Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter France Helicopters, 57996-57997 [2012-22031]

Agencies

• Federal Aviation Administration
• DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 182 (Wednesday, September 19, 2012)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 57996-57997]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-22031]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2011-1408; Directorate Identifier 2008-SW-10-AD; 
Amendment 39-17184; AD 2012-18-08]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter France Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
Eurocopter France (Eurocopter) Model SA330F, SA330G, SA330J, AS332C, 
AS332L, AS332L1, and AS332L2 helicopters to require cleaning, 
inspecting, and lubricating each tangential gearbox (gearbox) and 
adjusting, as necessary, the fuel shut-off control lever. This AD was 
prompted by the jamming of one of two fuel shut-off control levers 
because of solidified grease in the gearbox. A companion gearbox had 
extensive corrosion. In case of an emergency, pilots may need to use 
the control levers to shut off fuel going into the engine and to shut 
off the helicopter's electrical power system. The jamming of the levers 
prevents the shut off of the engine fuel and prevents the parallel-
mounted micro switches from switching off the electrical power system. 
These actions are intended to prevent the jamming of the control 
levers, which could prevent shut-off of the engine fuel and electrical 
power system during an emergency shutdown.

DATES: This AD is effective October 24, 2012.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference certain documents as of October 24, 2012.

ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this AD, contact 
American Eurocopter Corporation, 2701 N. Forum Drive, Grand Prairie, TX 
75052; telephone (972) 641-0000 or (800) 232-0323; fax (972) 641-3775; 
or at http://www.eurocopter.com/techpub. You may review a copy of the 
referenced service information at the FAA, Office of the Regional 
Counsel, Southwest Region, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Room 663, Fort Worth, 
Texas 76137.

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, any incorporated-by-reference 
service information, 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: Eric Haight, Aviation Safety Engineer, 
Regulations and Policy Group, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 2601 Meacham 
Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76137; telephone (817) 222-5110; email 
eric.haight@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion

    On December 28, 2011, at 76 FR 81430, the Federal Register 
published our notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), which proposed to 
amend 14 CFR part 39 to include an AD that would apply to Eurocopter 
Model SA330F, SA330G, SA330J, AS332C, AS332L, AS332L1, and AS332L2 
helicopters. That NPRM proposed to require within 50 hours time-in-
service (TIS) cleaning, inspecting and lubricating each gearbox, and 
adjusting, as necessary, the fuel shut-off control travel.
    The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical 
Agent for the Member States of the European Union, has issued EASA 
Emergency AD No. 2007-0082-E, dated March 27, 2007, to correct an 
unsafe condition for the Eurocopter Model SA330F, SA330G, SA330J, 
AS332C, AS332C1, AS332L, AS332L1, and AS332L2 helicopters. EASA advises 
that the emergency AD was issued following two reports of jamming of 
one of the fuel shut-off control levers discovered during maintenance. 
In both cases, this jamming originates from solidified grease in the 
gearboxes. EASA also found corrosion in a gearbox. Jamming of a fuel 
shut-off control lever constitutes an unsafe condition because it 
prevents the shut off of engine fuel and prevents the parallel-mounted 
electrical micro switches, normally activated by shutting off both of 
the fuel shut-off control levers, from switching off the electrical 
power system during an emergency shut down.

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

    We have reviewed the relevant information and determined that an 
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 except 
we are replacing the word ``travel'' in the required actions paragraph 
with the more accurate word ``lever,'' and other minor editorial 
changes. These changes are consistent with the intent of the proposals 
in the NPRM and will not increase the economic burden on any operator 
nor increase the scope of the AD.

Differences Between This AD and the EASA AD

     We use the word ``inspect'' to describe the actions 
required by a mechanic rather than the word ``check.''
     We refer to the compliance time as ``hours TIS'' rather 
than ``flying hours.''
     We use a different compliance time for inspecting and 
lubricating the gearboxes.
     We are not including the military model helicopters or 
Model AS332C1 in the applicability because they are not type 
certificated in the United States.
     We are not requiring measuring the operating loads of the 
fuel shut-off controls per paragraph 1.1 of the EASA AD (paragraph 
2.B.1 of the Eurocopter Alert Service Bulletin).

Related Service Information

    Eurocopter has issued an Alert Service Bulletin (ASB), Revision 1, 
dated March 22, 2007, with three numbers (Nos. 76.00.04, 76.00.03, and 
76.03). ASB No. 76.03 applies to the U.S. type-certificated Model 
SA330F, SA330G, and SA330J and also applies to the non-type-
certificated military Model 330 helicopters. ASB No. 76.00.04 applies 
the U.S. type-certificated Model AS332C, AS332L, AS332L1, and AS332L2 
helicopters and also applies to the non-type-certificated AS332C1 and 
military Model 332 helicopters. ASB No. 76.00.03 applies to the non-
type-certificated military Model 532 helicopters. EASA classified this 
service information as mandatory and issued Emergency AD No. 2007-0082-
E, dated

[[Page 57997]]

March 27, 2007, to correct the same unsafe condition as identified in 
the service information.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this proposed AD will affect 29 helicopters of 
U.S. registry. We also estimate that the cost to comply with this AD is 
$255 per helicopter, $7,395 for the fleet, assuming three work-hours at 
$85 per hour to lubricate each gearbox.

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):

2012-18-08 EUROCOPTER FRANCE: Amendment 39-17184; Docket No. FAA-
2011-1408; Directorate Identifier 2008-SW-10-AD.

(a) Applicability

    This AD applies to Model SA330F, SA330G, SA330J, AS332C, AS332L, 
AS332L1, and AS332L2 helicopters, certificated in any category.

(b) Unsafe Condition

    This AD defines the unsafe condition as jamming of one of the 
fuel shut-off control levers because of solidified grease in a 
tangential gearbox (gearbox), which could prevent a pilot from the 
shutting off the engine fuel and prevent the parallel-mounted 
electrical micro switches from switching off the electrical power 
system during an emergency shutdown.

(c) Effective Date

    This AD becomes effective October 24, 2012.

(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 50 hours time-in-service, clean, inspect, and lubricate 
each gearbox and adjust, as necessary, the fuel shut-off control 
lever by following the Accomplishment Instructions, Paragraph 2.B.2 
(reference Figures 3 through 7), of Eurocopter Alert Service 
Bulletin (ASB) No. 76.03, Revision 1, dated March 22, 2007, for the 
Model SA330F, SA330G, and SA330J helicopters, or ASB No. 76.00.04, 
Revision 1, dated March 22, 2007, for the Model AS332C, AS332L, 
AS332L1, and AS332L2 helicopters.

(f) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (1) The Manager, Safety Management Group, FAA, may approve AMOCs 
for this AD. Send your proposal to: Eric Haight, Aviation Safety 
Engineer, Regulations and Policy Group, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 
2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76137; telephone (817) 222-5110; 
email eric.haight@faa.gov.
    (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

    The subject of this AD is addressed in the European Aviation 
Safety Agency Emergency AD No. 2007-0082-E, dated March 27, 2007.

(h) Subject

    Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) Code: 7600, Engine 
Controls.

(i) Material Incorporated by Reference

    (1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the 
incorporation by reference of the following service information 
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) Eurocopter ASB No. 76.00.04, Revision 1, dated March 22, 
2007.
    (ii) Eurocopter ASB No. 76.03, Revision 1, dated March 22, 2007.

    Note 1 to paragraph (i)(2): Eurocopter Alert Service Bulletin 
(ASB) No. 76.00.04, Revision 1, dated March 22, 2007, and Eurocopter 
ASB No. 76.03, Revision 1, dated March 22, 2007, are co-published as 
one document along with Eurocopter ASB No. 76.00.03, Revision 1, 
dated March 22, 2007, which is not incorporated by reference in this 
AD.

    (3) For Eurocopter service information identified in this AD, 
contact American Eurocopter Corporation, 2701 N. Forum Drive, Grand 
Prairie, TX 75052; telephone (972) 641-0000 or (800) 232-0323; fax 
(972) 641-3775; or at http://www.eurocopter.com/techpub.
    (4) You may review a copy of the referenced service information 
at the FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 2601 
Meacham Blvd., Room 663, Fort Worth, Texas 76137.
    (5) You may also review a copy of the 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/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html

    Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on August 30, 2012.
Kim Smith,
Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-22031 Filed 9-18-12; 8:45 am]
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