DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2024-1291; Project Identifier MCAI-2022-00901-R]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus 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 all Airbus Helicopters Model SA330J helicopters. This proposed AD
was prompted by a report of a main rotor gearbox (MGB) flange assembly
coupling (coupling) that was incorrectly assembled. This proposed AD
would require a one-time visual inspection to determine correct
assembly of each sliding flange installed on each MGB coupling, and if
necessary, further corrective actions. This proposed AD would also
prohibit installing certain MGB couplings or any MGB equipped with
certain MGB couplings on any helicopter. These actions are specified in
a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is proposed
for incorporation by reference. The FAA is proposing this AD to address
the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: The FAA must receive comments on this NPRM by July 1, 2024.

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 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.
AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at regulations.gov under
Docket No. FAA-2024-1291; 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 EASA AD, any comments received, and
other information. The street address for Docket Operations is listed
above.

Material Incorporated by Reference:
For EASA material, contact EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3,
50668 Cologne, Germany; telephone +49 221 8999 000; email
ADs@easa.europa.eu; internet easa.europa.eu. You may find the EASA
material on the EASA website at ad.easa.europa.eu.
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. The EASA material is
also available at regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2024-1291.
Other Related Service Information: For Airbus Helicopters service
information identified in this NPRM, contact Airbus Helicopters, 2701
North Forum Drive, Grand Prairie, TX 75052; phone (972) 641-0000 or
(800) 232-0323; fax (972) 641-3775; or at airbus.com/en/products-
services/helicopters/hcare-services/airbusworld.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Hal Jensen, Aviation Safety Engineer,
FAA; 3960 Paramount Boulevard, Lakewood, CA 90712; telephone (303) 342-
1080; 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-2024-1291; Project Identifier
MCAI-2022-00901-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
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, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA; 3960 Paramount Boulevard,
Lakewood, CA 90712; telephone (303) 342-1080; 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

EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the
European Union, has issued EASA AD 2022-0140, dated July 7, 2022 (EASA
AD 2022-0140), to correct an unsafe condition on Airbus Helicopters
Model SA 330 J helicopters, all serial numbers.
This proposed AD was prompted by a report of an incorrectly
assembled MGB coupling part number (P/N) 330A32-9392-01 which was
installed in the reverse position, deviating from the assembly
instructions. The FAA is proposing this AD to detect and address
incorrectly assembled MGB couplings, which if not addressed, could lead
to loss of the drive transmission from the
left-hand or right-hand engine, and subsequent loss of control of the
helicopter.
You may examine the EASA AD in the AD docket at regulations.gov
under Docket No. FAA-2024-1291.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

EASA AD 2022-0140 requires a one-time inspection of the left-hand
and right-hand MGB coupling P/N 330A32-9392-01 for correct assembly. If
any MGB coupling is incorrectly assembled, EASA AD 2022-0140 requires
replacing an affected MGB coupling with a serviceable MGB coupling.
EASA AD 2022-0140 also prohibits installing an affected MGB coupling or
an MGB equipped with an affected coupling installed, on any helicopter
unless it has passed inspection requirements.
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 ADDRESSES.

Other Related Service Information

The FAA also reviewed Airbus Helicopters Alert Service Bulletin No.
SA330-65.140, Revision 0, dated June 30, 2022, which specifies
procedures for inspecting the assembly of the MGB coupling by ensuring
the sliding flange is correctly assembled and there is no presence of
embossments. This service information also specifies procedures for
replacing an affected MGB coupling with a correctly assembled MGB
coupling and instructions to send affected parts to Airbus Helicopters.

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 proposing this AD
after determining that the unsafe condition described previously is
likely to exist or develop on other helicopters of the same type
design.

Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM

This proposed AD would require accomplishing the actions specified
in EASA AD 2022-0140, described previously, as incorporated by
reference, except for any differences identified under ``Differences
Between this Proposed AD and the EASA AD.

Explanation of Required Compliance Information

In the FAA's ongoing efforts to improve the efficiency of the AD
process, the FAA developed a process to use some civil aviation
authority (CAA) ADs as the primary source of information for compliance
with requirements for corresponding FAA ADs. The FAA has been
coordinating this process with manufacturers and CAAs. As a result, the
FAA proposes to incorporate EASA AD 2022-0140 by reference in the FAA
final rule. This proposed AD would, therefore, require compliance with
EASA AD 2022-0140 in its entirety through that incorporation, except
for any differences identified as exceptions in the regulatory text of
this proposed AD. Using common terms that are the same as the heading
of a particular section in EASA AD 2022-0140 does not mean that
operators need comply only with that section. For example, where the AD
requirement refers to ``all required actions and compliance times,''
compliance with this AD requirement is not limited to the section
titled ``Required Action(s) and Compliance Time(s)'' in EASA AD 2022-
0140. Service information referenced in EASA AD 2022-0140 for
compliance will be available at regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-
2024-1291 after the FAA final rule is published.

Differences Between This Proposed AD and the EASA AD

If any incorrectly assembled MGB coupling is found during the
inspection, EASA AD 2022-0140 requires replacing each affected part
with a serviceable part, whereas this proposed AD would require
removing each affected part from service and replacing it with a
serviceable part, as defined in EASA AD 2022-0140.
Service information referenced in EASA AD 2022-0140 specifies
reporting certain information and sending affected parts to Airbus
Helicopters, whereas this proposed AD would not require sending
information or parts to Airbus Helicopters.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would
affect 7 helicopters of U.S. Registry. Labor rates are estimated at $85
per work-hour. Based on these numbers, the FAA estimates the following
costs to comply with this proposed AD.
Visually inspecting each MGB coupling would take approximately 4
work-hours for an estimated cost of $340 per helicopter and up to
$2,380 for the U.S. fleet.
If required, removing and replacing the MGB coupling would take
approximately 8 work-hours and parts would cost approximately $23,215
for an estimated cost of $23,895 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

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 adding the following new airworthiness
directive: