DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2022-0145; Project Identifier MCAI-2021-00522-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 supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD)
2019-11-05, which applies to Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited
(now Bell Textron Canada Limited) Model 429 helicopters having certain
tail rotor (TR) pitch link assemblies. AD 2019-11-05 requires
inspecting the TR pitch link assemblies, and replacing certain pitch
link bearings. Since the FAA issued AD 2019-11-05, the FAA has
determined that all TR pitch link assemblies are affected by the unsafe
condition. This proposed AD would continue to require the actions
specified in AD 2019-11-05, and would revise the applicability and
require inspections of certain other TR pitch link assemblies. 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 April 11,
2022.

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 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 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.

Examining the AD Docket

You may examine the AD docket at https://www.regulations.gov by
searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2022-0145; 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 Civil Aviation (TCCA) 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; phone: (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-2022-0145; Project Identifier
MCAI-2021-00522-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 proposal.

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; phone: (202) 267-9167; email: hal.jensen@faa.gov. Any commentary
that the FAA receives that is not specifically designated as CBI will
be placed in the public docket for this rulemaking.

Background

The FAA issued AD 2019-11-05, Amendment 39-19651 (84 FR 26546, June
7, 2019) (AD 2019-11-05), which applies to certain Bell Helicopter
Textron Canada Limited Model 429 helicopters. AD 2019-11-05 requires
inspecting the TR pitch link assemblies, and replacing certain pitch
link bearings. The FAA issued AD 2019-11-05 to address a worn pitch
link, which if not corrected, could result in pitch link failure and
subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

Actions Since AD 2019-11-05 Was Issued

Since the FAA issued AD 2019-11-05, the FAA has determined that
additional TR pitch link assemblies are affected by the unsafe
condition. AD 2019-11-05 applies to helicopters with a pitch link
assembly part number (P/N) 429-012-112-101, 429-012-112-103, 429-012-
112-101FM, or 429-012-112-103FM installed. However, as specified in the
corresponding TCCA AD, CF-2015-16R2, dated April 3, 2017 (TCCA AD CF-
2015-16R2), all pitch link assemblies are part of the repetitive
inspections.
The TCCA, which is the aviation authority for Canada, has issued
TCCA AD CF-2015-16R3, dated April 30, 2021 (TCCA AD CF-2015-16R3) (also
referred to as the Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information, or
the MCAI), to correct an unsafe condition for certain Bell Helicopter
Textron Canada Limited Model 429 helicopters. TCCA AD CF-2015-16R3
retains the requirements of TCCA AD CF-2015-16R2 and revises the
applicability by specifying certain helicopter serial numbers to
account for new production helicopters which have already incorporated
the new pitch link assemblies and corrected the unsafe condition. TCCA
AD CF-2015-16R3 also specifies that installing a new pitch link
assembly terminates the repetitive inspections.
This proposed AD was prompted by a report of a worn pitch link, and
the FAA's determination that that all TR pitch link assemblies are
affected by the unsafe condition. The FAA is proposing this AD to
address a worn pitch link, which if not corrected, could result in
pitch link failure and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.
See the MCAI for additional background information.

FAA's Determination

These products have been approved by the aviation authority of
Canada, and are approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant
to the bilateral agreement with Canada, TCCA, 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 the unsafe condition described
previously is likely to exist or develop in other products of the same
type design.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

The FAA reviewed Bell Alert Service Bulletin No. 429-15-16,
Revision C, dated October 16, 2020. This service information contains
procedures for inspecting the TR pitch link assemblies, replacing
certain pitch link bearings, and replacement of the pitch link
assemblies. 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.

Proposed AD Requirements in this NPRM

This proposed AD would retain all of the requirements of AD 2019-
11-05. This proposed AD would revise the applicability and require
inspections of all TR pitch link assemblies.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this proposed AD affects 120 helicopters of
U.S. registry. The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with
this proposed AD:

Estimated Costs for Required Actions

The FAA estimates the following costs to do any necessary on-
condition replacements that would be required based on the results of
any required actions. The FAA has no way of determining the number of
helicopters that might need these on-condition actions:

Estimated Costs of On-Condition Actions

According to the manufacturer, some of the costs of this proposed
AD may be covered under warranty, thereby reducing the cost impact on
affected operators. The FAA does not control warranty coverage for
affected operators. As a result, the FAA has included all known costs
in the cost estimate.

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:

a. Removing Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2019-11-05, Amendment 39-19651
(84 FR 26546, June 7, 2019); and

b. Adding the following new AD: