Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited Helicopters

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 33 (Tuesday, February 19, 2019)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 4685-4686]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-02626]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2018-0647; Product Identifier 2017-SW-083-AD; Amendment 
39-19557; AD 2019-03-05]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited 
Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Bell 
Helicopter Textron Canada Limited (Bell) Model 429 helicopters. This AD 
revises the life limit for the nose landing gear (NLG) assembly. This 
AD was prompted by revised airworthiness limitations determined by 
Bell. The actions of this AD are intended to prevent an unsafe 
condition on these products.

DATES: This AD is effective March 26, 2019.

ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this final rule, 
contact Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited, 12,800 Rue de l'Avenir, 
Mirabel, Quebec J7J1R4; telephone (450) 437-2862 or (800) 363-8023; fax 
(450) 433-0272; or at http://www.bellcustomer.com/files/. You may 
review 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-2018-
0647; or in person at Docket Operations between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD docket contains 
this AD, the Transport Canada AD, the economic evaluation, any comments 
received, and other information. The street address for Docket 
Operations (phone: 800-647-5527) is U.S. Department of Transportation, 
Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 
New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matt Fuller, Senior Aviation Safety 
Engineer, Safety Management Section, Rotorcraft Standards Branch, FAA, 
10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Fort Worth, TX 76177; telephone (817) 222-5110; 
email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

    On July 19, 2018, at 83 FR 34074, 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 Bell Model 429 
helicopters with a NLG assembly part number (P/N) 429-336-100-101 
installed. The NPRM proposed to revise the life limit for the NLG 
assembly. The proposed requirements were intended to prevent fatigue 
failure of an NLG assembly, which could result in subsequent damage to 
and loss of control of the helicopter.
    The NPRM was prompted by Canadian AD No. CF-2016-07, dated March 4, 
2016, to correct an unsafe condition for Bell Model 429 helicopters 
with wheeled landing gear. Transport Canada, which is the aviation 
authority for Canada, issued its AD after Bell replaced the 
airworthiness limitations for the NLG main fitting to bell crank bolt 
P/N M084-20H125-101 and NLG main fitting P/N M084-20H011-107 with an 
airworthiness limitation for the next higher assembly, NLG assembly P/N 
429-336-100-101. According to Transport Canada, the NLG assembly's life 
limit is reduced to 50,000 retirement index number (RIN) or 4,500 hours 
time-in-service. Transport Canada advises that failure to replace 
components prior to established airworthiness limitations could result 
in an unsafe condition.

Comments

    We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD, but we received no comments on the NPRM.

FAA's Determination

    These helicopters have been approved by the aviation authority of 
Canada and are approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant to 
our bilateral agreement with Canada, Transport Canada, its technical 
representative, has notified us of the unsafe condition described in 
the Transport Canada AD. We are issuing this AD because we evaluated 
all information provided by Transport Canada 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.

Differences Between This AD and the Transport Canada AD

    The Transport Canada AD applies to certain serial-numbered 
helicopters, whereas this AD applies to all Bell Model 429 helicopters 
with the affected NLG assembly installed.

Related Service Information

    We reviewed Bell Alert Service Bulletin No. 429-15-24, Revision A, 
dated September 23, 2015, which specifies updating the Bell 429 
maintenance manual with Revision 24 to incorporate the revised 
airworthiness limitations for the NLG assembly, NLG main fitting to 
bellcrank bolt, and the NLG main fitting.

[[Page 4686]]

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD affects less than 75 helicopters of U.S. 
Registry (as this AD does not apply to Bell Model 429 helicopters with 
skid landing gear). At an average labor rate of $85 per hour, replacing 
a NLG assembly requires 10 work-hours, and required parts cost 
$104,648, for a cost of $105,498 per helicopter and up to $7,912,350 
for the U.S. fleet.

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):

2019-03-05 Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited: Amendment 39-
19557; Docket No. FAA-2018-0647; Product Identifier 2017-SW-083-AD.

(a) Applicability

    This AD applies to Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited Model 
429 helicopters with a nose landing gear (NLG) assembly part number 
(P/N) 429-336-100-101 installed, certificated in any category.

(b) Unsafe Condition

    This AD defines the unsafe condition as fatigue failure of an 
NLG assembly, which could result in subsequent damage to and loss of 
control of the helicopter.

(c) Effective Date

    This AD becomes effective March 26, 2019.

(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

    Before further flight, remove from service any NLG assembly P/N 
429-336-100-101 that has reached or exceeded 4,500 hours time-in-
service (TIS) or 50,000 retirement index number (RIN). Thereafter, 
remove from service each NLG assembly P/N 429-336-100-101 before 
accumulating 4,500 hours TIS or 50,000 RIN, whichever occurs first. 
For purposes of this AD, for every normal retraction or extension of 
the wheeled landing gear system, add one RIN.

(f) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (1) The Manager, Safety Management Section, Rotorcraft Standards 
Branch, FAA, may approve AMOCs for this AD. Send your proposal to: 
Matt Fuller, Senior Aviation Safety Engineer, Safety Management 
Section, Rotorcraft Standards Branch, FAA, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., 
Fort Worth, TX 76177; 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

    (1) Bell Helicopter Alert Service Bulletin No. 429-15-24, 
Revision A, dated September 23, 2015, 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 Canada Limited, 12,800 Rue de l'Avenir, Mirabel, 
Quebec J7J1R4; telephone (450) 437-2862 or (800) 363-8023; fax (450) 
433-0272; or at http://www.bellcustomer.com/files/. You may review a 
copy of the service information at the FAA, Office of the Regional 
Counsel, Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Room 6N-321, Fort 
Worth, TX 76177.
    (2) The subject of this AD is addressed in Transport Canada AD 
No. CF-2016-07, dated March 4, 2016. You may view the Transport 
Canada AD on the internet at http://www.regulations.gov in Docket 
No. FAA-2018-0647.

(h) Subject

    Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) Code: 3200, Landing Gear 
System.

    Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on February 8, 2019.
Lance T. Gant,
Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-02626 Filed 2-15-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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