[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 65 (Thursday, April 4, 2013)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 20234-20236]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-07211]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2012-1014; Directorate Identifier 2010-SW-058-AD; 
Amendment 39-17404; AD 2013-06-07]
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 SA-365N1, AS-365N2, and AS 365 N3

[[Page 20235]]

helicopters. This AD requires revising the Limitations section of the 
Rotorcraft Flight Manual (RFM) to prohibit flight in instrument 
meteorological conditions (IMC) or night visual flight rules (VFR) for 
each helicopter with a vertical gyro unit GV76-1 installed upon a non-
reinforced shelf in the rear cargo compartment. Also, this AD requires 
modifying the GV76-1 vertical gyro unit shelf and testing for correct 
function of the navigation systems. This AD was prompted by flight crew 
reports of deviations between the displayed attitude on the attitude 
display screen and the independent electromechanical standby attitude 
indicator. The actions of this AD are intended to prevent an undetected 
flight display error of a slow drift in the roll axis, disorientation 
of the pilot, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

DATES: This AD is effective May 9, 2013.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain document listed in this AD as of May 9, 2013.

ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this AD, contact 
American Eurocopter Corporation, 2701 N. Forum Drive, Grand Prairie, 
Texas 75052; telephone (972) 641-0000 or (800) 232-0323; fax (972) 641-
3775; or at http://www.eurocopter.com/techpub. You may review 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: Mark F. Wiley, Aviation Safety 
Engineer, Regulations and Policy Group, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 
2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 76137; telephone (817) 222-5110; 
email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion

    On September 25, 2012, at 77 FR 58971, 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 certain 
Eurocopter Model SA-365N1, AS-365N2, and AS 365 N3 helicopters, with 
the GV76-1 vertical gyro unit installed on the left-hand (LH) or right-
hand (RH) shelf in the rear cargo compartment, pre-MOD 365P081895. That 
NPRM proposed to require revising the Limitations section of the RFM to 
prohibit flight in IMC or night VFR until the GV76-1 vertical gyro unit 
shelf is reinforced and tested. The proposed requirements were intended 
to prevent an undetected flight display error of a slow drift in the 
roll axis, disorientation of the pilot, and subsequent loss of control 
of the helicopter.
    The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical 
Agent for the Member States of the European Union, issued EASA AD No. 
2010-0100R1, dated August 4, 2010, and corrected August 11, 2010, to 
correct an unsafe condition for the specified Eurocopter model 
helicopters. EASA advises that a slow drift in the roll axis on the 
pilot's and co-pilot's attitude display screens occurred simultaneously 
during flight on several helicopters equipped with the GV76-1 vertical 
gyro unit installed in the rear cargo compartment. EASA advises ``these 
drifts were caused by a fault in the vertical gyros unit installation 
in the rear cargo.'' EASA states that in certain configurations, the 
GV76-1 vertical gyro unit installation has a natural mode close to the 
main rotor's harmonic frequency that generates rather significant 
vibratory levels on the GV76-1 unit by amplifying the intrinsic 
vibration of the aircraft. The faults are caused by these vibratory 
levels. EASA also states that the critical mode is essentially due to 
bending on the horizontal cross-members, which support the GV76-1 
shelf.

Comments

    We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD, but we did not receive any comments on the NPRM (77 FR 58971, 
September 25, 2012).

FAA's Determination

    These helicopters 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, its technical 
representative, has notified us of the unsafe condition described in 
the EASA AD. We are issuing 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 helicopters of these same 
type designs and that air safety and the public interest require 
adopting the AD requirements as proposed.

Differences Between This AD and the EASA AD

    We do not use the calendar dates, which have already passed. This 
AD prohibits flight in IMC or night VFR until MOD 365P081895 is 
accomplished.

Related Service Information

    Eurocopter issued Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) No. 34.00.31, 
Revision 1, dated July 28, 2010 (ASB 34.00.31), for FAA type-
certificated Model SA-365N1, AS-365N2, and AS 365 N3 helicopters and 
for military non-FAA type-certificated Model AS-365F, Fi, and K 
helicopters. ASB 34.00.31 specifies reinforcing the shelves of the 
vertical gyros GV76-1 (in cargo compartment) on the RH or LH side. EASA 
classified this ASB as mandatory and issued AD No. 2010-0100R1, dated 
August 4, 2010, and corrected August 11, 2010, to ensure the continued 
airworthiness of these helicopters.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD will affect 19 helicopters of U.S. 
Registry. We estimate that operators may incur the following costs in 
order to comply with this AD. It will take about 16 work-hours to 
install a shelf reinforcement kit per helicopter at an average labor 
rate of $85 per work-hour. Required parts will cost about $2,560 per 
helicopter. Based on these figures, we estimate the total cost of this 
AD on U.S. operators to be $74,480 to reinforce the shelf of the entire 
fleet.

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

[[Page 20236]]

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):

2013-06-07 Eurocopter France Helicopters: Amendment 39-17404; Docket 
No. FAA-2012-1014; Directorate Identifier 2010-SW-058-AD.

(a) Applicability

    This AD applies to Model SA-365N1, AS-365N2, and AS 365 N3 
helicopters, with the GV76-1 vertical gyro unit installed on the 
left-hand (LH) or right-hand (RH) shelf in the rear cargo 
compartment, pre-MOD 365P081895, certificated in any category, all 
serial numbers except 6698, 6701, 6723, 6737, and 6741.

(b) Unsafe Condition

    This AD defines the unsafe condition as an undetected flight 
display error of a slow drift in the roll axis. This condition could 
result in disorientation of the pilot and subsequent loss of control 
of the helicopter.

(c) Effective Date.

    This AD becomes effective May 9, 2013.

(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

    (1) Before further flight, revise the Limitations section of the 
Rotorcraft Flight Manual (RFM) by inserting a copy of this AD into 
the RFM or by pen and ink changes to the RFM that prohibits flight 
in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) or night visual flight 
rules (VFR) for each helicopter with a vertical gyro unit GV76-1 
installed on the rear cargo compartment shelf without reinforcement 
per Modification 365P081895.
    (2) Within 110 hours time-in-service, modify the GV76-1 vertical 
gyro unit shelf as depicted in Figures 1 through 3 and by following 
the Accomplishment Instructions, paragraphs 2.A. through 2.B.2.e., 
of Eurocopter Alert Service Bulletin No. 34.00.31, Revision 1, dated 
July 28, 2010. After reinforcing the shelf, operationally test the 
GV76-1 vertical gyro unit and functionally test the navigation 
systems.
    (3) After modifying the GV76-1 vertical gyro unit shelf, remove 
this AD from the Limitations section of the RFM or remove any 
changes to the Limitations section of the RFM that prohibit flight 
in IMC or VFR as a result of paragraph (e)(1) of this AD.
    (4) Modifying the GV76-1 vertical gyro unit shelf is terminating 
action for the requirements of this AD.

(f) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (1) The Manager, Safety Management Group, FAA, may approve AMOCs 
for this AD. Send your proposal to: Mark F. Wiley, Aviation Safety 
Engineer, Regulations and Policy Group, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 
2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 76137; telephone (817) 222-
5110; email [email protected].
    (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 European Aviation Safety 
Agency AD No. 2010-0100R1, dated August 4, 2010, and corrected 
August 11, 2010.

(h) Subject.

    Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) Code: 3421, Attitude 
Gyro and Indicator System.

(i) Material Incorporated by Reference.

    (1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the 
incorporation by reference (IBR) of the service information listed 
in this paragraph 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 Alert Service Bulletin No. 34.00.31, Revision 1, 
dated July 28, 2010.
    (ii) Reserved.
    (3) For Eurocopter service information identified in this AD, 
contact American Eurocopter Corporation, 2701 N. Forum Drive, Grand 
Prairie, Texas 75052; telephone (972) 641-0000 or (800) 232-0323; 
fax (972) 641-3775; or at http://www.eurocopter.com/techpub.
    (4) You may view this service information at FAA, Office of the 
Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Room 663, 
Fort Worth, Texas 76137. For information on the availability of this 
material at the FAA, call (817) 222-5110.
    (5) You may view this 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/cfr/ibr-locations.html.


    Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on March 21, 2013.
Kim Smith,
Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-07211 Filed 4-3-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P