[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 98 (Thursday, May 21, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 29205-29208]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-12004]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2015-1570; Directorate Identifier 2014-SW-054-AD; 
Amendment 39-18161; AD 2015-10-05]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters (Previously 
Eurocopter France) Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Airbus 
Helicopters (previously Eurocopter France) Model AS365N3, EC155B, and 
EC155B1 helicopters with an external life raft in the footsteps with 
certain part-numbered junction units. This AD requires inspecting the 
junction units of the external life raft deployment system for 
corrosion, removing any corrosion, and performing certain measurements 
to determine whether the junction unit must be replaced. This AD is 
prompted by failure of a life raft deployment test and corrosion damage 
inside the left-hand junction unit. These actions are intended to 
prevent failure of an external life raft to deploy preventing 
evacuation of passengers during an emergency.

DATES: This AD becomes effective June 5, 2015.

[[Page 29206]]

    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of certain documents listed in this AD as of June 5, 2015.
    We must receive comments on this AD by July 20, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Docket: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for sending your 
comments electronically.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
     Mail: Send comments to the U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery: Deliver to the ``Mail'' address between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

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, the European Aviation Safety 
Agency (EASA) AD, the economic evaluation, any incorporated by 
reference service information, any comments received, and other 
information. The street address for the Docket Operations Office 
(telephone 800-647-5527) is in the ADDRESSES section. Comments will be 
available in the AD docket shortly after receipt.
    For service information identified in this AD, contact Airbus 
Helicopters, Inc., 2701 N. Forum Drive, Grand Prairie, TX 75052; 
telephone (972) 641-0000 or (800) 232-0323; fax (972) 641-3775; or at 
http://www.airbushelicopters.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. It is also available on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov in Docket No. FAA-2015-1570.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Martin R. Crane, Aviation Safety 
Engineer, Regulations Group, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 2601 Meacham 
Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 76137; telephone (817) 222-5112; email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    This AD is a final rule that involves requirements affecting flight 
safety, and we did not provide you with notice and an opportunity to 
provide your comments prior to it becoming effective. However, we 
invite you to participate in this rulemaking by submitting written 
comments, data, or views. We also invite comments relating to the 
economic, environmental, energy, or federalism impacts that resulted 
from adopting this AD. The most helpful comments reference a specific 
portion of the AD, explain the reason for any recommended change, and 
include supporting data. To ensure the docket does not contain 
duplicate comments, commenters should send only one copy of written 
comments, or if comments are filed electronically, commenters should 
submit them only one time. We will file in the docket all comments that 
we receive, as well as a report summarizing each substantive public 
contact with FAA personnel concerning this rulemaking during the 
comment period. We will consider all the comments we receive and may 
conduct additional rulemaking based on those comments.

Discussion

    We are adopting a new AD for Airbus Helicopters (previously 
Eurocopter France) Model AS365N3, EC155B, and EC155B1 helicopters with 
an external life raft in the footsteps with a junction unit, 
manufacturer part number (P/N) 200197 or P/N 200188 (Airbus Helicopters 
P/N 704A341302.48 or P/N 704A341302.30), installed. This AD requires 
inspecting the external life raft deployment system junction unit for 
corrosion, removing any corrosion, and measuring the clearance between 
the internal and external pulleys and the junction unit cover. If the 
clearance exceeds a certain threshold, this AD requires replacing the 
junction unit. This AD is prompted by failure of the external life raft 
deployment test and corrosion damage inside the left-hand junction 
unit, which blocked the deployment handle. These actions are intended 
to prevent corrosion damage inside a junction unit, which can prevent a 
deployment handle from functioning correctly and cause failure of an 
external life raft to deploy, preventing evacuation of passengers 
during an emergency.
    EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the 
European Union, has issued AD No. 2014-0214, dated September 24, 2014, 
to correct an unsafe condition for Airbus Helicopters Model AS365N3, 
EC155B, and EC155B1 helicopters with external life rafts in the 
footsteps with certain part-numbered junction units installed. EASA 
advises that failure of the external life raft deployment test was 
reported by a Model AS365 helicopter operator when the affected 
external life raft underwent a scheduled maintenance. The failure 
occurred during an attempt to release the life raft by pulling the 
left-hand internal deployment handle. Subsequent investigations 
revealed corrosion damage inside the left-hand junction unit, which 
blocked the deployment handle. The EASA AD requires an inspection of 
the tensile loads during a functional test of the life-raft system, the 
junction unit cover for drainage holes, and the junction unit cover for 
corrosion. The EASA AD also requires measuring operational clearance of 
the right-hand and the left-hand junction units of the external life 
raft deployment system and, depending on the findings, corrective 
action and reporting the results to Airbus.

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 the EASA and determined the unsafe condition 
exists and is likely to exist or develop on other helicopters of these 
same type designs.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    Airbus Helicopters issued Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) No. EC155-
05A027 for the Model EC155B and B1 helicopter and ASB No. AS365-
05.00.67 for the Model AS365N3 helicopter. Both ASBs are Revision 1 and 
dated September 1, 2014. The ASBs specify checking the tensile load 
during a functional test of the life-raft system, checking that the 
drainage hole blank is correctly positioned, inspecting the junction 
units for corrosion, and measuring the operational clearance between 
the junction unit pulleys and the cover. If necessary, the ASBs call 
for removing the corrosion from the cover surface or pulleys and 
replacing the junction unit.
    The ASBs state that the life raft deployment test on a Model AS365 
helicopter failed when the left-hand internal deployment handle did not 
function correctly because the handle was blocked by corrosion inside 
the junction unit. ASB No. EC155-05A027 further states that Model 
EC155B and B1 helicopters are equipped with similar junction units.
    This service information is reasonably available because the 
interested parties

[[Page 29207]]

have access to it through their normal course of business or by the 
means identified in the ADDRESSES section of this AD.

AD Requirements

    This AD requires, before further flight:
     Inspecting each external life raft deployment system unit 
for corrosion, and if there is corrosion, either removing the corrosion 
and applying a protective coating, primer, and paint to the surface or 
replacing the junction unit with an airworthy junction unit.
     Measuring the diameter of the junction unit cover and of 
each (internal and external) junction unit pulley for operational 
clearance. If the clearance is greater than 0.029 inch (0.75 mm), 
replacing the junction unit with an airworthy junction unit.
     Inspecting the drainage holes on the upper face and the 
lower surface of the junction unit cover to determine whether they are 
plugged. This AD requires plugging the drainage hole on the upper face 
if it is not plugged and removing the plug in the drainage hole on the 
lower surface if it is plugged.

Differences Between This AD and the EASA AD

    The EASA AD requires a tensile load inspection and, depending on 
the results of the inspection, may allow a longer compliance time for 
the remaining required actions. This AD does not require the tensile 
load inspection and requires all required actions before further 
flight. The EASA AD allows the operational clearance measurements to be 
taken before any corrosion is removed, while this AD requires removing 
any corrosion before taking measurements. The EASA AD requires 
reporting the inspection results to the manufacturer; this AD does not.

Costs of Compliance

    There are no costs of compliance with this AD because there are no 
helicopters equipped with the life raft deployment system that is the 
subject of this AD.

FAA's Justification and Determination of the Effective Date

    There are no helicopters with the affected life raft deployment 
system; therefore, we believe it is unlikely that we will receive any 
adverse comments or useful information about this AD from U.S. 
Operators.
    Since an unsafe condition exists that requires the immediate 
adoption of this AD, we determined that notice and opportunity for 
public comment before issuing this AD are unnecessary because there are 
no helicopters with the affected life raft deployment system and that 
good cause exists for making this amendment effective in less than 30 
days.

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.

Regulatory Findings

    We determined that 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, 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.

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):

2015-10-05 Airbus Helicopters (previously Eurocopter France): 
Amendment 39-18161; Docket No. FAA-2015-1570; Directorate Identifier 
2014-SW-054-AD.

(a) Applicability

    This AD applies to Model AS365N3, EC155B, and EC155B1 
helicopters with an external life raft in the footstep installed 
with a junction unit, manufacturer part number (P/N) 200197 or P/N 
200188 (Airbus Helicopters P/N 704A341302.48 or 704A341302.30), 
certificated in any category.

(b) Unsafe Condition

    This AD defines the unsafe condition as corrosion damage inside 
a junction unit, which can prevent a deployment handle from 
functioning correctly. This condition could result in failure of an 
external life raft to deploy, preventing evacuation of passengers 
during an emergency.

(c) Effective Date

    This AD becomes effective June 5, 2015.

(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

    Before further flight:
    (1) Inspect each external life raft deployment system left-hand 
and right-hand junction unit for corrosion in the areas shown in 
Figure 3 of Airbus Helicopters Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) No. 
EC155-05A027, Revision 1, dated September 1, 2014 (ASB No. EC155-
05A027), or ASB No. AS365-05.00.67, Revision 1, dated September 1, 
2014, (ASB No. AS365-05.00.67), as applicable to your helicopter 
model.
    (2) If there is corrosion, either remove the corrosion and apply 
a protective coating, primer, and paint to the surface or replace 
the junction unit with an airworthy junction unit.
    (3) Measure the diameter of the junction unit cover and of each 
(internal and external) junction unit pulley for operational 
clearance. If the clearance is greater than 0.029 inch (0.75 mm) as 
depicted in Figure 4 of ASB No. EC155-05A027 or Figure 5 of ASB No. 
AS365-05.00.67, as applicable to your helicopter model, replace the 
junction unit with an airworthy junction unit.
    (4) Inspect the drainage hole on the upper face of the junction 
unit cover, and if it is unplugged, plug it.
    (5) Inspect the drainage hole on the lower surface of the 
junction unit cover, and if it is plugged, remove the plug.

[[Page 29208]]

(f) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (1) The Manager, Safety Management Group, FAA, may approve AMOCs 
for this AD. Send your proposal to: Martin R. Crane, Aviation Safety 
Engineer, Regulations Group, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 2601 
Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 76137; telephone (817) 222-5112; 
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 (EASA) AD No. 2014-0214, dated September 24, 2014. You may 
view the EASA AD on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov in 
Docket No. FAA-2015-1570.

(h) Subject

    Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) Code: 2564 Equipment/
Furnishing.

 (i) Material Incorporated by Reference

    (1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the 
incorporation by reference 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) Airbus Helicopters Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) No. EC155-
05A027, Revision 1, dated September 1, 2014.
    (ii) Airbus Helicopters ASB No. AS365-05.00.67, Revision 1, 
dated September 1, 2014.
    (3) For Airbus Helicopters service information identified in 
this AD, contact Airbus Helicopters, Inc., 2701 N. Forum Drive, 
Grand Prairie, TX 75052; telephone (972) 641-0000 or (800) 232-0323; 
fax (972) 641-3775; or at http://www.airbushelicopters.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 May 11, 2015.
Lance T. Gant,
Acting Directorate Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-12004 Filed 5-20-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P