DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2014-0038; Directorate Identifier 2013-SW-023-AD;
Amendment 39-18146; AD 2015-09-01]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters (Type Certificate
Previously Held by Eurocopter France)

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Airbus
Model EC225LP helicopters. This AD requires repetitive visual and tap
test inspections of each main rotor blade (blade) leading edge
stainless steel protective strip (strip) for a crack, cut, or blind or
open debonding (debonding), and taking approved corrective measures. If
there is a crack or if there is debonding that exceeds acceptable
limits, this AD requires, before further flight, repairing or replacing
the blade with an airworthy part. This AD was prompted by suspected
water seepage through a crack in the blade strip resulting in
significant debonding. The actions of this AD are intended to prevent
loss of the blade strip, excessive vibrations induced by blade weight
imbalance, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

DATES: This AD is effective June 9, 2015.
The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by
reference of a certain document listed in this AD as of June 9, 2015.

ADDRESSES: 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 in
Docket No. FAA-2014-0038.

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 (phone: 800-647-
5527) is U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations Office,
M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue
SE., Washington, DC 20590.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

On January 31, 2014, at 79 FR 5321, the Federal Register published
our notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), which proposed to amend 14
CFR part 39 by adding an AD that would apply to Airbus Helicopters. The
NPRM proposed to require repetitive visual and tap test inspections of
each blade strip for a crack, cut, or debonding. If there is a crack or
if there is debonding beyond acceptable limits or located outside a
specific area, the NPRM proposed to require, before further flight,
repairing or replacing the blade with an airworthy part. If there is a
cut in the blade root polyurethane protective strip, the NPRM proposed
to require tap test inspecting the blade for debonding. The proposed
requirements were intended to prevent loss of the blade strip,
excessive vibrations induced by blade weight imbalance, and subsequent
loss of control of the helicopter.
The NPRM was prompted by AD No. 2013-0103, dated May 2, 2013,
issued by EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the
European Union, to correct an unsafe condition for Eurocopter (now
Airbus Helicopters) Model EC225LP helicopters with certain blades
installed. EASA advises that an investigation of significant debonding
of a blade strip revealed rapidly progressing debonding caused by water
seepage through a crack in the blade strip. EASA issued AD 2013-0103
requiring repetitive inspections of the blade strip to correct this
condition.

Comments

After our NPRM (79 FR 5321, January 31, 2014) was published, we
received comments from 2 commenters.

Request

Two commenters requested that a helicopter be allowed to operate
with a crack in the leading edge blade strip as long as the crack is
within the limits prescribed by the manufacturer. The commenters stated
that EASA and the manufacturer allow for a helicopter to fly if the
blade strip has a crack that is within limits because the blade strip
is sacrificial and nonstructural. The commenters state that requiring
repairing or replacing the blade strip if there is a crack results in a
higher cost and greater out-of-service time for operators without a
justifiable or measured increase in safety.
We agree with allowing a crack in the blade strip that is within
limits and has been properly sealed. Therefore, we have changed
paragraph (e)(5) of the AD to require sealing the crack instead of
repairing or replacing the blade if there is a crack within acceptable
limits.

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 AD. We are issuing this AD because we evaluated all
information provided by EASA, reviewed the relevant information,
considered the comments received, and determined the unsafe condition
exists and is likely to exist or develop on other helicopters of this
same type design and that air safety and the public interest require
adopting the AD requirements as proposed with the change described
previously. This change is consistent with the intent of the proposals
in the NPRM (79 FR 5321, January 31, 2014) and will not increase the
economic burden on any operator nor increase the scope of this AD.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

Eurocopter issued Emergency Alert Service Bulletin No. 05A010,
Revision 2, dated April 22, 2013 (EASB), for the Model EC225LP
helicopter and for the non-FAA typed certificated Model EC725AP
military helicopter. The EASB specifies a visual check and tapping test
of the bonding of the strip on the leading edge of the blades for
cracks, cuts, and debonding and taking corrective actions as
applicable. Revision 1 to the EASB changed the visual check and the
tapping test so that they can be performed without removing the blades.
Revision 2 extended the applicability to additional part-numbered
blades with a modified blade strip installed. This information is
reasonably available at http://www.regulations.gov in Docket No. FAA-
2014-0038. Or see ADDRESSES for other ways to access this service
information.

Costs of Compliance

We estimate that this AD affects 4 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 work hour. We
estimate 4 work hours to inspect the helicopter for a total of $340 per
helicopter and $1,360 for the U.S. operator fleet per inspection cycle.
If necessary, it will take 4 work hours to repair the blade and $600
for required parts for a total of $940 per helicopter. It will take
about 5 work hours to replace a blade at a cost of $425 for labor.
Parts will cost $315,495 to replace part number (P/N) 332A11-0050-01
and $403,650 to replace P/N 332A11-0055-00, for a total cost of
$315,920 and $404,075, respectively.

Regulatory Findings

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 above, 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):