DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2008-0449; Directorate Identifier 2007-SW-10-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64

AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Model
222, 222B, 222U, 230, and 430 Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY:  This  document proposes  superseding  an existing  airworthiness
directive (AD) for Bell Helicopter Textron Canada (Bell) Model 222,  222B,
222U,  230,  and  430 helicopters.  That  AD  currently requires  visually
inspecting the main rotor  hydraulic actuator support (support)  to verify
the  presence  of all  dowel  pins and  sealant  between the  support  and
transmission and verifying the proper torque of each attaching nut  (nut).
This action would require  the same actions as  the existing AD but  would
also require the repetitive actions  at intervals not to exceed  600 hours
time-in-service (TIS) or 12 months, whichever occurs first. This  proposal
is prompted by the discovery that the 12- month compliance requirement was
correctly  included  in  the Emergency  AD (EAD)  that we  issued but  was
inadvertently  omitted  when  we published  the  Final  rule; request  for
comments following the issuance of  the EAD. The actions specified  by the
proposed AD are intended to prevent failure of the support and  subsequent
loss of control of the helicopter.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before June 23, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Use one of the  following addresses to submit comments  on this
proposed AD:

Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http:// www.regulations.gov. Follow  the
instructions for submitting comments.

Fax: 202-493-2251.

Mail: U.S.  Department of  Transportation, Docket  Operations, M-30,  West
Building  Ground  Floor,  Room  W12-140,  1200  New  Jersey  Avenue,  SE.,
Washington, DC 20590.

Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30,
West Building  Ground Floor,  Room W12-140,  1200 New  Jersey Avenue, SE.,
Washington, DC 20590,  between 9 a.m.  and 5 p.m.,  Monday through Friday,
except Federal holidays.

You may get  the service information  identified in this  proposed AD from
Bell Helicopter Textron  Canada, 12,800 Rue  de l'Avenir, Mirabel,  Quebec
J7J1R4, telephone (450) 437-2862 or (800) 363-8023, fax (450) 433-0272.

You may examine the comments to this  proposed AD in the AD docket on  the
Internet at http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tyrone Millard, Aerospace Engineer,  FAA,
Rotorcraft  Directorate,  Rotorcraft Standards  Staff,  Fort Worth,  Texas
76193-0110, telephone (817) 222-5439, fax (817) 222-5961.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

COMMENTS INVITED

We invite you  to submit any  written data, views,  or arguments regarding
this  proposed AD.  Send your  comments  to  an address  listed under  the
caption ADDRESSES. Include  the docket number  "FAA-2008-0449, Directorate
Identifier  2007-SW-10-AD"   at  the   beginning  of   your  comments.  We
specifically  invite  comments   on  the  overall   regulatory,  economic,
environmental, and energy aspects of the proposed AD. We will consider all
comments received by  the closing date  and may amend  the proposed AD  in
light of those comments.

We  will  post  all  comments  we  receive,  without  change,  to  http://
www.regulations.gov, including  any personal  information you  provide. We
will also post a report  summarizing each substantive verbal contact  with
FAA  personnel  concerning  this  proposed  rulemaking.  Using  the search
function of the docket Web site, you can find and read the comments to any
of our dockets, including  the name of the  individual who sent or  signed
the comment. You  may review the  DOT's complete Privacy  Act Statement in
the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78).

EXAMINING THE 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  proposed 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.

DISCUSSION

On January 5,  2001, we issued  EAD 2001-01-51 for  Bell Model 222,  222B,
222U,  230,  and  430  helicopters  which  requires,  at  specified   time
intervals, visually inspecting the support  for the presence of all  dowel
pins and sealant  between the support  and transmission and  verifying the
proper torque of each  nut. That action was  prompted by the failure  of a
support resulting  in an  accident of  a Bell  Model 222U  helicopter. All
retaining studs and  shear pins were  found sheared or  pulled out at  the
junction between the  support and transmission  case. The requirements  of
that EAD  are intended  to prevent  failure of  the support and subsequent
loss of control of the helicopter.

On February 2, 2001, we  issued AD 2001-01-51, Amendment 39-12105,  Docket
No. 2000-SW-54-AD  as a  Final rule;  request for  comments (66  FR 10361,
February  15,  2001).  Since  issuing  that  AD,  we  discovered  that  we
inadvertently omitted the phrase  "or 12 months, whichever  occurs first,"
from compliance paragraph (a) of the published final rule AD. Because  the
two versions  of AD  2001-01-51 have  different compliance  times, we  are
proposing to supersede that AD to include the correct compliance time.

The previously described unsafe condition is likely to exist or develop on
other helicopters of these same  type designs. Therefore, the proposed  AD
would supersede AD 2001-01-51 to require the following:

Within 25 hours TIS, and thereafter  at intervals not to exceed 600  hours
TIS or 12 months, whichever occurs first:

Visually inspect the support, part number (P/N) 222-040- 125-001, for  the
presence  of  all dowel  pins  and for  sealant  between the  support  and
transmission. If any pin  is missing or if  no sealant is visible,  before
further  flight,  remove  the support  and  further  inspect the  support,
transmission  case,  studs,  and   dowel  pins.  Repair  or   replace  any
unairworthy support, transmission case, stud, or dowel pin before  further
flight.

Verify the torque of the nuts. Upper nuts must not rotate at a torque less
than 40 in-lbs.  Lower nuts must  not rotate at  a torque less  than 90 in
-lbs.

If two or more upper nuts rotate  at a torque less than 40 in-lbs.  or two
or  more lower  nuts rotate  at a  torque less  than 90  in- lbs.,  before
further  flight,  remove  the support  and  further  inspect the  support,
transmission  case,  studs,  and   dowel  pins.  Repair  or   replace  any
unairworthy part before further flight.

If less than  two upper nuts  rotate at a  torque less than  40 in-lbs. or
less than two lower nuts rotate  at a torque less than 90  in-lbs., before
further flight, retorque the upper nut to 50 to 70 in- lbs. plus tare  and
the lower nut to 100 to 140 in-lbs. plus tare.

At  not  less  than  20  hours  TIS  nor  more  than  30  hours  TIS after
reinstalling a support for any reason, verify the torque of the nuts.

We have reviewed Bell Alert Service Bulletin Nos. 222-00-86, 222U-  00-57,
230-00-18, and 430-00-17, all dated  May 19, 2000 (ASB's), which  specify,
within  25 hours  TIS, conducting  a  one-time  inspection of  the support
installation  by accomplishing  a torque  check of  the support  attaching
nuts. In addition, a revision  to the maintenance manual will  introduce a
recurring  torque check  of the  nuts. Transport  Canada classified  these
ASB's as mandatory and issued  AD No. CF-2000-29 dated September  6, 2000,
to ensure the continued airworthiness of these helicopters in Canada.

We estimate  that this  proposed AD  would affect  145 helicopters of U.S.
registry. It would  take approximately \1/2\  work hour per  helicopter to
inspect for  proper torque,  and the  average labor  rate is  $80 per work
hour. The cost for the inspection  is estimated to be $5,800. Assuming  15
helicopters require  removing the  support for  additional inspections, it
would take approximately 6 additional work hours at $80 per work hour  and
$50  for parts  at  an  additional total  cost of  $7,950. Based  on these
figures, we  estimate the  total cost  impact of  the proposed  AD on U.S.
operators to be $13,750, assuming no supports must be replaced.

REGULATORY FINDINGS

We  have  determined  that  this proposed  AD  would  not  have federalism
implications under Executive Order  13132. Additionally, this proposed  AD
would  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 the proposed regulation:

1. Is not a "significant regulatory action" under Executive Order 12866;

2. Is not  a "significant  rule" under  the DOT  Regulatory  Policies  and
Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979); and

3. 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 proposed AD and placed it in the AD docket.

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.

LIST OF SUBJECTS IN 14 CFR PART 39

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Safety.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT

Accordingly,  pursuant   to  the   authority  delegated   to  me   by  the
Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration proposes to amend  part
39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) as follows:

PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

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]

2. Section 39.13 is amended  by removing Amendment 39-12105 (66  FR 10361,
February 15, 2001)  and by adding  a new airworthiness  directive (AD), to
read as follows: