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contains regulatory documents having general

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Rules and Regulations Federal Register

60203 

Vol. 70, No. 199 

Monday, October 17, 2005 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2005–21680; Directorate 

Identifier 2004–SW–48–AD; Amendment 39– 

14341; AD 2005–21–03] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Bell 

Helicopter Textron Canada Model 

206A, A–1, B, B–1, L, L–1, L–3, L–4 

Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration, DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a 

new airworthiness directive (AD) for the 

specified Bell Helicopter Textron 

Canada (BHTC) model helicopters that 

requires, before the first flight of each 

day, checking the tail rotor blade (blade) 

root doublers (doublers) for an edge 

void or de-bond on both sides of each 

blade, and if an edge void or de-bond is 

found, replacing the unairworthy blade 

with an airworthy blade. This AD also 

requires replacing any affected serialnumbered blade with an airworthy 

blade. This amendment is prompted by 

reports of de-bond of the doublers due 

to inadequate surface preparation 

resulting in poor adherence of the 

doublers. The actions specified by this 

AD are intended to prevent loss of a 

blade, loss of tail rotor control, and 

subsequent loss of control of the 

helicopter. 

DATES: Effective November 21, 2005. 

ADDRESSES: You may get the service 

information identified in this AD from 

Bell Helicopter Textron Canada, 12,800 

Rue de l’Avenir, Mirabel, Quebec 

J7J1R4, telephone (450) 437–2862 or 

(800) 363–8023, fax (450) 433–0272. 

Examining the Docket 

You may examine the docket that 

contains this AD, any comments, and 

other information on the Internet at 

http://dms.dot.gov, or at the Docket 

Management System (DMS), U.S. 

Department of Transportation, 400 

Seventh Street, SW., Room PL–401, on 

the plaza level of the Nassif Building, 

Washington, DC. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Sharon Miles, Aviation Safety Engineer, 

FAA, Rotorcraft Directorate, Regulations 

and Guidance Group, Fort Worth, Texas 

76193–0111, telephone (817) 222–5122, 

fax (817) 222–5961. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A 

proposal to amend 14 CFR part 39 to 

include an AD for the specified BHTC 

model helicopters was published in the 

Federal Register on June 28, 2005 (70 

FR 37060). That action proposed to 

require, before the first flight of each 

day, checking the blade doublers for an 

edge void or de-bond on both sides of 

each blade, and if an edge void or debond is found, replacing the 

unairworthy blade with an airworthy 

blade. Also, that action proposed to 

require replacing any affected serialnumbered blade with an airworthy 

blade. 

Transport Canada, the airworthiness 

authority for Canada, notified the FAA 

that an unsafe condition may exist on 

Model 206A, B, and L series helicopters. 

Transport Canada advises that an 

inadequate surface preparation on a 

limited number of blades resulted in 

two reported instances of blade root 

doubler de-bond. They also advise that 

to ensure blade integrity all suspected 

blades are to be checked daily until 

removed from service. 

BHTC has issued Alert Service 

Bulletin Nos. 206–04–101 and 206L–04– 

131, both dated September 13, 2004, 

which specify a daily check of the 

doubler area to verify integrity of the 

doubler by a pilot as part of the daily 

pre-flight check. The service bulletins 

also specify a retirement from service of 

affected blades, which constitutes 

terminating action. Transport Canada 

classified these service bulletins as 

mandatory and issued AD No. CF– 

2004–25, dated November 23, 2004, to 

ensure the continued airworthiness of 

these helicopters in Canada. 

These helicopter models are now 

manufactured in Canada and are type 

certificated for operation in the United 

States under the provisions of 14 CFR 

21.29 and the applicable bilateral 

agreement. Pursuant to the applicable 

bilateral agreement, Transport Canada 

has kept the FAA informed of the 

situation described above. The FAA has 

examined the findings of Transport 

Canada, reviewed all available 

information, and determined that AD 

action is necessary for products of these 

type designs that are certificated for 

operation in the United States. 

Interested persons have been afforded 

an opportunity to participate in the 

making of this amendment. No 

comments were received on the 

proposal or the FAA’s determination of 

the cost to the public. The FAA has 

determined that air safety and the 

public interest require the adoption of 

the rule as proposed. 

The FAA estimates that this AD will 

affect 2,194 helicopters of U.S. registry. 

The required actions will: 

• Take about 1⁄4 work hour to do a 

daily check for blade edge voids and debonds; and 

• Take about 4 work hours to replace 

a blade at an average labor rate of $65 

per work hour. 

• Cost about $5,848 for a replacement 

blade. 

Based on these figures, we estimate 

the total cost impact of the AD on U.S. 

operators to be $201,058, assuming 26 

blades are affected and replaced and 

assuming 100 daily checks are done. 

Regulatory Findings 

We have determined that 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 the regulation: 

1. Is not a ‘‘significant regulatory 

action’’ under Executive Order 12866; 

2. Is not a ‘‘significant rule’’ under the 

DOT Regulatory Policies and Procedures 

(44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979); 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. 

We prepared an economic evaluation 

of the estimated costs to comply with 

60204 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 199 / Monday, October 17, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 

this AD. See the DMS to examine the 

economic evaluation. 

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. 

We are 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. 

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39 

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation 

safety, Safety. 

Adoption of the Amendment 

■ Accordingly, pursuant to 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. Section 39.13 is amended by adding 

a new airworthiness directive to read as 

follows: 

2005–21–03 Bell Helicopter Textron 

Canada: Amendment 39–14341. Docket 

No. FAA–2005–21680; Directorate 

Identifier 2004–SW–48–AD. 

Applicability: Model 206A, A–1, B, B–1, L, 

L–1, L–3, L–4 helicopters, with tail rotor 

blade (blade), part number (P/N) 206–016–

201–131, serial numbers with a prefix of 

‘‘CS’’ and 4820 through 4845, installed, 

certificated in any category. 

Compliance: Required as indicated, unless 

accomplished previously. 

To prevent loss of a blade, loss of tail rotor 

control, and subsequent loss of control of the 

helicopter, accomplish the following: 

(a) Before the first flight of each day, clean 

each blade and visually check the blade root 

doublers for an edge void or de-bond on both 

sides of each blade as depicted in Figure 1 

of this AD. An owner/operator (pilot), 

holding at least a private pilot certificate, 

may perform this visual check and must 

enter compliance with this paragraph into 

the helicopter maintenance records by 

following 14 CFR sections 43.11 and 

91.417(a)(2)(v). 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–C 

(b) If an edge void or a de-bond is found, 

before further flight, replace the blade with 

an airworthy blade with a serial number 

other than those to which this AD applies. 

(c) Within 100 hours time-in-service, 

replace all affected, serial-numbered blades 

with airworthy blades with a serial number 

other than those to which this AD applies. 

Note 1: Bell Helicopter Textron Alert 

Service Bulletin Nos. 206–04–101 and 206L–

04–131, both dated September 13, 2004, 

pertain to the subject of this AD. 

(d) Replacing an affected, serial-numbered 

blade with an airworthy blade without an 

affected serial number contained in the 

applicability section of this AD constitutes 

terminating action for the requirements of 

this AD for that blade. 

(e) To request a different method of 

compliance or a different compliance time 

for this AD, follow the procedures in 14 CFR 

39.19. Contact the Safety Management Group, 

Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, for information 

about previously approved alternative 

methods of compliance. 

(f) Special flight permits may be issued in 

accordance with 14 CFR 21.197 and 21.199 

to operate the helicopter to a location where 

the blade may be replaced provided that no 

doubler edge void or de-bond is found during 

any check or inspection. 

(g) This amendment becomes effective on 

November 21, 2005. 

Note 2: The subject of this AD is addressed 

in Transport Canada, Canada AD No. CF–

2004–25, dated November 23, 2004. 


ER17OC05.000</GPH>
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 199 / Monday, October 17, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 60205 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on October 7, 

2005. 

David A. Downey, 

Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft 

Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 05–20677 Filed 10–14–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2005–21725; Directorate 

Identifier 2004–SW–45–AD; Amendment 39–

14342; AD 2005–21–04] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Bell 

Helicopter Textron Model 47D1, 47G, 

47G–2, 47G–2A, 47G–2A–1, 47G–3, 

47G–3B, 47G–3B–1, 47G–3B–2, 47G–

3B–2A, 47G–4, 47G–4A, 47G–5, 47G–

5A and Coastal Helicopters, Inc. Model 

OH–13H (Tomcat Mark 5A, 6B, 6C) 

Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration, DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a 

new airworthiness directive (AD) for 

Bell Helicopter Textron (Bell) Model 

47D1, 47G, 47G–2, 47G–2A, 47G–2A–1, 

47G–3, 47G–3B, 47G–3B–1, 47G–3B–2, 

47G–3B–2A, 47G–4, 47G–4A, 47G–5, 

47G–5A and Coastal Helicopters, Inc. 

Model OH–13H (Tomcat Mark 5A, 6B, 

6C) helicopters that have a certain 

scissors assembly or weld assembly 

scissors bracket installed. The AD 

requires, within 60 days, determining 

and recording the total hours time-inservice (TIS) for each Parts 

Manufacturer Approval (PMA)- 

produced scissors assembly and weld 

assembly scissors bracket and 

establishes a life limit for each affected 

part. This amendment is prompted by 

the need to establish a life limit on 

scissors assemblies and weld assembly 

scissors brackets produced under PMA 

No. PQ808SW or installed per 

Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) 

No. SH2772SW. The actions specified 

by this AD are intended to establish a 

life limit to prevent using a scissors 

assembly or weld assembly scissors 

bracket past it’s life limit, which could 

result in failure of the part and 

subsequent loss of control of the 

helicopter. 

DATES: Effective November 21, 2005. 

ADDRESSES: You may get the service 

information identified in this AD from 

Texas Helicopter Co., Inc., P.O. Box 

177686, Irving, Texas 75017, phone 

(972) 399–1045, fax (972) 790–6397. 

Examining the Docket 

You may examine the docket that 

contains this AD, any comments, and 

other information on the Internet at 

http://dms.dot.gov, or at the Docket 

Management System (DMS), U.S. 

Department of Transportation, 400 

Seventh Street, SW., Room PL–401, on 

the plaza level of the Nassif Building, 

Washington, DC. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Marc Belhumeur, Aviation Safety 

Engineer, FAA, Rotorcraft Directorate, 

Rotorcraft Certification Office, Fort 

Worth, Texas 76193–0170, telephone 

(817) 222–5177, fax (817) 222–5783. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A 

proposal to amend 14 CFR part 39 to 

include an AD for the specified model 

helicopters was published in the 

Federal Register on July 6, 2005 (70 FR 

38817). That action proposed to require, 

within 60 days, determining and 

recording the total hours TIS for each 

PMA-produced scissors assembly and 

weld assembly scissors bracket and 

establishing a life limit for each affected 

part. 

We have reviewed Texas Helicopter 

Co., Inc. (THC) Service Bulletin No. SB 

003, dated December 1, 2002. THC 

holds STC No. SH2772SW and produces 

parts under PMA No. PQ808SW. That 

service bulletin was issued to clarify 

maintenance inspections and retirement 

schedules. The service bulletin specifies 

maintaining Bell Model 47 series and all 

other helicopters utilizing a 74–150–

259–1M or 74–150–259–3M control 

installation per STC SH2772SW or 74–

150–117–13M scissors bracket weld 

assembly as PMA replacement, in 

accordance with THC Instructions For 

Continued Airworthiness (ICA), Doc. 

No. THC 2002–22 Rev. 0, dated 

December 1, 2002. Those ICAs refer to 

STC SH2772SW and contain the 

mandatory retirement times for the 

scissor assembly and weld assembly 

scissors bracket in the Airworthiness 

Limitations section. 

Interested persons have been afforded 

an opportunity to participate in the 

making of this amendment. No 

comments were received on the 

proposal or the FAA’s determination of 

the cost to the public. The FAA has 

determined that air safety and the 

public interest require the adoption of 

the rule as proposed. 

Based on the manufacturer’s 

production estimate, this AD will affect 

350 helicopters of U.S. registry. 

Determining and recording the initial 

hours TIS of each scissors assembly will 

take 1 hour, replacing a scissors 

assembly will take 2 hours, and 

replacing a weld assembly scissors 

bracket will take 8 hours. The average 

labor rate is $65 per work hour. 

Required parts will cost approximately 

$1,300 for the 2 scissors assemblies 

required per helicopter and $2,500 for 

each weld assembly scissors bracket 

required per helicopter. Based on these 

figures, the total cost impact of the AD 

on U.S. operators is $1,580,250, 

assuming all operators determine and 

record the hours TIS once, and replace 

the scissors assembly and weld 

assembly scissors bracket once. 

Regulatory Findings 

We have determined that 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 the regulation: 

1. Is not a ‘‘significant regulatory 

action’’ under Executive Order 12866; 

2. Is not a ‘‘significant rule’’ under the 

DOT Regulatory Policies and Procedures 

(44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979); 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. 

We prepared an economic evaluation 

of the estimated costs to comply with 

this AD. See the DMS to examine the 

economic evaluation. 

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. 

We are 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.