[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 187 (Thursday, September 30, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 54135-54136]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-21050]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2010-0427; Project Identifier 2008-SW-72-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Arrow Falcon Exporters, Inc.
(Previously Utah State University); California Department of Forestry;
Firefly Aviation Helicopter Services (Previously Erickson Air-Crane
Co.); Garlick Helicopters, Inc.; Global Helicopter Technology, Inc.;
Hagglund Helicopters, LLC (Previously Western International Aviation,
Inc.); International Helicopters, Inc.; Precision Helicopters, LLC;
Robinson Air Crane, Inc.; San Joaquin Helicopters (Previously Hawkins
and Powers Aviation, Inc.); S.M.&T. Aircraft (Previously US
Helicopters, Inc., UNC Helicopter, Inc., Southern Aero Corporation, and
Wilco Aviation); Smith Helicopters; Southern Helicopter, Inc.;
Southwest Florida Aviation International, Inc. (Previously Jamie R.
Hill and Southwest Florida Aviation); Tamarack Helicopters, Inc.
(Previously Ranger Helicopter Services, Inc.); US Helicopter, Inc.
(Previously UNC Helicopter, Inc.); West Coast Fabrication; and Williams
Helicopter Corporation (Previously Scott Paper Co.) Model AH-1G, AH-1S,
HH-1K, TH-1F, TH-1L, UH-1A, UH-1B, UH-1E, UH-1F, UH-1H, UH-1L, and UH-
1P Helicopters; and Southwest Florida Aviation Model UH-1B (SW204 and
SW204HP) and UH-1H (SW205) Helicopters
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Proposed rule; withdrawal.
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SUMMARY: The FAA is withdrawing a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM)
that proposed to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD 2002-20-01,
which applies to certain Model HH-1K, TH-1F, TH-1L, UH-1A, UH-1B, UH-
1E, UH-1F, UH-1H, UH-1L, and UH-1P helicopters; and Southwest Florida
Aviation Model SW204, SW204HP, SW205, and SW205A-1 helicopters,
manufactured by Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. (BHTI) for the Armed
Forces of the United States. The NPRM would have required removing
certain serial-numbered tension-torsion (TT) straps from service,
reducing the retirement life for other TT straps, and establishing a
retirement life in terms of calendar time in addition to hours time-in-
service (TIS) for certain other affected TT straps. The NPRM also would
have added two model helicopters to the applicability of the AD. The
NPRM was prompted by fatigue cracking in certain TT straps that have
stainless steel filament windings and a determination that corrosion
damage, which is related to calendar time, necessitated a calendar time
retirement life for certain TT straps in addition to the retirement
life based on hours TIS. The NPRM was also prompted by fatigue cracking
in other TT straps with encased thin stainless steel plates. Since
issuance of the NPRM, the FAA has re-reviewed the available information
and determined that the totality of the available information does not
support issuance of a final rule. Accordingly, the NPRM is withdrawn.
DATES: As of September 30, 2021 the proposed rule, which was published
in the Federal Register on April 22, 2010 (75 FR 20933), is withdrawn.
ADDRESSES:
Examining the AD Docket
You may examine the AD docket on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2010-
0427; or in person at Docket Operations between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD docket contains
this AD action, any comments received, and other information. The
street address for Docket Operations is U.S. Department of
Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor,
Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jurgen Priester, Aviation Safety
Engineer, Delegation Oversight Section, DSCO Branch, FAA, 10101
Hillwood Pkwy., Fort Worth, TX 76177; telephone 817-222-5159; email
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
[[Page 54136]]
Discussion
The FAA issued an NPRM that proposed to amend 14 CFR part 39 by
removing AD 2002-20-01, Amendment 39-12895 (67 FR 61771, October 2,
2002), which applies to restricted category Model HH-1K, TH-1F, TH-1L,
UH-1A, UH-1B, UH-1E, UH-1F, UH-1H, UH-1L, and UH-1P helicopters; and
Southwest Florida Aviation Model SW204, SW204HP, SW205, and SW205A-1
helicopters, manufactured by BHTI for the Armed Forces of the United
States. The NPRM published in the Federal Register on April 22, 2010
(75 FR 20933). The NPRM would have applied to Model AH-1G, AH-1S, HH-
1K, TH-1F, TH-1L, UH -A, UH-1B, UH-1E, UH-1F, UH-1H, UH-1L, and UH-1P
helicopters with BHTI main rotor TT strap, part number (P/N) 204-011-
113-1, 204-012-112-1, 204-012-112-5, 204-012-112-7, 204-012-122-1, 204-
012-122-5, 204 310-101-101, or Bendix Energy Controls Co. P/N 2601139,
2601399, 2601400, or 2606650, installed; and Southwest Florida Aviation
Model UH-1B (SW204 and SW204HP) and UH-1H (SW205) helicopters. The NPRM
was prompted by fatigue cracking in certain TT straps that have
stainless steel filament windings and a determination that corrosion
damage, which is related to calendar time, necessitates a calendar time
retirement life for certain TT straps in addition to the retirement
life based on hours TIS. The NPRM was also prompted by fatigue cracking
in other TT straps with encased thin stainless steel plates.
The NPRM proposed to require removing certain serial-numbered TT
straps from service, reducing the retirement life for other TT straps,
and establishing a retirement life in terms of calendar time in
addition to hours TIS for certain other affected TT straps. The NPRM
also proposed to add two model helicopters to the applicability. The
proposed actions were intended to prevent failure of a TT strap, loss
of a main rotor blade, and subsequent loss of control of the
helicopter.
Actions Since the NPRM Was Issued
Since issuance of the NPRM, the FAA has re-reviewed the available
information and failure data used to justify issuance of the NPRM, and
reviewed the service difficulty data produced since the NPRM was
issued. Through that review, the FAA determined that there have not
been any further reported problems with the affected part number TT
straps since the NPRM was issued. Based on that review, the FAA
concluded that the totality of the available information and the lack
of additional reports does not support issuance of a final rule. The
potential unsafe condition identified as the justification for issuance
of the NPRM has not materialized. Therefore, the FAA has determined
that AD action is not appropriate.
Withdrawal of the NPRM constitutes only such action and does not
preclude the FAA from further rulemaking on this issue, nor does it
commit the FAA to any course of action in the future.
Comments
The FAA gave the public the opportunity to comment on the NPRM and
received 38 comments. The FAA received comments from individual
commenters as well as from organizations on a variety of topics,
including the costs estimates, compliance times, and requests to
withdraw the NPRM. You may examine the comments received in the AD
docket at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating
Docket No. FAA-2010-0427.
The FAA acknowledges these comments to the NPRM. However, because
the FAA is withdrawing the NPRM, the commenter's requests are no longer
necessary.
FAA's Conclusions
Upon further consideration of the available information, the FAA
has determined that the NPRM is unnecessary. Accordingly, the NPRM is
withdrawn.
Regulatory Findings
Since this action only withdraws an NPRM, it is neither a proposed
nor a final rule. This action therefore is not covered under Executive
Order 12866, the Regulatory Flexibility Act, or DOT Regulatory Policies
and Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979).
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by
reference, Safety.
The Withdrawal
0
Accordingly, the notice of proposed rulemaking, Docket No. FAA-2010-
0427, which was published in the Federal Register on April 22, 2010 (75
FR 20933), is withdrawn.
Issued on September 23, 2021.
Gaetano A. Sciortino,
Deputy Director for Strategic Initiatives, Compliance & Airworthiness
Division, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-21050 Filed 9-29-21; 8:45 am]
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