Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Model 222, 222B, 222U, 230, and 430 Helicopters

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 122 (Monday, June 26, 2006)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 36187-36189]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-5651]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2006-25098; Directorate Identifier 2006-SW-12-AD; 
Amendment 39-14667; AD 2006-13-14]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Model 
222, 222B, 222U, 230, and 430 Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
the specified Bell Helicopter Textron Canada (BHTC) model helicopters. 
This action requires initial and repetitive inspections of each tail 
rotor counterweight bellcrank (bellcrank) with a specified part number 
and serial number. If external damage, a crack, roughness, or looseness 
between the bearing set and bellcrank is found or if bearing set axial 
play exceeds 0.015 inch, this action requires replacing the bellcrank 
with an airworthy bellcrank with two prefix letters in the serial 
number. This amendment is prompted by reports of failure and subsequent 
loss of a weighted portion of the bellcrank and reports of certain 
replacement bellcranks having design flaws. The actions specified in 
this AD are intended to prevent bellcrank failure, loss of a weighted 
portion of the bellcrank, and subsequent loss of control of the 
helicopter.

DATES: Effective July 11, 2006.
    Comments for inclusion in the Rules Docket must be received on or 
before August 25, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Use one of the following addresses to submit comments on 
this AD:
    <bullet> DOT Docket Web site: Go to http://dms.dot.gov and follow 
the instructions for sending your comments electronically;
    <bullet> Government-wide rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the instructions for sending your 
comments electronically;
    <bullet> Mail: Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, Room PL-401, 
Washington, DC 20590;
    <bullet> Fax: (202) 493-2251; or
    <bullet> Hand Delivery: Room PL-401 on the plaza level of the 
Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, 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 Bell 
Helicopter Textron Canada, 12,800 Rue de l'Avenir, Mirabel, Quebec 
J7J1R4, telephone (450) 437-2862 or (800) 363-8023, fax (450) 433-0272.

Examining the Docket

    You may examine the docket that contains the AD, any comments, and 
other information on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov, or in person 
at the Docket Management System (DMS) Docket Offices between 9 a.m. and 
5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The Docket 
Office (telephone (800) 647-5227) is located on the plaza level of the 
Department of Transportation Nassif Building at the street address 
stated in the ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in the AD 
docket shortly after the DMS receives them.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sharon Miles, Aviation Safety 
Engineer, FAA, Rotorcraft Directorate, Regulations and Guidance Group, 
Fort Worth, Texas 76193-0111, telephone (817) 222-5122, fax (817) 222-
5961.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This amendment adopts a new AD for the 
specified BHTC model helicopters. This action requires initial and 
repetitive inspections of certain bellcranks for external damage, a 
crack, looseness, or bearing set roughness by rotating each bellcrank 
while applying a load to the bearing set in both axial and radial 
directions. If external damage, a crack, roughness, or looseness 
between the bearing set and bellcrank is found or if the bearing axial 
play exceeds 0.015 inch, this action requires replacing the part with 
an airworthy bellcrank with two prefix letters in the serial number. 
This amendment is prompted by reports of failure and subsequent loss of 
a weighted portion of the ballcrank due to gas porosity in the casting 
or external damage. Also, this amendment is prompted by reports that 
certain replacement bellcranks have an oversize

[[Page 36188]]

bearing bore as well as incorrectly applied cadmium plating. These 
conditions, if not corrected, could result in failure of the bellcrank, 
loss of a weighted portion of the bellcrank, and subsequent loss of 
control of the helicopter.
    Transport Canada, the airworthiness authority for Canada, notified 
the FAA that an unsafe condition may exist on the specified BHTC model 
helicopters. Transport Canada advises that bellcrank, part number (P/N) 
222-012-727-003 and 222-012-727-105, may have manufacturing 
discrepancies, which can result in their failure in flight. Transport 
Canada also advises that BHTC has identified correctly manufactured 
bellcrank, P/N 222-012-727-105, by adding two prefix letters to the 
part serial number.
    BHTC has issued Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) Nos. 222-04-99, 222U-
04-70, 230-04-30, and 430-04-30, all Revision C, all dated February 16, 
2006. These ASBs specify replacing each bellcrank, P/N 222-012-727-003, 
with a bellcrank, P/N 222-012-727-105, with two prefix letters added to 
the part serial number by the manufacturer, by December 31, 2006. These 
ASBs also specify the correct bearing set, P/N 222-312-718-001, to be 
used when replacing the bellcrank.
    After issuing the August 9, 2004 version of the previously 
described ASBs, BHTC received reports that replacement bellcrank, P/N 
222-012-727-105, has an oversized bearing bore as well as incorrectly 
applied cadmium plating. BHTC then issued ASB 222-04-101, 222U-04-72, 
230-04-32, and 430-04-32, all Revision B, all dated March 15, 2006. 
These ASBs specify replacing each bellcrank, P/N 222-012-727-105, 
without prefix letters, with an airworthy bellcrank, P/N 222-012-727-
105, with two prefix letters added to the part serial number, by 
December 31, 2006. These ASBs specify certain inspections of each 
bellcrank, P/N 222-012-727-105, with no prefix letter added to the part 
serial number, until replaced with a bellcrank, P/N 222-012-717-105, 
with two prefix letters added to the part serial number.
    Transport Canada classified these ASBs as mandatory and issued AD 
No. CF-2005-27R1, dated March 15, 2006, to ensure the continued 
airworthiness of these helicopters in Canada.
    These helicopter models are manufactured in Canada and are type 
certificated for operation in the United States under the provisions of 
14 CFR 21.29 and the applicable bilateral agreement. Pursuant to the 
applicable bilateral agreement, Transport Canada has kept the FAA 
informed of the situation described above. The FAA has examined the 
findings of Transport Canada, reviewed all available information, and 
determined that AD action is necessary for products of these type 
designs that are certificated for operation in the United States.
    This unsafe condition is likely to exist or develop on other 
helicopters of these same type designs. Therefore, this AD is being 
issued to prevent a bellcrank failure, loss of a weighted portion of 
the bellcrank, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter. This 
AD requires, within the next 10 hours time-in-service (TIS) and at 
intervals not to exceed 50 hours TIS, inspecting each bellcrank, P/N 
222-012-727-003 and 222-012-727-105, without two prefix letters in the 
part serial number. This AD requires inspecting the bellcranks for 
external damage, cracking, looseness, or bearing set roughness by 
rotating the bellcrank while applying a load to the bearing set in both 
axial and radial directions. If you find external damage, cracking, 
looseness, roughness, or bearing set axial play exceeding 0.015 inch, 
this AD requires, before further flight, replacing the bellcrank with 
an airworthy bellcrank, P/N 222-012-727-105, with two prefix letters in 
the part serial number.
    Replacing each bellcrank, P/N 222-012-727-003 and P/N 222-012-727-
105, without two prefix letters in the part serial number, with 
bellcrank, P/N 222-012-727-105, with two prefix letters in the part 
serial number, is terminating action for the inspection requirements of 
this AD. We anticipate following this final rule; request for comments 
with a notice of proposed rulemaking to propose mandatory replacement 
of the specified bellcranks.
    The short compliance time involved is required because the 
previously described critical unsafe condition can adversely affect the 
controllability or structural integrity of the helicopter. Inspecting 
each specified bellcrank within 10 hours TIS and at intervals not to 
exceed 50 hours TIS is required. Also, if you find external damage, 
cracking, roughness, looseness between bearing set and bellcrank or 
bearing set axial play exceeding 0.015 inch, replacing each unairworthy 
bellcrank with an airworthy bellcrank is required before further 
flight. Therefore, this AD must be issued immediately.
    Since a situation exists that requires the immediate adoption of 
this regulation, it is found that notice and opportunity for prior 
public comment hereon are impracticable, and that good cause exists for 
making this amendment effective in less than 30 days.
    We estimate that this AD will affect 167 helicopters and will take 
about 1 work hour to inspect the bellcrank and require 13 inspections 
per year at an average labor rate of $80 per work hour. Required parts 
will cost about $1,784 per helicopter. This AD does not mandate 
replacing the bellcrank. However, the manufacturer states that it is 
offering 100 percent warranty for replacing the bellcrank and bearing 
set by December 31, 2006, if certain requirements are met. Based on 
these figures, the estimated total cost impact of the AD on U.S. 
operators is $471,608, assuming all helicopters require inspections and 
all affected parts are replaced at the end of first year.

Comments Invited

    This AD is a final rule that involves requirements that affect 
flight safety and was not preceded by notice and an opportunity for 
public comment; however, we invite you to submit any written data, 
views, or arguments regarding this AD. Send your comments to an address 
listed under ADDRESSES. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2006-25098; 
Directorate Identifier 2006-SW-12-AD'' at the beginning of your 
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, 
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the AD. We will consider 
all comments received by the closing date and may amend the AD in light 
of those comments.
    We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://dms.dot.gov, including any personal information you provide. We will 
also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact with FAA 
personnel concerning this AD. 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 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), or you may visit http://dms.dot.gov.

Regulatory Findings

    We have determined that 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 the regulation:
    1. Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive Order 
12866;

[[Page 36189]]

    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 an economic evaluation of the estimated costs to comply 
with this AD. See the DMS to examine the 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.

Adoption of the Amendment

0
Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the 
Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration amends part 39 of 
the Federal Aviation Regulations (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. Section 39.13 is amended by adding a new airworthiness directive to 
read as follows:

2006-13-14 Bell Helicopter Textron Canada: Amendment 39-14667. 
Docket No. FAA-2006-25098; Directorate Identifier 2006-SW-12-AD.

Applicability

    Models 222, serial number (S/N) 47006 through 47089; 222B, S/N 
47131 through 47156; 222U, S/N 47501 through 47574; 230, S/N 23001 
through 23038; and 430, S/N 49001 through 49105, with tail rotor 
counterweight bellcrank (bellcrank), part number (P/N) 222-012-727-
003 or 222-012-727-105, without two prefix letters in the serial 
number, installed, certificated in any category.

Compliance

    Required as indicated.
    To prevent bellcrank failure, loss of a weighted portion of the 
bellcrank, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter, 
accomplish the following:
    (a) Within the next 10 hours time-in-service (TIS), unless done 
previously, and at intervals not to exceed 50 hours TIS:
    (1) Inspect each bellcrank for external damage, cracking, 
looseness, or bearing set roughness by rotating the bellcrank while 
applying a load to the bearing set in both axial and radial 
directions.
    (2) If a bellcrank has external damage, cracking, roughness, 
looseness between the bearing set and bellcrank or bearing set axial 
play exceeding 0.015 inch, before further flight, replace it with 
bellcrank, P/N 222-012-727-105, with two prefix letters in the part 
serial number.

    Note 1: The following Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Alert 
Service Bulletins pertain to the subject of this AD: Nos. 222-04-99, 
222U-04-70, 230-04-30, and 430-04-30, all Revision C, all dated 
February 16, 2006; and Nos. 222-04-101, 222U-04-72, 230-04-32, and 
430-04-32, all Revision B, all dated March 15, 2006.

    (b) Replacing each bellcrank, P/N 222-012-727-003 and P/N 222-
012-727-105, without two prefix letters in the part serial number, 
with a bellcrank, P/N 222-012-727-105, with two prefix letters in 
the part serial number, is terminating action for the inspection 
requirements of this AD.
    (c) 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, Rotorcraft Directorate, Regulations and 
Guidance Group, FAA, ATTN: Sharon Miles, Aviation Safety Engineer, 
Fort Worth, Texas 76193-0111, telephone (817) 222-5122, fax (817) 
222-5961, for information about previously approved alternative 
methods of compliance.
    (d) This amendment becomes effective on July 11, 2006.

    Note 2: The subject of this AD is addressed in Transport Canada 
(Canada) AD CF-2005-27R1, dated March 15, 2006.


    Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on June 16, 2006.
Mark R. Schilling,
Acting Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 06-5651 Filed 6-23-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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