DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2021-0575; Project Identifier MCAI-2020-00545-R]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Bell Textron Canada Limited (Type
Certificate Previously Held by Bell Helicopter 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 (type certificate previously
held by Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited) (Bell) Model 429
helicopters. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of incorrectly
staked spherical bearings in the directional control bellcrank
assembly. This proposed AD would require a one-time inspection of the
lower surface of the spherical bearing in the directional control
bellcrank assembly to determine if it is properly staked and, depending
on the findings, applicable corrective actions. For certain
helicopters, this proposed AD would also require repetitive inspections
and, depending on the findings, applicable corrective actions. This
proposed AD would also provide a terminating action for the repetitive
inspections. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe
condition on these products.

DATES: The FAA must receive comments on this proposed AD September 7, 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 J7J
1R4, Canada; telephone 1-450-437-2862 or 1-800-363-8023; fax 1-450-433-
0272; email productsupport@bellflight.com; or at
https://www.bellflight.com/support/contact-support.

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-2021-0575; 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: Andrea Jimenez, Aerospace Engineer,
COS Program Management Section, Operational Safety Branch, Compliance &
Airworthiness Division, FAA, 1600 Stewart Ave., Suite 410, Westbury, NY
11590; telephone (516) 228-7330; email andrea.jimenez@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-2021-0575; Project Identifier
MCAI-2020-00545-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
Andrea Jimenez, Aerospace Engineer, COS Program Management Section,
Operational Safety Branch, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, FAA,
1600 Stewart Ave., Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; telephone (516) 228-
7330; email andrea.jimenez@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-2020-11, dated April 16, 2020 (Transport Canada
AD CF-2020-11), to correct an unsafe
condition for Bell Textron Canada Limited (Bell) Model 429 helicopters,
serial numbers 57001 through 57210, 57212 through 57344, 57346 through
57371, 57374 through 57377, and 57380. Transport Canada advises that
there are reports of incorrectly staked spherical bearings in the
directional control bellcrank assembly. This condition, if not
addressed, could result in wear or elongation of the bore in the
bellcrank, which could result in reduced helicopter directional
control.

Accordingly, Transport Canada AD CF-2020-11 requires a one-time
inspection to determine if a spherical bearing is properly staked in
the directional control bellcrank assembly, and, depending on the
findings, replacement of the spherical bearing with a new spherical
bearing, repair of an affected bellcrank assembly and repetitive
inspections of that repaired bellcrank assembly, or replacement of the
affected bellcrank assembly with a serviceable part. Transport Canada
AD CF-2020-11 also provides terminating actions for the requirements of
the Canadian AD.

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 the unsafe condition
described previously 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 Alert Service Bulletin 429-19-50, Revision B,
dated December 19, 2019. This service information specifies procedures
for an initial inspection of the lower surface of the spherical bearing
in the directional control bellcrank assembly to determine if it is
properly staked, additional inspections, and corrective actions. The
corrective actions include installation of a new spherical bearing,
repair (including re-identification of the bellcrank assembly part
number), and replacement of the bellcrank assembly. The additional
inspections include an inspection of the upper surface of the spherical
bearing in the directional control bellcrank assembly to determine if
it is properly staked, an inspection of the bore in the bellcrank
assembly for excessive wear (including mechanical or corrosion damage
that exceed 0.001 inch (0.03 millimeter) maximum depth for \1/4\ of the
circumference, and any cracking); and, for any helicopter with a
bellcrank assembly that is repaired, repetitive inspections of the
lower surface of the spherical bearing to determine if it has moved.

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 also reviewed Bell Alert Service Bulletin 429-19-50, dated
November 27, 2019; and Revision A, dated December 2, 2019. Bell Alert
Service Bulletin 429-19-50, dated November 27, 2019, specifies
procedures for an initial inspection of the spherical bearing in the
directional control bellcrank assembly to determine if it is properly
staked and replacement of the spherical bearing with a new spherical
bearing if it is determined that the spherical bearing was not properly
staked.

Bell Alert Service Bulletin 429-19-50, Revision A, dated December
2, 2019, specifies procedures for an initial inspection of the lower
surface of the spherical bearing in the directional control bellcrank
assembly to determine if it is properly staked, additional inspections,
and corrective actions. The corrective actions include installation of
a new spherical bearing. The additional inspections include an
inspection of the upper surface of the spherical bearing in the
directional control bellcrank assembly to determine if it is properly
staked, and an inspection of the bore in the bellcrank assembly for
excessive wear.

Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM

This proposed AD would require accomplishing the actions specified
in the service information already described.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would
affect 120 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 actions
that would be required based on the results of the proposed inspection.
The agency has no way of determining the number of helicopters 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, 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: