[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 244 (Tuesday, December 21, 2010)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 79988-79990]
[FR Doc No: 2010-31963]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2010-1228; Directorate Identifier 2009-SW-12-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter France Model AS350B, B1, B2,
B3, BA, and EC130 B4 Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the
specified Eurocopter France (ECF) helicopters. This proposed AD results
from a mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) AD issued
by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical
Agent for the Member States of the European Community. The superseding
MCAI AD states that several engine flameouts have involved failure of
the 41-tooth pinion in the engine accessory gearbox. Each affected
helicopter had a starter-generator manufactured by one company.
Investigation revealed the torque damping system of the starter-
generator was inoperative due to incorrect adjustment and caused
bending stresses on the 41-tooth pinion. Failure of the pinion causes
the engine fuel pump to stop operating and results in an engine
flameout. The EASA AD requires a new adjustment procedure to optimize
the performance of the specified starter-generator damping assembly.
These proposed AD actions are intended to prevent failure of a pinion
and a fuel pump, engine flameout, and subsequent loss of control of the
helicopter.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by January 20,
2011.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax:<PHONE_NUMBER>.
     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.
     Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    You may get the service information identified in this proposed AD
from American Eurocopter Corporation, 2701 Forum Drive, Grand Prairie,
TX 75053-4005, telephone<PHONE_NUMBER>, fax<PHONE_NUMBER>, or at
http://www.eurocopter.com.
    Examining the 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 proposed AD, the economic
evaluation, any comments received, and other information. The street
address for the Docket Operations Office (telephone<PHONE_NUMBER>) is
stated in the ADDRESSES section of this proposal. Comments will be
available in the AD docket shortly after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: DOT/FAA Southwest Region, Ed Cuevas,
ASW-112, Aviation Safety Engineer, Rotorcraft Directorate, Safety
Management Group, 2601 Meacham Blvd. Fort Worth, Texas 76137, telephone
(817) 222-5355, fax<PHONE_NUMBER>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    We invite you to send any written data, views, or arguments about
this proposed AD. Send your comments to an address listed in the
ADDRESSES section of this proposal. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2010-1228;
Directorate Identifier 2009-SW-12-AD'' at the beginning of your
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory,
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this proposed AD. We
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend
this proposed AD based on those comments.
    We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. We
will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact we
receive about this proposed AD.

Discussion

    The EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the
European Community, has issued EASA AD No. 2009-0027, dated February
18, 2009, which supersedes and cancels EASA AD No. 2009-0004, dated
January 12, 2009, to correct an unsafe condition for the specified ECF
model helicopters.
    Pending additional investigations, EASA AD No. 2009-0004, dated
January 12, 2009, required an inspection of the alignment and torque of
the Aircraft Parts Corporation (APC) (currently UNISON) starter-
generator damping assembly and, in case of discrepancies, conducting
corrective actions. The MCAI AD states that failure of the 41-tooth
pinion in the engine accessory gearbox resulted in engine flameouts.
Each affected helicopter was equipped with starter-generators
manufactured by APC. The additional investigations revealed the torque
damping system of the starter-generator was inoperative due to
incorrect adjustment. EASA AD No. 2009-0004 required a check of the
tightness of the starter-generator damping system and angle
measurements.
    After further investigation, EASA issued AD 2009-0027, dated
February 18, 2009, to require disassembling the damping system,
replacing the cup springs and self-locking nut, and reassembling by
following a new procedure, which has proven to be more reliable and
optimizes the performance of the APC starter-generator damping
assembly. The proposed actions are intended to prevent failure of a
pinion and a fuel pump, engine flameout, and subsequent loss of control
of the helicopter.
    You may obtain further information by examining the MCAI AD and any
related service information in the AD docket.

Related Service Information

    ECF has issued Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) No. 80.00.07, Revision
1, dated February 6, 2009, for the Model AS350 B, BA, BB, B1, B2, and
B3 helicopters (ASB 80.00.07); and ASB No. 80A003, Revision 1, dated
February 6, 2009, for the Model EC130 B4 helicopter (80A003). The Model
AS350 BB helicopter is not type certificated in the United States. ECF
has received reports of ARRIEL engine flameouts due to failure of the
41-tooth pinion in the engine accessory gearbox. The failure of this
pinion causes the fuel pump to stop and results in engine flameout. The
affected helicopters had an APC starter-generator installed.
Investigation revealed the torque damping system of the starter-
generator to be inoperative due to incorrect adjustment. These ASBs
specify disassembly of the damping system, replacing the

Belleville springs (cup springs) and the self-locking nut, and aligning
the shaft damping system of the APC starter-generator. The actions
described in the MCAI AD are intended to correct the unsafe condition
identified in the service information.

FAA's Evaluation and Unsafe Condition Determination

    These products have been approved by the aviation authority of
France and are approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant to
our bilateral agreement with France, EASA, their Technical Agent, has
notified us of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI AD. We are
proposing 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 products of these same type designs. This proposed AD
would require, within 110 hours time-in-service or 3 months, whichever
occurs first:
     Modifying and marking the APC starter generator; and
     Before installing an APC starter-generator with a part
number (P/N) of 150SG122Q or 200SGL130Q, complying with the
requirements of this proposed AD.

Differences Between This Proposed AD and the MCAI AD

    The MCAI AD refers to flight hours instead of hours time-in-
service.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this proposed AD would affect about 847
helicopters. We also estimate that it would take about 3 work-hours per
helicopter to modify the starter-generator. The average labor rate is
$85 per work-hour. ECF states in its ASBs that one nut (P/N 150SG1071,
$36.12) and two springs (P/N 150SG1093, $29.14 each) are required for
the P/N 150SG122Q starter-generator and one nut (P/N 150SG1071, $36.12)
and two springs (P/N 200SGL1093, $33.64 each) are required for the P/N
200SGL130Q starter-generator. Based on these figures, we estimate the
cost of the proposed AD on U.S. operators would be $299,749 ($215,985
for labor and $83,764 for parts), assuming that both starter-generators
are evenly distributed in the fleet and that the entire fleet is
modified.

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 product(s) identified in this
rulemaking action.

Regulatory Findings

    We determined that this proposed AD would not have federalism
implications under Executive Order 13132. This proposed AD would 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.
    Therefore, I certify this proposed AD:
    1. Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive Order
12866;
    2. Is not a ``significant rule'' under the 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 an economic evaluation of the estimated costs to comply
with this proposed 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.

The Proposed Amendment

    Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the
Administrator, the FAA proposes to amend 14 CFR part 39 as follows:

PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

    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]

    2. The FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by adding the following new AD:

Eurocopter France: Docket No. FAA-2010-1228; Directorate Identifier
2009-SW-12-AD.

Comments Due Date

    (a) We must receive your comments by January 20, 2011.

Other Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to Model AS350B, B1, B2, B3, BA, and EC130
B4 helicopters with ARRIEL engines with Aircraft Parts Corporation
(APC) starter-generators, part number (P/N) 150SG122Q or P/N
200SGL130Q without ``004'' marked on the identification plate,
installed, certificated in any category.

Reason

    (d) The mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) AD
states that several engine flameouts involved failure of the 41-
tooth pinion in the engine accessory gearbox that caused the engine
fuel pump to fail. Each affected helicopter had an APC Company
(currently UNISON) starter-generator installed. Investigation
revealed the torque damping system of the starter-generator was
inoperative. The EASA AD requires a new adjustment procedure to
optimize the performance of the specified starter-generator damping
assembly. The proposed actions are intended to prevent failure of a
pinion and a fuel pump, engine flameout, and subsequent loss of
control of the helicopter.

Actions and Compliance

    (e) Within 110 hours time-in-service (TIS) or 3 months,
whichever occurs first, unless already accomplished, do the
following:
    (1) Replace the cup springs and fan nut, functionally test the
damping system, and after this modification, mark ``004'' on the
identification plate of the APC starter generator, as depicted in
Figures 1 and 2, and by following the Accomplishment Instructions,
paragraph 2.B.2., of Eurocopter Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) No.
80.00.07, Revision 1, dated February 6, 2009, for the Model AS350 B,
BA, B1, B2, and B3 helicopters; or ASB No. 80A003, Revision 1, dated
February 6, 2009, for the Model EC130 B4 helicopter.
    (2) Before installing an APC starter-generator with P/N
150SG122Q or P/N 200SGL130Q, comply with the requirements of this
AD.

Differences Between This AD and the MCAI AD

    (f) The MCAI AD refers to flight hours instead of hours time-in-
service.

Other Information

    (g) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs): The Manager,
Safety Management Group, ATTN: DOT/FAA Southwest Region, Ed Cuevas,
ASW-112, Aviation Safety Engineer, Rotorcraft Directorate, Safety
Management Group, 2601 Meacham Blvd. Fort Worth, Texas 76137,
telephone<PHONE_NUMBER>, fax<PHONE_NUMBER>, has the authority to
approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the procedures found
in 14 CFR 39.19.
    (h) EASA AD No. 2009-0027, dated February 18, 2009, which
supersedes and

cancels EASA AD No. 2009-0004, dated January 12, 2009, contains
related information.

Joint Aircraft System/Component (JASC) Code

    (i) The JASC Code is 2435: Starter-Generator.

    Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on December 6, 2010.
Lance T. Gant,
Acting Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-31963 Filed 12-20-10; 8:45 am]
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 216 (Friday, November 12, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Page 62811]
[FR Doc No: 2021-24666]

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[FR Doc. 2021-24666 Filed 11-10-21; 8:45 am]
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