Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 124 / Wednesday, June 29, 2022 / Proposed Rules 38689 

(i) Related Information 

For more information about this AD, 

contact Hye Yoon Jang, Aerospace Engineer, 

Delegation Oversight Section, DSCO Branch, 

Compliance & Airworthiness Division, FAA, 

10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Fort Worth, TX 

76177; telephone (817) 222–5190; email 

hye.yoon.jang@faa.gov. 

Issued on June 23, 2022. 

Ross Landes, 

Deputy Director for Regulatory Operations, 

Compliance & Airworthiness Division, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2022–13796 Filed 6–28–22; 8:45 am] 

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2022–0804; Project 

Identifier MCAI–2022–00081–R] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus 

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 all 

Airbus Helicopters Model AS332C, 

AS332C1, AS332L, and AS332L1 

helicopters. This proposed AD was 

prompted by review of maintenance 

instructions that showed conflicting 

methods of recording torque cycles for 

certain parts. This proposed AD would 

require recalculating the torque cycles 

of certain parts, updating log cards, and 

replacing those parts before exceeding 

their recalculated service life limits (life 

limits); removing certain other parts 

from service; and applying an 

operational restriction on certain parts, 

as specified in a European Union 

Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, 

which is proposed for incorporation by 

reference (IBR). 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 August 15, 

2022. 

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 EASA material that is proposed 

for IBR in this NPRM, contact EASA, 

Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 

Cologne, Germany; telephone +49 221 

8999 000; email ADs@easa.europa.eu; 

internet www.easa.europa.eu. You may 

find the EASA material on the EASA 

website at https://ad.easa.europa.eu. 

For Airbus Helicopters service 

information identified in this NPRM, 

contact Airbus Helicopters, 2701 North 

Forum Drive, Grand Prairie, TX 75052; 

telephone (972) 641–0000 or (800) 232– 

0323; fax (972) 641–3775; or at https:// 

www.airbus.com/helicopters/services/ 

technical-support.html. You may view 

this material 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. The EASA 

material is also available at https://

www.regulations.gov by searching for 

and locating Docket No. FAA–2022– 

0804. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket at 

https://www.regulations.gov by 

searching for and locating Docket No. 

FAA–2022–0804; 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, the EASA AD, any comments 

received, and other information. The 

street address for Docket Operations is 

listed above. 

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: 

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–2022–0804; Project Identifier 

MCAI–2022–00081–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 

placed in the public docket of this 

NPRM. Submissions containing CBI 

should be sent to 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. Any 

commentary that the FAA receives that 

is not specifically designated as CBI will 

be placed in the public docket for this 

rulemaking. 

Background 

EASA, which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Union, has issued EASA AD 2022–0012, 

dated January 24, 2022 (EASA AD 

2022–0012), to correct an unsafe 

condition for Airbus Helicopters (AH), 

formerly Eurocopter, Eurocopter France, 

Aerospatiale, Model AS 332 C, AS 332 

C1, AS 332 L, and AS 332 L1 

helicopters. 

This proposed AD was prompted by 

review of maintenance instructions that 

showed conflicting methods of 

recording torque cycles for certain parts. 

The FAA is proposing this AD to 

address under-calculated torque cycle 

accumulations and prevent a part from 

remaining in service beyond its fatigue 


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38690 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 124 / Wednesday, June 29, 2022 / Proposed Rules 

life. The unsafe condition, if not 

addressed, could result in failure of a 

part and subsequent loss of control of 

the helicopter. See EASA AD 2022–0012 

for additional background information. 

Related Service Information Under 1 

CFR Part 51 

EASA AD 2022–0012 requires 

recalculating the torque cycles of certain 

affected parts, updating log cards, and 

replacing those parts before exceeding 

their recalculated service life limits. 

EASA AD 2022–0012 also requires 

removing certain other affected parts 

from service and prohibits installing 

those parts. Lastly, EASA AD 2022– 

0012 applies an operational restriction 

to certain affected parts. 

The FAA reviewed Airbus Helicopters 

Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) No. 

AS332–01.00.76, Revision 1, dated 

March 8, 2022 (ASB AS332–01.00.76, 

Rev 1). This service information 

specifies procedures for determining the 

corrected accumulated torque cycles 

and updating the log cards for certain 

parts, new life limits expressed in 

torque cycles, and new procedures for 

counting torque cycles. 

This material 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. 

FAA’s Determination 

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 is 

proposing this AD after evaluating all 

known relevant information and 

determining that the unsafe condition 

described previously is likely to exist or 

develop on other helicopters of these 

same type designs. 

Proposed AD Requirements in This 

NPRM 

This proposed AD would require 

accomplishing the actions specified in 

EASA AD 2022–0012, described 

previously, as incorporated by 

reference, except for any differences 

identified as exceptions in the 

regulatory text of this proposed AD and 

except as discussed under ‘‘Differences 

Between this Proposed AD and the 

EASA AD.’’ 

Explanation of Required Compliance 

Information 

In the FAA’s ongoing efforts to 

improve the efficiency of the AD 

process, the FAA developed a process to 

use some civil aviation authority (CAA) 

ADs as the primary source of 

information for compliance with 

requirements for corresponding FAA 

ADs. The FAA has been coordinating 

this process with manufacturers and 

CAAs. As a result, the FAA proposes to 

incorporate EASA AD 2022–0012 by 

reference in the FAA final rule. This 

proposed AD would, therefore, require 

compliance with EASA AD 2022–0012 

in its entirety through that 

incorporation, except for any differences 

identified as exceptions in the 

regulatory text of this proposed AD. 

Using common terms that are the same 

as the heading of a particular section in 

EASA AD 2022–0012 does not mean 

that operators need comply only with 

that section. For example, where the AD 

requirement refers to ‘‘all required 

actions and compliance times,’’ 

compliance with this AD requirement is 

not limited to the section titled 

‘‘Required Action(s) and Compliance 

Time(s)’’ in EASA AD 2022–0012. 

Service information referenced in EASA 

AD 2022–0012 for compliance will be 

available at https://www.regulations.gov 

by searching for and locating Docket No. 

FAA–2022–0804 after the FAA final 

rule is published. 

ADs Mandating Airworthiness 

Limitations 

The FAA has previously mandated 

airworthiness limitations by mandating 

each airworthiness limitation task (e.g., 

inspections and replacements (life 

limits)) as an AD requirement or issuing 

ADs that require revising the 

airworthiness limitations section (ALS) 

of the existing maintenance manual or 

instructions for continued airworthiness 

to incorporate new or revised 

inspections and life limits. This 

proposed AD, however, would require 

operators to incorporate into 

maintenance records required by 14 

CFR 91.417(a)(2) or 135.439(a)(2), as 

applicable for your helicopter, the 

requirements (airworthiness limitations) 

specified in service information 

required by a CAA AD. The FAA does 

not intend this as a substantive change. 

For these ADs, the ALS requirements for 

operators are the same but are complied 

with differently. Requiring the 

incorporation of the new ALS 

requirements into the maintenance 

records, rather than requiring individual 

ALS tasks (e.g., repetitive inspections 

and replacements), requires operators to 

record AD compliance once after 

updating the maintenance records, 

rather than after every time the ALS task 

is completed. 

Differences Between This Proposed AD 

and the EASA AD 

EASA AD 2022–0012 allows using 

Airbus Helicopters ASB No. AS332– 

01.00.76, Revision 0, dated December 

16, 2021, for corrective actions; whereas 

this proposed AD would not and would 

instead require using ASB AS332– 

01.00.76, Rev 1. EASA AD 2022–0012 

requires replacing each affected part 

before exceeding its re-calculated life 

limit; whereas this proposed AD would 

require, within 30 days after the 

effective date of the AD, incorporating 

the re-calculated life limits into 

maintenance records required by 14 

CFR 91.417(a)(2) or 135.439(a)(2), as 

applicable for your helicopter. 

Costs of Compliance 

The FAA estimates that this AD, if 

adopted as proposed, would affect 7 

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. 

Recalculating the torque cycles and 

updating maintenance records would 

take about 4 work-hours for an 

estimated cost of about $340 per 

helicopter and $2,380 for the U.S. fleet. 

Incorporating actions and associated 

thresholds and intervals, including life 

limits and maintenance tasks, into 

maintenance records, would require 

about 2 work-hours for a cost of $170 

per helicopter and a cost of $1,190 for 

the U.S. fleet. Replacing a main rotor 

shaft would take about 40 work-hours 

and parts would cost about $175,684 for 

an estimated cost of $179,084. Replacing 

a main gearbox flexible mounting plate 

support would take about 80 workhours and parts would cost about 

$57,457 for an estimated cost of 

$64,257. 

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 


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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 124 / Wednesday, June 29, 2022 / Proposed Rules 38691 

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: 

Airbus Helicopters: Docket No. FAA–2022– 

0804; Project Identifier MCAI–2022– 

00081–R. 

(a) Comments Due Date 

The FAA must receive comments on this 

airworthiness directive (AD) by August 15, 

2022. 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to all Airbus Helicopters 

Model AS332C, AS332C1, AS332L, and 

AS332L1 helicopters, certificated in any 

category. 

(d) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 1400, Miscellaneous Hardware. 

(e) Unsafe Condition 

This AD was prompted by review of 

maintenance instructions that showed 

conflicting methods of recording torque 

cycles for certain parts. The FAA is issuing 

this AD to address under-calculated torque 

cycle accumulations and prevent a part from 

remaining in service beyond its fatigue life. 

The unsafe condition, if not addressed, could 

result in failure of a part and subsequent loss 

of control of the helicopter. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(g) Requirements 

Except as specified in paragraphs (h) and 

(i) of this AD: Comply with all required 

actions and compliance times specified in, 

and in accordance with, European Union 

Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 2022– 

0012, dated January 24, 2022 (EASA AD 

2022–0012). 

(h) Exceptions to EASA AD 2022–0012 

(1) Where EASA AD 2022–0012 defines 

‘‘the ASB’’ as ‘‘AH Alert Service Bulletin 

(ASB) AS332–01.00.76,’’ for this AD replace 

that definition with ‘‘Airbus Helicopters 

Alert Service Bulletin No. AS332–01.00.76, 

Revision 1, dated March 8, 2022.’’ 

(2) Where EASA AD 2022–0012 references 

flight hours (FH) and the service information 

referenced in EASA AD 2022–0012 specifies 

life limit thresholds in terms of FH, this AD 

requires using total hours time-in-service. 

(3) Where EASA AD 2022–0012 refers to its 

effective date, this AD requires using the 

effective date of this AD. 

(4) This AD does not mandate paragraph 

(3) of EASA AD 2022–0012; instead, for this 

AD, within 30 days after the effective date of 

this AD, incorporate into maintenance 

records required by 14 CFR 91.417(a)(2) or 

135.439(a)(2), as applicable for your 

helicopter, the actions and associated 

thresholds and intervals, including life limits 

and maintenance tasks, specified in the 

Appendix, section 4., of Airbus Helicopters 

Alert Service Bulletin No. AS332–01.00.76, 

Revision 1, dated March 8, 2022. After the 

action required by this paragraph has been 

done, no alternative actions and associated 

thresholds and intervals, including life 

limits, may be used unless the actions or 

intervals are approved as an alternative 

method of compliance (AMOC) in 

accordance with the procedures specified in 

paragraph (k)(1) of this AD. 

(5) This AD does not mandate compliance 

with the ‘‘Remarks’’ section of EASA AD 

2022–0012. 

(i) No Reporting Requirement 

Although the service information 

referenced in EASA AD 2022–0012 specifies 

to submit certain information to the 

manufacturer, this AD does not include that 

requirement. 

(j) Special Flight Permit 

Special flight permits are prohibited. 

(k) 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 (l)(2) 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. 

(l) Related Information 

(1) For EASA AD 2022–0012, contact 

EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 

Cologne, Germany; telephone +49 221 8999 

000; email ADs@easa.europa.eu; internet 

www.easa.europa.eu. You may find the 

EASA material on the EASA website at 

https://ad.easa.europa.eu. You may view this 

material 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. 

This material may be found in the AD docket 

at https://www.regulations.gov by searching 

for and locating Docket No. FAA–2022–0804. 

(2) 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. 

(3) For Airbus Helicopters service 

information identified in this AD, contact 

Airbus Helicopters, 2701 North Forum Drive, 

Grand Prairie, TX 75052; telephone (972) 

641–0000 or (800) 232–0323; fax (972) 641– 

3775; or at https://www.airbus.com/ 

helicopters/services/technical-support.html. 

You may view this material 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. 

Issued on June 23, 2022. 

Christina Underwood, 

Acting Director, Compliance & Airworthiness 

Division, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2022–13825 Filed 6–28–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 


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