Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter France Helicopters

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 9 (Tuesday, January 14, 2014)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 2366-2368]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-31447]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2013-0635; Directorate Identifier 2012-SW-081-AD; 
Amendment 39-17720; AD 2013-26-11]
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 EC225LP helicopters. This AD 
requires inspecting the swashplates for corrosion or a crack, and 
making the appropriate repairs or replacement of parts. This AD was 
prompted by the discovery of corrosion on the swashplates when the main 
rotor hub (MRH) assemblies were reconditioned. The actions of this AD 
are intended to detect corrosion or a crack in the swashplates, which 
could lead to failure of the swashplates and subsequent loss of 
helicopter control.

DATES: This AD is effective February 18, 2014.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain document listed in this AD as of February 18, 
2014.

ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this AD, contact 
American Eurocopter Corporation, 2701 N. Forum Drive, Grand Prairie, TX 
75052; telephone (972) 641-0000 or (800) 232-0323; fax (972) 641-3775; 
or at http://www.eurocopter.com/techpub. 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

[[Page 2367]]

New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gary Roach, Aviation Safety Engineer, 
Regulations and Policy Group, FAA, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, 
Texas 76137; telephone (817) 222-5110; email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion

    On July 23, 2013, at 78 FR 44043, the Federal Register published 
our notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), which proposed to amend 14 
CFR part 39 by adding an AD that would apply to Eurocopter Model 
EC225LP helicopters with an MRH assembly with a rotating swashplate, 
part number (P/N) 332A31-3074-00 or 332A31-3076-00, and stationary 
swashplate, P/N 332A31-3079-00 or 332A31-3079-01, installed. The NPRM 
proposed to require inspecting the swashplates for corrosion or a 
crack, and making the appropriate repairs or replacement of parts. The 
proposed requirements were intended to prevent failure of the 
swashplate and subsequent loss of helicopter control.
    The NPRM was prompted by AD No. 2012-0131, dated July 31, 2012, 
issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the 
Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Union, to correct 
an unsafe condition for Eurocopter Model EC225LP helicopters. EASA 
advises that corrosion has been reported on the rotating and stationary 
swashplates of the MRH assembly of several helicopters. This condition 
may cause cracks on the swashplates, which may cause failure of MRH 
parts and loss of control of the helicopter. The EASA AD requires 
repetitive inspections of the affected swashplates after two years and 
replacing the MRH assembly if a crack is found.

Comments

    We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD, but we received no comments on the NPRM (78 FR 44043, July 23, 
2013).

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.

Related Service Information

    We reviewed Eurocopter Alert Service Bulletin No. EC225-05A030, 
Revision 0, dated July 12, 2012 (ASB). The ASB states that while 
reconditioning the main rotor mast (MRM) assemblies, Eurocopter found 
corrosion on the rotating and stationary swashplates under the 
retaining flanges of the swashplate sub-assembly bearing. Over time, 
this corrosion could initiate a crack. The ASB specifies inspecting the 
MRM assembly for corrosion or a crack and replacing the MRM assembly if 
a crack or corrosion is found. The FAA and EASA use the term MRH 
assembly, while Eurocopter uses MRM assembly to describe the same 
section of the helicopter.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD affects three helicopters of U.S. Registry 
and that labor costs average $85 per work-hour. Based on these 
estimates, we expect the following costs:
    <bullet> Inspecting the rotating and stationary swashplates for 
corrosion or a crack requires 8 work-hours for a cost of $680 per 
helicopter and $2,040 for the U.S. fleet, per inspection cycle. Making 
and installing the placard requires 0.5 work-hour, for a cost of $43 
per helicopter. The labor cost of making changes to the flight manual 
is negligible.
    <bullet> Replacing the MRH assembly requires 24 work-hours and 
parts cost $5,000, for a total cost of $7,040 per helicopter.

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):

2013-26-11 Eurocopter France Helicopters (Eurocopter): Amendment 39-
17720; Docket No. FAA-2013-0635; Directorate Identifier 2012-SW-081-
AD.

(a) Applicability

    This AD applies to Eurocopter Model EC225LP helicopters with a 
main rotor hub (MRH) assembly with a rotating swashplate, part 
number (P/N) 332A31-3074-00 or 332A31-3076-00, and stationary 
swashplate, P/N 332A31-3079-00 or 332A31-3079-01, installed, 
certificated in any category.

(b) Unsafe Condition

    This AD defines the unsafe condition as corrosion or a crack in 
the stationary or rotating swashplate of the MRH assembly, which 
could lead to failure of the swashplate and subsequent loss of 
helicopter control.

[[Page 2368]]

(c) Effective Date

    This AD becomes effective February 18, 2014.

(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

    (1) Within 110 hours time-in-service (TIS) or before the MRH 
assembly accumulates 1,320 hours TIS, whichever occurs later, and 
thereafter at intervals not to exceed 1,320 hours TIS, visually 
inspect the rotating and stationary swashplates for corrosion or a 
crack by following the Accomplishment Instructions, paragraph 3.B.2 
and Figures 1 through 3, of Eurocopter Alert Service Bulletin No. 
EC225-05A030, Revision 0, dated July 12, 2012 (ASB).
    (2) If a crack exists in the rotating or stationary swashplates, 
replace the MRH assembly with an airworthy MRH assembly.
    (3) If corrosion exists without any visual indication of 
cracking, do the following:
    (i) Before further flight, install a placard stating ``NO FLIGHT 
IN OAT BELOW -30 [deg]C'' in the full view of the pilots and add the 
statement ``NO FLIGHT IN OAT BELOW -30 [deg]C'' to the Operating 
Limitations Section of the helicopter's Rotorcraft Flight Manual 
(RFM) by making pen and ink changes or by inserting a copy of this 
AD in Section 2.3 Flight Envelope, Item 2 Temperature Limits.
    (ii) Within 150 hours TIS or 6 months after the inspection when 
the corrosion was first detected, whichever occurs first, replace 
the MRH assembly with an airworthy assembly. Remove any placard that 
states ``NO FLIGHT IN OAT BELOW -30 [deg]C'' from the helicopter and 
remove any related limitation from the RFM.
    (4) Replacement of an MRH assembly does not constitute 
terminating action for the repetitive inspections required by 
paragraph (e)(1) of this AD.

(f) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (1) The Manager, Safety Management Group, FAA, may approve AMOCs 
for this AD. Send your proposal to: Gary Roach, Aviation Safety 
Engineer, Regulations and Policy Group, 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) You may view EASA AD No. 2012-0131, dated July 31, 
2012 at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating it 
in Docket No. FAA-2013-0635.

(h) Subject

    Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) Code: 6230, Main Rotor 
Mast/Swashplate.

(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) Eurocopter Alert Service Bulletin No. EC225-05A030, Revision 
0, dated July 12, 2012.
    (ii) Reserved.
    (3) For Eurocopter service information identified in this AD, 
contact American Eurocopter Corporation, 2701 N. Forum Drive, Grand 
Prairie, TX 75052; telephone (972) 641-0000 or (800) 232-0323; fax 
(972) 641-3775; or at http://www.eurocopter.com/techpub.
    (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 December 24, 2013.
Kim Smith,
Directorate Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-31447 Filed 1-13-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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