This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains notices to the public of the proposed

issuance of rules and regulations. The

purpose of these notices is to give interested

persons an opportunity to participate in the

rule making prior to the adoption of the final

rules.

Proposed Rules Federal Register

3978 

Vol. 74, No. 13 

Thursday, January 22, 2009 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2005–22039; Directorate 

Identifier 2005–NE–33–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Turbomeca 

S.A. Arrius 2F Turboshaft Engines 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to 

supersede an existing airworthiness 

directive (AD) for Turbomeca S.A. 

Arrius 2F turboshaft engines that have 

not incorporated Turbomeca 

Modification Tf75. That AD currently 

requires replacing the O-ring on the 

check valve piston in the lubrication 

unit at repetitive intervals. This 

proposed AD would require the same 

repetitive replacements and would 

require incorporating Modification Tf75 

as terminating action to the repetitive Oring replacements. Modification Tf75 

replaces the check valve piston with a 

piston design not requiring an O-ring. 

This proposed AD results from the 

European Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA) and Turbomeca S.A. mandating 

the incorporation of Modification Tf75. 

We are proposing this AD to prevent an 

uncommanded in-flight shutdown of the 

engine, which could result in a forced 

autorotation landing and damage to the 

helicopter. 

DATES: We must receive any comments 

on this proposed AD by March 23, 2009. 

ADDRESSES: Use one of the following 

addresses to comment on this proposed 

AD. 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov and follow 

the instructions for sending your 

comments electronically. 

• Mail: Docket Management Facility, 

U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue, SE., West Building 

Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 

Washington, DC 20590–0001. 

• Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail 

address above between 9 a.m. and 5 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

• Fax: (202) 493–2251. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

James Lawrence, Aerospace Engineer, 

Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine 

and Propeller Directorate, 12 New 

England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 

01803; e-mail: james.lawrence@faa.gov; 

telephone (781) 238–7176; fax (781) 

238–7199. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

We invite you to send any written 

relevant data, views, or arguments 

regarding this proposal. Send your 

comments to an address listed under 

ADDRESSES. Include ‘‘Docket No. FAA– 

2005–22039; Directorate Identifier 

2005–NE–33–AD’’ in the subject line of 

your comments. We specifically invite 

comments on the overall regulatory, 

economic, environmental, and energy 

aspects of the proposed AD. We will 

consider all comments received by the 

closing date and may amend the 

proposed AD in light of those 

comments. 

We will post all comments we 

receive, without change, to http:// 

www.regulations.gov, including any 

personal information you provide. We 

will also post a report summarizing each 

substantive verbal contact with FAA 

personnel concerning this proposed AD. 

Using the search function of the Web 

site, anyone can find and read the 

comments in any of our dockets, 

including, if provided, the name of the 

individual who sent the comment (or 

signed the comment on behalf of an 

association, business, labor union, etc.). 

You may review the DOT’s complete 

Privacy Act Statement in the Federal 

Register published on April 11, 2000 

(65 FR 19477–78). 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the Internet at http:// 

www.regulations.gov; or in person at the 

Docket Operations office between 9 a.m. 

and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal holidays. The AD docket 

contains this AD, the regulatory 

evaluation, any comments received, and 

other information. The street address for 

the Docket Operations office (telephone 

(800) 647–5527) is the same as the Mail 

address provided in the ADDRESSES

section. Comments will be available in 

the AD docket shortly after receipt. 

Discussion 

On February 7, 2007, we issued AD 

2005–17–17R1, Amendment 39–14940 

(72 FR 6925, February 14, 2007). That 

AD requires replacing the O-ring on the 

check valve piston in the lubrication 

unit at repetitive intervals. EASA, 

which is the Technical Agent for the 

Member States of the European 

Community, notified us that an unsafe 

condition may exist on Turbomeca S.A. 

Arrius 2F turboshaft engines that have 

not incorporated Turbomeca 

Modification Tf75. EASA advises that 

these engines could experience an 

uncommanded in-flight shutdown, 

which could result in a forced 

autorotation landing and damage to the 

helicopter. 

Actions Since AD 2005–17–17R1 Was 

Issued 

Since AD 2005–17–17R1 was issued, 

EASA and Turbomeca have mandated 

that the check valve piston in the 

lubrication unit be replaced with a 

check valve piston not requiring an Oring, no later than May 31, 2009, by 

incorporating Modification Tf75. 

Relevant Service Information 

We have reviewed and approved the 

technical contents of Turbomeca S.A. 

Mandatory Service Bulletin (MSB) No. 

319 79 4075, Version B, dated May 14, 

2008. That MSB describes procedures 

for incorporating Modification Tf75, 

which replaces the check valve piston 

with one not requiring an O-ring. EASA 

classified this MSB as mandatory and 

issued AD 2008–0170 to ensure the 

airworthiness of these Arrius 2F 

turboshaft engines in Europe. 

Bilateral Agreement Information 

This engine model is manufactured in 

France and is type certificated for 

operation in the United States under the 

provisions of Section 21.29 of the 

Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 

21.29) and the applicable bilateral 

airworthiness agreement. Under this 

bilateral airworthiness agreement, EASA 

has kept us informed of the situation 

described above. We have examined the 

findings of EASA, reviewed all available 


rmajette on PRODPC74 with PROPOSALS
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 13 / Thursday, January 22, 2009 / Proposed Rules 3979 

information, and determined that AD 

action is necessary for products of this 

type design that are certificated for 

operation in the United States. 

FAA’s Determination and Requirements 

of the Proposed AD 

We have evaluated all pertinent 

information and identified an unsafe 

condition that is likely to exist or 

develop on other products of this same 

type design. We are proposing this AD, 

which would require replacing the Oring on the check valve piston in the 

lubrication unit at repetitive intervals. 

This proposed AD would also require 

incorporating Modification Tf75 within 

5 months after the AD effective date, as 

terminating action to the repetitive Oring replacements. The proposed AD 

would require that you do these actions 

using the service information described 

previously. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this proposed AD 

would affect 94 Arrius 2F turboshaft 

engines installed on helicopters of U.S. 

registry. We also estimate that it would 

take about one work-hour per engine to 

perform an O-ring replacement, and 

about one work-hour to incorporate 

Modification Tf75. The average labor 

rate is $80 per work-hour. Required 

parts would cost about $16 per engine 

for O-ring replacement, and about $20 

per engine for incorporating 

Modification Tf75. Based on these 

figures, we estimate the total cost of the 

proposed AD to U.S. operators to be 

$18,424. 

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. 

Regulatory Findings 

We have 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 that the proposed AD: 

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. 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. 

We prepared a regulatory evaluation 

of the estimated costs to comply with 

this proposed AD. See the ADDRESSES

section for a location to examine the 

regulatory evaluation. 

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 Federal Aviation Administration 

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 

removing Amendment 39–14940 (72 FR 

6925, February 14, 2007) and by adding 

a new airworthiness directive, to read as 

follows: 

Turbomeca S.A: Docket No. FAA–2005– 

22039; Directorate Identifier 2005–NE– 

33–AD. 

Comments Due Date 

(a) The Federal Aviation Administration 

(FAA) must receive comments on this 

airworthiness directive (AD) action by March 

23, 2009. 

Affected ADs 

(b) This AD supersedes AD 2005–17–17R1, 

Amendment 39–14940, as terminating action 

to the repetitive O-ring replacements 

required by that AD. 

Applicability 

(c) This AD applies to Turbomeca S.A. 

Arrius 2F turboshaft engines that have not 

incorporated modification Tf75. These 

engines are installed on, but not limited to, 

Eurocopter EC120B helicopters. 

Unsafe Condition 

(d) This AD results from the European 

Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and 

Turbomeca S.A. mandating the incorporation 

of Modification Tf75. The actions specified 

in this AD are intended to prevent an 

uncommanded in-flight shutdown of the 

engine, which could result in a forced 

autorotation landing and damage to the 

helicopter. 

Compliance 

(e) You are responsible for having the 

actions required by this AD performed within 

the compliance times specified unless the 

actions have already been done. 

O-Ring Replacement 

(f) Replace the O-ring on the check valve 

piston in the lubrication unit at the intervals 

specified in Table 1 of this AD. Use the 

Instructions to be Incorporated paragraphs 

2.A. through 2.C.(2) of Turbomeca Alert 

Service Bulletin No. A319 79 4802, Update 

No. 1, dated April 3, 2006, to replace the Oring. 

TABLE 1—COMPLIANCE TIMES FOR O-RING REPLACEMENT

If the class of oil is: Then replace the O-ring by the later of: Thereafter, replace the O-ring within: 

(1) HTS or unknown. ........... 300 hours time-since-new (TSN) or 50 hours after March 21, 

2007 (effective date of AD 2005–17–17R1).

300 hours time-since-last replacement (TSR). 

(2) STD ................................ 450 hours TSN or 50 hours after March 21, 2007 (effective 

date of AD 2005–17–17R1).

500 hours TSR. 


rmajette on PRODPC74 with PROPOSALS
3980 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 13 / Thursday, January 22, 2009 / Proposed Rules 

Mandatory Terminating Action 

(g) Within 5 months after the effective date 

of this AD, do the following mandatory 

terminating action to the repetitive O-ring 

replacements: 

(1) Incorporate Turbomeca Modification 

Tf75 by replacing the check valve piston in 

the lubrication unit, with a check valve 

piston requiring no O-ring. 

(2) Use the Instructions to be Incorporated 

paragraphs 2.A. through 2.B.(1)(r) of 

Turbomeca Mandatory Service Bulletin No. 

319 79 4075, Version B, dated May 14, 2008, 

to replace the check valve piston. 

Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(h) The Manager, Engine Certification 

Office, FAA, has the authority to approve 

alternative methods of compliance for this 

AD if requested using the procedures found 

in 14 CFR 39.19. 

Related Information 

(i) EASA AD 2008–0170, dated September 

25, 2008, also addresses the subject of this 

AD. 

(j) Contact Turbomeca S.A., 40220 Tarnos, 

France; e-mail: noria-dallas@turbomeca.com; 

telephone 33 05 59 74 40 00, fax 33 05 59 

74 45 15, or go to: http://www.turbomecasupport.com, for a copy of the service 

information identified in this AD. 

(k) Contact James Lawrence, Aerospace 

Engineer, Engine Certification Office, FAA, 

Engine and Propeller Directorate, 12 New 

England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 

01803; e-mail: james.lawrence@faa.gov; 

telephone (781) 238–7176; fax (781) 238– 

7199, for more information about this AD. 

Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on 

January 13, 2009. 

Peter A. White, 

Assistant Manager, Engine and Propeller 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. E9–1186 Filed 1–21–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 


rmajette on PRODPC74 with PROPOSALS