Airworthiness Directives; MD Helicopters Inc., Helicopters

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 37 (Thursday, February 25, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 9331-9333]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-03881]



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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 37 / Thursday, February 25, 2016 / 
Rules and Regulations

[[Page 9331]]



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2015-3659; Directorate Identifier 2014-SW-050-AD; 
Amendment 39-18409; AD 2016-04-15]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; MD Helicopters Inc., Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for MD 
Helicopters, Inc. (MDHI), Model 369A, 369D, 369E, 369FF, 369HE, 369HM, 
369HS, 500N, and 600N helicopters with a certain part-numbered main 
rotor blade attach pin (pin) installed. This AD requires ensuring the 
life limit of the pin as listed in the Airworthiness Limitations 
section of aircraft maintenance records and Instructions for Continued 
Airworthiness (ICA). If the hours time-in-service (TIS) of a pin is 
unknown, or if a pin has exceeded its life limit, this AD requires 
removing the affected pin from service. This AD was prompted by a 
report from an operator who purchased pins that did not have life limit 
documentation. These actions are intended to document the life limit to 
prevent a pin remaining in service beyond its fatigue life, which could 
result in failure of a pin, failure of a main rotor blade, and 
subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

DATES: This AD is effective March 31, 2016.

ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this final rule, 
contact Aerometals, 3920 Sandstone Dr., El Dorado Hills, CA 95762, 
telephone (916) 939-6888, fax (916) 939-6555, www.aerometals.aero. You 
may review a copy of the referenced service information at the FAA, 
Office of the Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy, 
Room 6N-321, Fort Worth, TX 76177.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2015-
3659; 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 
(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: Galib Abumeri, Aviation Safety 
Engineer, Los Angeles Aircraft Certification Office, Transport Airplane 
Directorate, FAA, 3960 Paramount Blvd., Lakewood, California 90712; 
telephone (562) 627-5324; email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion

    On September 2, 2015, at 80 FR 53028, 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 MDHI Model 
369A, 369D, 369E, 369FF, 369HE, 369HM, 369HS, 500N, and 600N 
helicopters with a pin part-number (P/N) 369X1004-5 installed. The NPRM 
proposed to require determining the number of hours TIS of each pin and 
whether the aircraft maintenance records contain a pin life limit. If 
the hours TIS are unknown, NPRM proposed to require removing the pin 
from service. If the aircraft maintenance records do not contain a pin 
life limit, the NPRM proposed to require revising the records and 
establishing a life limit of 5,760 hours if the pin is installed on a 
Model 369A, 369HE, 369HM, or 369HS helicopter, or 7,600 hours if the 
pin is installed on a Model 369D, 369E, 369FF, 500N, or 600N 
helicopter. The NPRM also proposed to require revising the records to 
add a statement that if a pin is interchanged between different model 
helicopters, then its life limit must be restricted to the lower life 
limit even if it was originally installed on a helicopter model with a 
higher life limit. Lastly, the NPRM proposed to prohibit installing a 
pin on any helicopter before these proposed requirements have been 
accomplished.
    Aerometals produces pin P/N 369X1004-5 under a parts manufacturer 
approval as a replacement pin for MDHI P/N 369A1004-5. The NPRM was 
prompted by a report from an operator who purchased Aerometals' pins P/
N 369X1004-5 without life limit documentation. The FAA inadvertently 
approved the pins without a life limit in the Airworthiness Limitations 
section and without a restriction for parts that are interchanged 
between models with different life limits. A total of 5,133 affected 
pins were sold by Aerometals without any indication that the parts were 
life-limited. The proposed requirements were intended to correct the 
failure of these parts to have a documented life limit to prevent a pin 
remaining in service beyond its fatigue life, which could result in 
failure of a pin, failure of a main rotor blade, and subsequent loss of 
control of the helicopter.

Comments

    After our NPRM (80 FR 53028, September 2, 2015) was published, we 
received a comment from one commenter supporting the NPRM.

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 these same type designs and that air safety and the public 
interest require adopting the AD requirements as proposed.

Related Service Information

    Aerometals has issued Aero-ICA-1001 Supplemental Instructions for 
Continued Airworthiness, Revision NC, dated May 22, 2014, and Service 
Bulletin Aero-SB-1103, dated July 2, 2014. The service bulletin 
specifies determining whether the helicopter has pins P/N 369X1004-5 
installed and then reviewing the aircraft maintenance records to 
determine if the pins have a life limit identified. If the life limit 
is not the same as that listed in the ICA,

[[Page 9332]]

the service bulletin specifies revising the life limit in the 
maintenance records. The service bulletin states that the pins were 
approved by the FAA as parts manufacturer approval direct replacement 
parts with the same life limits as the parts they replace. However, 
they were sold without an FAA-approved supplemental ICA containing an 
Airworthiness Limitations Section specifically assigning these life 
limits to the pins.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD will affect 118 helicopters of U.S. 
Registry. We estimate that operators may incur the following costs in 
order to comply with this AD. Labor costs are estimated at $85 per 
work-hour. We estimate 1/2 work-hour to inspect and record any update 
for a total of $42.50 per helicopter and $5,015 for the U.S. fleet. If 
required, we estimate 1 work-hour per helicopter to replace 10 pins 
because each blade has 2 pins and each helicopter has 5 blades. 
Required parts are $445 for each pin. Based on these estimates, it will 
cost $4,535 per helicopter to replace 10 pins if the pins have exceeded 
their life limit.

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):

2016-04-15 MD Helicopters Inc.: Amendment 39-18409; Docket No. FAA-
2015-3659; Directorate Identifier 2014-SW-050-AD.

(a) Applicability

    This AD applies to Model 369A, 369D, 369E, 369FF, 369HE, 369HM, 
369HS, 500N, and 600N helicopters with an Aerometals main rotor 
blade attach pin (pin) part number (P/N) 369X1004-5 installed, 
certificated in any category.

(b) Unsafe Condition

    This AD defines the unsafe condition as a pin remaining in 
service beyond its fatigue life. This condition could result in 
failure of a pin, loss of a main rotor blade, and subsequent loss of 
control of the helicopter.

(c) Effective Date

    This AD becomes effective March 31, 2016.

(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 100 hours time-in-service (TIS) or during the next 
annual inspection, whichever occurs first:
    (i) Review the maintenance records and determine the hours TIS 
of each pin P/N 369X1004-5 and whether there is a pin life limit 
listed in the Airworthiness Limitations Section of the applicable 
maintenance manual or Instructions for Continued Airworthiness 
(ICA). If the hours TIS on a pin is unknown, remove the pin from 
service.
    (ii) For Model 369A, 369HE, 369HM, and 369HS helicopters, if 
there is no pin life limit, establish a new life limit of 5,760 
hours TIS for each pin P/N 369X1004-5 by making pen-and-ink changes 
or by inserting a copy of this AD into the Airworthiness Limitations 
Section of the maintenance manual or the ICA. Remove from service 
any pin that has 5,760 or more hours TIS.
    (iii) For Model 369D, 369E, 369FF, 500N, and 600N helicopters, 
if there is no pin life limit, establish a new life limit of 7,600 
hours TIS for each pin P/N 369X1004-5 by making pen-and-ink changes 
or by inserting a copy of this AD into the Airworthiness Limitations 
Section of the maintenance manual or the ICA. Remove from service 
any pin that has 7,600 or more hours TIS.
    (iv) For all model helicopters, add the following statement to 
the Airworthiness Limitations Section of the maintenance manual or 
the ICA by making pen-and-ink changes or by inserting a copy of this 
AD: If interchanged between different model helicopters, the life 
limit of pin P/N 369X1004-5 must be restricted to the lowest life 
limit indicated for the helicopter models and serial numbers 
affected.
    (2) Do not install a pin P/N 369X1004-5 on any helicopter before 
the requirements of this AD have been accomplished.

(f) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (1) The Manager, Los Angeles Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, 
may approve AMOCs for this AD. Send your proposal to: Galib Abumeri, 
Aviation Safety Engineer, Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, 3960 
Paramount Blvd., Lakewood, California 90712; telephone (562) 627-
5324 or email at [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

    Aerometals Service Bulletin Aero-SB-1103, dated July 2, 2014, 
and Aerometals Aero-ICA-101 Supplemental Instructions for Continued 
Airworthiness, Revision NC, dated May 22, 2014, which are not 
incorporated by reference, contain additional information about the 
subject of this final rule. For service information identified in 
this final rule, contact Aerometals, 3920 Sandstone Dr., El Dorado 
Hills, CA 95762, telephone (916) 939-6888, fax (916) 939-6555, 
www.aerometals.aero. You may review a copy of this service 
information at the FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, Southwest 
Region, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy, Room 6N-321, Fort Worth, TX 76177.

[[Page 9333]]

(h) Subject

    Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) Code: 6210 Main Rotor 
Blades.

    Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on February 17, 2016.
Lance T. Gant,
Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-03881 Filed 2-24-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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