[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 124 (Tuesday, June 28, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 41796-41798]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-14972]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2015-6033; Directorate Identifier 2015-SW-019-AD; 
Amendment 39-18571; AD 2016-13-07]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Airbus 
Helicopters Model AS 365 N3 helicopters. This AD requires inspecting 
the cabin and cockpit for labels, placards, or markings that provide 
jettison procedure instructions for cabin doors, removing any labels, 
placards, or markings that are in an incorrect location, and installing 
placards where they are missing. This AD is prompted by the 
determination that placards had not been installed according to 
specifications on newly manufactured helicopters. The actions are 
intended to provide exit procedures during an emergency.

DATES: This AD is effective August 2, 2016.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain document listed in this AD as of August 2, 2016.

ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this final rule, 
contact Airbus Helicopters, 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, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Room 6N-321, Fort 
Worth, TX 76177. It is also available on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2015-
6033.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2015-
6033; 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, 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: David Hatfield, Aviation Safety 
Engineer, Safety Management Group, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 10101 
Hillwood Pkwy., Fort Worth, TX 76177; telephone (817) 222-5110; email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

    On March 11, 2016, at 81 FR 12836, the Federal Register published 
our notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), which proposed to amend 14 
CFR part 39 by adding an AD that would apply to Airbus Helicopters 
Model AS 365 N3 helicopters. The NPRM proposed to require inspecting 
the cabin and cockpit for labels, placards, or markings that provide 
jettison procedure instructions for cabin doors, removing any labels, 
placards, or markings that are in an incorrect location, and installing 
placards in the correct locations. The proposed requirements were 
intended to provide exit procedures during an emergency.
    The NPRM was prompted by AD No. 2015-0068-E, dated April 29, 2015, 
issued by EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of 
the European Union, to correct an unsafe condition for the Airbus 
Helicopters Model AS 365 N3 helicopters without external life rafts 
installed, except those helicopters modified in accordance with Airbus 
Helicopters modification (MOD) 0711B68, and Model AS 365 N3 helicopters 
with external life rafts installed, except those helicopters modified 
in accordance Airbus Helicopters MOD 0711B67 and MOD 0711B68. EASA 
advises that during helicopter delivery after manufacturing, Airbus 
Helicopters identified that placards providing jettison procedure 
instructions for the cabin doors were not systematically installed or 
not installed in a proper location. This condition, if not corrected, 
could prevent the timely evacuation of the helicopter during an 
emergency. The EASA AD consequently requires determining whether any 
placards are missing or incorrectly located, installing any missing 
placards, and replacing any incorrectly located placards.

Comments

    We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD, but we received no comments on the NPRM (81 FR 12836, March 
11, 2016).

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

[[Page 41797]]

provided by EASA and determined the unsafe condition exists and is 
likely to exist or develop on other helicopters of this same type 
design and that air safety and the public interest require adopting the 
AD requirements as proposed.

Differences Between This AD and the EASA AD

    The EASA AD requires compliance within 14 days after the effective 
date of the EASA AD. This AD requires compliance within 50 hours time-
in-service.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    We reviewed Airbus Helicopters Alert Service Bulletin No. AS365-
11.00.02, Revision 2, dated April 23, 2015 (ASB). The service 
information describes procedures for replacing and installing cabin 
internal evacuation markings. The ASB reports that deviations in the 
locations of the cabin internal evacuation markings and missing 
markings were noted during the delivery of new helicopters. The ASB 
provides instructions about the locations of, characteristics of, and 
information contained in the markings.
    This service information is reasonably available because the 
interested parties have access to it through their normal course of 
business or by the means identified in the ADDRESSES section.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD affects 15 helicopters of U.S. Registry 
and that labor costs average $85 a work-hour. Based on these estimates, 
we expect that inspecting the helicopter to determine the proper 
location and presence of cabin door jettison procedure placards and 
replacing and installing them requires 4 work-hours and that parts cost 
$70. We estimate a total cost of $410 per helicopter, and $6,150 for 
the U.S. 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 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):

2016-13-07 Airbus Helicopters: Amendment 39-18571; Docket No. FAA-
2015-6033; Directorate Identifier 2015-SW-019-AD.

(a) Applicability

    This AD applies to Airbus Helicopters Model AS 365 N3 
helicopters, certificated in any category.

(b) Unsafe Condition

    This AD defines the unsafe condition as missing or incorrectly 
located information for exiting a helicopter. This condition could 
result in failure to jettison cabin doors during an emergency, 
resulting in death or injury of helicopter occupants.

(c) Effective Date

    This AD becomes effective August 2, 2016.

(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

    Within 50 hours time-in-service:
    (1) Inspect the cabin and cockpit for labels, placards, and 
markings that provide jettison procedure instructions for cabin 
doors.
    (2) For the left and right side, remove any existing label, 
placard, and marking and install placards in accordance with the 
Accomplishment Instructions, paragraph 3.B.2 and Figures 1 through 
6, of Airbus Helicopters Alert Service Bulletin No. AS365-11.00.02, 
Revision 2, dated April 23, 2015.

(f) Credit for Previously Completed Actions

    Actions accomplished before the effective date of this AD in 
accordance with Airbus Helicopters Modification (MOD) 0711B68 for 
helicopters without external life rafts or MOD 0711B68 and MOD 
0711B67 for helicopters with external life rafts are considered 
acceptable for compliance with this AD.

(g) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (1) The Manager, Safety Management Group, FAA, may approve AMOCs 
for this AD. Send your proposal to: David Hatfield, Aviation Safety 
Engineer, Safety Management Group, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 
10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Fort Worth, TX 76177; 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.

(h) Additional Information

    The subject of this AD is addressed in the European Aviation 
Safety Agency (EASA) AD No. 2015-0068-E, dated April 29, 2015. You 
may view the EASA AD on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov 
by searching for and locating it in Docket No. FAA-2015-6033.

(i) Subject

    Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) Code: 1100, Placards and 
Markings.

(j) 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.

[[Page 41798]]

    (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 No. AS365-
11.00.02, Revision 2, dated April 23, 2015.
    (ii) Reserved.
    (3) For Airbus Helicopters service information identified in 
this final rule, contact Airbus Helicopters, 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, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Room 6N-
321, Fort Worth, TX 76177. 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 June 17, 2016.
Scott A. Horn,
Acting Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-14972 Filed 6-27-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P