Airworthiness Directives; AgustaWestland S.p.A. Helicopters

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 183 (Friday, September 20, 2013)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 57786-57788]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-22547]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2013-0350; Directorate Identifier 2012-SW-050-AD; 
Amendment 39-17583; AD 2013-19-01]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; AgustaWestland S.p.A. Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
AgustaWestland S.p.A. (AgustaWestland) Model A119 and AW119 MKII 
helicopters to require inspecting the pilot and co-pilot doors to 
ensure that the windows are properly bonded within the doors. If the 
windows are not properly bonded, the AD requires applying bonding to 
the windows, the seals, and the window frames of the pilot and co-pilot 
doors. This AD was prompted by the loss of a pilot-door window during a 
test flight. The actions of this AD are intended to ensure the windows 
do not detach from the doors, potentially injuring persons on the 
ground and damaging the helicopter's tailboom and the tail rotor 
blades.

DATES: This AD is effective October 25, 2013.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain document listed in this AD as of October 25, 
2013.

ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this AD, contact 
AgustaWestland, Customer Support & Services, Via Per Tornavento 15, 
21019 Somma Lombardo (VA) Italy, ATTN: Giovanni Cecchelli; telephone 
39-0331-711133; fax 39 0331 711180; or at http://www.agustawestland.com/technical-bullettins. 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, the foreign authority's 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: Sharon Miles, Aviation Safety 
Engineer, Regulations and Policy Group, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 
2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 76137; telephone (817) 222-5110; 
email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion

    On April 25, 2013, at 78 FR 24367, 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 AgustaWestland Model 
A119 and AW119 MKII helicopters, serial numbers up to and including 
14781. The NPRM proposed to require inspecting the pilot and co-pilot 
doors to ensure that the windows are properly bonded within the doors. 
If the windows are not properly bonded, the NPRM proposed applying 
bonding to the windows, the seals, and the window frames of the pilot 
and co-pilot doors. The proposed requirements were intended to ensure 
the windows do not detach from the doors, potentially injuring persons 
on the ground and damaging the helicopter's tailboom and the tail rotor 
blades.
    The NPRM was prompted by EASA AD No. 2012-0058, dated April 3, 
2012, issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is 
the Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Union. EASA 
issued AD No. 2012-0058 to correct an unsafe condition for 
AgustaWestland Model A119 and AW119 MKII helicopters. EASA advises that 
the pilot-door window detached during a test flight of an AW119 MKII 
helicopter. The occupant was not injured, and the helicopter was not 
damaged.
    According to EASA, an investigation revealed that a ``lack of the 
bonding of the seal both to the window and to the door structure'' 
caused the window's detachment. To address this unsafe condition, 
AugustaWestland issued Bollettino Tecnico (BT) 119-47, dated March 29, 
2012, and EASA issued AD 2012-0058 to require an inspection of the 
bonding in the pilot and co-pilot door windows and, if there is no 
bonding, applying bonding.
    If this condition is not corrected, it could lead to detachment of 
the

[[Page 57787]]

windows from the pilot- and co-pilot doors, potentially injuring 
persons on the ground and damaging the helicopter, EASA advises.

Comments

    We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD, but we received no comments on the NPRM (78 FR 24367, April 
25, 2013).

FAA's Determination

    These helicopters have been approved by the aviation authority of 
Italy and are approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant to 
our bilateral agreement with Italy, 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.

Related Service Information

    We reviewed BT 119-47 for all AgustaWestland A119 and AW119 MKII 
helicopters, which contains procedures to ensure that the pilot- and 
co-pilot door windows are correctly bonded.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD affects 65 helicopters of U.S. Registry 
and that labor costs average $85 an hour. Based on these estimates, we 
expect the following costs:
    <bullet> Inspecting for bonding between the seals and the windows 
in the internal and external sides of the junction areas requires a 0.5 
work-hour for a labor cost of about $43. No parts are needed, so the 
cost for the U.S. fleet totals $2,795.
    <bullet> Adding the bonding material if needed requires about 1.5 
work-hours for a labor cost of about $128. The cost of materials is 
negligible.

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):

2013-19-01 AgustaWestland S.p.A.: Amendment 39-17583; Docket No. 
FAA-2013-0350; Directorate Identifier 2012-SW-050-AD.

 (a) Applicability

    This AD applies to AgustaWestland S.p.A. (AgustaWestland) Model 
A119 and AW119 MKII helicopters, serial numbers up to and including 
14781, certificated in any category.

(b) Unsafe Condition

    This AD defines the unsafe condition as a window detaching from 
the pilot or co-pilot doors, which could result in damage to the 
helicopter and injury to persons on the ground.

(c) Effective Date

    This AD becomes effective October 25, 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 50 hours time-in-service (TIS) or within the 
next five months, whichever comes first:
    (1) Visually inspect the pilot and co-pilot doors by referencing 
Figure 1 of AugustaWestland Bollettino Tecnico 119-47, dated March 
29, 2012 (BT), to determine whether there is bonding between the 
seal (3) and the window (4) in the internal and external side of the 
seal's junction area.
    (2) If there is no bonding, before further flight, apply bonding 
to the windows, seals, and window frames in accordance with the 
Compliance Instructions, paragraphs 5 through 20, of the BT.

 (f) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (1) The Manager, Safety Management Group, FAA, may approve AMOCs 
for this AD. Send your proposal to: Sharon Miles, Aviation Safety 
Engineer, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort 
Worth, Texas 76137; telephone (817) 222-5110; email 
[email protected].
    (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

    The subject of this AD is addressed in European Aviation Safety 
Agency (EASA) AD No. 2012-0058, dated April 3, 2012. You may view 
the EASA AD on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov in Docket 
No. FAA-2013-0350.

(h) Subject

    Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) Code: 5610, Flight 
Compartment Windows.

 (i) Material Incorporated by Reference

    (1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the 
incorporation by reference (IBR) of the service information listed 
in this paragraph under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
    (2) You must use this service information as applicable to do 
the actions required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise.
    (i) AgustaWestland Bollettino Tecnico 119-47, dated March 29, 
2012.
    (ii) Reserved.

[[Page 57788]]

    (3) For AgustaWestland service information identified in this 
AD, contact AgustaWestland, Customer Support & Services, Via Per 
Tornavento 15, 21019 Somma Lombardo (VA) Italy, ATTN: Giovanni 
Cecchelli; telephone 39- 0331-711133; fax 39 0331 711180; or at 
http://www.agustawestland.com/technical-bullettins.
    (4) You may view this service information at FAA, Office of the 
Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Room 663, 
Fort Worth, Texas 76137. For information on the availability of this 
material at the FAA, call (817) 222-5110.
    (5) You may view this service information that is incorporated 
by reference at the National Archives and Records Administration 
(NARA). For information on the availability of this material at 
NARA, call (202) 741-6030, or go to: http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.

    Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on September 9, 2013.
Kim Smith,
Directorate Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-22547 Filed 9-19-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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