[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 40 (Thursday, March 2, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 12291-12293]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-03954]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2017-0154; Directorate Identifier 2016-SW-069-AD; 
Amendment 39-18814; AD 2017-05-04]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited 
Helicopters

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

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 
Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited (BHTC) Model 206 helicopters. 
This AD requires removing certain tension-torsion straps (TT straps) 
from service and is prompted by reports of corroded TT straps. These 
actions are intended to prevent an unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: This AD becomes effective March 17, 2017.
    We must receive comments on this AD by May 1, 2017.

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 by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2017-
0154; 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 Transport Canada AD, the economic evaluation, 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 final rule, contact Bell 
Helicopter Textron Canada Limited, 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/. 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matt Fuller, Senior 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: 

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

[[Page 12292]]

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

    On March 21, 2016, Transport Canada issued AD No. CF-2016-09 to 
correct an unsafe condition for BHTC Model 206A, 206B, 206L, 206L1, 
206L3, and 206L4 helicopters with TT straps with part number (P/N) 206-
011-147-005, serial numbers BTFS-23868 through BTFS-24277; and P/N 206-
011-147-007, serial numbers BT-22719 through BT-23437. Transport Canada 
advises that these TT straps may develop cracks in the urethane 
protective coating, which may result in internal corrosion of the TT 
straps and subsequent failure of the TT straps prior to their approved 
airworthiness life limit. Transport Canada further states that because 
this unsafe condition is limited in scope to these particular part-
numbered TT straps, a revision to the airworthiness limitations 
schedule is unnecessary. To correct the unsafe condition, AD No. CF-
2016-09 requires, within 25 hours air time, removing from service 
affected TT straps that have reached or exceeded 1,000 hours air time 
or 18 months in service, whichever occurs first from when the rotor hub 
containing the affected part is installed on the helicopter.

FAA's Determination

    These helicopters have been approved by the aviation authority of 
Canada and are approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant to 
our bilateral agreement with Canada, Transport Canada, its technical 
representative, has notified us of the unsafe condition described in 
its AD. We are issuing this AD because we evaluated all information 
provided by Transport Canada and determined the unsafe condition exists 
and is likely to exist or develop on other helicopters of these same 
type designs.

Related Service Information

    Bell Helicopter has issued Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) 206-13-130, 
Revision A, dated October 14, 2013, for Model 206A, 206B, and TH67 
helicopters and ASB 206L-13-171, Revision A, dated October 14, 2013, 
for Model 206L series helicopters. Each ASB specifies removing the 
affected TT straps from service TT straps when they reach 1,000 hours 
or 18 months, whichever occurs first.

AD Requirements

    For affected TT straps that have 1,000 or more hours time-in-
service (TIS) or 18 or more months since installation, this AD requires 
removing the TT strap from service within 25 hours TIS. For all other 
affected TT straps, this AD requires removing the TT strap from service 
before accumulating 1,000 hours TIS or 18 months since installation, 
whichever occurs first.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD affects 1,740 helicopters of U.S. 
Registry.
    We estimate that operators may incur the following costs in order 
to comply with this AD. At an average labor rate of $85 per hour, 
replacing a TT strap will require 3 work-hours, and required parts will 
cost $4,827, for a cost per helicopter of $5,082 and a cost of 
$8,842,680 for the U.S. fleet.
    According to BHTC's service information, some of the costs of this 
AD may be covered under warranty, thereby reducing the cost impact on 
affected individuals. We do not control warranty coverage by BHTC. 
Accordingly, we have included all costs in our cost estimate.

FAA's Justification and Determination of the Effective Date

    Providing an opportunity for public comments prior to adopting 
these AD requirements would delay implementing the safety actions 
needed to correct this known unsafe condition. Therefore, we find that 
the risk to the flying public justifies waiving notice and comment 
prior to the adoption of this rule because the actions required by this 
AD must be accomplished within 25 hours TIS, a very short interval for 
helicopters used in offshore operations.
    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 impracticable 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.
    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:


[[Page 12293]]


    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):

2017-05-04 Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited: Amendment 39-
18814; Docket No. FAA-2017-0154; Directorate Identifier 2016-SW-069-
AD.

(a) Applicability

    This AD applies to Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited Model 
206A, 206B, 206L, 206L1, 206L3, and 206L4 helicopters, certificated 
in any category, with a tension-torsion strap (TT strap) part number 
(P/N) 206-011-147-005 with a serial number BTFS-23868 through BTFS-
24277 or P/N 206-011-147-007 with a serial number BT-22719 through 
BT-23437 installed.

(b) Unsafe Condition

    This AD defines the unsafe condition as corrosion of a TT strap. 
This condition could result in failure of the TT strap and 
subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

(c) Effective Date

    This AD becomes effective March 17, 2017.

(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 25 hours time-in-service (TIS), remove from service any 
TT strap that has 1,000 or more hours TIS or 18 or more months since 
installation. Thereafter, remove from service any TT strap before 
accumulating 1,000 hours TIS or 18 months since installation, 
whichever occurs first.

(f) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (1) The Manager, Safety Management Group, FAA, may approve AMOCs 
for this AD. Send your proposal to: Matt Fuller, Senior 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.

 (g) Additional Information

    (1) Bell Helicopter Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) No. 206-13-130, 
Revision A, dated October 14, 2013 for model 206A, 206B, and TH67 
helicopters and ASB 206L-13-171, Revision A, dated October 14, 2013 
for model 206L series helicopters, which are not incorporated by 
reference, contain additional information about the subject of this 
final rule. For service information identified in this final rule, 
contact Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited, 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/. You may review a copy of the service information at the FAA, 
Office of the Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood 
Pkwy., Room 6N-321, Fort Worth, TX 76177.
    (2) The subject of this AD is addressed in Transport Canada AD 
No. CF-2016-09, dated March 21, 2016. You may view the Transport 
Canada AD on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching 
for and locating it in Docket No. FAA-2017-0154.

(h) Subject

    Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) Code: 6220 Tension 
Torsion Strap.


    Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on February 17, 2017.
Lance T. Gant,
Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-03954 Filed 3-1-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P