[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 229 (Wednesday, November 26, 2008)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 71955-71957]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-28113]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2008-1242; Directorate Identifier 96-SW-13-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Model 
206L, 206L-1, and 206L-3 Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: This document proposes to revise an existing airworthiness 
directive (AD) for Bell Helicopter Textron Canada (BHTC) Model 206L, 
206L-1, and 206L-3 helicopters with certain part-numbered tailbooms. 
That AD currently requires a visual inspection of the tailboom skin in 
the areas around the nutplates and in the areas of the tailboom drive 
shaft cover retention clips for cracks and corrosion using a 10-power 
or higher magnifying glass until the tailboom is replaced with an 
airworthy tailboom. This action would require the same actions as the 
existing AD but would allow a longer interval for the repetitive 
inspections if the tailboom is modified. Replacement with an airworthy 
tailboom other than a part-numbered tailboom affected by this proposal 
would constitute terminating action for the requirements of this AD. 
The existing AD was prompted by an accident and several reports of 
fatigue cracks in the tailboom skin in the areas around the nutplates 
for the tail rotor fairing and in the areas of the tail rotor drive 
shaft cover retention clips. These proposed actions are intended to 
prevent failure of the tailboom and subsequent loss of control of the 
helicopter.

DATES: Comments must be received by January 26, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Use one of the following addresses to submit comments on 
this proposed AD:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
     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 Bell Helicopter Textron Canada, 12,800 Rue de l'Avenir, Mirabel, 
Quebec J7J1R4, telephone (450) 437-2862 or (800) 363-8023, fax (450) 
433-0272, or at http://www.bellcustomer.com/files/.
    Examining the Docket: You may examine the docket that contains the 
proposed AD, any comments, and other information in person at the 
Docket Operations office between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays. The Docket Operations office 
(telephone (800) 647-5527) is located in Room W12-140 on the ground 
floor of the West Building at the street address stated in the 
ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly 
after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sharon Miles, Aviation Safety 
Engineer, FAA, Rotorcraft Directorate, Regulations and Guidance Group, 
Fort Worth, Texas 76193-0111, telephone (817) 222-5122, fax (817) 222-
5961.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    We invite you to submit any written data, views, or arguments 
regarding this proposed AD. Send your comments to the address listed 
under the caption ADDRESSES. Include the docket number ``FAA-2008-1242, 
Directorate Identifier 96-SW-13-AD'' at the beginning of your comments. 
We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, economic, 
environmental, and energy aspects of the proposed AD. We will consider 
all comments received by the closing date and may amend the proposed AD 
in light of 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 
with FAA personnel concerning this proposed rulemaking. Using the 
search function of our docket Web site, you can find and read the 
comments to any of our dockets, including the name of the individual 
who sent or signed the comment. You may review the DOT's complete 
Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on April 11, 
2000 (65 FR 19477-78).

Discussion

    On August 22, 1996, we issued AD 96-18-05, Amendment 39-9729 (61 FR

[[Page 71956]]

45876, August 30, 1996), to require, before further flight, and 
thereafter at intervals not to exceed 50 hours time-in-service (TIS), a 
visual inspection of the tailboom skin in the areas around the 
nutplates and in the areas of the tailboom drive shaft cover retention 
clips for cracks and corrosion using a 10-power or higher magnifying 
glass. That AD requires the 50-hour TIS inspection regardless of 
whether the tailboom has been modified in accordance with Bell 
Helicopter Textron Alert Service Bulletin No. 206L-87-47, Revision C, 
dated October 23, 1989 (ASB). That AD also requires repeating those 
inspections until the tailboom is replaced with a tailboom, part number 
(P/N) 206-033-004-143 or -177. That action was prompted by an accident 
and several reports of fatigue cracks in the tailboom skin in the areas 
around the nutplates for the tail rotor fairing and in the areas of the 
tail rotor drive shaft cover retention clips. That condition, if not 
corrected, could result in failure of the tailboom and subsequent loss 
of control of the helicopter.
    Since issuing that AD, we have re-evaluated our AD determination 
that modified tailbooms should be inspected at intervals not to exceed 
50 hours TIS. Therefore, we have issued several alternate method of 
compliances (AMOCs) to allow owners and operators to conduct 100 hours 
TIS repetitive inspections, as described in the ASB, instead of the 50 
hours TIS repetitive inspections required by the existing AD for those 
tailbooms modified in accordance with Part I of the ASB. We have 
determined that increasing the inspection interval for modified 
tailbooms does not compromise the safety of this helicopter. To provide 
this relief to all operators, we have decided to propose to revise the 
AD.
    This helicopter model is manufactured in Canada and is type 
certificated for operation in the United States under the provisions of 
14 CFR 21.29 and the applicable bilateral agreement. When AD 96-18-05 
was issued, the type certificate for these affected model helicopters 
was in the U.S. and the FAA had oversight responsibility for these 
model helicopters. Transport Canada issued an AD following the FAA AD, 
except that Transport Canada required modifying the tailboom in 
accordance with the ASB and increasing the inspection interval to 100 
hours TIS. Subsequently, these type certificates were transferred to 
Canada.
    Therefore, the proposed AD would revise AD 96-18-05 to allow an 
increased inspection interval to 100 hours TIS for a tailboom modified 
in accordance with the ASB. The inspection interval for an unmodified 
tailboom would remain at 50 hours TIS. The visual inspection of the 
tailboom skin in the areas around the nutplates and in the areas of the 
tailboom drive shaft cover retention clips for cracks and corrosion 
using a 10-power or higher magnifying glass would still be required. 
The proposed AD would also require repeating the 50-hour TIS 
inspections until the tailboom is modified per the requirements of the 
AD. Once modified, repeating the 100 hour TIS inspection until the 
tailboom is replaced with a tailboom, part number (P/N) 206-033-004-143 
or -177, or a tailboom not affected by this AD, would be required.
    We estimate that this proposed AD would affect 551 helicopters of 
U.S. registry, and the proposed actions would take approximately 0.8 
work hour per helicopter to inspect and 8 work hours per helicopter to 
modify, at an average labor rate of $80 per work hour. If a helicopter 
is modified to increase the inspection intervals, required parts would 
cost approximately $385. Based on these figures, we estimate the total 
cost impact of the proposed AD on U.S. operators to be $423,168 per 
year, assuming all the helicopters are unmodified and 12 50-hour TIS 
inspections per helicopter. If we assume that all helicopters are 
modified at the beginning of the year, the cost impact of the proposed 
AD on U.S. operators would be $776,359 for the first year, assuming 
there are 6 100-hour TIS inspections the first year, and $211,584 for 
each year thereafter.

Regulatory Findings

    We have determined that this proposed AD would not have federalism 
implications under Executive Order 13132. Additionally, 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.
    For the reasons discussed above, I certify that the proposed 
regulation:
    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 a draft economic evaluation of the estimated costs to 
comply with this proposed AD. See the AD docket to examine the draft 
economic evaluation.

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.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

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

The Proposed Amendment

    Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the 
Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration proposes to amend 
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 removing Amendment 39-9729 (61 FR 
45876, August 30, 1996), and by adding a new airworthiness directive 
(AD), to read as follows:

Bell Helicopter Textron Canada: Docket No. FAA-2008-1242; 
Directorate Identifier 96-SW-13-AD. Revises AD 96-18-05, Amendment 
39-9729.

    Applicability: Model 206L, 206L-1, and 206L-3 helicopters, with 
tailboom, part number (P/N) 206-033-004-003, -011, -045, or -103, 
installed, certificated in any category.
    Compliance: Required as indicated.
    To prevent failure of the tailboom and subsequent loss of 
control of the helicopter, accomplish the following:
    (a) Before further flight, unless accomplished previously, using 
a 10-power

[[Page 71957]]

or higher magnifying glass, inspect the tailboom for cracks or 
corrosion in accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions, Part 
II, steps (1) through (7), of Bell Helicopter Textron Alert Service 
Bulletin No. 206L-87-47, Revision C, dated October 23, 1989 (ASB).
    (b) For a tailboom that has not been modified in accordance with 
the Accomplishment Instructions, Part I of the ASB, using a 10-power 
or higher magnifying glass, inspect the tailboom for a crack at 
intervals not to exceed 50 hours time-in-service (TIS) in accordance 
with the Accomplishment Instructions, Part II, steps (1) through 
(7), of the ASB.
    (c) For a tailboom that has been modified in accordance with the 
Accomplishment Instructions, Part I, of the ASB, using a 10-power or 
higher magnifying glass, inspect the tailboom for a crack or 
corrosion at intervals not to exceed 100 hours TIS in accordance 
with the Accomplishment Instructions, Part II and Part III of the 
ASB, except you are not required to contact the manufacturer.
    (d) If a crack or corrosion is detected that is beyond the 
repairable limits stated in the applicable maintenance manual, 
remove the tailboom and replace it with an airworthy tailboom.
    (e) Replacing the tailboom with a tailboom, P/N 206-033-004-143 
or -177, or an airworthy part-numbered tailboom that is not listed 
in the Applicability section of this AD, constitutes a terminating 
action for the requirements of this AD.
    (f) To request a different method of compliance or a different 
compliance time for this AD, follow the procedures in 14 CFR 39.19. 
Contact the Manager, Safety Management Group, FAA, ATTN: Sharon 
Miles, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, Rotorcraft Directorate, 
Regulations and Guidance Group, Fort Worth, Texas 76193-0111, 
telephone (817) 222-5122, fax (817) 222-5961, for information about 
previously approved alternative methods of compliance.
    (g) Special flight permits will not be issued.

    Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on November 18, 2008.
Mark R. Schilling,
Acting Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. E8-28113 Filed 11-25-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P