[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 116 (Thursday, June 17, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 32398-32399]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-15363]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 98-SW-66-AD; Amendment 39-11196; AD 99-13-03]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada (BHTC) 
Model 206L-4 Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) that 
is applicable to BHTC Model 206L-4 helicopters. This action requires a 
reduction in the retirement lives of certain collective idler links and 
collective levers, and re-identifying certain collective idler links 
and collective levers. This amendment is prompted by the discovery of 
two types of collective idler links and collective levers--manufactured 
from different materials--that are identified with the same part 
numbers but should have substantially different retirement lives. The 
actions specified in this AD are intended to prevent use of a 
collective idler link (link) or collective lever (lever) beyond its 
retirement life, which could lead to failure of the link or lever and 
subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

DATES: Effective July 2, 1999.
    The incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in 
the regulations is approved by the Director of the Federal Register as 
of July 2, 1999.
    Comments for inclusion in the Rules Docket must be received on or 
before August 16, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA), Office of the Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 
Attention: Rules Docket No. 98-SW-66-AD, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Room 663, 
Fort Worth, Texas.
    The service information referenced in this AD may be obtained from 
Bell Helicopter Textron Canada, 12,800 Rue de l'Avenir, Mirabel, Quebec 
JON1LO, telephone (800) 463-3036, fax (514) 433-0272. This information 
may be examined at the FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, Southwest 
Region, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Room 663, Fort Worth, Texas or at the 
Office of the Federal Register, 800 North Capitol Street, NW., suite 
700, Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Kohner, Aerospace Engineer, 
FAA, Rotorcraft Certification Office, Rotorcraft Directorate, Fort 
Worth, Texas 76193, telephone (817) 222-5447, fax (817) 222-5783.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Transport Canada, which is the airworthiness 
authority for Canada, has notified the FAA that an unsafe condition may 
exist on BHTC Model 206L-4 helicopters. Transport Canada advises that 
certain part-numbered links and levers are manufactured from different 
materials (some from forged material and others from rolled plate 
stock); however, the links and levers are identified with the same part 
number. The links and levers manufactured from forged material have a 
longer retirement life than those manufactured from rolled plate stock.
    BHTC has issued Bell Helicopter Textron Alert Service Bulletin No. 
206L-98-110, dated May 6, 1998, which provides instructions for 
differentiating the differently-manufactured links and levers and re-
identifying certain links and levers. Transport Canada classified this 
service bulletin as mandatory and issued AD No. CF-98-20, dated August 
5, 1998, in order to assure the continued airworthiness of these 
helicopters in Canada.
    This helicopter model is manufactured in Canada and is type 
certificated for operation in the United States under the provisions of 
section 21.29 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 21.29) and 
the applicable bilateral airworthiness agreement. Pursuant to this 
bilateral airworthiness agreement, Transport Canada has kept the FAA 
informed of the situation described above. The FAA has examined the 
findings of Transport Canada, reviewed all available information, and 
determined that AD action is necessary for products of this type design 
that are certificated for operation in the United States.
    Since an unsafe condition has been identified that is likely to 
exist or develop on other BHTC Model 206L-4 helicopters of the same 
type design registered in the United States, this AD is being issued to 
prevent use of a link or lever beyond its retirement life, which could 
lead to failure of the link or lever and subsequent loss of control of 
the helicopter. This AD requires determining which type of link and 
lever is installed on the helicopter, a reduction in the service life 
of certain links and levers, and re-identifying certain links and 
levers. The actions are required to be accomplished in accordance with 
the service bulletin described previously. The short compliance time 
involved is required because the previously described critical unsafe 
condition can adversely affect the controllability of the helicopter. 
Therefore, determining which types of link and lever are installed on 
the helicopter and re-identifying certain links and levers; reducing 
the retirement lives of certain links and levers; and replacing those 
links and levers that have reached or exceeded these revised retirement 
lives are required within 25 hours time-in-service, and this AD must be 
issued immediately.
    Since a situation exists that requires the immediate adoption of 
this regulation, it is found that notice and opportunity for prior 
public comment hereon are impracticable, and that good cause exists for 
making this amendment effective in less than 30 days.
    The FAA estimates that 78 helicopters will be affected by this AD, 
that it will take approximately 0.5 work hour to identify and replace a 
link and lever, if necessary, and 1 work hour to re-identify the link 
and lever, and that the average labor rate is $60 per work hour. 
Required parts will cost a maximum of $8,880 per helicopter. Based on 
these figures, the total cost impact of the AD on U.S. operators is 
estimated to be $692,640.

Comments Invited

    Although this action is in the form of a final rule that involves 
requirements affecting flight safety and, thus, was not preceded by 
notice and an opportunity for public comment, comments are invited on 
this rule. Interested persons are invited to comment on this rule by 
submitting such written data, views, or arguments as they may desire. 
Communications should identify the Rules Docket number and be submitted 
in triplicate to the address specified under the caption ADDRESSES. All 
communications received on or before the closing date for comments will 
be considered, and this rule may be amended in light of the comments 
received. Factual information that supports the commenter's ideas and 
suggestions is extremely helpful in evaluating the effectiveness of the 
AD action and determining whether additional rulemaking action would be 
needed.
    Comments are specifically invited on the overall regulatory, 
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the rule that might 
suggest a need to modify the rule. All comments submitted will be 
available, both before and after the closing date for comments, in the 
Rules Docket for examination by interested persons. A report that 
summarizes each FAA-public contact

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concerned with the substance of this AD will be filed in the Rules 
Docket.
    Commenters wishing the FAA to acknowledge receipt of their comments 
submitted in response to this rule must submit a self-addressed, 
stamped postcard on which the following statement is made: ``Comments 
to Docket No. 98-SW-66-AD.'' The postcard will be date stamped and 
returned to the commenter.
    The regulations adopted herein will not have substantial direct 
effects 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, in 
accordance with Executive Order 12612, it is determined that this final 
rule does not have sufficient federalism implications to warrant the 
preparation of a Federalism Assessment.
    The FAA has determined that this regulation is an emergency 
regulation that must be issued immediately to correct an unsafe 
condition in aircraft, and that it is not a ``significant regulatory 
action'' under Executive Order 12866. It has been determined further 
that this action involves an emergency regulation under DOT Regulatory 
Policies and Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979). If it is 
determined that this emergency regulation otherwise would be 
significant under DOT Regulatory Policies and Procedures, a final 
regulatory evaluation will be prepared and placed in the Rules Docket. 
A copy of it, if filed, may be obtained from the Rules Docket at the 
location provided under the caption ADDRESSES.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

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

Adoption of the Amendment

    Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the 
Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration amends part 39 of 
the Federal Aviation Regulations (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. Section 39.13 is amended by adding a new airworthiness directive 
to read as follows:

AD 99-13-03  Bell Helicopter Textron Canada: Amendment 39-11196. 
Docket No. 98-SW-66-AD.

    Applicability: Model 206L-4 helicopters, certificated in any 
category.

    Note 1: This AD applies to each helicopter identified in the 
preceding applicability provision, regardless of whether it has been 
otherwise modified, altered, or repaired in the area subject to the 
requirements of this AD. For helicopters that have been modified, 
altered, or repaired so that the performance of the requirements of 
this AD is affected, the owner/operator must request approval for an 
alternative method of compliance in accordance with paragraph (e) of 
this AD. The request should include an assessment of the effect of 
the modification, alteration, or repair on the unsafe condition 
addressed by this AD; and, if the unsafe condition has not been 
eliminated, the request should include specific proposed actions to 
address it.

    Compliance: Required within 25 hours time-in-service, unless 
accomplished previously.
    To prevent use of a collective idler link (link) or collective 
lever (lever) beyond its retirement life, which could lead to 
failure of the link or lever and subsequent loss of control of the 
helicopter, accomplish the following:
    (a) Determine the part numbers and serial numbers of the link 
and the lever in accordance with Part I of the Accomplishment 
Instructions in Bell Helicopter Textron Alert Service Bulletin No. 
206L-98-110, dated May 6, 1998 (ASB).
    (b) Revise the Airworthiness Limitations section of the 
applicable maintenance manual to reflect the retirement lives in 
hours as stated in step 5, Part I of the Accomplishment Instructions 
in the ASB.
    (c) Remove any link or lever that has reached its retirement 
life and replace it with an airworthy link or lever.
    (d) Re-identify links and levers that do not have a serial 
number listed in Notes A or B of step 5, Part I of the 
Accomplishment Instructions in the ASB by marking the links and 
levers in accordance with Part II of the Accomplishment Instructions 
in the ASB. Re-identified links, P/N 206-010-446-107FM, and re-
identified levers, P/N 206-010-447-109FM, have the same retirement 
lives as links, P/N 206-010-446-107, and levers,
P/N 206-010-447-109, respectively.
    (e) An alternative method of compliance or adjustment of the 
compliance time that provides an acceptable level of safety may be 
used if approved by the Manager, Rotorcraft Certification Office, 
Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA. Operators shall submit their requests 
through a FAA Principal Maintenance Inspector, who may concur or 
comment and then send it to the Manager, Rotorcraft Certification 
Office.

    Note 2: Information concerning the existence of approved 
alternative methods of compliance with this AD, if any, may be 
obtained from the Rotorcraft Certification Office.

    (f) Special flight permits may be issued in accordance with 
sections 21.197 and 21.199 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 
CFR 21.197 and 21.199) to operate the helicopter to a location where 
the requirements of this AD can be accomplished.
    (g) The identification, service life determination, and re-
identification of the link and lever shall be done in accordance 
with Bell Helicopter Textron Alert Service Bulletin No. 206L-98-110, 
dated May 6, 1998. This incorporation by reference was approved by 
the Director of the Federal Register in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 
552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. Copies may be obtained from Bell 
Helicopter Textron Canada, 12,800 Rue de l'Avenir, Mirabel, Quebec 
JON1LO, telephone (800) 463-3036, fax (514) 433-0272. Copies may be 
inspected at the FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, Southwest 
Region, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Room 663, Fort Worth; or at the Office 
of the Federal Register, 800 North Capitol Street, NW., suite 700, 
Washington, DC.
    (h) This amendment becomes effective on July 2, 1999.

    Note 3: The subject of this AD is addressed in Transport Canada 
(Canada) AD No. CF-98-20, dated August 5, 1998.

    Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on June 8, 1999.
Eric Bries,
Acting Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 99-15363 Filed 6-16-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P