DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2017-0701; Directorate Identifier 2016-SW-063-AD;
Amendment 39-18962; AD 2017-15-02]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. (Bell)
Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Bell
Model 212 and Model 412 helicopters. This AD requires replacing certain
oil and fuel check valves and prohibits installing them on any
helicopter. This AD is prompted by a report of cracked or leaking check
valves. These actions are intended to address an unsafe condition on
these helicopters.

DATES: This AD becomes effective August 4, 2017.
We must receive comments on this AD by September 18, 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-
0701; 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 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 Bell
Helicopter Textron, Inc., P.O. Box 482, Fort Worth, TX 76101; telephone
(817) 280-3391; fax (817) 280-6466; or at http://www.bellcustomer.com/
files/. 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jurgen E. Priester, Aviation Safety
Engineer, Delegation Systems Certification Office, ASW-130, FAA, 10101
Hillwood Pkwy., Fort Worth, TX 76177; telephone (817) 222-5159; email
jurgen.e.priester@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

We are adopting a new AD for Bell Model 212 and Model 412
helicopters. This AD is prompted by a report that certain part numbered
209-062-520-001 check valves manufactured by Circor Aerospace as
replacement parts have been found cracked or leaking on several Bell
Model 427 and Model 429 helicopters. These check valves may be
installed as engine oil check valves on Bell Model 212 helicopters.
Similar check valves, part number 209-062-607-001, may be installed as
fuel check valves on Bell Model 212 or 412 helicopters. These check
valves may have a condition induced during assembly that can cause the
valve body to crack, resulting in oil or fuel leakage. These suspect
check valves are marked ``Circle Seal'' and were manufactured between
October 2011 and March 2015. If not corrected, this condition could
result in a crack, fuel or oil leakage, and subsequent failure of the
engine or a fire and loss of control of the helicopter.

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 helicopters of these same type
designs.

Related Service Information

We reviewed Bell Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) 212-15-153, dated
September 4, 2015 (212-15-153), and Bell ASB 212-15-155, dated
September 15, 2015 (212-15-155), for Model 212 helicopters and Bell ASB
412-15-168, dated September 15, 2015 (412-15-168), for Model 412
helicopters. ASB 212-15-153 describes procedures for inspecting and
replacing engine oil check valve part number (P/N) 209-062-520-001
installed on certain serial-numbered Model 212 helicopters. ASB 212-15-
155 and ASB 412-15-168 describe procedures for inspecting and replacing
fuel check valve P/N 209-062-607-001 installed on certain serial-
numbered Model 212 and Model 412 helicopters.

AD Requirements

This AD requires, within 25 hours time-in-service (TIS), replacing
the engine oil and fuel check valves.
This AD also prohibits installing a check valve P/N 209-062-520-001
or P/N 209-062-607-001 that was manufactured by Circor Aerospace,
marked ``Circle Seal,'' and marked with a manufacturing date code of
``10/11'' (October 2011) through ``03/15'' (March 2015) on any
helicopter.

Differences Between This AD and the Service Information

The manufacturer's service information describes procedures for an
inspection of the check valves within 25 hours TIS for a crack and
allows 300 hours TIS to determine if the valve is affected and to
replace any affected check valve. This AD requires replacing all
affected check valves within 25 hours TIS.

Costs of Compliance

We estimate that this AD affects 161 (59 Model 212 and 102 Model
412) helicopters of U.S. Registry.
We estimate that operators may incur the following costs in order
to comply with this AD. At an average labor rate of $85, replacing each
check valve (engine oil or fuel) will require about 1 work-hour, and
required parts will cost $85. For the Model 212, we estimate a total
cost of $340 per helicopter and $20,060 for the U.S. fleet. For the
Model 412, we estimate a total cost of $170 per helicopter and $17,340
for the U.S. fleet.
According to Bell's service information some of the costs of this
AD may be covered under warranty, thereby reducing the cost impact on
affected individuals. We do not control warranty coverage by Bell.
Accordingly, we have included all costs in our cost estimate.

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 find that
the risk to the flying public justifies waiving notice and comment
prior to the adoption of this rule because the actions required by this
AD must be accomplished within 25 hours TIS, a very short interval for
helicopters used in firefighting and logging operations.
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 that good
cause exists for making this amendment effective in less than 30 days.

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):