DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2015-0133; Directorate Identifier 2014-SW-066-AD;
Amendment 39-18088; AD 2014-22-51]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters (Formerly Eurocopter
France)

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

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: We are publishing a new airworthiness directive (AD) for
Airbus Helicopters (formerly Eurocopter France) Model EC130T2
helicopters, which was sent previously to all known U.S. owners and
operators of these helicopters. This AD requires repetitively
inspecting the attachment points where the fan attaches to the main
gearbox (MGB) oil cooler hopper (hopper) and replacing any cracked
hopper with an airworthy hopper. This AD is prompted by several cases
of a cracked hopper. The cracks were found on the hopper at the fan
attachment points. These actions are intended to detect a crack in the
hopper at a fan attachment point to prevent failure of the fan
attachment, interference of the fan with the control rod of the front
servo-control or with the flight control bellcrank, and subsequent loss
of control of the helicopter.

DATES: This AD becomes effective February 25, 2015 to all persons
except those persons to whom it was made immediately effective by
Emergency AD (EAD) 2014-22-51, issued on October 29, 2014, which
contained the requirements of this AD.
The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by
reference of a certain document listed in this AD as of February 25,
2015.
We must receive comments on this AD by April 13, 2015.

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 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 (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 AD, contact Airbus
Helicopters, Inc., 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, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Room 663, Fort Worth, Texas
76137. It is also available on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by
searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2015- 0133.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eric Haight, Aviation Safety Engineer,
Regulations and Policy Group, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 2601 Meacham
Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 76137; telephone (817) 222-5110; email
eric.haight@faa.gov.

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 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 October 29, 2014, we issued EAD 2014-22-51, which requires,
before further flight and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 10
hours time-in-service (TIS), visually inspecting the hopper for a crack
at the four attachment points. If there is a crack, EAD 2014-22-51
requires replacing the hopper with an airworthy hopper, which is not
terminating action for the repetitive visual inspections. EAD 2014-22-
51 was sent previously to all known U.S. owners and operators of these
helicopters and resulted from several cases of a cracked MGB oil cooler
hopper.
EAD 2014-22-51 was prompted by EAD No. 2014-0229-E, dated October
20, 2014, 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 EC130T2 helicopters. EASA advises of several
cases of cracked MGB oil cooler fan attachments to the hopper. EASA EAD
No. 2014-0229-E requires repetitive visual inspections of the MGB oil
cooler fan attachment to the hopper and, depending on findings,
replacement of cracked parts.

FAA's Determination

This helicopter has been approved by the aviation authority of
France and is 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 EAD. We are
issuing 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 the same type design.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

Airbus Helicopters issued Emergency Alert Service Bulletin No.
05A020 Revision 0, dated October 20, 2014 (EASB), specifying periodic
visual checks for cracks in the engine MGB oil fan hopper. The EASB
states that a crack could lead to the total failure of the fan
attachment and that this condition, if not detected and corrected,
could lead to interference of the fan with the control rod of the front
servo-control or with the flight control bellcrank, possibly resulting
in reduced control of the helicopter. Also, the EASB states that
pending modification, the periodic visual check of the hopper is
necessary. This service information is reasonably available; see
ADDRESSES for ways to access this service information.

AD Requirements

This AD requires, before further flight and thereafter at intervals
not to exceed 10 hours TIS, visually inspecting the hopper for a crack
at the four fan attachment points. If there is a crack in the hopper,
this AD requires replacing the hopper with an airworthy hopper.
Replacing the hopper does not constitute terminating action for the
repetitive visual inspections required by this AD.

Differences Between This AD and the EASA AD

We do not use the compliance time option of every 7 days.

Interim Action

We consider this AD to be an interim action. The design approval
holder is currently developing a modification that will address the
unsafe condition identified in this AD. Once this modification is
developed, approved, and available, we might consider additional
rulemaking.

Costs of Compliance

We estimate that this AD will affect 60 helicopters of U.S.
Registry.
We estimate that operators may incur the following costs in order
to comply with this AD. Labor costs are estimated at $85 per hour. We
estimate 0.2 work hour to inspect the hopper at an estimated $17 per
helicopter and a total cost of $1,020 for the fleet. If a hopper is
replaced, we estimate 6 hours to replace it and $1,000 for required
parts for a total of $1,510.

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 found and
continue to find that the risk to the flying public justifies waiving
notice and comment prior to the adoption of this rule because the
previously described unsafe condition can adversely affect the
controllability of the helicopter and the required corrective actions
must be accomplished before further flight and in 10-hour intervals.
Since it was found that immediate corrective action was required,
notice and opportunity for prior public comment before issuing this AD
were impracticable and contrary to the public interest and good cause
existed to make the AD effective immediately by EAD 2014-22-51, issued
on October 9, 2014, to all known U.S. owners and operators of these
helicopters. These conditions still exist and the AD is hereby
published in the Federal Register as an amendment to section 39.13 of
the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 39.13) to make it effective to
all persons.

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

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 adding the following new airworthiness
directive (AD):