DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2024-2541; Project Identifier MCAI-2023-00006-R]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD)
for certain Airbus Helicopters Model SA341G and SA342J helicopters.
This proposed AD was prompted by a report of a pilot collective pitch
stick handle grip that broke when pulled. This proposed AD would
require replacing certain pilot collective pitch stick handle grips and
prohibit installing those pilot collective pitch stick handle grips.
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 January 13, 2025.

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-2024-2541; 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 mandatory continuing airworthiness
information (MCAI), any comments received, and other information. The
street address for Docket Operations is listed above.

Material Incorporated by Reference:

For EASA material identified in this proposed AD, contact
EASA, Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 Cologne, Germany; phone: +49 221
8999 000; email: ADs@easa.europa.eu; website: easa.europa.eu. You may
find the EASA material on the EASA website at ad.easa.europa.eu.

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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Hye Yoon Jang Aviation Safety
Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590;
phone: (206) 231-3758; email: Hye.Yoon.Jang@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 the ADDRESSES section. Include "Docket No. FAA-2024-2541;
Project Identifier MCAI-2023-00006-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 Hye
Yoon Jang, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite
410, Westbury, NY 11590; phone: (206) 231-3758; email:
Hye.Yoon.Jang@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 2023-0002, dated January 5, 2023
(EASA AD 2023-0002) (also referred to as the MCAI), to correct an
unsafe condition on Airbus Helicopters Model SA 341 G and SA 342 J
(Gazelle) helicopters if equipped with a pilot collective pitch stick
having part number (P/N) 341A27-5041-0057, P/N 341A27-5041-0058, P/N
341A27-5041-0060, P/N 341A27-5041-0063, P/N 341A27-5041-0064, P/N
341A27-5041-0066, P/N 341A27-5041-0067, or P/N 341A27-5041-0068. The
MCAI states that a pilot collective pitch stick handle grip broke into
two pieces when a maintenance technician pulled the handle grip during
helicopter maintenance. According to the MCAI, following investigation
and analysis, the handle grip material (Rilsan) is sensitive to aging,
with consequent degradation of the structural strength of the handle grip.

The FAA is proposing this AD to prevent failure of the handle grip,
which if not addressed, could result in reduced integrity of the flight
control system and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at regulations.gov under
Docket No. FAA-2024-2541.

Material Incorporated by Reference Under 1 CFR Part 51

EASA AD 2023-0002 requires replacing handle grips P/N 41A27-1377-00
installed on pilot collective pitch sticks before June 15, 2022, and
replacing certain part-numbered pilot collective pitch sticks complete
with a handle grip. EASA AD 2023-0002 also prohibits installing the
affected handle grips and pilot collective pitch sticks equipped with
an affected handle grip on any helicopter. 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.

FAA's Determination

These products have been approved by the aviation authority of
another country and are approved for operation in the United States.
Pursuant to the FAA's bilateral agreement with this State of Design
Authority, it has notified the FAA of the unsafe condition described in
the MCAI referenced above. The FAA is issuing this NPRM after
determining that the unsafe condition described previously is likely to
exist or develop on other products of these same type designs.

Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM

This proposed AD would require accomplishing the actions specified
in EASA AD 2023-0002, described previously, as incorporated by
reference, except for any differences identified as exceptions in the
regulatory text of this proposed AD and except as discussed under
"Differences Between this NPRM and the MCAI."

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 2023-0002 by reference in the FAA
final rule. This proposed AD would, therefore, require compliance with
EASA AD 2023-0002 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 2023-0002 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 2023-0002. Material referenced in EASA AD 2023-0002 for
compliance will be available at regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-
2024-2541 after the FAA final rule is published.

Differences Between This NPRM and the MCAI

The MCAI requires using Airbus Helicopters ASB SA341 67.06 and ASB
SA342 67.06 (co-published as one document and referred to as ASB No.
"GAZ-67.06"), Revision 0, dated June 15, 2022, for compliance, and
allows using future revisions of that material, whereas this proposed
AD would instead require using Airbus Helicopters ASB No. GAZ-67.06,
Revision 1, dated November 2, 2022, and allows using future revisions
of that material as specified in the Ref. Publications section of EASA
AD 2023-0002, which is proposed for incorporation.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would
affect 16 helicopters of U.S. registry.

Replacing the collective pitch handle grip would take 4 work-hours
and parts would cost $230 for an estimated cost of $570 per helicopter
and $9,120 for the U.S. fleet.

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: