Airworthiness Directives; Turbomeca S.A. Arrius 2F Turboshaft Engines

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 123 (Monday, June 29, 2009)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 30917-30919]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-15099]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2005-22039; Directorate Identifier 2005-NE-33-AD; 
Amendment 39-15950; AD 2009-14-01]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Turbomeca S.A. Arrius 2F Turboshaft 
Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive 
(AD) for Turbomeca S.A. Arrius 2F turboshaft engines that have not 
incorporated Turbomeca Modification Tf75. That AD currently requires 
replacing the O-ring on the check valve piston in the lubrication unit 
at repetitive intervals. This AD requires the same repetitive 
replacements and would require incorporating Modification Tf75 as 
terminating action to the repetitive O-ring replacements. Modification 
Tf75 replaces the check valve piston with a piston design not requiring 
an O-ring. This AD results from the European Aviation Safety Agency 
(EASA) and Turbomeca S.A. mandating the incorporation of Modification 
Tf75. We are issuing this AD to prevent an uncommanded in-flight 
shutdown of the engine, which could result in a forced autorotation 
landing and damage to the helicopter.

DATES: This AD becomes effective August 3, 2009. The Director of the 
Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of certain 
publications listed in the regulations as of August 3, 2009.

ADDRESSES: You can get the service information identified in this AD 
from Turbomeca S.A., 40220 Tarnos, France; e-mail: [email protected]; telephone 33 05 59 74 40 00, fax 33 05 59 74 45 
15, or go to: http://www.turbomeca-support.com.
    The Docket Operations office is located at Docket Management 
Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, 
SE., West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-
0001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Lawrence, Aerospace Engineer, 
Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine and Propeller Directorate, 12 
New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; e-mail: 
[email protected]; telephone (781) 238-7176; fax (781) 238-7199.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA proposed to amend 14 CFR part 39 by 
superseding AD 2005-17-17R1, Amendment 39-14940 (72 FR 6925, February 
14, 2007), with a proposed AD. The proposed AD applies to Turbomeca 
S.A. Arrius 2F turboshaft engines that have not incorporated Turbomeca 
Modification Tf75. We published the proposed AD in the Federal Register 
on January 22, 2009 (74 FR 3978). That action proposed to require 
replacing the O-ring on the check valve piston in the lubrication unit 
at repetitive intervals and to require incorporating Modification Tf75 
as terminating action to the repetitive O-ring replacements.

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 regulatory evaluation, 
any comments received, and other information. The street address for 
the Docket Operations office (telephone (800) 647-5527) is provided in 
the ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in the AD docket 
shortly after receipt.

Comments

    We provided the public the opportunity to participate in the 
development of this AD. We received no comments on the proposal or on 
the determination of the cost to the public.

Change to the Mandatory Terminating Action Compliance Time

    Since we issued the proposed AD, we realized that there is no 
direct relationship between the mandatory terminating action compliance 
date in the proposed AD and the usage rate of the affected helicopters. 
We changed the AD to require the terminating action be done within 150 
flight hours after the effective date of this AD.

Conclusion

    We have carefully reviewed the available data and determined that 
air safety and the public interest require adopting the AD with the 
change described previously. We have determined that this change will 
neither increase the economic burden on any operator nor increase the 
scope of the AD.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD will affect 94 Arrius 2F turboshaft 
engines installed on helicopters of U.S. registry. We also estimate 
that it will take about one work-hour per engine to perform an O-ring 
replacement, and about one work-hour to incorporate Modification Tf75. 
The average labor rate is $80 per work-hour. Required parts will cost 
about $16 per engine for O-ring replacement, and about $20 per engine 
for incorporating Modification Tf75. Based on these figures, we 
estimate the total cost of the AD to U.S. operators to be $18,424.

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 have 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.

[[Page 30918]]

    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); and
    (3) 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 a summary of the costs to comply with this AD and 
placed it in the AD Docket. You may get a copy of this summary at the 
address listed under ADDRESSES.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

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

Adoption of the Amendment

0
Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, 
the Federal Aviation Administration 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 removing Amendment 39-14940 (72 FR 
6925, February 14, 2007), and by adding a new airworthiness directive, 
Amendment 39-15950, to read as follows:

2009-14-01 Turbomeca S.A: Amendment 39-15950. Docket No. FAA-2005-
22039; Directorate Identifier 2005-NE-33-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This airworthiness directive (AD) becomes effective August 
3, 2009.

Affected ADs

    (b) This AD supersedes AD 2005-17-17R1, Amendment 39-14940.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to Turbomeca S.A. Arrius 2F turboshaft 
engines that have not incorporated modification Tf75. These engines 
are installed on, but not limited to, Eurocopter EC120B helicopters.

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from the European Aviation Safety Agency 
(EASA) and Turbomeca S.A. mandating the incorporation of 
Modification Tf75. The actions specified in this AD are intended to 
prevent an uncommanded in-flight shutdown of the engine, which could 
result in a forced autorotation landing and damage to the 
helicopter.

Compliance

    (e) You are responsible for having the actions required by this 
AD performed within the compliance times specified unless the 
actions have already been done.

O-ring Replacement

    (f) Replace the O-ring on the check valve piston in the 
lubrication unit at the intervals specified in Table 1 of this AD. 
Use the Instructions to be Incorporated paragraphs 2.A. through 
2.C.(2) of Turbomeca Alert Service Bulletin No. A319 79 4802, Update 
No. 1, dated April 3, 2006, to replace the O-ring.

                                Table 1--Compliance Times for O-ring Replacement
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                                         Then replace the O-ring by
       If the class of oil is:                 the later of:            Thereafter, replace the O-ring within:
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(1) HTS or unknown...................  300 hours time-since-new       300 hours time-since-last replacement
                                        (TSN) or 50 hours after        (TSR).
                                        March 21, 2007 (effective
                                        date of AD 2005-17-17R1)..
(2) STD..............................  450 hours TSN or 50 hours      500 hours TSR.
                                        after March 21, 2007
                                        (effective date of AD 2005-
                                        17-17R1)..
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Mandatory Terminating Action

    (g) Within 150 flight hours after the effective date of this AD, 
do the following mandatory terminating action to the repetitive O-
ring replacements:
    (1) Incorporate Turbomeca Modification Tf75 by replacing the 
check valve piston in the lubrication unit, with a check valve 
piston requiring no O-ring.
    (2) Use the Instructions to be Incorporated paragraphs 2.A. 
through 2.B.(1)(r) of Turbomeca Mandatory Service Bulletin No. 319 
79 4075, Version B, dated May 14, 2008, to replace the check valve 
piston.

Alternative Methods of Compliance

    (h) The Manager, Engine Certification Office, FAA, has the 
authority to approve alternative methods of compliance for this AD 
if requested using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19.

Related Information

    (i) EASA AD 2008-0170, dated September 25, 2008, also addresses 
the subject of this AD.
    (j) Contact Turbomeca S.A., 40220 Tarnos, France; e-mail: [email protected]; telephone 33 05 59 74 40 00, fax 33 05 59 74 
45 15, or go to: http://www.turbomeca-support.com, for a copy of the 
service information identified in this AD.
    (k) Contact James Lawrence, Aerospace Engineer, Engine 
Certification Office, FAA, Engine and Propeller Directorate, 12 New 
England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; e-mail: 
[email protected]; telephone (781) 238-7176; fax (781) 238-
7199, for more information about this AD.

Material Incorporated by Reference

    (l) You must use the service information specified in the 
following Table 2 to perform the actions required by this AD. The 
Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of the documents listed in the following Table 2 in 
accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. Contact Turbomeca 
S.A., 40220 Tarnos, France; e-mail: [email protected]; 
telephone 33 05 59 74 40 00, fax 33 05 59 74 45 15, or go to: http://www.turbomeca-support.com, for a copy of this service information. 
You may review copies at the FAA, New England Region, 12 New England 
Executive Park, Burlington, MA; or 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.

                                       Table 2--Incorporation by Reference
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  Turbomeca Alert/Mandatory Service
             Bulletin No.                        Page                Update/version                Date
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A319 79 4802, Total Pages: 7.........  ALL....................  Update No. 1...........  April 3, 2006.
319 79 4075, Total Pages: 9..........  ALL....................  Version B..............  May 14, 2008.
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[[Page 30919]]

    Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on June 19, 2009.
Francis A. Favara,
Manager, Engine and Propeller Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. E9-15099 Filed 6-26-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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