Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH Helicopters

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 63 (Tuesday, April 2, 2019)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 12486-12488]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-06022]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2017-1085; Product Identifier 2016-SW-094-AD; Amendment 
39-19603; AD 2019-06-05]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH 
Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Airbus 
Helicopters Deutschland GmbH (Airbus Helicopters) Model MBB-BK 117 A-1, 
MBB-BK 117A-3, MBB-BK 117 A-4, MBB-BK 117 B-1, MBB-BK 117 B-2, MBB-BK 
117 C-1, and MBB-BK 117 C-2 helicopters. This AD requires repetitive 
inspections of the tail rotor (T/R) gearbox housing. This AD was 
prompted by a report that a crack was found in a T/R gearbox housing. 
The actions of this AD are intended to correct an unsafe condition on 
these products.

DATES: This AD is effective May 7, 2019.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of certain documents listed in this AD as of May 7, 2019.

ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this final rule, 
contact Airbus Helicopters, 2701 N Forum Drive, Grand Prairie, TX 
75052; telephone (972) 641-0000 or (800) 232-0323; fax (972) 641-3775; 
or at http://www.helicopters.airbus.com/website/en/ref/Technical-Support_73.html. 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. It is also available 
on the internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and 
locating Docket No. FAA-2017-1085.

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-2017-
1085; 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 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 
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: David Hatfield, 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 September 10, 2018, at 83 FR 45578, 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 Airbus 
Helicopters Model MBB-BK 117 A-1, MBB-BK 117A-3, MBB-BK 117 A-4, MBB-BK 
117 B-1, MBB-BK 117 B-2, MBB-BK 117 C-1, and MBB-BK 117 C-2 
helicopters. The NPRM proposed to require a repetitive cleaning and 
visual inspection of the T/R gearbox housing for a crack, and replacing 
the T/R gearbox if there is a crack. The proposed requirements were 
intended to detect a crack in a T/R gearbox housing, which could result 
in the loss of the T/R gearbox and subsequent loss of helicopter 
control.
    The NPRM was prompted by EASA AD No. 2016-0134, dated July 8, 2016, 
issued by EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of 
the European Union, to correct an unsafe condition for Airbus 
Helicopters Model MBB-BK 117 A-1, MBB-BK 117 A-3, MBB-BK 117 A-4, MBB-
BK 117 B-1, MBB-BK 117 B-2, MBB-BK 117 C-1, MBB BK 117 C-2, and MBB-BK 
117 C-2e helicopters. EASA advises that a crack was found in the T/R 
gearbox housing of a Model MBB-BK117 C-2 helicopter. According to EASA, 
investigations determined high vibrations caused by T/R imbalance were 
a contributing factor to the crack. EASA states that this condition, if 
not detected and corrected, could lead to the loss of the T/R gearbox 
and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter. As a result, the EASA 
AD requires repetitive inspections of the T/R gearbox housing and 
replacing the housing if a crack is found.

Comments

    We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD, but we did not receive any comments on the NPRM.

FAA's Determination

    These helicopters have been approved by EASA and are approved for 
operation in the United States. Pursuant to our bilateral agreement 
with the European Union, EASA 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.

Differences Between This AD and the EASA AD

    The EASA AD applies to Model MBB-BK117 C-2e helicopters, and this 
AD does not because it is not an FAA type-certificated model. The EASA 
AD allows a non-cumulative tolerance of 10 hours time-in-service for 
the inspections, and this AD does not. The EASA AD requires performing 
the inspection after a certain maintenance action and before a T/R 
gearbox housing is installed, and this AD does not.

[[Page 12487]]

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    We reviewed Airbus Helicopters Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) MBB-
BK117-30A-119, Revision 0, dated May 24, 2016, for Model MBB-BK 117 A-
1, MBB-BK 117 A-3, MBB-BK 117 A-4, MBB-BK 117 B-1, MBB-BK 117 B-2, and 
MBB-BK 117 C-1 helicopters and ASB MBB-BK117 C-2-65A-007, Revision 0, 
dated May 24, 2016, for MBB-BK 117 C-2 helicopters. This service 
information specifies an initial and repetitive inspections of the T/R 
gearbox housing for cracks.
    This service information is reasonably available because the 
interested parties have access to it through their normal course of 
business or by the means identified in the ADDRESSES section.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD affects 176 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.
    Inspecting the T/R gearbox requires 1 work-hour for an estimated 
cost of $85 per helicopter and $14,960 for the U.S. fleet per 
inspection cycle. Replacing the T/R gearbox requires 4.5 work-hours and 
parts cost $69,219 for an estimated cost of $69,602 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):

2019-06-05 Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH: Amendment 39-19603; 
Docket No. FAA-2017-1085; Product Identifier 2016-SW-094-AD.

(a) Applicability

    This AD applies to Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH Model 
MBB-BK 117 A-1, MBB-BK 117 A-3, MBB-BK 117 A-4, MBB-BK 117 B-1, MBB-
BK 117 B-2, MBB-BK 117 C-1, and MBB-BK 117 C-2 helicopters, 
certificated in any category.

(b) Unsafe Condition

    This AD defines the unsafe condition as a crack in a tail rotor 
(T/R) gearbox housing. This condition could result in the loss of 
the T/R gearbox and subsequent loss of helicopter control.

(c) Effective Date

    This AD becomes effective May 7, 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

    Within 100 hours time-in-service (TIS) and thereafter at 
intervals not to exceed 100 hours TIS, clean and visually inspect 
the T/R gearbox housing for a crack in the area depicted in Figure 1 
of Airbus Helicopters Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) MBB-BK117-30A-
119, Revision 0, dated May 24, 2016, or ASB MBB-BK117 C-2-65A-007, 
Revision 0, dated May 24, 2016, as applicable to your model 
helicopter. If there is a crack, replace the T/R gearbox before 
further flight.

(f) Special Flight Permits

    Special flight permits are prohibited.

(g) 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: 
David Hatfield, 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.

(h) Additional Information

    The subject of this AD is addressed in European Aviation Safety 
Agency (EASA) AD No. 2016-0134, dated July 8, 2016. You may view the 
EASA AD on the internet at http://www.regulations.gov in Docket No. 
FAA-2017-1085.

(i) Subject

    Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) Code: 6520, Tail Rotor 
Gearbox.

(j) 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) Airbus Helicopters Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) MBB-BK117-
30A-119, Revision 0, dated May 24, 2016.
    (ii) Airbus Helicopters ASB MBB-BK117 C-2-65A-007, Revision 0, 
dated May 24, 2016.
    (3) For Airbus Helicopters service information identified in 
this AD, contact Airbus Helicopters, 2701 N Forum Drive, Grand 
Prairie, TX 75052; telephone (972) 641-0000 or (800) 232-0323; fax 
(972) 641-3775; or at http://www.helicopters.airbus.com/website/en/ref/Technical-Support_73.html.
    (4) You may view this service information at FAA, Office of the 
Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Room 6N-
321, Fort Worth, TX 76177. For

[[Page 12488]]

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 March 20, 2019.
Lance T. Gant,
Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-06022 Filed 4-1-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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