever fatigue life. The FAA is 

issuing this AD to prevent fatigue damage 

and cracking, which could result in failure of 

the collective lever 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) Within 50 hours time-in-service (TIS) 

after the effective date of this AD: 

(i) For helicopters with a Strake and 

FastFin system part number (P/N) 412–705– 

040–101 installed since initial delivery from 

the manufacturer, add a permanent penalty 


lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with PROPOSALS1
48080 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 164 / Friday, August 27, 2021 / Proposed Rules 

of 5,000 hours TIS to the total hours TIS 

indicated on the component history card or 

equivalent record for the collective lever P/ 

N 412–010–408–101. 

Note 1 to paragraph (g)(1)(i): Bell 

Helicopter service information identifies 

helicopters with serial numbers 36570, 

36579, 36587, and 36593 through 36602 

inclusive, as helicopters originally delivered 

with a Strake and FastFin system installed. 

(ii) For helicopters with a Strake and 

FastFin system P/N 412–705–040–101 

installed after delivery from the 

manufacturer, add a permanent penalty of 

50% of the total hours TIS accumulated by 

the collective lever P/N 412–010–408–101 on 

the component history card or equivalent 

record for the collective lever P/N 412–010– 

408–101. 

Note 2 to paragraph (g)(1)(ii): The 

Accomplishment Instructions, part II, 

paragraph 2., of Bell Helicopter Alert Service 

Bulletin 412–12–151, Revision A, dated July 

8, 2014, provides an example of calculating 

and adding a permanent penalty of 50%. 

(iii) For helicopters without a Strake and 

FastFin system P/N 412–705–040–101 

installed, but with a collective lever P/N 

412–010–408–101 installed, add a permanent 

penalty of 50% of the total hours TIS 

accumulated by the collective lever on the 

component history card or equivalent record 

for the collective lever. 

(2) Before further flight, remove from 

service any collective lever P/N 412–010– 

408–101 that has reached or exceeded its life 

limit of 10,000 total hours TIS. Thereafter, 

remove from service each collective lever P/ 

N 412–010–408–101 on or before reaching its 

life limit of 10,000 total hours TIS. 

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

not install a new (zero total hours TIS) 

collective lever P/N 412–010–408–101 unless 

a permanent penalty of 5,000 hours TIS has 

been added to the total hours TIS on its 

component history card or equivalent record. 

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

not install a used collective lever P/N 412– 

010–408–101 unless a permanent penalty of 

50% of the total hours TIS accumulated by 

the collective lever has been added to the 

total hours TIS on its component history card 

or equivalent record. 

(h) Special Flight Permits 

Special flight permits are prohibited. 

(i) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, DSCO 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 certification office, 

send it to the attention of the person 

identified in paragraph (j) of this AD. 

Information may be emailed to: 9-ASW-190- 

COS@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. 

(j) Related Information 

For more information about this AD, 

contact Haytham Alaidy, Aerospace 

Engineer, Certification & Program 

Management Section, DSCO Branch, 

Compliance & Airworthiness Division, FAA, 

10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Fort Worth, TX 

76177; telephone (817) 222–5224; email 

haytham.alaidy@faa.gov. 

Issued on August 19, 2021. 

Ross Landes, 

Deputy Director for Regulatory Operations, 

Compliance & Airworthiness Division, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–18383 Filed 8–26–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2021–0661; Project 

Identifier AD–2020–01349–E] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & 

Whitney Turbofan Engines 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to 

supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 

2011–07–02, which applies to all Pratt 

& Whitney (P&W) JT8D–209, JT8D–217, 

JT8D–217A, JT8D–217C, and JT8D–219 

model turbofan engines. AD 2011–07– 

02 requires initial and repetitive torque 

inspections of the 3rd-stage and 4thstage low-pressure turbine (LPT) blades. 

AD 2011–07–02 also requires 

replacement of the LPT blade if wear 

limits are exceeded, replacement of the 

LPT-to-exhaust case bolts and nuts, and 

installation of crushable sleeve spacers 

on the bolts. Since the FAA issued AD 

2011–07–02, the FAA received a report 

of an MD–82 airplane, equipped with a 

JT8D–217 engine, experiencing an 

engine surge that resulted in the fracture 

of an LPT blade. This proposed AD 

would retain certain requirements of AD 

2011–07–02, while revising the 

inspection thresholds and replacement 

intervals for the 3rd-stage and 4th-stage 

LPT blades. 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 October 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 above between 9 a.m. and 5 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

For service information identified in 

this NPRM, contact Pratt & Whitney, 

400 Main Street, East Hartford, CT 

06118; phone: (800) 565–0140; email: 

help24@prattwhitney.com; website: 

https://fleetcare.prattwhitney.com. You 

may view this service information at the 

FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, 

Operational Safety Branch, 1200 District 

Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call (781) 238– 

7759. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket at 

https://www.regulations.gov by 

searching for and locating Docket No. 

FAA–2021–0661; 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, any comments received, and 

other information. The street address for 

Docket Operations is listed above. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Nicholas Paine, Aviation Safety 

Engineer, ECO Branch, FAA, 1200 

District Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803; 

phone: (781) 238–7116; fax: (781) 238– 

7199; email: nicholas.j.paine@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–2021–0661; Project Identifier AD– 

2020–01349–E’’ 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 the 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:// 


lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with PROPOSALS1