Tdata AD

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PROPOSED AD	EUROCOPTER DEUTSCHLAND GMBH: Docket No. FAA-2010-0780; Directorate Identifier 2009-SW-68-AD.

COMMENTS DUE DATE

(a) We must receive your comments by September 10, 2010.

OTHER AFFECTED ADS

(b) This AD supersedes AD  2006-26-51, Amendment 39-14961, Docket No.  FAA
    2006-26721, Directorate Identifier 2006-SW-28-AD.

APPLICABILITY

(c) This AD applies to Model MBB-BK 117 C-2 helicopters with a tail  rotor
    control lever  B642M1009103, installed, certificated in any  category.

REASON

(d) The  mandatory continued  airworthiness information  (MCAI) AD states:
    "EASA was  informed by  the manufacturer  of an  in-flight incident in
    which  a  dynamic  weight broke  off  the  control lever  subsequently
    leading to considerable vibrations. A visual inspection revealed  that
    the  threaded bolt  of the  control  lever  had broken  off." This  AD
    requires actions that  are intended to  prevent separation of  dynamic
    weights,  severe  vibration, and  subsequent  loss of  control  of the
    helicopter.

ACTIONS AND COMPLIANCE

(e) Before further flight, unless  already done, mark the position  of the
    weights,  remove  the split  pins,  remove the  weights,  and visually
    inspect the tail rotor control lever in the area around the split  pin
    bore for  score marks,  notching, scratching,  or a  crack. Inspect by
    following the Accomplishment  Instructions, paragraph 3.A.(1)  through
    3.A.(3) and Figure 1, of Eurocopter Alert Service Bulletin MBB BK  117
    C-2-64A-002, Revision 2, dated August 6, 2007 (ASB).

(1) If done previously, within  the next 8 hours time-in-service  (TIS) or
    before reaching 25 hours TIS after the last inspection, and thereafter
    at intervals not to exceed  8 hours TIS, repeat the  visual inspection
    of the tail rotor control lever  as required by paragraph (e) of  this
    AD.

(2) If  you find  a score  mark, a  notch, or  a scratch  that exceeds the
    maintenance manual limits, or find a crack, before further flight:

(i) Replace  the tail  rotor control  lever with  an airworthy  tail rotor
    control lever; and

(ii) Reidentify the tail rotor head, head assembly, and drive system  with
     the new  part numbers  by following  the Accomplishment Instructions,
     paragraph 3.B.(1) through 3.B.(8) and 3.C.(1) through 3.C.(2), of the
     ASB.

(f) Within 100 hours TIS, unless already done, replace the control  levers
    and reidentify the  tail rotor head,  head assembly, and  drive system
    with   the  new   part  numbers   by  following   the   Accomplishment
    Instructions, paragraph  3.B.(1) through  3.B.(8) and  3.C.(1) through
    3.C.(2), of the ASB.

(g) Replacing  the control  levers and  reidentifying the  part numbers is
    terminating action for the requirements of this AD.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE FAA AD AND THE MCAI AD

(h) We refer to flight  hours as hours TIS. We  do not refer to a  date of
    October  31,  2007, for  replacing  the levers  because  the date  has
    passed.

OTHER INFORMATION

(i) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs): The Manager, Safety Manage-
    ment Group,  ATTN: DOT/FAA  Southwest Region,  Sharon Miles,  ASW-111,
    Aviation  Safety  Engineer,  Rotorcraft  Directorate,  Regulations and
    Guidance Group, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 76137, telephone
    (817) 222-5122, fax (817) 222-5961, has the authority to approve AMOCs
    for this AD, if requested, using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19.

(j) Special flight permits are prohibited.

RELATED INFORMATION

(k) MCAI EASA  Airworthiness  Directive  No. 2006-0237,  dated August  31,
    2007, which supersedes EASA  Emergency AD 2007-0189-E, dated  July 12,
    2007, contains related information.

JOINT AIRCRAFT SYSTEM/COMPONENT (JASC) CODE

(l) The JASC Code is 6400: Tail rotor system-control lever.

Issued in  Fort Worth,  Texas, on  August 3,  2010. Scott  A. Horn, Acting
Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by September 10, 2010.

PREAMBLE

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2010-0780; Directorate Identifier 2009-SW-68-AD] RIN  2120
-AA64

AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES; Eurocopter  Deutschland GmbH (ECD)  Model MBB-BK
117 C-2 Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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

SUMMARY: We propose to supersede an existing airworthiness directive  (AD)
for ECD Model MBB-BK 117 C-2 helicopters. This proposed AD results from  a
mandatory continuing  airworthiness information  (MCAI) AD  issued by  the
European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA),  which is the Technical Agent  for
the Member States of the European Community. The MCAI AD states there  was
an in-flight  incident in  which a  dynamic weight  broke off  the control
lever leading  to considerable  vibrations. A  visual inspection  revealed
that the threaded bolt of the  control lever had broken off. The  proposed
actions  are intended  to prevent  separation of  dynamic weights,  severe
vibration, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by September 10, 2010.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by any of the following methods:

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
American Eurocopter  Corporation, 2701  Forum Drive,  Grand Prairie, Texas
75053-4005, telephone (972) 641-3460, fax (972) 641-3527.

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  stated  in the
ADDRESSES section of this proposal.  Comments will be available in  the AD
docket shortly after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: DOT/FAA  Southwest Region, Sharon  Miles,
ASW-111, Aviation Safety Engineer, Rotorcraft Directorate, Regulations and
Guidance Group,  2601 Meacham  Blvd., Fort  Worth, Texas  76137, telephone
(817) 222-5122, fax (817) 222-5961.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

COMMENTS INVITED

We invite you  to send any  written data, views,  or arguments about  this
proposed AD.  Send your  comments to  an address  listed in  the ADDRESSES
section of this proposal.  Include "Docket No. FAA-2010-0780;  Directorate
Identifier  2009-SW-68-AD"   at  the   beginning  of   your  comments.  We
specifically  invite  comments   on  the  overall   regulatory,  economic,
environmental, and energy  aspects of this  proposed AD. We  will consider
all comments received by the closing  date and may amend this proposed  AD
based on 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 we
receive about this proposed AD.

DISCUSSION

On March  14, 2007,  we issued  AD 2006-26-51,  Amendment 39-14961  (72 FR
13679, March 23,  2007). That AD  required actions intended  to address an
unsafe condition on the Model MBB-BK 117 C-2 helicopters. Since we  issued
AD 2006-26-51, the manufacturer has modified the control lever and dynamic
weights,  which   when  installed   on  the   helicopter  will  constitute
terminating action for the requirements in AD 2006-26-51.

EASA, which is the technical agent  for the Member States of the  European
Community, has  issued EASA  AD No.  2007-0237, dated  August 31, 2007, to
correct an unsafe condition for the Model MBB-BK 117 C-2 helicopters.  The
MCAI AD  states: "EASA  was informed  by the  manufacturer of an in-flight
incident  in  which  a  dynamic   weight  broke  off  the  control   lever
subsequently  leading  to  considerable  vibrations.  A  visual inspection
revealed that the threaded bolt of the control lever had broken off."

You may obtain  further information by  examining the MCAI  AD and service
information in the AD docket.

RELATED SERVICE INFORMATION

ECD has issued ECD Alert Service Bulletin MBB BK117 C-2-64A-002,  Revision
2, dated August 6, 2007. The actions described in the MCAI AD are intended
to correct  the same  unsafe condition  as that  identified in the service
information.

FAA'S EVALUATION AND UNSAFE CONDITION DETERMINATION

This helicopter has been approved by the aviation authority of the Federal
Republic of Germany  and is approved  for operation in  the United States.
Pursuant to our bilateral agreement with the Federal Republic of  Germany,
EASA,  their Technical  Agent, has  notified us  of the  unsafe  condition
described in the MCAI  AD. We are proposing  this AD because we  evaluated
all  information  provided by  EASA  and determined  the  unsafe condition
exists and is likely to exist or develop on other helicopters of this same
type design.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE AD AND THE MCAI AD

We refer to flight  hours as hours time-in-service.  We do not refer  to a
date of October 31,  2007, for replacing the  levers because the date  has
passed.

COSTS OF COMPLIANCE

We estimate  that this  proposed AD  would affect  41 helicopters  of U.S.
registry. We  also estimate  that it  would take  about 20  work-hours per
helicopter  to  inspect and  replace  the tail  rotor  control lever.  The
average labor rate is $85  per work-hour. Required parts would  cost about
$10,316 per helicopter.  Based on these  figures, we estimate  the cost of
this AD to the U.S. operators  to be $492,656 or $12, 016  per helicopter,
assuming the control lever is replaced on the entire 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 product(s) identified in this rulemaking action.

REGULATORY FINDINGS

We determined that this proposed AD would not have federalism implications
under Executive Order 13132. 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  responsib-
ilities among the various levels of government.

Therefore, I certify this proposed AD:

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

2. Is not a "significant rule" under the  DOT Regulatory Policies and Pro-
   cedures (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.

LIST OF SUBJECTS IN 14 CFR PART 39

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by reference,
Safety.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT

Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the
FAA proposes to amend 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. The FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by removing Amendment 39-14961 (72 FR 13679,
   dated March 23, 2007) and adding the following new AD: