Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 203 / Thursday, October 22, 2009 / Proposed Rules 54495 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2009–0953; Directorate 

Identifier 2009–SW–45–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; MD 

Helicopters, Inc. Model MD–900 

Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration, DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: This document proposes 

superseding an existing airworthiness 

directive (AD) for MD Helicopters, Inc. 

(MDHI) Model MD–900 helicopters. 

That AD currently requires applying 

serial numbers to certain parts, 

increasing the life limit for various 

parts, maintaining a previously 

established life limit for a certain 

vertical stabilizer control system (VSCS) 

bellcrank assembly and bellcrank arm, 

and correcting the part number for the 

VSCS bellcrank arm. This proposal 

would require the same actions, except 

it would reduce the life limit of the 

swashplate spherical slider bearing 

(slider bearing). It would further correct 

what was described as a ‘‘bellcrank 

arm’’ life limit in the current AD and 

correctly describe it as another 

‘‘bellcrank assembly’’ life limit. This 

proposal is prompted by two reports of 

cracks in the slider bearing that 

occurred well before the previously 

increased retirement life of 2,030 hours 

time-in-service (TIS) was reached. The 

actions specified by the proposed AD 

are intended to establish appropriate life 

limits for various parts, and to prevent 

fatigue failure of those parts and 

subsequent loss of control of the 

helicopter. 

DATES: Comments must be received on 

or before December 21, 2009. 

ADDRESSES: Use one of the following 

addresses to submit comments on this 

proposed AD: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://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: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 

Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. 

and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal holidays. 

You may get the service information 

identified in this AD from MD 

Helicopters Inc., Attn: Customer 

Support Division, 4555 E. McDowell 

Rd., Mail Stop M615, Mesa, Arizona 

85215–9734, telephone 1–800–388– 

3378, fax 480–346–6813, or on the web 

at www.mdhelicopters.com. 

You may examine the comments to 

this proposed AD in the AD docket on 

the Internet at http:// 

www.regulations.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Roger Durbin, Aviation Safety Engineer, 

FAA, Los Angeles Aircraft Certification 

Office, Airframe Branch, 3960 

Paramount Blvd., Lakewood, California 

90712, telephone (562) 627–5233, fax 

(562) 627–5210. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

We invite you to submit any written 

data, views, or arguments regarding this 

proposed AD. Send your comments to 

the address listed under the caption 

ADDRESSES. Include the docket number 

‘‘FAA–2009–0953, Directorate Identifier 

2009–SW–45–AD’’ at the beginning 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 

rulemaking. Using the search function 

of our docket web site, you can find and 

read the comments to any of our 

dockets, including the name of the 

individual who sent or signed the 

comment. 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 Docket 

You may examine the docket that 

contains the proposed AD, any 

comments, and other information in 

person at the Docket Operations office 

between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday 

through Friday, except Federal holidays. 

The Docket Operations office (telephone 

(800) 647–5527) is located in Room 

W12–140 on the ground floor of the 

West Building at the street address 

stated in the ADDRESSES section. 

Comments will be available in the AD 

docket shortly after receipt. 

Discussion 

On June 17, 1997, we issued AD 97– 

13–09, Amendment 39–10056 (62 FR 

34163, June 25, 1997), to require 

applying a specified serial number (S/N) 

to the following parts: for helicopters 

with 

S/N 0002 through 0012, to the midforward truss assembly, P/N 

900F2401200–102, and to the forward 

and aft deck fitting assemblies, P/N 

900F2401500–103 and 900F2401600– 

103, respectively; for helicopters with 

S/N 0002 through 0048, to the VSCS 

bellcrank assemblies, P/N 

900F2341712–101 and P/N 

900FP341712–103, and to the mid-aft 

truss strut assembly, P/N 900F2401300– 

103. That AD also reduced the life limits 

for the nonrotating swashplate 

assembly, P/N 900C2010192–105, –107, 

–109, and –111, from 8,300 hours TIS to 

554 hours TIS; the collective drive link 

assembly, P/N 900C2010207–101, from 

3,900 hours TIS to 1,480 hours TIS; and 

the slider bearing, P/N 900C3010042– 

103, from 2,100 hours TIS to 480 hours 

TIS. Finally, that AD established life 

limits for the bellcrank assembly, P/N 

900FP341712–103, and the bellcrank 

arm, P/N 900F2341713–101 (used in the 

bellcrank assembly, P/N 900F2341712– 

101), of 2,700 hours TIS. That AD was 

prompted by an analysis that indicated 

a need to reduce the life limits on 

several parts and by the addition of nonserialized parts to the life-limited parts 

list. The requirements of that AD were 

intended to establish new life limits for 

various parts and reduce the existing 

life limits on other parts. 

On July 28, 1999, we issued 

superseding AD 99–16–13, Amendment 

39–11248 (64 FR 42824, August 6, 

1999), to correct the P/N for the 

bellcrank arm from P/N 900F2341713– 

101 to P/N 900F2341712–101, and to 

increase the life limits for the 

nonrotating swashplate, P/N 

900C2010192–105, –107, –109, or –111, 

from 554 hours TIS to 1,800 hours TIS; 

the collective drive link assembly, P/N 

900C2010207–101, from 1,480 hours 

TIS to 3,307 hours TIS; and the slider 

bearing, P/N 900C3010042–103, from 

480 hours TIS to 2,030 hours TIS, and 

maintaining the 2,700 hours TIS for the 

bellcrank assembly and bellcrank arm. 

AD 99–16–13 was prompted by both the 

need to correct a P/N as well as 

additional analyses (modified fatigue 

spectrums, fatigue tests, and flight strain 

data) supporting an increase in the life 

limits for certain parts. The 

requirements of that AD are intended to 


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54496 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 203 / Thursday, October 22, 2009 / Proposed Rules 

increase the life limits of various parts, 

correct the bellcrank arm P/N, and 

specify applying serial numbers to 

various parts. 

Since issuing AD 99–16–13, we have 

received two reports from the 

manufacturer of cracks in the 

attachment ear of the slider bearing, 

P/N 900C3010042–103. A review of the 

service history and a further review of 

the design data for the slider bearing 

now indicate that a reduced life limit is 

required to maintain continued 

operational safety. The manufacturer 

has made available an alternate 

replacement slider bearing, P/N 

900C3010042–105, that has improved 

durability characteristics and an 

increased life limit of 12,807 hours TIS. 

Further, we have determined that even 

though we corrected P/N 

‘‘900F2341713–101’’ to read 

‘‘900F2341712–101’’ in AD 99–16–13, 

we incorrectly described the part as a 

‘‘bellcrank arm’’ in both AD 99–16–13 

and AD 97–13–09. The correct 

nomenclature for P/N 900F2341712–101 

is ‘‘bellcrank assembly.’’ We propose to 

correct that error in this action. 

We have reviewed MD Helicopters 

Service Bulletin SB900–096, dated 

February 28, 2005, which contains a 

reduction of the life limit of the slider 

bearing from 2,030 hours TIS to 700 

hours TIS. 

This previously described unsafe 

condition is likely to exist or develop on 

other helicopters of the same type 

design. Therefore, the proposed AD 

would supersede AD 99–16–13 to 

decrease the life limit of the slider 

bearing from 2,030 hours TIS to 700 

hours TIS. Additionally, this AD 

changes the nomenclature for P/N 

900F2341712–101 from bellcrank arm to 

bellcrank assembly. The proposed AD 

would also retain the requirements of 

the existing AD to apply serial numbers 

to various parts, and retain the life 

limits of various other parts. 

We estimate that this proposed AD 

would affect 27 helicopters of U.S. 

registry and that it would take 

approximately 2.5 work hours per 

helicopter to accomplish the 

serialization of the affected parts at an 

average rate of $80 per work hour. 

Additionally, it is estimated that 8 of 

those aircraft will require replacement 

of the slider bearing, which will require 

approximately 7 work hours to 

accomplish at an average rate of $80 per 

work hour. Required parts would cost 

$11,080 per helicopter for the slider 

bearing. Based on these figures, we 

estimate the total cost impact of the 

proposed AD on U.S. operators to be 

$98,520. 

Regulatory Findings 

We have determined that this 

proposed AD would not have federalism 

implications under Executive Order 

13132. Additionally, 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 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 a draft economic 

evaluation of the estimated costs to 

comply with this proposed AD. See the 

AD docket to examine the draft 

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. 

The Proposed Amendment 

Accordingly, pursuant to the 

authority delegated to me by the 

Administrator, the Federal Aviation 

Administration proposes to amend 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 

removing Amendment 39–11248 (64 FR 

42824, August 6, 1999), and by adding 

a new airworthiness directive (AD), to 

read as follows: 

MD Helicopters, Inc. Model MD–900 

Helicopters: Docket No. FAA–2009– 

0953; Directorate Identifier 2009–SW– 

45–AD. Supersedes AD 99–16–13, 

Amendment 39–11248, Docket No. 98– 

SW–42–AD. 

Applicability 

MD–900 helicopters, certificated in any 

category. 

Compliance 

Required as indicated, unless 

accomplished previously. 

To establish appropriate life limits for 

various parts, and to prevent fatigue failure 

of those parts and subsequent loss of control 

of the helicopter, accomplish the following: 

(a) Remove from service as follows: 

(1) The nonrotating swashplate assembly, 

part number (P/N) 900C2010192–105, –107, 

–109, or –111, on or before 1,800 hours timein-service (TIS). 

(2) The collective drive link assembly, 

P/N 900C2010207–101, on or before 3,307 

hours TIS. 

(3) The swashplate spherical slider bearing, 

P/N 900C3010042–103, on or before 700 

hours TIS. 

(4) The vertical stabilizer control system 

(VSCS) bellcrank assembly, P/N 

900FP341712–103, and bellcrank assembly, 

P/N 900F2341712–101, on or before 2,700 

hours TIS. 

(b) Within 100 hours TIS: 

(1) For Model MD–900 helicopters with 

serial numbers (S/N) 900–00002 through 

900–00012, apply the appropriate S/N to the 

mid-forward truss assembly, P/N 

900F2401200–102, and the forward and aft 

deck-fitting assemblies, P/N 900F2401500– 

103 and P/N 900F2401600–103. 

(2) For Model MD–900 helicopters with 

S/N 900–00002 through 900–00048, apply 

S/N to the left and right VSCS bellcrank 

assemblies, P/N 900F2341712–101 and P/N 

900FP341712–103, and the mid-aft truss strut 

assembly, P/N 900F2401300–103. 

(3) Apply the S/N, as specified in 

paragraphs (b)(1) and (b)(2) of this AD, 

adjacent to the existing P/N, as listed in 

Appendix A of this AD, using permanent ink 

or paint. When dry, apply a clear coat over 

the S/N. 

(c) This AD revises the Airworthiness 

Limitations Section of the MD–900 

Maintenance Manual by increasing the life 

limits for certain parts and reducing the life 

limit of the slider bearing. 

Note: The Airworthiness Limitations 

Section of the MD–900 Rotorcraft 

Maintenance Manual, Reissue 1, Revision 25, 


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Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 203 / Thursday, October 22, 2009 / Proposed Rules 54497 

dated April 16, 2006, and MD Helicopters 

Service Bulletin SB900–096, dated February 

28, 2005, pertain to the subject of this AD. 

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 Manager, Los Angeles Aircraft 

Certification Office, FAA, for information 

about previously approved alternative 

methods of compliance. 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 


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54498 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 203 / Thursday, October 22, 2009 / Proposed Rules 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on October 8, 

2009. 

Larry M. Kelly, 

Acting Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. E9–25439 Filed 10–21–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–C 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2009–0987; Directorate 

Identifier 2009–CE–054–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; AeroSpace 

Technologies of Australia Pty Ltd 

Models N22B, N22S, and N24A 

Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for the 

products listed above that would 

supersede an existing AD. This 

proposed AD results from mandatory 

continuing airworthiness information 

(MCAI) originated by an aviation 

authority of another country to identify 

and correct an unsafe condition on an 

aviation product. The MCAI describes 

the unsafe condition as: 

Late in 2002 the manufacturer advised 

CASA of another Nomad accident which was 

possibly caused by aileron flutter with the 


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