DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2016-5019; Product Identifier 2015-SW-079-AD; Amendment
39-19210; AD 2018-05-01]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Airbus
Helicopters Model AS332C, AS332C1, AS332L, AS332L1, AS332L2, and
EC225LP helicopters. This AD requires inspecting the sliding cabin plug
door (sliding door). This AD was prompted by the failure of the sliding
door's jettison mechanism due to corrosion. The actions of this AD are
intended to address an unsafe condition in these products.

DATES: This AD is effective April 5, 2018.
The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by
reference of certain documents listed in this AD as of April 5, 2018.

ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this final rule,
contact Airbus Helicopters, 2701 N. Forum Drive, Grand Prairie, TX
75052; telephone (972) 641-0000 or (800) 232-0323; fax (972) 641-3775;
or at http://www.helicopters.airbus.com/website/en/ref/Technical-
Support_73.html. 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-2016-5019.

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-2016-
5019; or in person at Docket Operations 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
Docket Operations (phone: 800-647-5527) is U.S. Department of
Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor,
Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Hatfield, Aviation Safety
Engineer, Safety Management Section, Rotorcraft Standards Branch, FAA,
10101 Hillwood Pkwy, Fort Worth, TX 76177; telephone (817) 222-5116;
email david.hatfield@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

On March 3, 2017, at 82 FR 12424, 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
Model AS332C, AS332C1, AS332L, AS332L1, and AS332L2 helicopters with a
date of manufacture on or before July 14, 2014, and with a sliding door
with Airbus Helicopters modification AL25612 or 0725870 installed; and
Model EC225LP helicopters with a date of manufacture on or before July
14, 2014.
The NPRM proposed to require visually inspecting for and removing
any sealing compound from the sliding doors and any corrosion from all
visible bracket surfaces, measuring corrosion depth and performing a
jettisoning test if there is corrosion, and measuring the clearance
between the bracket and stainless steel pipe to ensure a minimum
clearance. For Model EC225LP helicopters and Model AS332-series
helicopters with modification AL25612, the NPRM also proposed
inspecting for drain obstruction. The proposed requirements were
intended to prevent corrosion damage, which can hinder jettisoning the
door during an emergency, jeopardizing the safe evacuation of
occupants.
The NPRM was prompted by AD No. 2015-0156, dated July 29, 2015, and
corrected July 30, 2015, 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 AS332C, AS332C1, AS332L,
AS332L1, and AS332L2 helicopters manufactured before July 14, 2014, and
equipped with sliding doors modified in accordance with Airbus
Helicopters modification (MOD) AL25612 or 0725870. EASA AD No. 2015-
0156 also applies to Airbus Helicopters Model EC225LP helicopters
manufactured before July 14, 2014, and equipped with sliding doors.
EASA advises that the sliding door's emergency jettisoning
mechanism failed during a scheduled inspection because of significant
corrosion damage caused by water accumulation from a plastic-rubber
compound that obstructed the water drain of the jettison mechanism
system. According to EASA, this condition, if not detected and
corrected, could lead to jamming of the jettisoning mechanism, possibly
preventing the jettisoning of the door during an emergency and
jeopardizing the safe evacuation of occupants. To address this unsafe
condition, EASA AD No. 2015-0156 requires a one-time inspection of the
left hand and right hand sliding doors for corrosion.
Since the NPRM was issued, the FAA's Aircraft Certification Service
has changed its organization structure. The new structure replaces
product directorates with functional divisions. We have revised some of
the office titles and nomenclature throughout this Final rule to
reflect the new organizational changes. Additional information about
the new structure can be found in the Notice published on July 25, 2017
(82 FR 34564).

Comments

After our NPRM was published, we received comments from two
commenters.

Request

Both commenters requested that we require replacement of the entire
door jettisoning system. In support of this request, the commenters
stated that only replacing corroded parts and not the entire system
does not eliminate the danger of the parts corroding again.

We disagree. The AD does not only require the replacement of
corroded parts. It also requires removing any sealing compound,
measuring any corrosion and testing the door jettisoning mechanism,
ensuring the clearance between the bracket and stainless steel pipe,
and ensuring there is no obstruction of the drain on the roller well
bracket. We determined that the combination of these actions reduces
the risk of the corrosion recurring to an acceptable level and is
therefore sufficient to correct the unsafe condition.

FAA's Determination

These helicopters have been approved by the aviation authority of
France and are 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 these
same type designs and that air safety and the public interest require
adopting the AD requirements as proposed.

Differences Between This AD and the EASA AD

The EASA AD requires compliance within various times, depending on
the helicopter model and modifications. This AD requires compliance
within 30 days.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

We reviewed Airbus Helicopters Alert Service Bulletin No. AS332-
53.01.86, Revision 1, dated June 29, 2015 (ASB AS332-53.01.86), for
Model AS332C, AS332C1, AS332L, AS332L1, and AS332L2 helicopters and
military model AS332B, B1, F1, M, and M1 helicopters; and Alert Service
Bulletin No. EC225-53A048, Revision 0, dated August 18, 2014 (ASB
EC225-53A048), for Model EC225LP helicopters. ASB AS332-53.01.86 and
ASB EC225-53A048 specify checking areas of the emergency jettisoning
system of the sliding doors for the absence of sealing compound, for
corrosion on the visible surfaces of the bracket, for the absence of
interference between the stainless steel pipe and the aluminum bracket,
and for non-obstruction of the drain.
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.

Costs of Compliance

We estimate that this AD affects 24 helicopters of U.S. Registry
and that labor costs average $85 per work-hour. Based on these
estimates, we expect that visually inspecting for corrosion requires 1
work-hour and no parts for a total cost of $85 per helicopter, and
$2,040 for the U.S. fleet. Replacing corroded parts requires 8 work-
hours and parts cost $500 for a total cost of $1,180 per helicopter.
Replacing the door jettisoning system requires 16 work-hours and parts
cost $4,500 for a total cost of $5,860 per helicopter.

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 helicopters identified in this
rulemaking action.

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):