Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 111 / Friday, June 11, 2021 / Rules and Regulations 31101 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2019–0113; Product 

Identifier 2017–SW–140–AD; Amendment 

39–21584; AD 2021–11–22] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus 

Helicopters Deutschland GmbH 

Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: The FAA is superseding 

Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2016–11– 

21 for Airbus Helicopters Deutschland 

GmbH (Airbus Helicopters) Model 

EC135P1, EC135P2, EC135P2+, 

EC135T1, EC135T2, and EC135T2+ 

helicopters. AD 2016–11–21 required 

revising the life limit of certain parts 

and removing each part that has reached 

its life limit. This AD continues to 

require revising the life limits for certain 

parts and removing each part that has 

reached or exceeded its life limit and 

expands the applicability to include 

Model EC135P3 and EC135T3 

helicopters. This AD was prompted by 

the certification of new helicopter 

models since AD 2016–11–21 was 

issued. The FAA is issuing this AD to 

address the unsafe condition on these 

products. 

DATES: This AD is effective July 16, 

2021. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain publication listed in this AD 

as of July 16, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: For service information 

identified in this final rule, contact 

Airbus Helicopters, 2701 N 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 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. It is also available at 

https://www.regulations.gov by 

searching for and locating Docket No. 

FAA–2019–0113. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket at 

https://www.regulations.gov by 

searching for and locating Docket No. 

FAA–2019–0113; 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, the European Aviation Safety 

Agency (now European Union Aviation 

Safety Agency) (EASA) AD, any service 

information that is incorporated by 

reference, any comments received, and 

other information. The address for 

Docket Operations is U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, 

M–30, West Building Ground Floor, 

Room W12–140, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matt 

Fuller, AD Program Manager, 

Operational Safety Branch, 

Airworthiness Products Section, 

General Aviation & Rotorcraft Unit, 

FAA, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Fort 

Worth, TX 76177; telephone 817–222– 

5110; email matthew.fuller@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

The FAA issued a notice of proposed 

rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 

part 39 to supersede AD 2016–11–21, 

Amendment 39–18548 (81 FR 36137, 

June 6, 2016), (AD 2016–11–21) which 

applied to Airbus Helicopters Model 

EC135P1, EC135P2, EC135P2+, 

EC135T1, EC135T2, and EC135T2+ 

helicopters. The NPRM published in the 

Federal Register on March 8, 2021 (86 

FR 13237). In the NPRM, the FAA 

proposed to require, before further 

flight, establishing a life limit for the tail 

rotor hub body of 27,400 hours time-inservice (TIS) or using Airbus 

Helicopters service information if the 

history of the tail rotor hub body is not 

known or cannot be identified. The 

NPRM also proposed to require 

establishing life limits for certain 

swashplate and mixing lever gear unit 

parts in the Airworthiness Limitations 

Section (ALS) of the existing 

maintenance manual for your 

helicopter, and recording the revised 

life limit on the component history card 

or equivalent record. Additionally, the 

NPRM proposed to require continuing 

to record the life limit of certain parts 

that have not reached their life limit. 

Finally, the NPRM proposed to require 

removing from service any part that 

reached or exceeded its life limit. 

The NPRM was prompted by EASA 

AD 2017–0243, dated December 6, 2017 

(EASA AD 2017–0243), issued by 

EASA, which is the Technical Agent for 

the Member States of the European 

Union, to correct an unsafe condition 

Airbus Helicopters Model EC135P1, 

EC135P2, EC135P2+, EC135P3, 

EC135T1, EC135T2, EC135T2+, 

EC135T3, EC635P2+, EC635P3, 

EC635T1, EC635T2+, and EC635T3 

helicopters. EASA AD 2017–0243 

superseded EASA AD 2013–0178, dated 

August 7, 2013 (EASA AD 2013–0178), 

which was prompted by Airbus 

Helicopters revising the airworthiness 

limitations for the Model EC135 and 

EC635 helicopters’ type design as 

published in the Master Servicing 

Manual (MSM) EC135 Chapter 04—ALS 

documents. Revision 14 of the MSM 

contains these new airworthiness 

limitations. EASA stated that failure to 

comply with these limitations could 

result in failure of a critical part, which 

could result in loss of control of the 

helicopter. Accordingly, EASA AD 

2013–0178 required revising the ALS to 

include the new life limits and 

replacing each part that has reached its 

life limit. Superseding EASA AD 2017– 

0243 expands the applicability to 

include Airbus Helicopters Model 

EC135P3, EC135T3, EC635P3, and 

EC635T3 helicopters. New life limits 

were also added for some parts. 

Comments 

The FAA received comments from 

one commenter. The following presents 

the comments received on the NPRM 

and the FAA’s response. 

The individual commented that the 

NPRM sets the life limit for the hinged 

support part number (P/N) 

L671M7003210 at 8,400 hours TIS but 

that the life limit of this component is 

at 19,000 hours per ALS Rev 01 chapter 

04–10–00. The individual also 

commented that the NPRM sets the life 

limit for the bolt P/N L671M7001220 at 

8,400 hours TIS but that the life limit of 

this component is at 19,000 hours per 

ALS Rev 01 chapter 04–10–00. The FAA 

agrees and has changed this AD to the 

revise the life limit to 19,000 hours TIS 

for the hinged support and the bolt. 

Conclusion 

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 reviewed 

the relevant data, considered the 

comments received, and determined 

that air safety requires adopting this AD 

as proposed except for increasing the 

life limit for the hinged support and 

bolt. These changes will neither 

increase the scope of the AD nor 

increase the economic burden on any 

operator. Accordingly, the FAA is 

issuing this AD to address the unsafe 

condition on these helicopters. 


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31102 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 111 / Friday, June 11, 2021 / Rules and Regulations 

Related Service Information Under 1 

CFR Part 51 

The FAA reviewed Airbus Helicopters 

Alert Service Bulletin ASB EC135–04A– 

012, Revision 0, dated September 11, 

2017, which specifies incorporating life 

limits for the tail rotor hub body into the 

tail rotor hub log card and into the list 

of life-limited parts. Airbus Helicopters 

reports the addition of the tail rotor hub 

body into the tail rotor hub log card was 

prompted by a new, recently 

manufactured, serial-numbered hub. 

This service information 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. 

Differences Between This AD and the 

EASA AD 

The EASA AD applies to Model 

EC635P2+, EC635P3, EC635T2+, and 

EC635T3 helicopters, whereas this AD 

does not because these model 

helicopters are not FAA typecertificated. The EASA AD requires 

revising the Aircraft Maintenance 

Program with new or revised life 

limitations within 12 months after the 

EASA AD’s effective date. This AD 

requires revising the life limit for certain 

parts in the ALS of the existing 

maintenance manual for your helicopter 

before further flight. 

Costs of Compliance 

The FAA estimates that this AD 

affects 272 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 work-hour. 

Revising the component history card 

or equivalent record will take about 2 

work-hours, for an estimated cost of 

$170 per helicopter and $46,240 for the 

U.S. fleet. 

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, 

(2) Will not affect intrastate aviation 

in Alaska, 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. 

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: 

■ a. Removing Airworthiness Directive 

(AD) 2016–11–21, Amendment 39– 

18548 (81 FR 36137, June 6, 2016); and 

■ b. Adding the following new AD: 

2021–11–22 Airbus Helicopters 

Deutschland GmbH: Amendment 39– 

21584; Docket No. FAA–2019–0113; 

Product Identifier 2017–SW–140–AD. 

(a) Applicability 

This airworthiness directive (AD) applies 

Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH 

Model EC135P1, EC135P2, EC135P2+, 

EC135P3, EC135T1, EC135T2, EC135T2+, 

and EC135T3 helicopters, certificated in any 

category. 

(b) Unsafe Condition 

The FAA is issuing this AD to prevent 

certain parts from remaining in service 

beyond their fatigue life, resulting in failure 

of the part and subsequent loss of control of 

the helicopter. 

(c) Affected ADs 

This AD replaces AD 2016–11–21, 

Amendment 39–18548 (81 FR 36137, June 6, 

2016). 

(d) Effective Date 

This AD is effective July 16, 2021. 

(e) Compliance 

You are responsible for performing each 

action required by this AD within the 

specified compliance time unless it has 

already been accomplished prior to that time. 

(f) Required Actions 

(1) Before further flight, establish a life 

limit for the tail rotor hub body (hub body), 

part number (P/N) L642A2003102, of 27,400 

hours time-in-service (TIS). If you cannot 

determine the hub body’s TIS, follow the 

instructions in Table 1, Examples and 

Calculations, Effectivity: The history of the 

hub body is not known or can’t be identified, 

in Airbus Helicopters Alert Service Bulletin 

ASB EC135–04A–012, Revision 0, dated 

September 11, 2017, except where the service 

information specifies that you contact the 

manufacturer, you are required to remove the 

part from service instead. 

(2) Before further flight, revise the life limit 

for each part listed in paragraphs (f)(2)(i) and 

(ii) of this AD in the Airworthiness 

Limitations Section (ALS) of the existing 

maintenance manual for your helicopter and 

record the revised life limit on the 

component history card or equivalent record 

as follows: 

(i) For swashplate parts: 

(A) The life limit for the ring (control ring), 

P/N L623M2001213, is 10,700 hours TIS. 

(B) The life limit for the cardan ring (twopart), P/N L623M2005205, is 14,300 hours 

TIS. 

(C) The life limit for the bolt (control ring), 

P/N L671M7001215, is 14,300 hours TIS. 

(D) The life limit for the bolt (sliding 

sleeve), P/N L623M2006206 and P/N 

L623M2006213, is 14,300 hours TIS. 

(ii) For mixing lever gear unit parts: 

(A) The life limit for the forked lever 

assembly, P/N L671M3012102, is 10,400 

hours TIS. 

(B) The life limit for the hinged support, 

P/N L671M7003210, is 19,000 hours TIS. 

(C) The life limit for the bolt, P/N 

L671M7001220, is 19,000 hours TIS. 

(3) Before further flight, remove from 

service any part listed in paragraphs (f)(1) 

and (2) of this AD that has reached or 

exceeded its revised life limit. 

(4) Thereafter, for any part listed in 

paragraphs (f)(1) and (2) of this AD that has 

not reached or exceeded its life limit, 

continue to record the life limit of the part 

on its component history card or equivalent 

record and remove any part listed in 

paragraphs (f)(1) and (2) of this AD from 

service before the part has reached or 

exceeded its revised life limit. 

(g) Special Flight Permits 

Special flight permits are limited to a 

onetime flight to a maintenance facility to 

replace a part that has reached its life limit. 


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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 111 / Friday, June 11, 2021 / Rules and Regulations 31103 

(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) Additional Information 

(1) For more information about this AD, 

contact Matt Fuller, AD Program Manager, 

Operational Safety Branch, Airworthiness 

Products Section, General Aviation & 

Rotorcraft Unit, FAA, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., 

Fort Worth, TX 76177; telephone 817–222– 

5110; email matthew.fuller@faa.gov. 

(2) The subject of this AD is addressed in 

European Aviation Safety Agency (now 

European Union Aviation Safety Agency) 

(EASA) AD 2017–0243, dated December 6, 

2017. You may view the EASA AD at https:// 

www.regulations.gov in Docket No. FAA– 

2019–0113. 

(j) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 6400, Tail Rotor System. 

(k) Material Incorporated by Reference 

(1) The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 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) Airbus Helicopters Alert Service 

Bulletin ASB EC135–04A–012, Revision 0, 

dated September 11, 2017. 

(ii) [Reserved] 

(3) For Airbus Helicopters service 

information identified in this AD, contact 

Airbus Helicopters, 2701 N 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. 

(4) 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. 

(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: fedreg.legal@nara.gov, or go to: 

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

ibr-locations.html. 

Issued on May 21, 2021. 

Gaetano A. Sciortino, 

Deputy Director for Strategic Initiatives, 

Compliance & Airworthiness Division, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–12228 Filed 6–10–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 71 

[Docket No. FAA–2021–0325; Airspace 

Docket No. 21–AGL–20] 

RIN 2120–AA66 

Amendment and Revocation of Class E 

Airspace; Michigan, MI 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: This action amends the Class 

E airspace area extending upward from 

1,200 feet above the surface over the 

State of Michigan and removes 

overlapping and redundant enroute 

domestic airspace areas within these 

boundaries. This action corrects, 

simplifies, and closes gaps in the Class 

E airspace extending upward from 1,200 

feet above the surface over the State of 

Michigan; provides transitional airspace 

to support instrument flight rule (IFR) 

operations to and from the terminal and 

enroute environments within the state; 

and improves air traffic control services 

over the state. 

DATES: Effective 0901 UTC, August 12, 

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 

fedreg.legal@nara.gov or go to https://

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

ibr-locations.html. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Jeffrey Claypool, Federal Aviation 

Administration, Operations Support 

Group, Central Service Center, 10101 

Hillwood Parkway, Fort Worth, TX 

76177; telephone (817) 222–5711. 

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 area extending upward 

from 1,200 feet above the surface over 

the State of Michigan and removes the 

enroute domestic airspace at Upper 

Peninsula, MI; Iron Mountain, MI; and 

Newberry, MI, which become 

redundant, to correct, simplify, and 

close gaps in the Class E airspace 

extending upward from 1,200 feet above 

the surface over the State of Michigan; 

provide transitional airspace to support 

IFR operations to and from the terminal 

and enroute environments within the 

state; and improve air traffic services 

over the state. 

History 

The FAA published a notice of 

proposed rulemaking (NPRM) in the 

Federal Register (86 FR 20469; April 20, 

2021) for Docket No. FAA–2021–0325 to 

amend the Class E airspace area 

extending upward from 1,200 feet above 

the surface over the State of Michigan 

and remove overlapping and redundant 

enroute domestic airspace areas within 

these boundaries. 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 and 6006, 

respectively, 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. 


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