DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2015-2119; Directorate Identifier 2015-SW-005-AD;
Amendment 39-18179; AD 2015-05-51]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Agusta S.p.A. (Agusta) Helicopters

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

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: We are publishing a new airworthiness directive (AD) for
Agusta Model A109A and A109A II helicopters, which was sent previously
to all known U.S. owners and operators of these helicopters. This AD
requires replacing a certain part-numbered blade with an approved part-
numbered blade. This AD is prompted by an error in the Illustrated
Parts Catalog (IPC) that incorrectly allows installation of a certain
part-numbered blade on the affected helicopters. These actions are
intended to prevent blade failure and subsequent loss of control of the
helicopter.

DATES: This AD becomes effective July 1, 2015 to all persons except
those persons to whom it was made immediately effective by Emergency AD
2015-05-51, issued on March 3, 2015, which contained the requirements
of this AD.
We must receive comments on this AD by August 17, 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 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
AgustaWestland, Product Support Engineering, Via del Gregge, 100, 21015
Lonate Pozzolo (VA) Italy, ATTN: Maurizio D'Angelo; telephone 39-0331-
664757; fax 39-0331-664680; or at http://www.agustawestland.com/technical-
bulletins. 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Martin Crane, Aviation Safety
Engineer, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth,
Texas 76137; telephone (817) 222 5110; email Martin.R.Crane@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 March 3, 2015, we issued Emergency AD 2015-05-51 to correct an
unsafe condition for Agusta Model A109A helicopters, serial numbers
7154 through 7255, and for all Model A109A II helicopters. Emergency AD
2015-05-51 requires replacing blade part number (P/N) 109-0103-01-7
with blade P/N 109-0103-01-9 or 109-0103-01-115. The emergency AD was
sent previously to all known U.S. owners and operators of these
helicopters. This action was prompted by an error in the IPC that
allows installing blade P/N 109-0103-01-7 on certain serial-numbered
Model A109A helicopters and on Model A109A II helicopters.
Emergency AD 2015-05-51 was prompted by Emergency AD No. 2015-0025-
E, dated February 18, 2015, issued by EASA, which is the Technical
Agent for the Member States of the European Union, to correct an unsafe
condition for certain serial-numbered Agusta Model A109A and all Model
A109A II helicopters. EASA advises of the installation of blade P/N
109-0103-01-7 on Model A109A II helicopters. In a subsequent
investigation, it was determined that blade P/N 109-0103-01-7 is only
eligible for installation on Model A109A helicopters up to serial
number (S/N) 7153. EASA states that for Model A109A and A109A II
helicopters, the current IPC incorrectly allows installing blade P/N
109-0103-01-7 on all helicopters. The EASA AD requires identifying each
blade P/N 109-0103-01-7 and replacing it with P/N 109-0103-01-9 or P/N
109-0103-01-115. The EASA AD also prohibits installing blade P/N 109-
0103-01-7 on Model A109A helicopters from S/N 7154 through 7255
inclusive and on all Model A109A II helicopters.

FAA's Determination

These helicopters have been approved by the aviation authority of
Italy and are approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant to
our bilateral agreement with Italy, 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 these same type designs.

Related Service Information

AgustaWestland Alert Bollettino Tecnico No. 109-142, dated February
17, 2015, specifies determining whether the affected part-numbered
blade is installed and, if installed, replacing it with blade P/N 109-
0103-01-9 or P/N 109-0103-01-115. Also, the service information states
that AgustaWestland has updated the A109A/AII IPC to give the correct
information about the applicable configuration.

AD Requirements

This AD requires, before further flight, replacing blade P/N 109-
0103-01-7 with blade P/N 109-0103-01-9 or 109-0103-01-115.

Costs of Compliance

We estimate that this AD will affect 34 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 1 work hour to replace a blade and $143,000 for required
parts, for a total cost of $143,085 per blade.

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 action must be
accomplished before further flight.
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 contrary to
the public interest and that good cause existed for making the AD
effective immediately by Emergency AD 2015-05-51, issued on March 3,
2015, 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):