Document ID: FAA-2012-0794-0004
Agency: faa
Document Type: Rule
Title: Airworthiness Directives: Eurocopter France Helicopters
Posted Date: 2013-02-04T05:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 23 (Monday, February 4, 2013)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 7641-7642]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-02236]

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  Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 23 / Monday, February 4, 2013 / Rules 
and Regulations  

[[Page 7641]]

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2012-0794; Directorate Identifier 2006-SW-04-AD; 
Amendment 39-17319; AD 2013-01-05]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter France Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
Eurocopter France (Eurocopter) Model AS350B3 and EC130B4 helicopters. 
This AD requires revising the Limitations section of the Rotorcraft 
Flight Manual (RFM) to reduce the starter generator operating current 
to 180 amperes (amps) and installing a placard in the instrument panel 
indicating the revised limitation. This AD was prompted by the 
determination that the manufacturer-installed Aircraft Parts 
Corporation (APC) starter generator has exceeded the shaft horse power 
extractions allowed for Turbomeca engines. The actions of this AD are 
intended to prevent the engine surge margin being reduced, which can 
result in engine failure.

DATES: This AD is effective March 11, 2013.

ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this AD, contact 
American Eurocopter Corporation, 2701 Forum Drive, Grand Prairie, TX 
75053-4005, telephone (800) 232-0323, fax (972) 641-3710, or at http://www.eurocopter.com. You may review the referenced service information 
at the FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 2601 
Meacham Blvd., Room 663, Fort Worth, Texas 76137.

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, any incorporated-by-reference 
service information, the economic evaluation, any comments received, 
and other information. The street address for the Docket Operations 
Office (phone: 800-647-5527) is U.S. Department of Transportation, 
Docket Operations Office, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-
140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chinh Vuong, Aviation Safety Engineer, 
FAA, Rotorcraft Directorate, Safety Management Group, 2601 Meacham 
Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 76137, telephone (817) 222-5110, fax (817) 
222-5961, email chinh.vuong,@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

    On July 30, 2012, at 77 FR 44513, the Federal Register published 
our notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), which proposed to amend 14 
CFR part 39 to include an AD that would apply to Model AS350B3 and 
EC130B4 helicopters with an APC 200-amp starter generator, part number 
200SGL130Q, installed. That NPRM proposed to require, within the next 
100 hours time-in-service (TIS), revising the Limitations section of 
the RFM to reduce the starter generator rating to 180 amps and 
installing a placard on the instrument panel below the vehicle engine 
multifunction display indicating the starter generator reduced 
limitation: ``MAXIMUM CONTINUOUS GENERATOR LOAD 180A.'' The proposed 
requirements were intended to prevent the engine surge margin being 
reduced, which can result in engine failure.
    The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical 
Agent for the Member States of the European Union, has issued EASA AD 
No. 2006-0337, dated November 7, 2006, to correct an unsafe condition 
for the Eurocopter Model AS350B3 and EC130B4 helicopters. EASA advises 
that the power drawn by an APC 200 amp starter generator from the 
engine is above the consumption capacity for the specified Eurocopter 
model helicopters. Excessive power consumption of the starter generator 
reduces the engine surge margin, which can result in engine failure.

Comments

    We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD, but we did not receive any comments on the NPRM (77 FR 44513, 
July 30, 2012).

FAA's Determination

    These helicopters have been approved by the aviation authority of 
France and are approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant to 
our bilateral agreement with France, EASA, its technical 
representative, has notified us of the unsafe condition described in 
the EASA AD. We are issuing this AD because we evaluated all 
information provided by EASA and determined the unsafe condition exists 
and is likely to exist or develop on other helicopters of these same 
type designs and that air safety and the public interest require 
adopting the AD requirements as proposed.

Differences Between This AD and the EASA AD

    We require that this AD be accomplished within 100 hours TIS, 
rather than 110 flight hours or 12 months as stated in the EASA AD.

Related Service Information

    Eurocopter has issued Alert Service Bulletins (ASBs) No. 01.00.57 
for the Model AS350B3 helicopters and No. 04A002 for the Model EC130B4 
helicopters. Both ASBs are Revision 1 and both are dated September 14, 
2006. The ASBs specify defining the limitation for the APC 200-amp 
starter generator. EASA classified these ASBs as mandatory and issued 
AD No. 2006-0337, dated November 7, 2006, to ensure the continued 
airworthiness of these helicopters.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD will affect 363 helicopters of U.S. 
Registry.
    We estimate that operators may incur the following costs in order 
to comply with this AD. It will cost $21.25, assuming it takes 15 
minutes to revise the RFM and install a placard on the

[[Page 7642]]

instrument panel of each helicopter at an average labor rate of $85 per 
work hour, or $7,714 for the 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.
    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 helicopters 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) Is not a ``significant rule'' under DOT Regulatory Policies and 
Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979);
    (3) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska to the extent 
that it justifies making a regulatory distinction; and
    (4) 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 and placed it in the AD docket.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

    Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by 
reference, Safety.

Adoption of 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

0
1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.

Sec.  39.13  [Amended]

0
2. The FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by adding the following new airworthiness 
directive (AD):

2013-01-05 Eurocopter France: Amendment 39-17319; Docket No. FAA-
2012-0794; Directorate Identifier 2006-SW-04-AD.

(a) Applicability

    This AD applies to Model AS350B3 and EC130B4 helicopters with an 
Aircraft Parts Corporation 200-ampere (amp) starter generator, part 
number 200SGL130Q, installed, certificated in any category.

(b) Unsafe Condition

    This AD defines the unsafe condition as excessive power 
consumption of the starter generator, which reduces the engine surge 
margin. This condition could result in engine failure and subsequent 
loss of control of the helicopter.

(c) Effective Date

    This AD becomes effective March 11, 2013.

(d) 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.

(e) Required Actions

    Within the next 100 hours time-in-service:
    (1) Revise Paragraph 2, Limitations, of the Rotorcraft Flight 
Manual Supplement 29 to reduce the maximum current of the starter 
generator to 180 amps Max. continuous.
    (2) Install a placard, 125 millimeters long by 10 millimeters 
wide, on the instrument panel below the vehicle engine multifunction 
display indicating the starter generator reduced limitation: 
``MAXIMUM CONTINUOUS GENERATOR LOAD = 180A.''

(f) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOC)

    (1) The Manager, Safety Management Group, Rotorcraft 
Directorate, FAA, may approve AMOCs for this AD. Send your proposal 
to: Chinh Vuong, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, Rotorcraft 
Directorate, Safety Management Group, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort 
Worth, Texas 76137, telephone (817) 222-5110, fax (817) 222-5961, 
email chinh.vuong@faa.gov.
    (2) For operations conducted under a 14 CFR part 119 operating 
certificate or under 14 CFR part 91, subpart K, we suggest that you 
notify your principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, 
the manager of the local flight standards district office or 
certificate holding district office before operating any aircraft 
complying with this AD through an AMOC.

(g) Additional Information

    (1) Eurocopter Alert Service Bulletins No. 01.00.57 and No. 
04A002, both Revision 1, and both dated September 14, 2006, which 
are not incorporated by reference, contain additional information 
about the subject of this AD. For service information identified in 
this AD, contact American Eurocopter Corporation, 2701 Forum Drive, 
Grand Prairie, TX 75053-4005, telephone (800) 232-0323, fax (972) 
641-3710, or at http://www.eurocopter.com. You may review copies of 
the referenced service information at the FAA, Office of the 
Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Room 663, 
Fort Worth, Texas 76137.
    (2) The subject of this AD is addressed in European Aviation 
Safety Agency AD No. 2006-0337, dated November 7, 2006.

(h) Subject

    Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) Code: Starter-Generator 
2435.

    Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on January 9, 2013.
Kim Smith,
Directorate Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-02236 Filed 2-1-13; 8:45 am]
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