Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter France (Eurocopter) Model AS332L2 Helicopters

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 220 (Tuesday, November 16, 2010)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 69858-69859]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-28452]



[[Page 69858]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2010-1125; Directorate Identifier 2008-SW-40-AD; 
Amendment 39-16512; AD 2010-23-22]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter France (Eurocopter) Model 
AS332L2 Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the 
Eurocopter Model AS332L2 helicopters. This AD results from a mandatory 
continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) AD issued by the European 
Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical Agent for the 
Member States of the European Community. The MCAI AD states that a hard 
landing occurred during in-flight engine failure (one engine 
inoperative (OEI)) training. An examination revealed the failure of the 
right-hand main reduction gear module (module) freewheel unit due to 
excessive wear on some of its components. The MCAI AD prohibits engine 
failure OEI training with helicopters on which certain main gearbox 
(MGB) modules with certain freewheel shafts are installed and mandates 
the replacement of those modules. The actions are intended to prevent 
failure of certain freewheel units, loss of power to the main rotor 
system, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

DATES: This AD becomes effective on December 1, 2010.
    We must receive comments on this AD by January 18, 2011.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by any of the following methods:
    <bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting your 
comments electronically.
    <bullet> Fax: (202) 493-2251.
    <bullet> 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.
    <bullet> 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 
American Eurocopter Corporation, 2701 Forum Drive, Grand Prairie, TX 
75053-4005, telephone (972) 641-3460, fax (972) 641-3527, or at http://www.eurocopter.com.
    Examining the 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 comments received, and 
other information. The street address for the Docket Operations office 
(telephone (800) 647-5527) is stated in the ADDRESSES section of this 
AD. Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eric Haight, Aviation Safety Engineer, 
FAA, Rotorcraft Directorate, Regulations and Policy Group, Fort Worth, 
Texas 76193-0111, telephone (817) 222-5204, fax (817) 222-5961.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion

    EASA has issued AD No. 2007-0312-E, dated December 21, 2007, to 
correct an unsafe condition for the Eurocopter Model AS332L2 
helicopters. The MCAI AD prohibits engine failure OEI training for 
helicopters with MGB modules installed with certain freewheel shafts, 
mandates inspection of each freewheel shaft at an approved repair 
station, and mandates replacement if necessary. The MCAI AD also 
mandates inserting the information prohibiting engine failure OEI 
training into the Limitations section of the Rotorcraft Flight Manual 
(RFM). The MCAI AD was issued following a hard landing, which occurred 
during in-flight engine failure OEI training after failure of a 
freewheel unit. In case of a freewheel unit failure on one of the two 
MGB inputs, either inadvertently or as part of OEI training, the 
resulting load on the remaining MGB freewheel unit may result in 
failure of the second freewheel unit. The actions are intended to 
prevent failure of a freewheel unit and subsequent loss of control of 
the helicopter.
    You may obtain further information by examining the MCAI AD and the 
related service information in the AD docket.

Related Service Information

    Eurocopter has issued Emergency Alert Service Bulletin No. 
01.00.74, dated December 20, 2007, for the Model AS332L2 helicopters, 
which specifies the need for prohibiting OEI training in certain 
helicopters with certain freewheel shafts installed in certain MGB main 
reduction gear modules until those modules with those freewheel shafts 
are replaced. The actions described in the MCAI AD are intended to 
correct the same unsafe condition as that identified in the service 
information.

FAA's Evaluation and Unsafe Condition Determination

    The Eurocopter Model AS332L2 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, 
their technical agent, has notified us of the unsafe condition 
described in the MCAI 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 Model AS332L2 
helicopters of the same type design.
    There are no products of this type currently registered in the 
United States. However, this rule is necessary to ensure that the 
described unsafe condition is addressed if any of these products are 
placed on the U.S. Registry in the future.

Differences Between This AD and the MCAI AD

    We refer to flight hours as hours time-in-service (TIS). We require 
replacing each MGB module, listed in the applicability of this AD, 
within 40 hours TIS rather than using 40 hours TIS for some parts and 
200 hours TIS for other parts. Also, we do not use the dates listed in 
the MCAI AD because the dates have passed.

Costs of Compliance

    There are no costs of compliance since there are no helicopters of 
this type design on the U.S. Registry.

FAA's Determination of the Effective Date

    Since there are currently no affected U.S. registered helicopters, 
we have determined that notice and opportunity for prior public comment 
before issuing this AD are unnecessary and that good cause exists for 
making this amendment effective in less than 30 days.

Comments Invited

    This AD is a final rule that involves requirements affecting flight 
safety, and we did not precede it by notice and opportunity for public 
comment. However, we invite you to send us any

[[Page 69859]]

written data, views, or arguments concerning this AD. Send your 
comments to an address listed under the ADDRESSES section of this AD. 
Include ``Docket No. FAA-2010-1125; Directorate Identifier 2008-SW-40-
AD'' at the beginning of your comments. We specifically invite comments 
on the overall regulatory, economic, environmental, and energy aspects 
of this AD. We will consider all comments received by the closing date 
and may amend this AD because 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 we 
receive about this AD.

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 product(s) identified in this 
rulemaking action.

Regulatory Findings

    We 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.
    Therefore, I certify this 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. 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, Safety.

Adoption of the Amendment

0
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 AD:

2010-23-22 Eurocopter France: Amendment 39-16512. Docket No. FAA-
2010-1125; Directorate Identifier 2008-SW-40-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This airworthiness directive (AD) becomes effective on 
December 1, 2010.

Other Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to Model AS332L2 helicopters, certificated 
in any category, with a freewheel shaft, part number (P/N) 332A32-
2190-25, with No. 1 and No. 2 serial numbered shafts installed on a 
main gearbox (MGB) main reduction gear module (main module), with a 
P/N and serial number (S/N), as listed in the following table.

                      Table--MGB Main Modules, With
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          Installed on main module P/N &
  No. 1 and No. 2 Freewheel Shaft S/N                  S/N
------------------------------------------------------------------------
M1608, M945............................  332A32-3011-03M and M2062.
M1078, M1087...........................  332A32-3011-03M and M2088.
M1272, M1273...........................  332A32-3011-03M and M2104.
M1688, M974............................  332A32-3011-03M and M2016.
M1231, M937............................  332A32-3011-03M and M2079.
M1115, M635............................  332A32-3011-03M and M4001.
M1159, M907............................  332A32-3011-03M and M4004.
M1124, M486............................  332A32-3011-01M and M2044.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reason

    (d) The MCAI AD states that a hard landing occurred during in-
flight engine failure (one engine inoperative (OEI)) training. An 
examination of the main gearbox (MGB) revealed the failure of the 
right-hand freewheel unit was due to excessive wear on some of its 
components. The MCAI AD prohibits engine failure OEI training with 
helicopters on which certain MGB modules with certain freewheel 
shafts are installed and mandates the replacement of those modules. 
The actions are intended to prevent failure of certain freewheel 
units, loss of power to the main rotor system, and subsequent loss 
of control of the helicopter.

Actions and Compliance

    (e) Before further flight, unless already accomplished, insert 
the following limitation into the Limitations section of the 
Rotorcraft Flight Manual (RFM): ``Engine failure (one-engine 
inoperative (OEI)) training is prohibited.'' You may comply with 
this requirement by making pen and ink changes to the Limitations 
section of the RFM or by inserting a copy of this AD into the 
Limitations section of the RFM.
    (f) Within 40 hours time-in-service (TIS) or if an engine in-
flight shut down occurs, whichever occurs first, replace the MGB 
main module with an airworthy main module that does not have a 
freewheel shaft S/N listed in the applicability of this AD.
    (g) After complying with paragraph (f) of this AD, remove the 
limitation required by paragraph (e) of this AD from the RFM.

Differences Between This AD and the MCAI AD

    (h) We refer to flight hours as hours TIS. We require replacing 
each MGB module, listed in the applicability of this AD, within 40 
hours TIS rather than using 40 hours TIS for some parts and 200 
hours TIS for other parts. Also, we do not use the dates listed in 
the MCAI AD because those dates have passed.

Other Information

    (i) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs): The Manager, 
Safety Management Group, FAA, ATTN: Eric Haight, Aviation Safety 
Engineer, Rotorcraft Directorate, Regulations and Policy Group, Fort 
Worth, Texas 76193-0111, telephone (817) 222-5204, fax (817) 222-
5961, has the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested 
using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19.

Related Information

    (j) European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) MCAI AD No. 2007-
0312-E, dated December 21, 2007, and Eurocopter Emergency Alert 
Service Bulletin No. 01.00.74, dated December 20, 2007, contain 
related information.

Joint Aircraft System/Component (JASC) Code

    (k) The JASC Code is 6300: Limitations--Main Rotor Drive System.

    Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on November 1, 2010.
Kim Smith,
Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-28452 Filed 11-15-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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