Airworthiness Directives; Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation Helicopters

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 76 (Thursday, April 19, 2012)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 23382-23385]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-9298]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2011-1115; Directorate Identifier 2010-SW-011-AD; 
Amendment 39-17017; AD 2012-08-01]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation 
Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Sikorsky) Model S-92A helicopters. This 
AD was prompted by the manufacturer's analysis of engine data that 
revealed the data was inaccurate in dealing with available above 
specification engine power margin. This AD requires revising the 
Operating Limitations section of the Sikorsky Model S-92A Rotorcraft 
Flight Manual (RFM). The actions are intended to prevent the use of 
inaccurate engine performance data in calculating maximum gross weight 
by revising the Operating Limitations section of the RFM.

DATES: This AD is effective May 24, 2012.

ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, Attn: Manager, Commercial Technical 
Support, Mailstop s581a, 6900 Main Street, Stratford, CT 06614; 
telephone (800) 562-4409; email [email protected]; or at http://www.sikorsky.com. You may review a copy of 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.

[[Page 23383]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Coffey, Aviation Safety Engineer, 
Boston Aircraft Certification Office, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 
12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; telephone (781) 
238-7173; email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

    On October 26, 2011, at 76 FR 66207, 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 Sikorsky Model S-92A 
helicopters, certificated in any category. That NPRM proposed to 
require revising the Operating Limitations section, Part 1, Section 1, 
Weight Limits, of the appropriate Sikorsky Model S-92A RFM with the 
following statement ``Performance credit for above specification engine 
power margin is prohibited.'' The proposed requirements were intended 
to prevent the use of inaccurate performance data in calculating the 
maximum gross weight.

Comments

    We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD, but we did not receive any comments on the NPRM.

Related Service Information

    Sikorsky has published various RFM revisions correcting the charts 
in Parts I and IV of the RFM. If those revisions have previously been 
incorporated into the RFM, the RFM revision specified by the NPRM would 
not be required. The RFM revisions, all dated April 9, 2008, are as 
follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Affected RFM                 Revision with correct charts
------------------------------------------------------------------------
S92A-RFM-002..............................  Revision 8.
S92A-RFM-003..............................  Revision 7.
S92A-RFM-004..............................  Revision 6.
S92A-RFM-005..............................  Revision 5.
S92A-RFM-006..............................  Revision 6.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

FAA's Determination

    We have reviewed the relevant information and determined that an 
unsafe condition exists and is likely to exist or develop on other 
products of the same type design and that air safety and the public 
interest require adopting the AD requirements as proposed, except for 
minor editorial and formatting changes. These changes will not increase 
the economic burden on any operator nor increase the scope of the AD.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD will affect 37 helicopters of U.S. 
Registry.
    We estimate that operators may incur the following costs in order 
to comply with this AD. It will take about 1 work-hour per helicopter 
to insert the revisions into the RFM at an average labor rate of $85 
per work-hour. Parts costs are not associated with this AD. Based on 
these figures, we estimate the total cost impact of this AD on U.S. 
operators to be $3,145.

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

    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):

2012-08-01 Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation: Amendment 39-17017; Docket 
No. FAA-2011-1115; Directorate Identifier 2010-SW-011-AD.

(a) Applicability

    This AD applies to Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Sikorsky) 
Model S-92A helicopters, certificated in any category.

(b) Unsafe Condition

    This AD defines the unsafe condition as inaccurate above 
specification engine power margin data. This condition could result 
in the use of inaccurate engine performance data in calculating 
maximum gross weight.

(c) Effective Date

    This AD becomes effective May 24, 2012.

(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 90 days:
    (1) By making pen and ink changes, insert into the Operating 
Limitations section, Part 1, Section 1, Weight Limits, of Rotorcraft 
Flight Manuals (RFMs) SA S92A-RFM-002, -003, -004, -005, and -006 
the following limitation ``Performance credit for above 
specification engine power margin is prohibited.''
    (2) If the RFM already contains the revisions appropriate for 
your helicopter as listed in the following Table 1, all dated April 
9, 2008, with the correct performance charts, without the 
performance credit as depicted in the circled area of Figure 1 of 
this AD, the operating limitation required by paragraph (1) of this 
AD does not need to be inserted into the RFM.

                                 Table 1
------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Affected RFM                 Revision with correct charts
------------------------------------------------------------------------
S92A-RFM-002..............................  Revision 8.

[[Page 23384]]

 
S92A-RFM-003..............................  Revision 7.
S92A-RFM-004..............................  Revision 6.
S92A-RFM-005..............................  Revision 5.
S92A-RFM-006..............................  Revision 6.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Note to paragraph (e)(2) of this AD:  Previous RFM revisions 
allowed for the use of above-specification engine power margin as 
depicted in the circled area of Figure 1 of this AD.

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR19AP12.000

(f) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (1) The Manager, Boston Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, may 
approve AMOCs for this AD. Send your proposal to: John Coffey, 
Aviation Safety Engineer, Boston Aircraft Certification Office, 
Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park, 
Burlington, MA 01803; telephone (781) 238-7173; email 
[email protected].
    (2) For operations conducted under a Part 119 operating 
certificate or under 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

    Sikorsky Rotorcraft Flight Manuals SA S92A-RFM-002, Revision 8; 
-003, Revision 7; -004, Revision 6; -005, Revision 5; and -006, 
Revision 6, all dated April 9, 2008, which are not incorporated by 
reference, contain additional information about the subject of this 
AD. For this service information, contact Sikorsky Aircraft

[[Page 23385]]

Corporation, Attn: Manager, Commercial Technical Support, Mailstop 
s581a, 6900 Main Street, Stratford, CT 06614; telephone (800) 562-
4409; email [email protected]; or at http://www.sikorsky.com. 
You may review a copy of this service information at the FAA, Office 
of the Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Room 
663, Fort Worth, Texas 76137.

(h) Subject

    Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) Code: 7200, Engine 
(Turbine/Turboprop).*

    Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on April 9, 2012.
Lance T. Gant,
Acting Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-9298 Filed 4-18-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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