30824 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 110 / Thursday, June 10, 2021 / Proposed Rules 

(g) Required Actions 

Before further flight after the effective date 

of this AD: 

(1) Determine the total hours time-inservice (TIS) and total number of landings of 

tail gearbox fitting P/N 4F5350A04152. For 

purposes of this AD, a landing is counted 

anytime a helicopter lifts off into the air and 

then lands again regardless of the duration of 

the landing and regardless of whether the 

engine is shutdown. If the total hours TIS 

and total number of landings cannot be 

determined, before further flight, remove the 

part from service. 

(2) Remove any part from service that has 

reached or exceeded its life limit as follows. 

Thereafter, remove any part from service on 

or before reaching its life limit as follows. 

Tail gearbox fitting P/N 4F5350A04152: 

14,600 total hours TIS or 57,300 total 

landings, whichever occurs first. 

(h) 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 (i)(1) 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. 

(i) Related Information 

(1) 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. 

(2) The subject of this AD is addressed in 

European Aviation Safety Agency (now 

European Union Aviation Safety Agency) 

(EASA) AD 2018–0087, dated April 18, 2018. 

You may view the EASA AD on the internet 

at https://www.regulations.gov in Docket No. 

FAA–2021–0455. 

Issued on June 3, 2021. 

Gaetano A. Sciortino, 

Deputy Director for Strategic Initiatives, 

Compliance & Airworthiness Division, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–12039 Filed 6–9–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2021–0454; Project 

Identifier AD–2021–00006–RRIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Bell Textron 

Inc. (Type Certificate Previously Held 

by Bell Helicopter 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 

certain Bell Textron Inc. (type certificate 

previously held by Bell Helicopter 

Textron Inc.) (Bell) Model 205B 

helicopters. This proposed AD was 

prompted by a notification of certain 

parts needing a life limit. This proposed 

AD would require determining the total 

hours time-in-service (TIS) of certain 

part numbered main rotor grip 

assemblies (grip assemblies), 

establishing a life limit for certain partnumbered grip assemblies, removing 

from service any grip assembly that has 

reached or exceeded its retirement life, 

creating a component history card, and 

removing any grip assembly from 

service before reaching its retirement 

life. This proposed AD would also 

prohibit installing certain grip 

assemblies unless the life limit was 

established in accordance with this 

proposed AD. 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 July 26, 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. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket at 

https://www.regulations.gov by 

searching for and locating Docket No. 

FAA–2021–0454; 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: 

Kuethe Harmon, Safety Management 

Program Manager, DSCO Branch, 

Compliance & Airworthiness Division, 

FAA, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Fort 

Worth, TX 76177; telephone (817) 222– 

5198; email Kuethe.harmon@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–2021–0454; Project Identifier AD– 

2021–00006–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 Kuethe Harmon, 

Safety Management Program Manager, 

DSCO Branch, Compliance & 

Airworthiness Division, FAA, 10101 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with PROPOSALS
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 110 / Thursday, June 10, 2021 / Proposed Rules 30825 

Hillwood Pkwy., Fort Worth, TX 76177; 

telephone (817) 222–5198; email 

Kuethe.harmon@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 received notification from 

Bell of established life limits for certain 

part numbered grip assemblies that were 

not included in Chapter 4— 

Airworthiness Limitations Schedule 

(ALS) of Bell Helicopter 205B 

Maintenance Manual BHT–205B–MM– 

1, Revision 1, dated July 15, 1993. Bell 

states the life limit of 9,000 hours TIS 

for grip assembly part number (P/N) 

204–011–121–005, P/N 204–011–121– 

113, and P/N 204–011–121–005 was left 

out of the ALS for Model 205B 

helicopters. Bell states this may suggest 

that these part numbers have an 

unlimited life when installed on Model 

205B helicopters, whereas the 

retirement life is 9,000 hours TIS. This 

condition, if not addressed, could result 

in fatigue and failure of the grip 

assembly and loss of control of the 

helicopter. 

Accordingly, Bell specifies updating 

the existing ALS to establish a life limit 

of 9,000 hours TIS for grip assembly 

P/N 204–011–121–005, P/N 204–011– 

121–113, and P/N 204–011–121–005. 

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. 

Proposed AD Requirements in This 

NPRM 

This proposed AD would require, 

before further flight, determining the 

total hours TIS of certain part-numbered 

grip assemblies and removing from 

service any certain part-numbered grip 

assembly that has accumulated or 

exceeded 9,000 total hours TIS. This 

proposed AD would also require, for 

certain part-numbered grip assemblies 

that have not accumulated or exceeded 

9,000 total hours TIS, creating a 

component history card or equivalent 

record to annotate a life limit of 9,000 

total hours TIS and removing these grip 

assemblies from service before 

accumulating 9,000 total hours TIS. 

Finally, this NPRM would prohibit 

installing any affected grip assembly 

that has exceeded or accumulated 9,000 

hours TIS, and prohibit alternative life 

limits for any affected grip assembly. 

Costs of Compliance 

The FAA estimates that this proposed 

AD would affect 2 helicopters of U.S. 

registry. The FAA estimates that 

operators may incur the following costs 

in order to comply with this AD. Labor 

costs are estimated at $85 per workhour. 

Determining the total hours TIS of 

each grip assembly and updating the 

helicopter records would take about 1 

work-hour for each grip assembly, for an 

estimated cost of $85 per helicopter and 

$170 for the U.S fleet. 

Replacing each grip assembly would 

take about 16 work-hours and parts 

would cost about $50,000 for an 

estimated cost of $51,360 per grip 

assembly. 

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. (Type Certificate 

Previously Held by Bell Helicopter 

Textron Inc.): Docket No. FAA–2021– 

0454; Project Identifier AD–2021–00006– 

R. 

(a) Comments Due Date 

The FAA must receive comments on this 

airworthiness directive (AD) by July 26, 2021. 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to Bell Textron Inc. (type 

certificate previously held by Bell Helicopter 

Textron Inc.) (Bell) Model 205B helicopters, 

certificated in any category, with main rotor 

grip assembly (grip assembly) part number 

(P/N) 204–011–121–005, P/N 204–011–121– 

113, or P/N 204–011–121–117 installed. 

(d) Subject 

Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) 

Code: 6220, Main Rotor Head. 

(e) Unsafe Condition 

This AD was prompted by a notification of 

certain parts needing a life limit. The FAA 

is issuing this AD to prevent a grip assembly 

remaining in service beyond its fatigue life. 

The unsafe condition, if not addressed, could 

result in fatigue and failure of the grip 

assembly and loss of helicopter control. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(g) Required Actions 

(1) Before further flight after the effective 

date of this AD, determine the total hours 

time-in-service (TIS) of any grip assembly 

having P/N 204–011–121–005, P/N 204–011– 

121–113, or P/N 204–011–121–117. Remove 

from service any grip assembly that has 

accumulated or exceeded 9,000 total hours 

TIS. For each grip assembly that has 

accumulated less than 9,000 total hours TIS, 

do the following: 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with PROPOSALS
30826 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 110 / Thursday, June 10, 2021 / Proposed Rules 

1NFA provisions still refer to the ‘‘Secretary of 

the Treasury.’’ However, the Homeland Security 

Act of 2002, Public Law 107–296, 116 Stat. 2135, 

transferred the functions of ATF from the 

Department of the Treasury to the Department of 

Justice, under the general authority of the Attorney 

General. 26 U.S.C. 7801(a)(2); 28 U.S.C. 599A(c)(1). 

Thus, for ease of reference, this notice of proposed 

rulemaking refers to the Attorney General 

throughout. 

2 Delegation of Authorities within the Bureau of 

Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, 

Delegation Order 1100.168C (Nov. 5, 2018). 

3 18 U.S.C. 921(a)(3) (GCA definition of firearm); 

26 U.S.C. 5845(a) (NFA definition of firearm). 

(i) Create a component history card or 

equivalent record to establish a life limit of 

9,000 total hours TIS. 

(ii) Thereafter, remove from service any 

grip assembly before it accumulates 9,000 

total hours TIS. 

(2) Thereafter, no alternative life limits 

may be approved for any grip assembly P/N 

204–011–121–005, P/N 204–011–121–113, or 

P/N 204–011–121–117. 

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

not install any grip assembly having P/N 

204–011–121–005, P/N 204–011–121–113, or 

P/N 204–011–121–117 on any Model 205B 

helicopter unless the life limit is established 

in accordance with this AD. 

(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 DSCO Branch, send it 

to the attention of the person identified in 

paragraph (j)(1) 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 Kuethe Harmon, Safety Management 

Program Manager, DSCO Branch, Compliance 

& Airworthiness Division, FAA, 10101 

Hillwood Pkwy., Fort Worth, TX 76177; 

telephone (817) 222–5198; email 

Kuethe.harmon@faa.gov. 

Issued on June 3, 2021. 

Lance T. Gant, 

Director, Compliance & Airworthiness 

Division, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–12038 Filed 6–9–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE 

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, 

and Explosives 

27 CFR Parts 478 and 479 

[Docket No. ATF 2021R–08; AG Order No. 

5070–2021] 

RIN 1140–AA55 

Factoring Criteria for Firearms With 

Attached ‘‘Stabilizing Braces’’ 

AGENCY: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, 

Firearms, and Explosives, Department of 

Justice. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking; 

request for comment. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Justice 

(‘‘Department’’) proposes amending 

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, 

and Explosives (‘‘ATF’’) regulations to 

clarify when a rifle is ‘‘intended to be 

fired from the shoulder.’’ The 

Department proposes factors ATF 

considers when evaluating firearms 

equipped with a purported ‘‘stabilizing 

brace’’ to determine whether these 

weapons would be considered a ‘‘rifle’’ 

or ‘‘short-barreled rifle’’ under the Gun 

Control Act of 1968 (‘‘GCA’’) or a ‘‘rifle’’ 

or ‘‘firearm’’ subject to regulation under 

the National Firearms Act (‘‘NFA’’). 

This proposed rule is a separate action 

from the Notice on the Objective Factors 

for Classifying Weapons with 

‘‘Stabilizing Braces’’ published on 

December 18, 2020, and withdrawn on 

December 31, 2020. No comments 

received under the withdrawn notice 

were considered for this proposed rule, 

and no comments received pursuant to 

that notice will be considered as part of 

this proposed rule. Commenters will 

need to submit new comments in 

connection with this proposed rule. 

DATES: Written comments must be 

postmarked, and electronic comments 

must be submitted on or before 

September 8, 2021. Commenters should 

be aware that the electronic Federal 

Docket Management System will not 

accept comments after Midnight Eastern 

Time on the last day of the comment 

period. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, 

identified by docket number ATF 

2021R–08, by any of the following 

methods— 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: 

www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Mail: Denise Brown, Mail Stop 6N– 

518, Office of Regulatory Affairs, 

Enforcement Programs and Services, 

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, 

and Explosives, 99 New York Ave. NE, 

Washington, DC 20226; ATTN: ATF 

2021R–08. 

• Fax: (202) 648–9741. 

Instructions: All submissions received 

should include the agency name and 

docket number (ATF 2021R–08) for this 

notice of proposed rulemaking. All 

properly completed comments received 

will be posted without change to the 

Federal eRulemaking portal, 

www.regulations.gov, including any 

personal information provided. For 

detailed instructions on submitting 

comments and additional information 

on the rulemaking process, see the 

‘‘Public Participation’’ heading of the 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of 

this document. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Denise Brown, Office of Regulatory 

Affairs, Enforcement Programs and 

Services, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, 

Firearms, and Explosives, U.S. 

Department of Justice, 99 New York 

Ave. NE, Washington, DC 20226; 

telephone: (202) 648–7070 (this is not a 

toll-free number). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background 

The Attorney General is responsible 

for enforcing the GCA, as amended, and 

the NFA, as amended.1 This includes 

the authority to promulgate regulations 

necessary to enforce the provisions of 

the GCA and NFA. See 18 U.S.C. 926(a); 

26 U.S.C. 7801(a)(2)(A)(ii), 7805(a). The 

Attorney General has delegated the 

responsibility for administering and 

enforcing the GCA and NFA to the 

Director of ATF, subject to the direction 

of the Attorney General and the Deputy 

Attorney General. See 28 CFR 

0.130(a)(1)–(2). Accordingly, the 

Attorney General and ATF have 

promulgated regulations implementing 

both the GCA and the NFA. See 27 CFR 

parts 478, 479. The ATF Director 

delegated the authority to classify 

firearms pursuant to the GCA and NFA 

to ATF’s Firearms Technology Criminal 

Branch (‘‘FTCB’’) and the Firearms 

Technology Industry Services Branch 

(‘‘FTISB’’), within the Firearms and 

Ammunition Technology Division 

(‘‘FATD’’), Office of Enforcement 

Programs and Services (‘‘EPS’’).2 FATD 

supports the firearms industry and the 

general public by, among other things, 

responding to technical inquiries and by 

testing and evaluating firearms 

voluntarily submitted to ATF for 

classification under the GCA or NFA. 

There is no requirement that the 

firearms industry or the public submit 

firearms to ATF for evaluation of the 

firearm’s proper classification under 

Federal law. 

The statutory definitions of ‘‘firearm’’ 

under the GCA and the NFA are 

different.3 In 1934, Congress passed the 

NFA in order to regulate certain 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with PROPOSALS