Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 170 / Tuesday, September 7, 2021 / Rules and Regulations 49915 

(IBR) 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) Rolls-Royce Non-Modification Service 

Bulletin Trent XWB 72–K633, Initial Issue, 

dated August 7, 2020. 

(ii) [Reserved] 

(3) For Rolls-Royce service information 

identified in this AD, contact Rolls-Royce 

plc, Corporate Communications, P.O. Box 31, 

Derby, DE24 8BJ, United Kingdom; phone: 

+44 (0)1332 242424; fax: +44 (0)1332 249936; 

website: https://www.rolls-royce.com/ 

contact-us.aspx. 

(4) 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. 

(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: fr.inspection@nara.gov, or go to: 

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

ibr-locations.html. 

Issued on August 12, 2021. 

Lance T. Gant, 

Director, Compliance & Airworthiness 

Division, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–19175 Filed 9–3–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2021–0727; Project 

Identifier AD–2021–00835–R; Amendment 

39–21726; AD 2021–19–08] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Robinson 

Helicopter Company 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 

Robinson Helicopter Company Model 

R44 and R44 II helicopters. This AD was 

prompted by reports of cracked tail rotor 

blades (blades). This AD requires 

checking each blade for any crack and 

removing any cracked blade from 

service. This AD also requires removing 

all affected blades from service and 

prohibits installing any affected blade 

on any helicopter. The FAA is issuing 

this AD to address the unsafe condition 

on these products. 

DATES: This AD is effective September 

22, 2021. 

The FAA must receive comments on 

this AD by October 22, 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 final rule, contact Robinson 

Helicopter Company, Pete Riedl, 2901 

Airport Drive, Torrance, CA 90505, 

United States; phone: (310) 539–0508; 

email: eng1@robinsonheli.com; website: 

https://robinsonheli.com/. 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–2021–0727; 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, any comments received, and 

other information. The street address for 

the Docket Operations is listed above. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

James Guo, Aerospace Engineer, 

Airframe Section, Los Angeles ACO 

Branch, Compliance & Airworthiness 

Division, FAA, 3960 Paramount Blvd., 

Lakewood, CA 90712; telephone (562) 

627–5357; email james.guo@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

The FAA received reports of spanwise 

cracks found along the leading edge of 

part number (P/N) C029–3 blades, serial 

numbers (S/N) 9410 through 9909. 

These affected blades were factoryinstalled or shipped as spares between 

March and December 2019. The cracks 

were found at different inspection 

intervals ranging from preflight 

inspections to 100-hour inspections. In 

one instance, a cracked blade was 

suspected when the pilot felt abnormal 

vibrations during flight; subsequent 

investigation determined that the blade 

was cracked. The cause of the cracks is 

a manufacturing defect in the properties 

of the blade skin that makes the blades 

prone to stress corrosion cracking. This 

condition, if not addressed, could result 

in reduced controllability and 

subsequent loss of control of the 

helicopter. The FAA is issuing this AD 

to address the unsafe condition on these 

products. 

FAA’s Determination 

The FAA is issuing this AD because 

the agency has determined the unsafe 

condition described previously is likely 

to exist or develop in other products of 

the same type design. 

Related Service Information 

The FAA reviewed Robinson 

Helicopter Company R44 Service 

Bulletin 

SB–108, dated June 30, 2021. This 

service bulletin specifies removing P/N 

C029–3 blades with S/N 9410 through 

9909 from service. For continued 

operation until the affected blades are 

replaced, the service bulletin specifies a 

preflight inspection to be performed by 

the pilot. 

AD Requirements 

This AD requires, before further flight 

and thereafter before each flight, 

checking blade P/N C029–3 with S/N 

9410 through 9909 inclusive, for any 

crack along the leading edge of the 

blade. An owner/operator (pilot) may 

perform this required check but must 

enter compliance with the applicable 

paragraph of this AD in the helicopter 

maintenance records in accordance with 

14 CFR 43.9(a)(1) through (4) and 

91.417(a)(2)(v). A pilot may perform this 

check because it involves visually 

checking each blade for a crack. This 

action can be performed equally well by 

a pilot or a mechanic. This check is an 

exception to the FAA’s standard 

maintenance regulations. This AD also 

requires, before further flight, removing 

from service any cracked blade and 

prohibits installing the affected blades 

on any helicopter. Additionally, this AD 

requires, within three months after the 

effective date of this AD, removing all 

affected blades from service. 

Justification for Immediate Adoption 

and Determination of the Effective Date 

Section 553(b)(3)(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 


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49916 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 170 / Tuesday, September 7, 2021 / Rules and Regulations 

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 foregoing notice 

and comment prior to adoption of this 

rule because an urgent unsafe condition 

exist and corrective actions must 

accomplished before further flight and 

then within three months. Accordingly, 

notice and opportunity for prior public 

comment are impracticable and contrary 

to the public interest pursuant to 5 

U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(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 forego 

notice and comment. 

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 ADDRESSES. 

Include ‘‘Docket No. 2021–0727 and 

Project Identifier AD–2021–00835–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 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 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 James Guo, Aerospace 

Engineer, Airframe Section, Los Angeles 

ACO Branch, Compliance & 

Airworthiness Division, FAA, 3960 

Paramount Blvd., Lakewood, CA 90712; 

telephone (562) 627–5357; email 

james.guo@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. 

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 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 164 helicopters of U.S. registry. 

The FAA estimates the following costs 

to comply with this AD. Labor costs are 

estimated at $85 per work-hour. 

Checking the tail rotor blade for any 

crack takes about 0.25 work-hour for an 

estimated cost of $22 per inspection. 

Replacing the tail rotor blade takes 

about 3.5 work-hours and parts cost 

about $3,320 for an estimated cost of 

$3,618 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. 

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: 

2021–19–08 Robinson Helicopter Company: 

Amendment 39–21726; Docket No. 

FAA–2021–0727; Project Identifier AD– 

2021–00835–R. 

(a) Effective Date 

This airworthiness directive (AD) is 

effective September 22, 2021. 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

Robinson Helicopter Company Model R44 

and R44 II helicopters, certificated in any 

category, with a tail rotor blade (blade) part 

number (P/N) C029–3 with serial number (S/ 

N) 9410 through 9909 inclusive, installed. 

(d) Subject 

Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) 

Code: 6410, Tail Rotor Blades. 


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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 170 / Tuesday, September 7, 2021 / Rules and Regulations 49917 

(e) Unsafe Condition 

This AD was prompted by reports of 

cracked blades. The FAA is issuing this AD 

to detect and prevent cracks in the affected 

blades. The unsafe condition, if not 

addressed, could result in reduced 

controllability 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) Before further flight and thereafter 

before each flight, check each blade at the 

leading edge for a crack. This action may be 

performed by the owner/operator (pilot) 

holding at least a private pilot certificate and 

must be entered into the aircraft records 

showing compliance with this AD in 

accordance with 14 CFR 43.9(a)(1) through 

(4) and 14 CFR 91.417(a)(2)(v). The record 

must be maintained as required by 14 CFR 

91.417, 121.380, or 135.439. 

(2) If there is any crack, before further 

flight, remove the blade from service. 

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

not install a blade identified in paragraph (c) 

of this AD on any helicopter. 

(4) Within three months after the effective 

date of this AD, remove from service any 

blade identified in paragraph (c) of this AD. 

(h) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, Los Angeles 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 paragraph (i) of this 

AD. Information may be emailed to: 9-ANMLAACO-AMOC-REQUESTS@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 

For more information about this AD, 

contact James Guo, Aerospace Engineer, 

Airframe Section, Los Angeles ACO Branch, 

Compliance & Airworthiness Division, FAA, 

3960 Paramount Blvd., Lakewood, CA 90712; 

telephone (562) 627–5357; email james.guo@

faa.gov. 

(j) Material Incorporated by Reference 

None. 

Issued on September 1, 2021. 

Gaetano A. Sciortino, 

Deputy Director for Strategic Initiatives, 

Compliance & Airworthiness Division, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–19300 Filed 9–2–21; 11:15 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 

Amendment of Class E Airspace; 

Malden, MO 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: This action amends Class E 

airspace extending upward from 700 

feet above the surface at Malden 

Regional Airport, (formerly Malden 

Municipal Airport), Malden, MO. The 

FAA is taking this action as a result of 

an airspace review caused by the 

decommissioning of the Malden Very 

High Frequency Omni-Directional 

Range (VOR) co-located with Tactical 

Air Navigation (TACAN) which equates 

to a (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: Effective 0901 UTC, December 2, 

2021. The Director of the Federal 

Register approves this incorporation by 

reference action under 1 CFR part 51, 

subject to the annual revision of FAA 

Order 7400.11 and publication of 

conforming amendments. 

ADDRESSES: FAA Order 7400.11E, 

Airspace Designations and Reporting 

Points, and subsequent amendments can 

be viewed online at https://

www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/. 

For further information, you can contact 

the Airspace Policy Group, Federal 

Aviation Administration, 800 

Independence Avenue SW, Washington, 

DC 20591; Telephone: (202) 267–8783. 

The Order is also available for 

inspection at the National Archives and 

Records Administration (NARA). For 

information on the availability of FAA 

Order 7400.11E at NARA, email 

fr.inspection@nara.gov or go to https:// 

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

ibr-locations.html. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John 

Fornito, Operations Support Group, 

Eastern Service Center, Federal Aviation 

Administration, 1701 Columbia Ave., 

College Park, GA 30337; Telephone 

(404) 305–6364. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Authority for This Rulemaking 

The FAA’s authority to issue rules 

regarding aviation safety is found in 

Title 49 of the United States Code. 

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. This rulemaking is 

promulgated under the authority 

described in Subtitle VII, Part A, 

Subpart I, Section 40103. Under that 

section, the FAA is charged with 

prescribing regulations to assign the use 

of airspace necessary to ensure the 

safety of aircraft and the efficient use of 

airspace. This regulation is within the 

scope of that authority as it amends the 

Class E airspace extending upward from 

700 feet above the surface in Malden, 

MO, to support IFR operations in the 

area. 

History 

The FAA published a notice of 

proposed rulemaking in the Federal 

Register (86 FR 33920, June 28, 2021) 

for Docket No. FAA–2021–0424 to 

amend Class E airspace extending 

upward from 700 feet above the surface 

at Malden Regional Airport, Malden, 

MO, due to the decommissioning of the 

Malden VORTAC. 

Interested parties were invited to 

participate in this rulemaking effort by 

submitting written comments on the 

proposal to the FAA. No comments 

were received. 

Class E airspace designations are 

published in Paragraph 6005, of FAA 

Order 7400.11E, dated July 21, 2020, 

and effective September 15, 2020, which 

is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 

71.1. The Class E airspace designations 

listed in this document will be 

published subsequently in the Order. 

Availability and Summary of 

Documents for Incorporation by 

Reference 

This document amends FAA Order 

7400.11E, Airspace Designations and 

Reporting Points, dated July 21, 2020, 

and effective September 15, 2020. FAA 

Order 7400.11E is publicly available as 

listed in the ADDRESSES section of this 

document. FAA Order 7400.11E lists 

Class A, B, C, D, and E airspace areas, 

air traffic routes, and reporting points. 

The Rule 

The FAA is amending 14 CFR part 71 

by amending the Class E airspace 

extending upward from 700 feet above 

the surface for Malden Regional Airport, 

Malden, MO, as the Malden VORTAC 

has been decommissioned and all 

associated airspace extensions of Class E 

airspace extending upward from 700 


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