DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2020-0675; Product Identifier 2018-SW-027-AD; Amendment
39-21174; AD 2020-15-11]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; PZL Swidnik S.A. Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for PZL
Swidnik S.A. Model PZL W-3A helicopters. This AD requires repetitively
inspecting the main rotor (M/R) vibration absorber star and depending
on the inspection outcome, performing more in-depth inspections and
repairing, replacing, or removing the vibration absorber star from
service. This AD was prompted by a report of corrosion detected on an
M/R vibration absorber star. The actions of this AD are intended to
address an unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: This AD becomes effective August 11, 2020.

The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by
reference of a certain document listed in this AD as August 11, 2020.

The FAA must receive comments on this AD by September 25, 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-
0675; 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 (now European Union
Aviation Safety Agency) (EASA) AD, any service information that is
incorporated by reference, any comments received, and other
information. The street address for Docket Operations is listed above.

For service information identified in this final rule, contact WSK
"PZL- Swidnik" S.A., Al. Lotnik[oacute]w Polskich 1, 21-045
Swidnik, Poland, telephone +48 664 424 798, or at
www.pzl.swidnik.pl. You may view 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 https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and
locating Docket No. FAA-2020-0675.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kristi Bradley, Aerospace Engineer,
Rotorcraft Standards Branch, FAA, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Fort Worth, TX
76177; telephone 817-222-5110; email kristin.bradley@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

This AD is a final rule that involves requirements affecting flight
safety, and the FAA did not provide you with notice and an opportunity
to provide your comments prior to it becoming effective. However, the
FAA invites you to participate in this rulemaking by submitting written
comments, data, or views. The most helpful comments reference a
specific portion of the AD, 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 them only one time.

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 file in the docket all comments received, as well
as a report summarizing each substantive public contact with FAA
personnel concerning this rulemaking during the comment period. The FAA
will consider all the comments received and may conduct additional
rulemaking based on those comments.

Confidential Business Information

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 Kristi Bradley, Aerospace Engineer, Rotorcraft
Standards Branch, FAA, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Fort Worth, TX 76177;
telephone 817-222-5110; email kristin.bradley@faa.gov. Any commentary
that the FAA receives which is not specifically designated as CBI will
be placed in the public docket for this rulemaking.

Discussion

EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the
European Union, has issued EASA AD No. 2018-0070, dated March 27, 2018,
to correct an unsafe condition for Wytw[oacute]rnia SprzEtu
Komunikacyjnego "PZL-Swidnik" Sp[oacute][lstrok]ka Akcyjna
(WSK, "PZL-SWIDNIK" S.A.) Model PZL W-3A and PZL W-3AS
helicopters with M/R vibration absorber star part number (P/N)
30.23.005.01.04 installed. EASA advises that corrosion was found on the
M/R vibration absorber star during routine maintenance. EASA advises
subsequent investigation could not identify the root cause of the
corrosion. EASA states this condition, if not detected and corrected,
could lead to structural failure of the M/R vibration absorber star,
possibly resulting in damage to the main or tail rotor and subsequent
loss of control of the helicopter.

Accordingly, the EASA AD requires repetitive inspections of the M/R
vibration absorber star, and depending on the outcome of the
inspections, repair or replacement. The EASA AD also requires
inspecting an M/R vibration absorber star before installation on a
helicopter.

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 of the
unsafe condition described in its AD. The FAA is issuing this AD after
evaluating all information
provided by EASA and determining the unsafe condition exists and is
likely to exist or develop on other helicopters of the same type
design.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

WYTWORNIA SPRZETU KOMUNIKACYJNEGO "PZL-Swidnik"
Spolka Akcyjna has issued Mandatory Bulletin No. BO-37-18-291, dated
March 13, 2018, which specifies repetitively inspecting the M/R
vibration absorber star for paint coating damage and for signs of
corrosion. Depending on the inspection results, this service
information specifies inspecting for corrosion under the bolt heads
that secure the M/R vibration absorber star to the bracket and
mechanically removing the paint coating on the M/R vibration absorber
star to inspect further for corrosion. This service information also
specifies removing corrosion and repairing mechanical damage that is
within allowable limits. Additionally, this service information
specifies emailing sketches showing the polishing depth in repaired M/R
vibration absorber star surfaces to PZL Swidnik S.A. Finally,
this service information specifies contacting PZL Swidnik S.A.
for any corrosion or mechanical damage that reaches the maximum total
polishing depth or for corrosion under a bolt head.

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.

AD Requirements

This AD requires visually inspecting certain areas of the M/R
vibration absorber star within an initial compliance time based on the
helicopter serial number, and thereafter, repeating the inspections at
intervals not to exceed 300 hours time-in-service (TIS) or 12 months,
whichever occurs first. This AD requires inspecting the M/R vibration
absorber star for paint coating delamination, blistering, and
discoloration, and missing paint coating, a scratch, a dent, a nick,
and corrosion. If there is any paint coating delamination, blistering,
or discoloration, or missing paint, a scratch, a dent, a nick, or
corrosion, this AD requires mechanically removing any remaining paint
coating. If there is no scratch, dent, nick, or corrosion, this AD
requires repairing the paint coating. If there is a scratch, a dent, a
nick, or corrosion less than the accumulated maximum total polishing
depth of 0.5 mm, this AD requires repairing the surface. If there is a
scratch, a dent, a nick, or corrosion that exceeds the accumulated
maximum total polishing depth of 0.5 mm, this AD requires removing the
M/R vibration absorber star from service. This AD also requires
inspecting under each bolt head P/N 30.23.000.08.04 for corrosion.
Lastly, this AD requires inspecting an M/R vibration absorber star
before being installed on any helicopter.

Differences Between This AD and the EASA AD

The EASA AD applies to Model PZL W-3AS helicopters, whereas this AD
does not because that model is not FAA type-certificated. The EASA AD
requires reporting certain information to PZL Swidnik S.A.,
whereas this AD does not. The EASA AD requires contacting PZL
Swidnik S.A., if the accumulated maximum total polishing depth
exceeds 0.5 mm or if there is corrosion under the bolt head, whereas
this AD requires repairing or replacing the affected part in accordance
with FAA approved repair procedures or removing the affected part from
service.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

The requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) do not
apply when an agency finds good cause pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553 to adopt
a rule without prior notice and comment. Because the FAA has determined
that it has good cause to adopt this rule without notice and comment,
RFA analysis is not required.

Costs of Compliance

There are no costs of compliance associated with this AD because
there are no helicopters of this type certificate on the U.S. Registry.

FAA's Justification and Determination of the Effective Date

Section 553(b)(3)(B) of the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C.)
authorizes agencies to dispense with notice and comment procedures for
rules when the agency, for "good cause," finds that those procedures
are "impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to the public interest."
Under this section, an agency, upon finding good cause, may issue a
final rule without seeking comment prior to the rulemaking.

There are no helicopters with this type certificate on the U.S.
Registry. Therefore, notice and opportunity for prior public comment
are unnecessary pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B). In addition, for the
reasons stated above, the FAA finds that good cause exists pursuant to
5 U.S.C. 553(d) for making this amendment effective in less than 30
days.

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

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, I certify that this AD:

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

2. Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska.

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):