Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. Helicopters

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 36 (Tuesday, February 24, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 9594-9596]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-03585]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2015-0365; Directorate Identifier 2014-SW-049-AD; 
Amendment 39-18106; AD 2015-04-04]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. 
Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Bell 
Helicopter Textron Inc. (Bell) Model 412 and 412EP helicopters with 
certain static inverters (inverters) installed. This AD requires 
revising the Rotorcraft Flight Manual (RFM) and installing a placard in 
full view of the pilot to limit flight to visual flight rules (VFR) 
only and prohibit night operations. This AD is prompted by failures of 
certain inverters, most of which resulted in smoke in the cockpit. The 
actions specified by this AD are intended to restrict flight to VFR 
only and prohibit night operations to allow safe operation in the event 
of failure of an affected inverter. This failure would increase pilot 
workload during instrument flight rules (IFR) and could result in loss 
of certain pilot information displays and subsequent loss of control of 
the helicopter.

DATES: This AD becomes effective March 11, 2015.
    We must receive comments on this AD by April 27, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by any of the following methods:
    <bullet> Federal eRulemaking Docket: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for sending your 
comments electronically.
    <bullet> Fax: 202-493-2251.
    <bullet> Mail: Send comments to the U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    <bullet> Hand Delivery: Deliver to the ``Mail'' address between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

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 economic evaluation, any 
comments received, and other information. The street address for the 
Docket Operations Office (telephone 800-647-5527) is in the ADDRESSES 
section. Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly after 
receipt.
    For service information identified in this AD, contact Bell 
Helicopter Textron, Inc., P.O. Box 482, Fort Worth, TX 76101; telephone 
(817) 280-3391; fax (817) 280-6466; or at http://www.bellcustomer.com/files/. 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ife Ogunleye, Aviation Safety 
Engineer, Rotorcraft Certification Office, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 
2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 76137; telephone (817) 222-5927; 
email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    This AD is a final rule that involves requirements affecting flight 
safety, and we did not provide you with notice and an opportunity to 
provide your comments prior to it becoming effective. However, we 
invite you to participate in this rulemaking by submitting written 
comments, data, or views. We also invite comments relating to the 
economic, environmental, energy, or federalism impacts that resulted 
from adopting this AD. The most helpful comments reference a specific 
portion of the AD, explain the reason for any recommended change, and 
include supporting data. To ensure the docket does not contain 
duplicate comments, commenters should send only one copy of written 
comments, or if comments are filed electronically, commenters should 
submit them only one time. We will file in the docket all comments that 
we receive, as well as a report summarizing each substantive public 
contact with FAA personnel concerning this rulemaking during the 
comment period. We will consider all the comments we receive and may 
conduct additional rulemaking based on those comments.

Discussion

    We are adopting a new AD for Bell Model 412 and 412EP helicopters 
with an inverter part number (P/N) 412-375-079-101 or P/N 412-375-079-
103 with a serial number 29145 or larger. This AD limits operations to 
VFR and prohibits night operations by adding a restriction to the RFM 
and installing a placard in full view of the pilots. This AD is 
prompted by at least 30 failures of certain inverters; most have 
resulted in smoke in the cockpit. The root cause of the failures is 
still under investigation by Bell and Avionics Instruments LLC, the 
manufacturer of the inverters. The consequence of one failed inverter 
has the potential of allowing smoke in the cockpit, making it difficult 
to find a safe landing site at night or in instrument meteorological 
conditions. If both inverters fail, the pilot will lose primary flight 
and navigation displays, alternating current powered engine and 
transmission indicators, and autopilot. The RFM emergency procedure for 
dual inverter failure is to land as soon as practicable or fly VFR. The 
RFM emergency procedure for smoke in the cabin is to land as soon as 
possible. Until a new design is available, restricting flight 
operations to VFR and daytime increases the likelihood of a prompt safe 
landing.

[[Page 9595]]

FAA's Determination

    We are issuing this AD because we evaluated all the relevant 
information and determined the unsafe condition described previously is 
likely to exist or develop in other products of these same type 
designs.

Related Service Information

    Bell issued Alert Service Bulletin 412-13-156, dated April 25, 2013 
(ASB), which specifies inspecting part-numbered 412-375-079-101 
inverters and either repairing each inverter or replacing it with 
inverter P/N 412-375-079-103 to prevent failure. This ASB does not 
correct the unsafe condition identified in this AD. The specific cause 
of the inverter failures has not been verified, and since Bell issued 
the ASB, the failures have continued.

AD Requirements

    This AD requires, within 5 hours time-in-service, limiting 
operations to VFR and prohibiting night operations by revising the 
Limitations section of the RFM and by installing a placard in the 
cockpit in full view of the pilots.

Interim Action

    We consider this AD to be an interim action. The design approval 
holder is currently developing a modification that will address the 
unsafe condition identified in this AD. Once this modification is 
developed, approved, and available, we might consider additional 
rulemaking.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD will affect 88 helicopters of U.S. 
Registry.
    We estimate that operators may incur the following costs in order 
to comply with this AD. Labor costs are $85 per work hour. We estimate 
a minimal amount of time to revise the RFM and to install a placard. 
The required parts are $10 for a placard. Based on these requirements, 
the cost will be $10 per helicopter and $880 for the U.S. fleet.

FAA's Justification and Determination of the Effective Date

    Providing an opportunity for public comments before adopting these 
AD requirements would delay implementing the safety actions needed to 
correct this known unsafe condition. Therefore, we find that the risk 
to the flying public justifies waiving notice and comment before 
adopting this rule because the required corrective actions must be done 
within 5 hours time-in-service.
    Since an unsafe condition exists that requires the immediate 
adoption of this AD, we determined that notice and opportunity for 
public comment before issuing this AD are impracticable and contrary to 
the public interest and that good cause exists for making this 
amendment effective in less than 30 days.

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

    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.
    For the reasons discussed, 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):

2015-04-04 Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.: Amendment 39-18106; Docket 
No. FAA-2015-0365; Directorate Identifier 2014-SW-049-AD.

(a) Applicability

    This AD applies to Model 412 and 412EP helicopters with a static 
inverter (inverter) part number (P/N) 412-375-079-101 or 412-375-
079-103 with a serial number 29145 or larger installed, certificated 
in any category.

(b) Unsafe Condition

    This AD defines the unsafe condition as failure of an 
inverter(s) under instrument meteorological conditions or night 
flight. This condition could result in smoke in the cockpit, 
increased pilot workload due to the loss of primary flight and 
navigation displays, alternating current powered engine and 
transmission indicators, and autopilot, and subsequent loss of 
control of the helicopter.

(c) Effective Date

    This AD becomes effective March 11, 2015.

(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 5 hours time-in-service:
    (1) Add the statement ``Flight is restricted to VFR, and night 
operations are prohibited'' to the Limitations section of the 
Rotorcraft Flight Manual by making pen and ink changes or by 
inserting a copy of this AD.
    (2) Install a placard stating ``LIMITED TO VFR ONLY; NIGHT 
OPERATIONS PROHIBITED'' on the instrument panel in full view of the 
pilots.

(f) Special Flight Permits

    Special flight permits are prohibited.

(g) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (1) The Manager, Rotorcraft Certification Office, FAA, may 
approve AMOCs for this AD. Send your proposal to: Ife Ogunleye, 
Aviation Safety Engineer, Rotorcraft Certification Office, 
Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 
76137; telephone (817) 222-5927; 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

[[Page 9596]]

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.

(h) Additional Information

    Bell Helicopter Alert Service Bulletin 412-13-156, dated April 
25, 2013, which is not incorporated by reference, contains 
additional information about the subject of this AD. For service 
information identified in this AD, contact Bell Helicopter Textron, 
Inc., P.O. Box 482, Fort Worth, TX 76101; telephone (817) 280-3391; 
fax (817) 280-6466; or at http://www.bellcustomer.com/files/.

 (i) Subject

    Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) Code: 2422 AC Inverter.


    Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on February 10, 2015.
Lance T. Gant,
Acting Directorate Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-03585 Filed 2-23-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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