DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2021-0377; Project Identifier MCAI-2021-00380-R]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Bell Textron Canada Limited Helicopters

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 certain Bell Textron Canada Limited Model 505 helicopters. This
proposed AD was prompted by three occurrences of metallic debris in the
engine oil lubrication system causing the 12 volts direct current (VDC)
reference voltage to be shorted to ground and loss of important flight
information to the pilot. This proposed AD would require replacing a
certain part-numbered relay panel assembly. 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 July 9, 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 between 9 a.m. and
5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

For service information identified in this NPRM, contact Bell
Textron Canada Limited, 12,800 Rue de l'Avenir, Mirabel, Quebec J7J1R4,
Canada; telephone (450) 437-2862 or (800) 363-8023; fax (450) 433-0272;
or at https://www.bellcustomer.com. You may view this service
information at the FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, Southwest
Region, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Room 6N-321, Fort Worth, TX 76177. For
information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call (817)
222-5110.

Examining the AD Docket

You may examine the AD docket at https://www.regulations.gov by
searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2021-0377; 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
Transport Canada AD, any comments received, and other information. The
street address for Docket Operations is listed above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Hal Jensen, Aerospace Engineer,
Operational Safety Branch, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, FAA,
950 L'Enfant Plaza N SW, Washington, DC 20024; telephone (202) 267-
9167; email hal.jensen@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-2021-0377; Project Identifier
MCAI-2021-00380-R" 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 Hal
Jensen, Aerospace Engineer, Operational Safety Branch, Compliance &
Airworthiness Division, FAA, 950 L'Enfant Plaza N SW, Washington, DC
20024; telephone (202) 267-9167; email hal.jensen@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.

Background

Transport Canada, which is the aviation authority for Canada, has
issued Canadian AD CF-2017-36, dated December 15, 2017 (Canadian AD CF-
2017-36), to correct an unsafe condition for Bell Helicopter Textron
Canada Limited (BHTCL) (now Bell Textron Canada Limited) Model 505
helicopters serial numbers 65011 through 65023, 65025 through 65028,
65030 through 65032, 65034, and 65036. Transport Canada advises of
three occurrences of metallic debris in the engine oil lubrication
system of the Model 505 helicopter causing the Garmin Engine Airframe
(GEA) 12 VDC reference voltage to be shorted to ground. This short to
ground results in loss of display of important flight information
including the main rotor rotations per minute (Nr), fuel quantity, and
transmission oil pressure and temperature, and the generator voltage
and ammeter parameters are marked invalid with a red "X" on the
primary flight display (PFD) and the multi-function display (MFD). This
condition, if not addressed, could result in loss of caution, advisory,
and system performance indications for multiple helicopter systems,
particularly when the initiating event may be the activation of the
engine chip detector.

Accordingly, Canadian AD CF-2017-36 requires replacing relay panel
assembly part number (P/N) SLS-075-002-107 with relay panel assembly P/N
SLS-075-002-109.

FAA's Determination

These helicopters have been approved by the aviation authority of
Canada and are approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant to
the FAA's bilateral agreement with Canada, Transport Canada, its
technical representative, has notified the FAA of 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 Bell Helicopter Alert Service Bulletin 505-17-04,
dated December 6, 2017 (ASB 505-17-04). ASB 505-17-04 specifies
procedures for replacing relay panel assembly P/N SLS-075-002-107 with
relay panel assembly P/N SLS-075-002-109. ASB 505-17-04 also specifies
procedures for accomplishing a functional test of the two engine
electrical magnetic plugs and provides a notice to ensure 505-FM-1 (TR-
2) is inserted into the flight manual.

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.

Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM

This proposed AD would require replacing relay panel assembly P/N
SLS-075-002-107 with relay panel assembly P/N SLS-075-002-109.

Differences Between This Proposed AD and the Transport Canada AD

Canadian AD CF-2017-36 requires replacing the relay panel assembly
within 25 hours air time or 30 days, whichever occurs first, whereas
this proposed AD would require that replacement within 25 hours time-
in-service instead. Canadian AD CF-2017-36 applies to certain serial-
numbered Model 505 helicopters, where as this proposed AD would apply
to certain serial-numbered Model 505 helicopters with relay panel
assembly P/N SLS-075-002-107 installed instead.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this proposed AD would affect 3 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.

Replacing each relay panel assembly would take about 3 work-hours
and parts would cost $7,079 for an estimated cost of $7,334 per
helicopter and $22,002 for the U.S. fleet.

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) 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 (AD):