Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters (Previously Eurocopter France) Helicopters

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 125 (Monday, June 30, 2014)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 36638-36640]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-14621]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2013-1090; Directorate Identifier 2013-SW-017-AD; 
Amendment 39-17873; AD 2014-12-12]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters (Previously 
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 certain 
Airbus Helicopters Model EC120B and EC130B4 helicopters. This AD 
requires replacing parts of the sliding door star support attachment 
assembly, depending on the outcome of required inspections. This AD is 
prompted by a report that passengers in a helicopter were forced to 
exit through the pilot door after landing because they could not open 
the sliding door from the inside. The actions of this AD are intended 
to prevent failure of the sliding door star support attachment, which 
could inhibit operation of a sliding door from inside, delaying the 
evacuation of passengers during an emergency.

DATES: This AD is effective August 4, 2014.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of certain documents listed in this AD as of August 4, 2014.

ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Airbus Helicopters, Inc., 2701 N. Forum Drive, Grand Prairie, Texas 
75052; telephone (972) 641-0000 or (800) 232-0323; fax (972) 641-3775; 
or at http://www.airbushelicopters.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 European Aviation Safety 
Agency (EASA) 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: 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].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion

    On January 2, 2014, at 79 FR 74, 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 certain Eurocopter France 
(now Airbus Helicopters) Model EC120B and EC130B4 helicopters. The NPRM 
proposed to require, within 165 hours time-in-service, visually 
inspecting the upper and lower locking pin control rod end fittings, 
and replacing the control end fitting before further flight if it is 
bent, twisted, or broken. The NPRM also proposed to require cleaning 
and dye penetrant inspecting the star support pin for a crack, and 
replacing the star support pin before further flight if there is a 
crack. Lastly, the NPRM proposed to require reinforcing the sliding 
door star support stringer by installing three carbon fabric plies. The 
proposed requirements were intended to prevent failure of the operation 
of a sliding door from inside, which could delay evacuation of 
passengers during an emergency.
    The NPRM was prompted by AD No. 2013-0093, dated April 15, 2013, 
and corrected on April 17, 2013, issued by EASA, which is the Technical 
Agent for the Member States of the European Union, to correct an unsafe 
condition for Model EC120B and EC130B4 helicopters after a case was 
reported where passengers could not open a helicopter's sliding door 
after landing. EASA advises that an investigation revealed a failure of 
the sliding door star axle support.
    Since we issued the NPRM, Eurocopter France changed its name to 
Airbus Helicopters. This AD reflects that change and updates the 
contact information to obtain service documentation.

Comments

    We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD, but we did not receive any comments on the NPRM (79 FR 74, 
January 2, 2014).

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, except for the name change 
previously described and a minor editorial change in referencing the 
service information in paragraph (e)(2) of this AD to meet current 
publishing requirements. These changes are consistent with the intent 
of the proposals in the NPRM (79 FR 74, January 2, 2014) and will not 
increase the economic burden on any operator nor increase the scope of 
the AD.

Related Service Information

    Eurocopter issued Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) No. EC120-52A014 for 
Model EC120B helicopters and ASB No. EC130-52A009 for Model EC130B4 
helicopters, both Revision 1, and both dated January 25, 2013. The ASBs 
state that the star support pin ruptured on the

[[Page 36639]]

kinematics of the sliding door locking system, and the rupture prevents 
sliding doors from operating. The ASBs specify visual and dye penetrant 
inspections of sections of the sliding door attachment assembly and 
reinforcement of the sliding door star support.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD will affect 284 helicopters of U.S. 
Registry. We estimate that operators may incur the following costs in 
order to comply with this AD with an average labor cost of $85 per 
work-hour:
    <bullet> Visually inspecting the upper and lower locking pin 
control rod end fittings requires 1 work-hour and a minimal amount for 
consumable materials for an estimated cost of $85 per helicopter, or 
$24,140 for the U.S. fleet.
    <bullet> Replacing the upper and lower locking pin control rod end 
fittings with airworthy fittings requires 5 work-hours for a labor cost 
of $425. Parts will cost about $242 for an estimated total cost of $667 
per helicopter.
    <bullet> Dye penetrant inspecting the star support pin for a crack 
requires 2 work-hours and no parts for an estimated cost of $170 per 
helicopter.
    <bullet> Replacing the star support pin requires 5 work-hours. 
Parts will cost about $200 for an estimated total cost of $625 per 
helicopter.
    <bullet> Installing three carbon fabric plies to reinforce the 
sliding door star support requires 5 work-hours. Parts will cost $200 
for an estimated total cost of $625 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):

2014-12-12 Airbus Helicopters (Previously Eurocopter France): 
Amendment 39-17873; Docket No. FAA-2013-1090; Directorate Identifier 
2013-SW-017-AD.

(a) Applicability

    This AD applies to following helicopters, certificated in any 
category, except those helicopters with modification 07 3796 or 07 
2921 installed:
    (1) Model EC120B helicopters, serial numbers up to and including 
1367, with a sliding door, Part Number (P/N) C526A2370101, 
installed; and
    (2) Model EC130B4 helicopters with a sliding door, P/N 
C526S1101051, installed.

(b) Unsafe Condition

    This AD defines the unsafe condition as a failure of the sliding 
door star axle support. This condition could prevent operation of a 
sliding door from inside, which could delay evacuation of passengers 
during an emergency.

(c) Effective Date

    This AD becomes effective August 4, 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

    Within 165 hours time-in-service:
    (1) Visually inspect each upper and lower locking pin control 
rod end fitting (control end fitting) for a bend, twist, or 
breakage. If a control end fitting is bent, twisted, or broken, 
before further flight, replace the control end fitting with an 
airworthy control end fitting.
    (2) Clean and dye penetrant inspect the star support pin for a 
crack in the areas identified as Zone X and Zone Y in Figure 3 of 
Eurocopter Alert Service Bulletin No. EC120-52A014, Revision 1, 
dated January 25, 2013 (ASB No. EC120-52A014) or Eurocopter Alert 
Service Bulletin No. EC130-52A009, Revision 1, dated January 25, 
2013 (ASB No. EC130-52A009), as applicable to your model helicopter. 
If there is a crack in the star support pin, before further flight, 
replace the star support pin with an airworthy star support pin.
    (3) Reinforce the sliding door star support stringer by 
installing three carbon fabric plies by following the Accomplishment 
Instructions, paragraph 3.B.2.d. of ASB No. EC120-52A014 or ASB No. 
EC130-52A009, as applicable to your model helicopter, except this AD 
does not require you to comply with paragraph 3.C.

(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) AD No. 2013-0093, dated April 15, 2013, and corrected 
on April 17, 2013. You may view the EASA AD on the Internet at 
http://www.regulations.gov in Docket No. FAA-2013-1090.

(h) Subject

    Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) Code: 5220, Emergency 
Exits.

[[Page 36640]]

(i) Material Incorporated by Reference

    (1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the 
incorporation by reference 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. EC120-52A014, Revision 
1, dated January 25, 2013.
    (ii) Eurocopter Alert Service Bulletin No. EC130-52A009, 
Revision 1, dated January 25, 2013.
    (3) For Eurocopter service information identified in this AD, 
contact Airbus Helicopters, Inc., 2701 N. Forum Drive, Grand 
Prairie, Texas 75052; telephone (972) 641-0000 or (800) 232-0323; 
fax (972) 641-3775; or at http://www.airbushelicopters.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 June 13, 2014.
Kim Smith,
Directorate Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-14621 Filed 6-27-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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