DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2017-0189; Directorate Identifier 2017-SW-008-AD;
Amendment 39-18847; AD 2017-05-51]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: We are publishing a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Bell
Helicopter Textron Canada (Bell) Model 429 helicopters. This AD
requires inspecting the condenser blower motor (motor) and condenser
blower (blower) to determine if the motor is securely attached to the
blower support (shroud). This AD is prompted by a report that the motor
detached from the blower. The actions of this AD are intended to
prevent an unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: This AD becomes effective April 25, 2017 to all persons except
those persons to whom it was made immediately effective by Emergency AD
2017-05-51, issued on March 3, 2017, which contains 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 April 25, 2017.
We must receive comments on this AD by June 9, 2017.

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 by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2017-
0189; 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, 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 final rule, contact Air
Comm Corporation, 1575 West 124th Avenue, Westminster, CO 80234;
telephone: (303) 440-4075 (during business hours) or (720) 233-8330
(after hours); email: service@aircommcorp.com; Web site: http://www.aircommcorp.com/contact. You may review the referenced service
information at the FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, Southwest
Region, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy, Room 6N-321, Fort Worth, TX 76177. It is
also available on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by
searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2017-0189.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matthew Bryant, Aerospace Engineer,
Denver Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, Technical Operations Center,
26805 East 68th Avenue, Room 214, Denver CO 80249; phone (303) 342-
1092; fax (303) 342-1088; email Matthew.Bryant@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, 2017, we issued Emergency AD 2017-05-51 to correct an
unsafe condition on Bell Model 429 helicopters with an Air Comm
Corporation (Air Comm) air conditioning system part number (P/N) 429EC-
200 or 429EC-202 installed. Emergency AD 2017-05-51 was sent previously
to all known U.S. owners and operators of these helicopters. Emergency
AD 2017-05-51 requires inspecting the motor and blower to determine if
the motor is securely attached to the shroud.
Emergency AD 2017-05-51 was prompted by a report that the motor
detached from the blower. The motor is secured to the shroud by three
screw fasteners with thread locker applied. The report states that the
detached motor was resting on the flight controls.
An initial investigation indicates that the motor mount fasteners
may not have had the thread locker adhesive applied during production.
However, the root cause is under investigation. The motor fell on the
collective control tube, causing wear damage to the control tube. The
motor's power wiring also was on the collective control tube near
hydraulic and fuel lines. The actions in Emergency AD 2017-05-51 are
intended to prevent the motor from detaching, causing failure of the
primary flight controls and subsequent loss of helicopter control.

FAA's Determination

We are issuing this AD because we evaluated all the relevant
information and determined the unsafe condition described previously is
likely to exist or develop in other products of these same type
designs.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

We reviewed Air Comm Service Bulletin 429-201-1, Revision NC, dated
February 17, 2017 (SB 429-201-1), which advises inspecting the motor to
determine whether it is attached to the blower assembly within 20
flight hours. If the motor is not attached to the blower assembly, SB
429-201-1 advises reporting the detachment to Air Comm and inspecting
the surrounding area for damage. If any surrounding parts are damaged,
SB 429-201-1 specifies replacing or repairing the damaged parts. SB
429-201-1 then specifies replacing the blower assembly if parts are
available and deactivating the air conditioning system if parts are not
available. SB 429-201-1 also provides instructions if any P/N MS27039-
1-15 fasteners are missing or loose or if the motor is not secured
firmly to the blower assembly. These instructions include rotating the
fan blades by hand and verifying the clearance between the blades and
the shroud. If the fan blades are scraping or rubbing against the
shroud or if the blades cause visible damage to the shroud, SB 429-201-
1 advises replacing the blower assembly if parts are available. If
parts are not available, SB 429-201-1 advises deactivating the air
conditioning system. If the motor is secure, SB 429-201-1 provides
instructions for replacing any missing fasteners and removing and
reinstalling any existing fasteners with thread locker.
This service information is reasonably available because the
interested parties have access to it through their normal course of
business or by the means identified in the ADDRESSES section.

AD Requirements

This AD requires, before further flight and at intervals not to
exceed 25 hours time-in-service (TIS), inspecting the air conditioner
condenser blower for motor attachment and for missing or loose
fasteners. If the motor is not attached or if a fastener is missing or
loose, this AD requires deactivating the air conditioning system. If
the motor is not attached, this AD also requires inspecting the
collective flight control tube, the area under the forward transmission
cowling, and each wiring harness, and depending on the findings,
repairing or replacing the affected parts. Additionally, if the motor
is not attached or if the motor is attached but any fasteners are
missing, this AD requires inspecting for and removing any found
detached hardware. Deactivating the air conditioning system constitutes
terminating action for the repetitive inspections required by this AD.
This AD also requires reporting certain information to the FAA within
10 days.

Differences Between This AD and the Service Information

SB 429-201-1 advises performing the initial inspection within 20
hours TIS. This AD requires the initial inspection before further
flight. SB 429-201-1 advises reporting certain incidents to Air Comm,
whereas this AD requires reporting certain information to the FAA. SB
429-201-1 does not specify inspecting for and removing missing
hardware, whereas this AD does. If replacement parts are available, SB
429-201-1 advises replacing the blower, while this AD makes no
allowance for replacing the blower except by alternate means of
compliance. If fasteners are missing or loose but the motor is secure,
SB 429-201-1 advises replacing missing fasteners and removing and
reinstalling existing fasteners with thread locker and a torque stripe.
This AD requires removing the blower assembly if fasteners are missing
or loose but the motor is still secure. SB 429-201-1 does not require
repetitive inspections, while this AD requires the inspection every 25
hours time-in-service until the air conditioning system is deactivated.

Interim Action

We consider this AD to be an interim action. The inspection report
that is required by this AD will enable us to obtain better insight
into the cause of the motor's detachment, and help us develop final
action to address this unsafe condition. The design approval holder is
also 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 affects 78 helicopters of U.S. Registry
and that labor costs average $85 per work-hour. Based on these
estimates, we expect the following costs:
Inspecting the motor attachment requires 1 work-hour and
no parts for a total cost of $85 per helicopter, and $6,630 for the
U.S. fleet, per inspection cycle.
Removing the motor and deactivating the air conditioning
requires 2 work-hours and no parts for a total cost of $170 per
helicopter.
Removing the blower assembly and deactivating the air
conditioning requires 13 work-hours and no parts for a total cost of
$1,105 per helicopter.
Reporting the findings to the FAA requires 1 work-hour and
no parts for a total cost of $85 per helicopter.

Paperwork Reduction Act

A federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not
required to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to penalty for
failure to comply with a collection of information subject to the
requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act unless that collection of
information displays a current valid OMB control number. The control
number for the collection of information required by this AD is 2120-
0056. The paperwork cost associated with this AD has been detailed in the Costs
of Compliance section of this document and includes time for reviewing
instructions, as well as completing and reviewing the collection of
information. Therefore, all reporting required by this AD is mandatory.
Comments concerning the accuracy of this burden and suggestions for
reducing the burden should be directed to the FAA at 800 Independence
Ave. SW., Washington, DC 20591. ATTN: Information Collection Clearance
Officer, AES-200.

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
required initial inspection must be accomplished before further flight
and the recurring inspection must be accomplished at intervals not to
exceed 25 hours TIS. These helicopters, typically used for police and
medical transport, are expected to reach 25 hours TIS within a few
weeks.
Since it was found that immediate corrective action was required,
notice and opportunity for prior public comments before issuing this AD
were impracticable and contrary to public interest and good cause
existed to make the AD effective immediately by Emergency AD 2017-05-
51, issued on March 3, 2017, to all known U.S. owners and operators of
these helicopters. These conditions still exists 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):