DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2020-1118; Project Identifier MCAI-2020-00516-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).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD)
for all Safran Helicopter Engines, S.A. Arriel 2C, 2C1, 2S1, and 2S2
model turboshaft engines. This proposed AD was prompted by
investigations by the manufacturer following level 1 failures in flight
(minor anomalies) and level 2 failures on the ground (minor failures),
where cracks were found on the soldered joints of torque conformation
boxes. This proposed AD would require performing initial and repetitive
inspections of the resistance values of the torque conformation box
and, depending on the results of the inspections, replacement of the
torque conformation box. 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 25,
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., Avenue du 1er Mai, Tarnos, France; phone: +33
(0) 5 59 74 45 11. 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-2020-1118; 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-2020-1118; Project Identifier MCAI-2020-00516-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 2019-0110, dated May 21, 2019 (referred to after this as
"the MCAI"), to address the unsafe condition on these products. The
MCAI states:

It was reported that, during investigations following level 1
failures in flight (minor anomalies) and level 2 failures on the
ground (minor failures), cracks were found on the soldered joints of
certain torque conformation boxes. Although no events in operation
were reported of One Engine Inoperative (OEI) ratings maximum power
unavailability, the failure mode analysis for these boxes
demonstrated that such event could not be excluded. This condition,
if not detected and corrected, could lead to engine in-flight shut-
down, possibly resulting in reduced control of the helicopter.

To address this potential unsafe condition, SAFRAN Helicopter
Engines issued the SB [Service Bulletin], to provide instructions
for repetitive checks of the box resistance values.

For the reasons described above, this [EASA] AD requires
repetitive checks of the affected part and, depending on findings,
replacement of the affected part with a serviceable part.

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-2020-1118.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

The FAA reviewed Safran Helicopter Engines Mandatory Service
Bulletin (MSB) No. 292 72 2868, Version A, dated December 2018. The MSB
describes procedures for performing an inspection of the resistance
values of the torque conformation box. 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 performing initial and repetitive
inspections of the resistance values of the torque conformation box
and, depending on the results of the inspections, replacement of the
torque conformation box.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would
affect 257 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
replacement that would be required based on the results of the proposed
inspections. The agency has no way of determining the number of
aircraft that might need this replacement:

On-Condition Costs

The FAA has included all known costs in its estimate. According to
the manufacturer, however, some of the costs of this proposed AD may be
covered under warranty, thereby reducing the cost impact on affected
operators.

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: