DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2018-0036; Product Identifier 2017-SW-015-AD; Amendment
39-19354; AD 2018-16-14]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Inc., Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Bell
Helicopter Textron Inc. (Bell) Model 212, Model 412, and Model 412EP
helicopters. This AD requires replacing the emergency flotation system
(EFS) tube assembly. This AD was prompted by a report of an EFS tube
assembly failure. The actions of this AD are intended to address an
unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: This AD is effective October 4, 2018.

ADDRESSES: 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 a copy of the referenced
service information at the FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel,
Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Room 6N-321, Fort Worth, TX
76177.

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-2018-
0036; 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 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: Rory Rieger, Aviation Safety Engineer,
DSCO Branch, AIR-7J0, FAA, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Fort Worth, TX 76177;
telephone (817) 222-5193; email rory.rieger@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

On January 26, 2018, at 83 FR 3630, 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 Bell Model 212, Model
412, and Model 412EP helicopters with a certain EFS tube assembly
installed. The NPRM proposed to require, within 300 hours time-in-
service (TIS), replacing any EFS tube assembly part number (P/N) 412-
073-820-101 with an unknown manufacture date or that was manufactured
before July 28, 2016. The NPRM also proposed to prohibit installing on
any helicopter an EFS tube assembly P/N 412-073-820-101 that was
manufactured before July 28, 2016 or that has an unknown manufacture
date.
The NPRM was prompted by a report from Bell that an EFS tube
assembly separated from the valve during a 2-year inflation test. A
subsequent investigation found that excessive sleeve preset force
during manufacturing caused cracks in the sleeve of the tube assembly,
which may result in the EFS float failing to deploy. Bell determined
that only those EFS tube assemblies with P/N 412-073-820-101 that were
shipped prior to July 28, 2016, were subject to this manufacturing
defect. Bell states that because this manufacturing defect is difficult
to detect, affected EFS tube assemblies in service must be replaced.
The affected parts were associated with a single Bell supplier that is
no longer manufacturing the tube assembly.

Comments

We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing
this AD, but we did not receive any comments on the NPRM.

FAA's Determination

We have reviewed the relevant information and determined that an
unsafe condition exists and is likely to exist or develop on other
products of these same type designs and that air safety and the public
interest require adopting the AD requirements as proposed.

Related Service Information

We reviewed Bell Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) 212-11-143 for Bell
Model 212 helicopters, and ASB 412-11-147 for Bell Model 412 and 412EP
helicopters, both Revision C and dated December 22, 2016. Each ASB
describes and illustrates procedures to replace the tube assembly
within 600 flight hours or by March 31, 2017.

Differences Between This AD and the Service Information

The service information requires compliance within 600 flight hours
or by March 31, 2017; this AD requires compliance within 300 hours TIS.

Costs of Compliance

We estimate that this AD will affect 250 helicopters of U.S.
Registry.
We estimate that operators will incur the following costs in order
to comply with this AD. At an average labor rate of $85 per hour,
replacing a tube assembly will require about 6 work-hours and required
parts will cost $4,902, for a total cost of $5,412 per helicopter and
$1,353,000 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.

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

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):