DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2022-1490; Project Identifier MCAI-2022-01177-R;
Amendment 39-22338; AD 2023-03-13]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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

SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all
Airbus Helicopters Model AS355E, AS355F, AS355F1, AS355F2, and AS355N
helicopters. This AD was prompted by a report of a partially broken
tail rotor drive fan support (fan support) and a completely broken fan
support. This AD requires repetitively inspecting certain part-numbered
fan supports (affected parts), and depending on the results, removing
an affected part from service and replacing it with a serviceable part,
which constitutes a terminating action for the repetitive inspections.
This AD also requires replacing affected parts with serviceable parts
unless already accomplished and prohibits installing an affected part
on any helicopter, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety
Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference. The FAA is
issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: This AD is effective March 31, 2023.

The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by
reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of March 31,
2023.

ADDRESSES:
AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at regulations.gov under
Docket No. FAA-2022-1490; 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.
Material Incorporated by Reference:
For EASA material that is incorporated by reference in
this final rule, 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 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 at
regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2022-1490.
Other Related Service Information: For Airbus Helicopters service
information identified in this final rule, contact Airbus Helicopters,
2701 North Forum Drive, Grand Prairie, TX 75052; telephone (972) 641-
0000 or (800) 232-0323; fax (972) 641-3775; or at airbus.com/helicopters/
services/technical-support.html. This service information
is also available at the FAA contact information under Material
Incorporated by Reference above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jared Hyman, Aerospace Engineer,
Boston ACO Branch, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, FAA, 1200
District Avenue, Burlington, Massachusetts 01803; telephone (781) 238-
7799; email 9-AVS-AIR-BACO-COS@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the
European Union, has issued a series of EASA ADs with the most recent
being EASA AD 2022-0180, dated August 29, 2022 (EASA AD 2022-0180), to
correct an unsafe condition for Airbus Helicopters Model AS 355 E, AS
355 F, AS 355 F1, AS 355 F2, and AS 355 N helicopters, all serial
numbers.
The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14
CFR part 39 by adding an AD that would apply to Airbus Helicopters
Model AS355E, AS355F, AS355F1, AS355F2, and AS355N helicopters. The
NPRM published in the Federal Register on December 5, 2022 (87 FR
74330). The NPRM was prompted by a report of a partially broken right-
hand side (RH) fan support and a completely broken left-hand side (LH)
fan support found during scheduled maintenance on a Model AS355
helicopter. The NPRM proposed to require repetitively inspecting
certain part-numbered fan supports, and depending on the results,
removing an affected part from service and replacing it with a
serviceable part, which constitutes a terminating action for the
repetitive inspections. The NPRM also proposed to require replacing
affected parts with serviceable parts unless already accomplished and
prohibit installing an affected part on any helicopter, as specified in
EASA AD 2022-0180.
You may examine EASA AD 2022-0180 in the AD docket at
regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2022-1490.

Discussion of Final Airworthiness Directive

Comments

The FAA received no comments on the NPRM or on the determination of
the costs.

Conclusion

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 about the
unsafe condition described in its AD. The FAA reviewed the relevant
data and determined that air safety requires adopting this AD as
proposed. Accordingly, the FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe
condition on these helicopters. Except for minor editorial changes,
this AD is adopted as proposed in the NPRM.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

EASA AD 2022-0180 requires repetitively inspecting certain part-
numbered RH and LH fan supports for a crack and broken leg and, if
there is any crack or broken leg, replacing the affected fan support
with a serviceable fan support. If the replacement is not required as a
result of the inspection, EASA AD 2022-0180 requires the replacement at
a longer compliance time. EASA AD 2022-0180 also states that the
replacement constitutes terminating action for the repetitive
inspections and prohibits installing an affected part 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.

Other Related Service Information

The FAA also reviewed Airbus Helicopters Alert Service Bulletin No.
AS355-05.00.88, Revision 1, dated July 20, 2022. This service
information specifies procedures for inspecting the RH and LH fan
supports for a crack and failure (broken leg), replacing an affected
part with a serviceable part, and performing a balancing of the tail
rotor drive shaft.

Differences Between This AD and the EASA AD

EASA AD 2022-0180 requires replacing each affected part with a
serviceable part if any crack or broken leg is found during any
required inspection or if the replacement was not previously performed
as a result of an inspection, whereas this AD requires removing each
affected part from service and replacing with a serviceable part if any
crack or broken leg is found during any required inspection or if the
replacement was not previously performed as a result of an inspection.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this AD affects 31 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 AD.
Visually inspecting a fan support for a crack and broken leg takes
about 1 work-hour for an estimated cost of $170 per helicopter (2 fan
supports per helicopter) per inspection cycle and up to $5,270 for the
U.S. fleet per inspection cycle.
Replacing a fan support takes about 8 work-hours and parts cost
about $600 for an estimated cost of $1,280 per replacement and up to
$39,680 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

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: