DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2024-1296; Project Identifier MCAI-2023-00844-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 a fuel leakage discovered during fuel
system crash impact testing activity. This proposed AD would require
installing a grommet around the sump drain port fitting airframe hole,
as specified in a Transport Canada 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 proposed AD by June 28,
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-2024-1296; 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, any comments received, and other
information. The street address for Docket Operations is listed above.
Material Incorporated by Reference:
For Transport Canada material, contact Transport Canada,
Transport Canada National Aircraft Certification, 159 Cleopatra Drive,
Nepean, Ontario, K1A 0N5, CANADA; telephone 888-663-3639; email
TC.AirworthinessDirectives-Consignesdenavigabilite.TC@tc.gc.ca;
internet tc.canada.ca/en/aviation. You may find the Transport Canada
material on the Transport Canada website at wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/2/cawis-swimn/ad_qs1.aspx.
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. The Transport Canada material
is also available at regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2024-1296.
Other Related Service Information: For Bell 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 bellflight.com/support/contact-support.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Hughlett, Aviation Safety
Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590;
phone (817) 222-5110; email michael.hughlett@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-2024-1296; Project Identifier
MCAI-2023-00844-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
Michael Hughlett, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue,
Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; phone (817) 222-5110; email
michael.hughlett@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

Transport Canada, which is the aviation authority for Canada, has
issued Transport Canada AD CF-2023-51, dated July 11, 2023 (Transport
Canada AD CF-2023-51), to correct an unsafe condition on certain
serial-numbered Bell Textron Canada Limited Model 505 helicopters.
This proposed AD was prompted by a fuel leakage discovered during
fuel system crash impact testing activity. In a certain position, the
knurls on the locking sleeve of the fuel drain quick disconnect valve
contacted the airframe cutout upon impact, resisting against the fuel
bladder rotational action and causing deformation of the poppet, which
led to the valve remaining in the partially open position and
subsequent fuel leakage.
The FAA is proposing this AD to prevent the fuel drain quick
disconnect valve from catching on the airframe cutout and reduce the
load on the valve body by preventing metal-to-metal contact following
an impact. The unsafe condition, if not addressed, could result in a
fuel leakage, post impact fire, injuries to occupants, and reduction in
time to evacuate the helicopter.
You may examine Transport Canada AD CF-2023-51 in the AD docket at
regulations.gov.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

Transport Canada AD CF-2023-51 specifies installing a split plastic
grommet around the periphery of the sump drain port fitting airframe
cutout.
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.

Other Related Service Information

The FAA reviewed Bell Alert Service Bulletin 505-21-21, dated June
8, 2021. For certain serial-numbered helicopters, this service
information specifies procedures for installing a split plastic grommet
groove around the periphery of the sump drain port fitting airframe
hole cutout with the split line at the 12 o'clock position.

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.

Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM

This proposed AD would require accomplishing the actions specified
in Transport Canada AD CF-2023-51, described previously, as
incorporated by reference, except for any differences identified as
exceptions in the regulatory text of this proposed 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 Transport Canada AD CF-2023-51 by reference
in the FAA final rule. This proposed AD would, therefore, require
compliance with Transport Canada AD CF-2023-51 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 of Transport Canada AD
CF-2023-51 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 ``Corrective Actions'' in Transport
Canada AD CF-2023-51. Service information referenced in Transport
Canada AD CF-2023-51 for compliance will be available at
regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2024-1296 after the FAA final rule
is published.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would
affect 145 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.
Installing a grommet around the sump drain port fitting airframe
hole would take approximately 1 work-hour and parts would cost a
minimal amount, for an estimated cost of $85 per helicopter and $12,325
for the U.S. fleet.
The FAA has included all known costs in its cost estimate.
According to the manufacturer, however, some of the costs of this
proposed AD may be covered under warranty, thereby reducing the cost
impact on affected operators.

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: