DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2020-1038; Project Identifier MCAI-2020-00569-E]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Safran Helicopter Engines, S.A. (Type
Certificate Previously Held by Turbomeca, S.A.) Turboshaft Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD)
for all Safran Helicopter Engines, S.A. (Safran) Arriel 2D and Arriel
2E model turboshaft engines. This proposed AD was prompted by the
manufacturer revising the maintenance and overhaul manuals to introduce
new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations and maintenance
tasks. This proposed AD would require the replacement of certain
critical parts before reaching their published in-service life limits,
performing scheduled maintenance tasks before reaching their published
periodicity, and performing unscheduled maintenance tasks when the
engine meets certain conditions. As a terminating action, this proposed
AD would require operators to revise the airworthiness limitation
section (ALS) of their existing approved aircraft maintenance program
(AMP) by incorporating the revised airworthiness limitations and
maintenance tasks. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe
condition on these products.

DATES: The FAA must receive comments on this proposed AD by January 14,
2021.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR
11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods:

Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.

Fax: (202) 493-2251.

Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12 140, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.

Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail address above between 9
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

For service information identified in this NPRM, contact Safran
Helicopter Engines, S.A., 64511 Bordes--Cedex, France; phone: (33) 05
59 74 40 00; fax: (33) 05 59 74 45 15. You may view this service
information at the FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, Operational
Safety Branch, 1200 District Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803. For
information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call (781)
238-7759.

Examining the AD Docket

You may examine the AD docket at https://www.regulations.gov by
searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2020-1038; 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 NPRM, the
mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI), any comments
received, and other information. The street address for Docket Operations
is listed above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wego Wang, Aviation Safety Engineer,
ECO Branch, FAA, 1200 District Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803; phone:
(781) 238-7134; fax: (781) 238-7199; email: wego.wang@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

The FAA invites you to send any written relevant data, views, or
arguments about this proposal. Send your comments to an address listed
under ADDRESSES. Include "Docket No. FAA-2020-1038; Project Identifier
MCAI-2020-00569-E" at the beginning of your comments The most helpful
comments reference a specific portion of the proposal, explain the
reason for any recommended change, and include supporting data. The FAA
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend
this proposal because of those comments.

Except for Confidential Business Information (CBI) as described in
the following paragraph, and other information as described in 14 CFR
11.35, the FAA will post all comments received, without change, to
https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you
provide. The agency will also post a report summarizing each
substantive verbal contact received about this NPRM.

Confidential Business Information

CBI is commercial or financial information that is both customarily
and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public
disclosure. If your comments responsive to this NPRM contain commercial
or financial information that is customarily treated as private, that
you actually treat as private, and that is relevant or responsive to
this NPRM, it is important that you clearly designate the submitted
comments as CBI. Please mark each page of your submission containing
CBI as "PROPIN." The FAA will treat such marked submissions as
confidential under the FOIA, and they will not be placed in the public
docket of this NPRM. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to Wego
Wang, Aviation Safety Engineer, ECO Branch, FAA, 1200 District Avenue,
Burlington, MA 01803. Any commentary that the FAA receives which is not
specifically designated as CBI will be placed in the public docket for
this rulemaking.

Background

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the
Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Community, has
issued EASA AD 2018-0273, dated December 13, 2018 (referred to after
this as "the MCAI"), to address the unsafe condition on these
products. The MCAI states:

The airworthiness limitations and maintenance tasks for the
SAFRAN ARRIEL 2D, ARRIEL 2E and ARRIEL 2N engines, which are
approved by EASA, are currently defined and published in the SAFRAN
ARRIEL 2 Maintenance and Overhaul Manuals, as applicable. These
instructions have been identified as mandatory for continued
airworthiness.

Failure to accomplish these instructions could result in an
unsafe condition.

SAFRAN recently revised the applicable Maintenance and Overhaul
Manuals (the applicable ALS), introducing new and/or more
restrictive airworthiness limitations and maintenance tasks.

For the reason described above, this [EASA] AD requires
accomplishment of the actions specified in the applicable ALS.

You may obtain further information by examining the MCAI in the AD
docket at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating
Docket No. FAA-2020-1038.

FAA's Determination

The FAA is issuing this NPRM after determining that the unsafe
condition described previously is likely to exist or develop on other
products of the same type design.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

The FAA reviewed Chapter 05-10-00 of Safran Helicopter Engines
ARRIEL 2D Maintenance Manual (MM) No. X292 R1 450 2, Update No. 20,
dated June 15, 2020. Safran Helicopter Engines ARRIEL 2D MM X292 R1 450
2 identifies the terms used in tables for limits and mandatory
maintenance tasks, usage counters of the engine log book, life limits
for life-limited parts, and mandatory inspection tasks to be carried
out to reach the airworthiness objectives on Safran Arriel 2D model
engines.

The FAA reviewed Chapter 05-10-00 of Safran Helicopter Engines
ARRIEL 2E MM No. X292 R2 300 2, Update No. 16, dated June 15, 2020.
Safran Helicopter Engines ARRIEL 2E MM X292 R2 300 2 identifies the
terms used in tables for limits and mandatory maintenance tasks, usage
counters of the engine log book, life limits for life-limited parts,
and mandatory inspection tasks to be carried out to reach the
airworthiness objectives on Safran Arriel 2E model engines.

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 ADDRESSES.

Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM

This proposed AD would require the replacement of certain critical
parts before reaching their published in-service life limits,
performance of schedule maintenance tasks before reaching the published
periodicity in the applicable Safran Arriel MM chapter, and performance
of unscheduled maintenance tasks when the engine meets certain
conditions specified in the applicable Safran Arriel MM chapter. As a
terminating action, this proposed AD would require operators to revise
the ALS of their existing approved AMP by incorporating the revised
airworthiness limitations and maintenance tasks.

Differences Between This Proposed AD and the MCAI

The MCAI is applicable to Safran Arriel 2D, Arriel 2E, and Arriel
2N model turboshaft engines. This AD is only applicable to Safran
Arriel 2D and 2E model turboshaft engines. Safran Arriel 2N model
turboshaft engines are not type certificated in the U.S.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would
affect 426 engines installed on helicopters of U.S. registry.

The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this proposed
AD:

Estimated Costs

The FAA estimates the following costs to do any necessary
corrective actions that would be required based on the results of the
proposed maintenance tasks. The agency has no way of determining the
number of aircraft that might need these actions.

On-Condition Costs

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 above, I certify this proposed
regulation:

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

(2) Would not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and

(3) Would 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 adding the following new airworthiness
directive: