Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters

[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 73 (Thursday, April 17, 2025)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 16080-16082]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-06558]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2025-0622; Project Identifier MCAI-2023-00875-R; 
Amendment 39-23016; AD 2025-08-03]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all 
Airbus Helicopters Model AS332L2 helicopters. This AD was prompted by a 
determination that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations 
are necessary. This AD requires revising the airworthiness limitations 
section (ALS) of the existing maintenance manual (MM) or instructions 
for continued airworthiness (ICAs) and the existing approved 
maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, as specified in a 
European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated 
by reference. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe 
condition on these products.

DATES: This AD is effective May 2, 2025.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of May 2, 2025.
    The FAA must receive comments on this AD by June 2, 2025.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR 
11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods:
    <bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to regulations.gov. Follow 
the instructions for submitting comments.
    <bullet> Fax: (202) 493-2251.
    <bullet> Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket 
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
    <bullet> Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail address above between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at regulations.gov under 
Docket No. FAA-2025-0622; 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 final rule, the mandatory continuing airworthiness 
information (MCAI), any comments received, and other information. The 
street address for Docket Operations is listed above.
    Material Incorporated by Reference:
    <bullet> For EASA material identified in this AD, contact EASA, 
Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 Cologne, Germany; phone: +49 221 8999 
000; email: [email protected]; website: easa.europa.eu. You may find 
the EASA material on the EASA website at ad.easa.europa.eu.
    <bullet> You may view this material at the FAA, Office of the 
Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood Parkway, Room 6N 
321, Fort Worth, TX 76177. For information on the availability of this 
material at the FAA, call (817) 222-5110. It is also available at 
regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2025-0622.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Adam Hein, Aviation Safety Engineer, 
FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; phone: (316) 
946-4116; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited

    The FAA invites you to send any written data, views, or arguments 
about this final rule. Send your comments to an address listed under 
the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2025-0622; Project 
Identifier MCAI-2023-00875-R'' at the beginning of your comments. The 
most helpful comments reference a specific portion of the final rule, 
explain the reason for any recommended change, and include supporting 
data. The FAA will consider all comments received by the closing date 
and may amend this final rule because of those comments.
    Except for Confidential Business Information (CBI) as described in 
the following paragraph, and other information as described in 14 CFR 
11.35, the FAA will post all comments received, without change, to 
regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. The 
agency will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal 
contact received about this final rule.

Confidential Business Information

    CBI is commercial or financial information that is both customarily 
and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the Freedom of 
Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public 
disclosure. If your comments responsive to this AD contain commercial 
or financial information that is customarily treated as private, that 
you actually treat as private, and that is relevant or responsive to 
this AD,

[[Page 16081]]

it is important that you clearly designate the submitted comments as 
CBI. Please mark each page of your submission containing CBI as 
``PROPIN.'' The FAA will treat such marked submissions as confidential 
under the FOIA, and they will not be placed in the public docket of 
this AD. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to Adam Hein, 
Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, 
Westbury, NY 11590. Any commentary that the FAA receives that is not 
specifically designated as CBI will be placed in the public docket for 
this rulemaking.

Background

    EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the 
European Union, has issued EASA AD 2023-0140, dated July 14, 2023 (EASA 
AD 2023-0140) (also referred to as the MCAI), to correct an unsafe 
condition on Airbus Helicopters Model AS 332 L2 helicopters. The MCAI 
states that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations have been 
developed. EASA advises that airworthiness limitations and 
certification maintenance instructions are identified as mandatory for 
continued airworthiness and that Revision 10 of AH [Airbus Helicopters] 
AS 332 L2 ALS, dated March 30, 2022, has been issued to specify all 
service life limits and maintenance tasks for AS 332 L2 helicopters and 
separate the airworthiness limitations from the Master Servicing Manual 
(M.S.M.). The FAA is issuing this AD to prevent a failure of critical 
parts and primary structural components, which, if not addressed, could 
result in loss of control of the helicopter.
    You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at regulations.gov under 
Docket No. FAA-2025-0622.

Material Incorporated by Reference Under 1 CFR Part 51

    The FAA reviewed EASA AD 2023-0140, which specifies replacing 
components before exceeding their life limits and accomplishing all 
applicable maintenance tasks within thresholds and intervals specified 
in the ALS as defined in EASA AD 2023-0140. Depending on the results of 
the maintenance tasks, EASA AD 2023-0140 specifies accomplishing 
corrective action(s) or contacting AH [Airbus Helicopters] for approved 
instructions and accomplishing those instructions.
    Additionally, EASA AD 2023-0140 specifies revising the Aircraft 
Maintenance Programme (AMP) by incorporating the limitations, tasks, 
and associated thresholds and intervals described in the specified ALS 
as applicable. Revising the AMP constitutes terminating action for the 
requirement to record accomplishment of the actions of replacing 
components before exceeding their life limits and accomplishing 
maintenance tasks within thresholds and intervals specified in the 
applicable ALS as specified in EASA AD 2023-0140 for demonstration of 
AD compliance on a continued basis.
    This material 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.

FAA's Determination

    These products have been approved by the aviation authority of 
another country and are approved for operation in the United States. 
Pursuant to the FAA's bilateral agreement with this State of Design 
Authority, it has notified the FAA of the unsafe condition described in 
the MCAI referenced above. The FAA is issuing this AD after determining 
that the unsafe condition described previously is likely to exist or 
develop on other products of the same type design.

AD Requirements

    This AD requires the actions specified in EASA AD 2023-0140, 
described previously, as incorporated by reference, except for any 
differences identified as exceptions in the regulatory text of this AD.

Explanation of Required Compliance Information

    In the FAA's ongoing efforts to improve the efficiency of the AD 
process, the FAA developed a process to use some civil aviation 
authority (CAA) ADs as the primary source of information for compliance 
with requirements for corresponding FAA ADs. The FAA has been 
coordinating this process with manufacturers and CAAs. As a result, the 
FAA incorporates EASA AD 2023-0140 by reference in the FAA final rule. 
This AD, therefore, requires compliance with EASA AD 2023-0140 in its 
entirety through that incorporation, except for any differences 
identified as exceptions in the regulatory text of this AD. Using 
common terms that are the same as the heading of a particular section 
in EASA AD 2023-0140 does not mean that operators need comply only with 
that section. For example, where the AD requirement refers to ``all 
required actions and compliance times,'' compliance with this AD 
requirement is not limited to the section titled ``Required Action(s) 
and Compliance Time(s)'' in EASA AD 2023-0140. Material referenced in 
EASA AD 2023-0140 for compliance will be available at regulations.gov 
under Docket No. FAA-2025-0622 after the FAA final rule is published.

Justification for Immediate Adoption and Determination of the Effective 
Date

    Section 553(b) of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 
551 et seq.) authorizes agencies to dispense with notice and comment 
procedures for rules when the agency, for ``good cause,'' finds that 
those procedures are ``impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to the 
public interest.'' Under this section, an agency, upon finding good 
cause, may issue a final rule without providing notice and seeking 
comment prior to issuance. Further, section 553(d) of the APA 
authorizes agencies to make rules effective in less than thirty days, 
upon a finding of good cause.
    There are currently no domestic operators of these products. 
Accordingly, notice and opportunity for prior public comment are 
unnecessary, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b). In addition, for the 
foregoing reasons, the FAA finds that good cause exists pursuant to 5 
U.S.C. 553(d) for making this amendment effective in less than 30 days.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) do not 
apply when an agency finds good cause pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553 to adopt 
a rule without prior notice and comment. Because the FAA has determined 
that it has good cause to adopt this rule without prior notice and 
comment, RFA analysis is not required.

Costs of Compliance

    There are no costs of compliance with this AD because there are no 
helicopters with this type certificate on the U.S. Registry.

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.
    The FAA is 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

[[Page 16082]]

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, and
    (2) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

    Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by 
reference, Safety.

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:

2025-08-03 Airbus Helicopters: Amendment 39-23016; Docket No. FAA-
2025-0622; Project Identifier MCAI-2023-00875-R.

(a) Effective Date

    This airworthiness directive (AD) is effective May 2, 2025.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Airbus Helicopters Model AS332L2 helicopters, 
certificated in any category.

(d) Subject

    Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 05, Time Limits/
Maintenance Checks.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by new or more restrictive airworthiness 
limitations. The FAA is issuing this AD to prevent failure of 
critical parts and primary structural components, which if not 
addressed, could result in loss of control of the helicopter.

(f) Compliance

    Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified, 
unless already done.

(g) Required Action

    Except as specified in paragraphs (h) and (i) of this AD: Comply 
with all required actions and compliance times specified in, and in 
accordance with, European Union Aviation Safety Agency AD 2023-0140, 
dated July 14, 2023 (EASA AD 2023-0140).

(h) Exceptions to EASA AD 2023-0140

    (1) Where EASA AD 2023-0140 refers to its effective date, this 
AD requires using the effective date of this AD.
    (2) This AD does not adopt paragraphs (1), (2), (4), and (5) of 
EASA AD 2023-0140.
    (3) Where paragraph (3) of EASA AD 2023-0140 specifies ``Within 
12 months after the effective date of this AD, revise the approved 
AMP,'' this AD requires replacing that text with ``Within 30 days 
after the effective date of this AD, revise the airworthiness 
limitations section of your existing maintenance manual or 
instructions for continued airworthiness and the existing approved 
maintenance or inspection program, as applicable.''
    (4) The initial compliance time for doing the tasks specified in 
paragraph (3) of EASA AD 2023-0140 is on or before the applicable 
``limitations'' and ``associated thresholds'' as incorporated by the 
requirements of paragraph (3) of EASA AD 2023-0140 or within 30 days 
after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later.
    (5) This AD does not adopt the ``Remarks'' section of EASA AD 
2023-0140.

(i) Provisions for Alternative Actions and Intervals

    After the action required by paragraph (g) of this AD has been 
done, no alternative actions and associated thresholds and 
intervals, including life limits, are allowed unless they are 
approved as specified in the provisions of the ``Ref. Publications'' 
section of EASA AD 2023-0140.

(j) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (1) The Manager, International Validation Branch, FAA, has the 
authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the 
procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. In accordance with 14 CFR 39.19, 
send your request to your principal inspector or local Flight 
Standards District Office, as appropriate. If sending information 
directly to the manager of the International Validation Branch, send 
it to the attention of the person identified in paragraph (k) of 
this AD and email to: [email protected].
    (2) Before using any approved AMOC, notify your appropriate 
principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the manager 
of the local flight standards district office/certificate holding 
district office.

(k) Additional Information

    For more information about this AD, contact Adam Hein, Aviation 
Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 
11590; phone: (316) 946-4116; email: [email protected].

(l) Material Incorporated by Reference

    (1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the 
incorporation by reference of the material listed in this paragraph 
under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
    (2) You must use this material as applicable to do the actions 
required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise.
    (i) European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 2023-0140, 
dated July 14, 2023.
    (ii) [Reserved]
    (3) For EASA material identified in this AD, contact EASA, 
Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 Cologne, Germany; phone: +49 221 8999 
000; email: [email protected]; website: easa.europa.eu. You may 
find the EASA material on the EASA website at ad.easa.europa.eu.
    (4) You may view this material at the FAA, Office of the 
Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood Parkway, Room 6N-
321, Fort Worth, TX 76177. For information on the availability of 
this material at the FAA, call (817) 222 5110.
    (5) You may view this material at the National Archives and 
Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability 
of this material at NARA, visit www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations or email [email protected].

    Issued on April 9, 2025.
Paul R. Bernado,
Acting Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-06558 Filed 4-16-25; 8:45 am]
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