DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2021-0496; Project Identifier MCAI-2020-00393-R;
Amendment 39-21700; AD 2021-17-17]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Airworthiness Directives; Airbus
Helicopters and Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH (AHD) Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for
Airbus Helicopters Model AS332C, AS332C1, AS332L, AS332L1, AS350B,
AS350BA, AS350B1, AS350B2, AS350B3, AS350D, AS355E, AS355F, AS355F1,
AS355F2, AS355N, AS355NP, AS-365N2, AS 365 N3, EC120B, EC130B4,
EC130T2, EC 155B, EC155B1, SA-365N, and SA-365N1 helicopters; and
Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH (AHD) Model EC135P1, EC135P2,
EC135P2+, EC135P3, EC135T1, EC135T2, EC135T2+, EC135T3, MBB-BK117 C-2,
and MBB-BK117 D-2 helicopters. This AD was prompted by failure of an
Emergency Flotation System (EFS) float compartment to inflate during
maintenance of the EFS. This AD requires inspecting certain EFSs and
depending on the results, marking certain parts or removing certain
parts from service, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety
Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference (IBR). The FAA is
issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: This AD is effective November 22, 2021.

The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by
reference of certain publications listed in this AD as of November 22, 2021.

ADDRESSES: For EASA material incorporated by reference (IBR) in this
AD, contact the EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 Cologne, Germany;
telephone +49 221 8999 000; email ADs@easa.europa.eu; internet
www.easa.europa.eu. You may find this material on the EASA website at
https://ad.easa.europa.eu. For Safran Aerosystems service information
identified in this final rule, contact Safran Aerosystems, Technical
Publication Department, 61 rue Pierre Curie CS20001, 78373 Plaisir
Cedex, France; telephone (33) 1 61 34 23 23; fax (33) 1 61 34 24 41; or
at https://www.safran-aerosystems.com/customers-0. You may view this
material 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. It is also available in the AD docket on the internet at
https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No.
FAA-2021-0496.

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-2021-
0496; 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 final rule, any comments received, and other information. The
address for Docket Operations is U.S. Department of Transportation,
Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200
New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrea Jimenez, Aerospace Engineer,
Airframe and Propulsion Section, FAA, New York ACO Branch, 1600 Stewart
Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; telephone (516) 228-7330; fax
(516) 794-5531; email 9-avs-nyaco-cos@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the
European Union, has issued EASA AD 2020-0064, dated March 19, 2020
(EASA AD 2020-0064), to correct an unsafe condition for Airbus
Helicopters (AH), formerly Eurocopter, Eurocopter France, Aerospatiale
Model EC 120 B, EC 175 B, AS 332 C, AS 332 C1, AS 332 L, AS 332 L1, AS
350 B, AS 350 B1, AS 350 B2, AS 350 BA, AS 350 BB, AS 350 B3, AS 350 D,
EC 130 B4, EC 130 T2, AS 355 E, AS 355 F, AS 355 F1, AS 355 F2, AS 355
N, AS 355 NP, SA 365 N, SA 365 N1, AS 365 N2, AS 365 N3, EC 155 B, and
EC 155 B1 helicopters. EASA AD 2020-0064 also corrects an unsafe
condition for Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH (AHD), formerly
Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH; and Airbus Helicopters Inc., formerly
American Eurocopter LLC, Eurocopter Espa[ntilde]a S.A. Model MBB-BK117
C-2, MBB-BK117 D-2, EC 135 P1, EC 135 P2, EC 135 P2+, EC 135 P3, EC 135
T1, EC 135 T2, EC 135 T2+, EC 135 T3, EC 635 P2+, EC 635 P3, EC 635 T1,
EC 635 T2+, and EC 635 T3 helicopters. Model EC635 P2+, EC635 P3, EC635
T1, EC635 T2+, and EC635 T3 helicopters are not certificated by the FAA
and are not included on the U.S. type certificate data sheet except
where the U.S. type certificate data sheet explains that the Model
EC635T2+ helicopter having serial number 0858 was converted from Model
EC635T2+ to Model EC135T2+; this AD therefore does not include Model
EC635 P2+, EC635 P3, EC635 T1, EC635 T2+, and EC635 T3 helicopters in
the applicability.

The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14
CFR part 39 by adding an AD that would apply to certain Airbus
Helicopters Model AS332C, AS332C1, AS332L, AS332L1, AS350B, AS350BA,
AS350B1, AS350B2, AS350B3, AS350D, AS355E, AS355F, AS355F1, AS355F2,
AS355N, AS355NP, AS-365N2, AS 365 N3, EC120B, EC130B4, EC130T2, EC
155B, EC155B1, SA-365N, and SA-365N1 helicopters, and Airbus
Helicopters Deutschland GmbH (AHD) Model EC135P1, EC135P2, EC135P2+,
EC135P3, EC135T1, EC135T2, EC135T2+, EC135T3, MBB-BK117 C-2, and MBB-
BK117 D-2 helicopters. The NPRM published in the Federal Register on
June 16, 2021 (86 FR 31995). The NPRM was prompted by failure of an
Emergency Flotation System (EFS) float compartment to inflate during
maintenance of the EFS. The NPRM proposed to require inspecting certain
EFSs and depending on the results, marking certain parts or removing
certain parts from service specified in EASA AD 2020-0064.

Discussion of Final Airworthiness Directive

Comments

The FAA gave the public the opportunity to participate in
developing this final rule. The FAA received no comments on the NPRM or
on the determination of the cost to the public.

Conclusion

The FAA reviewed the relevant data and determined that air safety
and the public interest require adopting this final rule as proposed,
except for a minor change. In the NPRM, the FAA proposed to require
actions specified in EASA AD 2020-0064 through incorporation by
reference, except for certain differences. The FAA has obtained
approval to use this process from certain manufacturers, including
Airbus Helicopters and Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH (AHD);
however, the FAA has not worked with Safran Aerosystems for approval of
this process. EASA AD 2020-0064 requires using Safran Aerosystems
Service Bulletin (SB) 025-69-18, original issue (Revision 0), dated
December 11, 2019 or Revision 1, dated February 4, 2020 (SB 025-69-18
Rev 0 or SB 025-69-18 Rev 1), and allows the use of later approved
revisions, to accomplish certain actions. In this AD, a clarification
has been added into this final rule to directly use SB 025-69-18 Rev 1
or Safran Aerosystems SB 025-69-18, Revision 2, dated March 24, 2021
(SB 025-69-18 Rev 2), instead of using SB 025-69-18 Rev 0 or SB 025-69-
18 Rev 1 through incorporation by reference of EASA AD 2020-0064.

The FAA has determined that this minor change:

Is consistent with the intent that was proposed in the
NPRM for addressing the unsafe condition; and

Does not add any additional burden upon the public than
was already proposed in the NPRM.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

EASA AD 2020-0064 specifies inspecting certain EFSs and depending
on the results, marking a float supply hose with a green dot with
indelible ink if the float supply hose passes an inspection, replacing
the float supply hose with a serviceable float supply hose, or
replacing an affected EFS with a serviceable EFS. EASA AD 2020-0064
also prohibits installing a float supply hose unless it passes the
inspection and is marked.

The FAA reviewed SB 025-69-18 Rev 1 and SB 025-69-18 Rev 2, which
apply to certain Safran Aerosystems EFS and float supply hoses. Each
revision of this service information specifies procedures for
inspecting single- and multi-section EFS inflation system float supply
hoses for blockage, and depending on the results, replacing the hose
and contacting Safran Aerosystems, or marking the hose. SB 025-69-18
Rev 2 was issued to correct a list of possibly affected parts (Table 3).

This material 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.

Differences Between This AD and the EASA AD

EASA AD 2020-0064 applies to Airbus Helicopters Model EC120B,
EC175B, AS332C, AS332C1, AS332L, AS332L1, AS350B, AS350B1, AS350B2,
AS350BA, AS350BB, AS350B3, AS350D, EC130B4, EC130T2, AS355E, AS355F,
AS355F1, AS355F2, AS355N, AS355NP, SA-365N, SA-365N1, AS-365N2, AS 365
N3, EC155 B, and EC155B1 helicopters and Airbus Helicopters Deutschland
GmbH Model MBB-BK 117 C-2, MBB-BK 117 D-2, EC135P1, EC135P2, EC135P2+,
EC135P3, EC135T1, EC135T2, EC135T2+, EC135T3, EC635 P2+, EC635P3,
EC635T1, EC635T2+, and EC635T3 helicopters, whereas this AD does not
include Model AS350BB, EC175B, EC635P2+, EC635P3, EC635T1, EC635T2+,
and EC635T3 helicopters because these models are not FAA type-
certificated. Where the service information referenced in EASA AD 2020-
0064 requires certain compliance times depending on whether the
helicopter is operated over water, this AD requires compliance within
100 hours time-in-service (TIS) instead. Where the service information
referenced in EASA AD 2020-0064 specifies "work must be performed on
the helicopter by the operator," this AD requires that the work be
accomplished by a mechanic that meets the requirements of 14 CFR part
65 subpart D. Where some of the service information referenced in EASA
AD 2020-0064 specifies replacing or removing an affected hose that
fails the inspection, this AD requires removing the hose from service
instead. Where some of the service information referenced in EASA AD
2020-0064 specifies to discard certain parts, this proposed AD requires
removing those parts from service instead. Where some of the service
information referenced in EASA AD 2020-0064 specifies to return the EFS
to the Safran Aerosystems network or clogged hoses to Safran
Aerosystems Services, this AD does not include those requirements.
Where the service information referenced in EASA AD 2020-0064 specifies
to submit certain information to the manufacturer, this AD does not
include that requirement.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this AD affects 1,900 helicopters of U.S.
Registry. Labor rates are estimated at $85 per work-hour. Based on
these numbers, the FAA estimates that operators may incur the following
costs in order to comply with this AD.

Inspecting the EFS takes up to about 8 work-hours for an estimated
cost of up to $680 per helicopter and $1,292,000 for the U.S. fleet.

Replacing an EFS hose takes about 1 work-hour and parts cost
between $500 and $2,000 per hose, and up to $11,000 for a set of float
supply hoses, for an estimated cost of up to $11,085 per helicopter.

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 above, I certify that this AD:

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

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

(3) Will 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 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: