DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2020-0513; Product Identifier 2019-SW-037-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD)
2018-08-01 for Airbus Helicopters Model EC225LP helicopters. AD 2018-
08-01 requires inspecting the control rod attachment yokes (yoke) of
certain main rotor rotating swashplates (swashplate). Since the FAA
issued AD 2018-08-01, Airbus Helicopters has identified additional
swashplate serial numbers affected by the unsafe condition and has
established a life limit for the swashplates. This proposed AD would
retain the inspection requirements of AD 2018-08-01, expand the
applicability, establish a life limit, and add a one-time inspection of
stripped yokes. The actions of this proposed AD are intended to address
an unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: The FAA must receive comments on this proposed AD by August 3,
2020.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by any of the following methods:

Federal eRulemaking Docket: Go to https://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 https://www.regulations.
gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2020-0513;
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 proposed AD, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD,
any comments received and other information. The street address for
Docket Operations is listed above. Comments will be available in the AD
docket shortly after receipt.

For service information identified in this proposed 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 https://
www.airbus.com/helicopters/services/technical-support.html.You may
view this 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: Matt Fuller, Senior Aviation Safety
Engineer, Safety Management Section, Rotorcraft Standards Branch, FAA,
10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Fort Worth, TX 76177; telephone 817-222-5110;
email Matthew.Fuller@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

The FAA invites you to participate in this rulemaking by submitting
written comments, data, or views. The FAA also invites comments
relating to the economic, environmental, energy, or federalism impacts
that might result from adopting the proposals in this document. The
most helpful comments reference a specific portion of the proposal,
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 only one
time.

The FAA will file in the docket all comments received, as well as a
report summarizing each substantive public contact with FAA personnel
concerning this proposed rulemaking. Before acting on this proposal,
the FAA will consider all comments received on or before the closing
date for comments. The FAA will consider comments filed after the
comment period has closed if it is possible to do so without incurring
expense or delay. The FAA may change this proposal in light of the
comments received.

Discussion

The FAA issued AD 2018-08-01, Amendment 39-19254 (83 FR 17617,
April 23, 2018) ("AD 2018-08-01") for Airbus Helicopters Model
EC225LP helicopters. AD 2018-08-01 requires, for certain serial-
numbered swashplates part number (P/N) 332A31-3074-00 and P/N 332A31-
3074-01, a repetitive visual inspection of the five yokes for a crack
and replacing the swashplate if there is a crack in any of the yokes.

AD 2018-08-01 was prompted by EASA AD No. 2017-0191R2, dated
December 15, 2017 (EASA AD 2017-0191R2), issued by EASA, which is the
Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Union. EASA
advised of a finding by Airbus Helicopters that the yoke is susceptible
to cracking due to strain aging of the metal. EASA advised that this
condition, if not detected and corrected, could lead to structural
failure of a yoke, possibly resulting in loss of control of the
helicopter.

Actions Since AD 2018-08-01 Was Issued

Since the FAA issued AD 2018-08-01, Airbus Helicopters revised the
related service information, Emergency Alert Service Bulletin (EASB)
No. 05A051, Revision 1, dated November 16, 2017, to Revision 2, dated
February 26, 2019 (EASB 05A051). EASB 05A051 establishes a life limit
(also called a service life limit) of 12 years for the swashplate and
adds a reporting requirement if there is a crack or corrosion in a
yoke.

Thereafter, EASA superseded EASA AD 2017-0191R2 with EASA AD No.
2019-0074, dated March 28, 2019 (EASA AD 2019-0074). EASA advises that
additional analysis determined that it is necessary to introduce a new
life limit for the affected swashplates. Accordingly, EASA AD 2019-0074
retains the requirements of EASA AD 2017-0191R2 and adds the life limit
and the reporting requirement.

Additionally, the FAA issued AD 2018-08-01 to address the unsafe
condition of a crack in a swashplate yoke. However, AD 2018-08-01 did
not require stripping certain yokes and performing a one-time
inspection within 100 hours time-in-service (TIS) for corrosion and a
crack as specified in EASA AD 2017-0191R2, as there is sufficient time
to allow for notice and comment prior to this long-term AD requirement
going into effect. The FAA has determined this inspection is needed to
address this unsafe condition and has proposed to require, within 100
hours TIS and for certain yokes, removing the grease and stripping
certain areas of the yokes and inspecting these areas for corrosion,
pitting, loss of material, and a crack in this proposed AD.

FAA's Determination

These helicopters have been approved by EASA and are approved for
operation in the United States. Pursuant to the FAA's bilateral
agreement with the European Union, EASA has notified the FAA about the
unsafe condition described in its AD. The FAA is proposing this AD
after evaluating all known relevant information and determining that an
unsafe condition is likely to exist or develop on other helicopters of
the same type design.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

The FAA reviewed one document that co-publishes two Airbus
Helicopters EASB identification numbers: EASB 05A051 for Model EC225LP
helicopters and EASB No. 05A046, Revision 2, dated February 26, 2019,
for non-FAA type-certificated Model EC725AP helicopters. EASB 05A051 is
proposed for incorporation by reference in this proposed AD. Airbus
Helicopters EASB No. 05A046 is not proposed for incorporation by
reference in this proposed AD.

This service information specifies inspections for swashplate P/N
332A31-3074-00 and P/N 332A31-3074-01. This service information
specifies procedures for a repetitive inspection of the yokes for a
crack and a one-time inspection of the stripped yokes for corrosion and
a crack. If in doubt about whether there is a crack, this service
information specifies performing a non-destructive inspection. This
service information also specifies touching up the swashplate with
varnish if there is corrosion, removing any damage within
allowable limits, and refinishing the yokes. If there is a crack in a
yoke, this service information specifies replacing the swashplate. This
service information also specifies a life limit of 12 years since the
date of manufacture for the swashplates and reporting requirements if a
crack or corrosion is discovered.

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.

Other Related Service Information

The FAA reviewed one document that co-publishes two Airbus
Helicopters EASB identification numbers: No. 05A051 for Model EC225LP
helicopters and No. 05A046 for non-FAA type-certificated Model EC725AP
helicopters, each Revision 1 and dated November 16, 2017. Revision 1 of
this service information specifies the same inspections as Revision 2
of this service information. However, Revision 2 of this service
information clarifies some of the inspection instructions and adds a
life limit and a reporting requirement.

Proposed AD Requirements

This proposed AD would require, before further flight, reviewing
Appendix 4.A. of EASB 05A051 to determine the date of manufacture of
the swashplate and establishing a life limit of 12 years since the date
of manufacture. This proposed AD would retain the repetitive visual
inspections of AD 2018-08-01 to inspect each yoke for a crack at
intervals not to exceed 15 hours time-in-service for swashplates that
have accumulated less than 7 years since the date of manufacture. For a
swashplate that has accumulated 7 or more years, but less than 12
years, since the date of manufacture, this proposed AD would require
removing the grease and stripping certain areas of the yokes and
inspecting these areas for corrosion, pitting, loss of material, and a
crack. If there are no cracks, this AD would require performing a dye
penetrant inspection of the yoke for a crack.

Depending on the results of this inspection, the proposed AD would
require either repairing the surface of the swashplate or removing it
from service.

Differences Between This Proposed AD and the EASA AD

The EASA AD requires performing a non-destructive inspection only
if there is doubt whether there is a crack. Instead, this proposed AD
requires a visual inspection and if there are no cracks, requires a
non-destructive inspection. The EASA AD specifies instructions for
reporting inspection reports; this proposed AD does not.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this proposed AD affects 26 helicopters of
U.S. Registry. The FAA estimates that operators may incur the following
costs in order to comply with this proposed AD. Labor costs are
estimated at $85 per work-hour.

Determining the date of manufacture of the swashplate would take
about 0.5 work-hour for an estimated cost of $43 per helicopter and
$1,118 for the U.S. fleet.

Inspecting the yokes would take about 0.25 work-hour for an
estimated cost of $21 per helicopter and $546 for the U.S. fleet per
inspection cycle.

Removing grease, stripping the yokes, and inspecting the stripped
yokes would take about 8 work-hours, for a total estimated cost of $680
per helicopter.

Dye-penetrant inspecting a yoke for a crack would take about 6
work-hours and parts would cost about $50, for an estimated cost of
$560 per yoke.

Removing any corrosion or repairing damage within the allowable
limit would take about 3 work-hours, for an estimated cost of $255 per
yoke.

Replacing the swashplate would take about 6 work-hours, and parts
would cost about $85,661 for an estimated cost of $86,171 per instance.

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.

The FAA is 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

The FAA determined that this proposed AD would not have federalism
implications under Executive Order 13132. This proposed AD would 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 this proposed regulation:

1. Is not a "significant regulatory action" under Executive Order
12866,

2. Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and

3. 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.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by
reference, Safety.

The Proposed Amendment

Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the
Administrator, the FAA proposes to amend 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 removing Airworthiness Directive (AD)
2018-08-01, Amendment 39-19254 (83 FR 17617, April 23, 2018), and
adding the following new AD: