Department of Transportation September 7, 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Robinson Helicopter Company Model R44 and R44 II helicopters. This AD was prompted by reports of cracked tail rotor blades (blades). This AD requires checking each blade for any crack and removing any cracked blade from service. This AD also requires removing all affected blades from service and prohibits installing any affected blade on any helicopter. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA is correcting an airworthiness directive (AD) that was published in the Federal Register. That AD applies to certain Airbus SAS Model A318-111, -112, and -122 airplanes; Model A319-111, -112, - 113, -114, -115, -131, -132, and -133 airplanes; and Model A320-211, - 212, -214, -231, -232, and -233 airplanes. As published, the AD number specified in the preamble and regulatory text is incorrect. This document corrects this error. In all other respects, the original document remains the same.

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2014-04-06 for all Safran Helicopter Engines, S.A. (Safran Helicopter Engines) Arrius 2B1, 2B1A, 2B2, and 2K1 model turboshaft engines. AD 2014-04-06 required initial and repetitive inspections of the hydro-mechanical metering unit (HMU) high-pressure pump drive gear shaft splines, cleaning and inspections of the sleeve assembly splines, and replacement of the sleeve assembly on the affected high-pressure pump drive gear shaft or replacement of the HMU if the HMU fails inspection. This AD was prompted by in-flight shutdowns caused by interrupted fuel supply at the HMU. This AD requires revised inspections and continues to require cleaning of the sleeve assembly splines, and replacement of the sleeve assembly on the affected high-pressure pump drive gear shaft or replacement of the HMU if the HMU fails an inspection. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG (RRD) Trent XWB-75, Trent XWB-79, Trent XWB-79B, and Trent XWB-84 model turbofan engines. This AD was prompted by reports of cracks in the intermediate-pressure compressor (IPC) rotor 1 (R1) blades installed on certain Trent XWB model turbofan engines. This AD requires initial and repetitive borescope inspections (BSIs) of the affected IPC R1 blades and, depending on the results of the inspections, replacement of all 34 IPC R1 blades. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This action proposes to amend the Class E airspace at Monmouth Municipal Airport, Monmouth, IL, contained within the Galesburg, IL, airspace legal description. The FAA is proposing this action as the result of airspace reviews caused by the decommissioning of the Galesburg very high frequency (VHF) omnidirectional range (VOR) as part of the VOR Minimal Operational Network (MON) Program.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bell Textron Canada Limited Model 429 helicopters. This AD was prompted by three reports of unexpected forces or uncommanded inputs to the directional (yaw) control system. This AD requires revising the existing Rotorcraft Flight Manual (RFM) for your helicopter. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA is revising a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking SNPRM that applied to certain Airbus Helicopters Model EC225LP helicopters. This action revises the SNPRM by proposing to require the installation of an improved part, which would also provide a terminating action for the proposed requirements. The FAA is proposing this airworthiness directive (AD) to address the unsafe condition on these products. Since these actions would impose an additional burden over those in the SNPRM, the agency is requesting comments on this SNPRM.