Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 124 / Wednesday, June 27, 2001 / Rules and Regulations 34103

shall submit their requests through an FAA

Principal Maintenance Inspector, who may

concur or comment and then send it to the

Manager, Boston Aircraft Certification Office.

Note 2: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this AD, if any, may be

obtained from the Boston Aircraft

Certification Office.

(d) Special flight permits may be issued in

accordance with sections 21.197 and 21.199

of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR

21.197 and 21.199) to operate the helicopter

to a location where the requirements of this

AD can be accomplished.

(e) This amendment becomes effective on

August 1, 2001.

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on June 12,

2001.

Eric Bries,

Acting Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate,

Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 01–16046 Filed 6–26–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 2001–SW–08–AD; Amendment

39–12284; AD 2001–13–04]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter

France Model EC 155B Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; request for

comments.

SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a

new airworthiness directive (AD) for

Eurocopter France Model EC 155B

helicopters. This AD requires, before

each takeoff with a cabin sliding door in

the open position, visually checking

each sliding door to ensure that each

door roller is inside its rail. If a roller

is outside its rail, before further flight,

each roller on each door must be

replaced inside its rail. This AD also

revises the Limitations section of the

Rotorcraft Flight Manual (RFM) by

prohibiting the opening and closing of

a cabin sliding door in flight. This AD

is prompted by the loss of a cabin

sliding door in flight. The actions

specified by this AD are intended to

prevent in-flight loss of a cabin sliding

door, impact with the main rotor or

fenestron, and subsequent loss of

control of the helicopter.

DATES: Effective July 23, 2001.

Comments for inclusion in the Rules

Docket must be received on or before

August 27, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in

triplicate to the Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), Office of the

Regional Counsel, Southwest Region,

Attention: Rules Docket No. 2001–SW–

08–AD, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Room

663, Fort Worth, Texas 76137. You may

also send comments electronically to

the Rules Docket at the following

address: 9-asw-adcomments@faa.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Richard Monschke, Aviation Safety

Engineer, FAA, Rotorcraft Directorate,

Rotorcraft Standards Staff, Fort Worth,

Texas 76193–0110, telephone (817)

222–5116, fax (817) 222–5961.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

Direction Ge ́ne ́rale De L’Aviation Civile

(DGAC), the airworthiness authority for

France, notified the FAA that an unsafe

condition may exist on Eurocopter

France Model EC 155B helicopters. The

DGAC advises of an in-flight loss of a

cabin sliding door.

Eurocopter France has issued Alert

Service Telex No. 52A003, dated

February 8, 2001 (AST). The AST

specifies that, before takeoff with a

cabin sliding door (door) open, the

operator must visually check each door

rail with the door in the open position

to ensure that no roller is outside its

rail. If a roller is outside its rail, the AST

specifies correcting that condition in

accordance with Aircraft Maintenance

Manual Task 52–12–00–061 before

resuming flight. The AST also forbids

opening and closing a sliding door in

flight. The DGAC classified this AST as

mandatory and issued AD No. T2001–

058–001(A) to ensure the continued

airworthiness of these helicopters in

France.

This helicopter model is

manufactured in France and is type

certificated for operation in the United

States under the provisions of 14 CFR

21.29 and the applicable bilateral

airworthiness agreement. Pursuant to

this bilateral airworthiness agreement,

the DGAC has kept the FAA informed

of the situation described above. The

FAA has examined the findings of the

DGAC, reviewed all available

information, and determined that AD

action is necessary for products of this

type design that are certificated for

operation in the United States.

Since we have identified an unsafe

condition that is likely to exist or

develop on other Eurocopter France

Model EC 155B helicopters of the same

type design registered in the United

States, this AD is being issued to

prevent in-flight loss of a door, impact

with the main rotor or fenestron, and

subsequent loss of control of the

helicopter. This AD requires the

operator, before each flight with a

sliding door open, to visually check the

door rails of that door to ensure that

each roller is inside its rail. If any roller

is outside its rail, this AD requires that

each roller be replaced inside its rail.

Note 2 of the AD refers the reader to

Maintenance Manual Task 52–12–00–

061 that details a corrective procedure.

This AD also revises the Limitations

section of the RFM by prohibiting

opening and closing either cabin sliding

door in flight. The short compliance

time involved is required because the

previously described critical unsafe

condition can adversely affect the

controllability and structural integrity of

the helicopter. Therefore, visually

checking the door and ensuring that

each roller is inside its rail is required

before each flight with a sliding door

open, and this AD must be issued

immediately.

An owner/operator (pilot) may

perform the visual checks required by

this AD and must enter compliance with

the visual inspection required by

paragraph (a) of this AD in accordance

with 14 CFR 43.11 and 91.417(a)(2)(v)).

This AD allows a pilot to perform this

check because it involves only a visual

check of a sliding cabin door to detect

any roller outside its rail and can be

performed equally well by a pilot or a

mechanic.

Since a situation exists that requires

the immediate adoption of this

regulation, it is found that notice and

opportunity for prior public comment

hereon are impracticable, and that good

cause exists for making this amendment

effective in less than 30 days.

The FAA estimates that 2 helicopters

will be affected by this AD, that it will

take approximately 0.1 work hour to

accomplish the visual check, and that

the average labor rate is $60 per work

hour. Based on these figures, the total

cost impact of the AD on U.S. operators

is estimated to be $6 for each flight with

a sliding door open, assuming that no

roller is outside of its rail.

Comments Invited

Although this action is in the form of

a final rule that involves requirements

affecting flight safety and, thus, was not

preceded by notice and an opportunity

for public comment, comments are

invited on this rule. Interested persons

are invited to comment on this rule by

submitting such written data, views, or

arguments as they may desire.

Communications should identify the

Rules Docket number and be submitted

in triplicate to the address specified

under the caption ADDRESSES. All

communications received on or before

the closing date for comments will be

34104 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 124 / Wednesday, June 27, 2001 / Rules and Regulations

considered, and this rule may be

amended in light of the comments

received. Factual information that

supports the commenter’s ideas and

suggestions is extremely helpful in

evaluating the effectiveness of the AD

action and determining whether

additional rulemaking action would be

needed.

Comments are specifically invited on

the overall regulatory, economic,

environmental, and energy aspects of

the rule that might suggest a need to

modify the rule. All comments

submitted will be available in the Rules

Docket for examination by interested

persons. A report that summarizes each

FAA-public contact concerned with the

substance of this AD will be filed in the

Rules Docket.

Commenters wishing the FAA to

acknowledge receipt of their mailed

comments submitted in response to this

rule must submit a self-addressed,

stamped postcard on which the

following statement is made:

‘‘Comments to Docket No. 2001–SW–

08–AD.’’ The postcard will be date

stamped and returned to the

commenter.

The regulations adopted herein 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. Therefore, it is

determined that this final rule does not

have federalism implications under

Executive Order 13132.

The FAA has determined that this

regulation is an emergency regulation

that must be issued immediately to

correct an unsafe condition in aircraft,

and that it is not a ‘‘significant

regulatory action’’ under Executive

Order 12866. It has been determined

further that this action involves an

emergency regulation under DOT

Regulatory Policies and Procedures (44

FR 11034, February 26, 1979). If it is

determined that this emergency

regulation otherwise would be

significant under DOT Regulatory

Policies and Procedures, a final

regulatory evaluation will be prepared

and placed in the Rules Docket. A copy

of it, if filed, may be obtained from the

Rules Docket at the location provided

under the caption ADDRESSES.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation

safety, Safety.

Adoption of the Amendment

Accordingly, under the authority

delegated to me by the Administrator,

the Federal Aviation Administration

amends part 39 of the Federal Aviation

Regulations (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. FAA amends § 39.13 by adding the

following new airworthiness directive:

2001–13–04 Eurocopter France:

Amendment 39–12284. Docket No.

2001–SW–08–AD.

Applicability: Model EC 155B helicopters,

certificated in any category.

Note 1: This AD applies to each helicopter

identified in the preceding applicability

provision, regardless of whether it has been

otherwise modified, altered, or repaired in

the area subject to the requirements of this

AD. For helicopters that have been modified,

altered, or repaired so that the performance

of the requirements of this AD is affected, the

owner/operator must request approval for an

alternative method of compliance in

accordance with paragraph (d) of this AD.

The request should include an assessment of

the effect of the modification, alteration, or

repair on the unsafe condition addressed by

this AD; and if the unsafe condition has not

been eliminated, the request should include

specific proposed actions to address it.

Compliance: Required before each flight

(takeoff and landing) with an open cabin

sliding door, unless accomplished

previously.

To prevent in-flight loss of a cabin sliding

door, impact with the main rotor or

fenestron, and subsequent loss of control of

the helicopter, accomplish the following:

(a) Visually check each cabin sliding door

in the open position to ensure that each roller

is in its rail. If any roller is outside its rail,

before further flight, replace the roller inside

the rail.

Note 2: Maintenance Manual Task 52–12–

00–061 pertains to the subject of this AD.

(b) An owner/operator (pilot) may perform

the visual check required by this AD and

must record compliance with the visual

check required by paragraph (a) of this AD

in accordance with 14 CFR 43.11 and

91.417(a)(2)(v)). This AD allows a pilot to

perform this check because it involves only

a visual check of each cabin sliding door to

detect any roller outside its rail and can be

performed equally well by a pilot or a

mechanic.

(c) This AD revises the Limitations section

of the Rotorcraft Flight Manual (RFM) by

either inserting statements prohibiting the

opening and closing of a cabin sliding door

in flight and requiring, before each flight

with an open cabin sliding door, visually

checking the open door to ensure each door

roller is inside its rail, or by inserting a copy

of this AD into the Limitations section of the

RFM.

(d) An alternative method of compliance or

adjustment of the compliance time that

provides an acceptable level of safety may be

used if approved by the Manager, Regulations

Group, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA.

Operators shall submit their requests through

an FAA Principal Maintenance Inspector,

who may concur or comment, and then send

it to the Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate.

(e) A special flight permit is prohibited.

(f) This amendment becomes effective on

July 23, 2001.

Note 3: The subject of this AD is addressed

in Direction Ge ́ne ́rale De L’Aviation Civile

(France) AD No. T2001–058–001(A), dated

February 9, 2001.

Issued Fort Worth, Texas, on June 12, 2001.

Eric Bries,

Acting Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate,

Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 01–16045 Filed 6–26–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 2000–SW–48–AD; Amendment

39–12281; AD 2001–13–01]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Bell

Helicopter Textron, Inc. Model 205A–1,

205B, 212, 412, 412EP, and 412CF

Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a

new airworthiness directive (AD), for

Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. (BHTI)

Model 205A–1, 205B, 212, 412, 412EP,

and 412CF helicopters. This AD

requires removing each existing tail

rotor counterweight bellcrank

(bellcrank) retention nut (retention nut),

replacing each retention nut with a zero

hours time-in-service (TIS) retention

nut; and follow-up inspections of

installed retention nuts. This AD is

prompted by an in-flight loss of a

bellcrank due to failure of the retention

nut. The actions specified by this AD

are intended to prevent failure of the

retention nut, which could result in the

bellcrank migrating off the crosshead

spindle, loss of tail rotor control, and

subsequent loss of control of the

helicopter.

DATES: Effective August 1, 2001.

The incorporation by reference of

certain publications listed in the

regulations is approved by the Director

of the Federal Register as of August 1,

2001.

ADDRESSES: The service information

referenced in this AD may be obtained