Federal Register/Vol. 82, No. 3/Thursday, January 5, 2017
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 3 / Thursday, January 5, 2017 / Proposed Rules 1267 (h) Installation Prohibition DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Office (telephone 800–647–5527) is in After the effective date of this AD, do not the ADDRESSES section. Comments will install any software standard earlier than Federal Aviation Administration be available in the AD docket shortly SCN 5B/I into any EEC. after receipt. 14 CFR Part 39 For service information identified in (i) Definition [Docket No. FAA–2016–6968; Directorate this proposed AD, contact Sikorsky For the purpose of this AD, an ‘‘engine Identifier 2015–SW–020–AD] Aircraft Corporation, Customer Service shop visit’’ is the induction of an engine into Engineering, 124 Quarry Road, the shop for maintenance involving the RIN 2120–AA64 Trumbull, CT 06611; telephone 1–800– separation of any major mating flange, except Winged–S or 203–416–4299; email wcs_ Airworthiness Directives; Sikorsky that the separation of engine flanges solely [email protected]. You Aircraft Corporation Helicopters (Type for the purposes of transportation without may review the referenced service Certificate Previously Held by subsequent maintenance does not constitute information at the FAA, Office of the Schweizer Aircraft Corporation) an engine shop visit. Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, (j) Alternative Methods of Compliance AGENCY: Federal Aviation 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Room 6N–321, (AMOCs) Administration (FAA), DOT. Fort Worth, TX 76177. (1) The Manager, Engine Certification ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Office, FAA, may approve AMOCs for this (NPRM). Blaine Williams, Aerospace Engineer, AD. Use the procedures found in 14 CFR Boston Aircraft Certification Office, SUMMARY: We propose to supersede 39.19 to make your request. You may email Engine & Propeller Directorate, 1200 your request to: ANE–AD–[email protected]. airworthiness directive (AD) 93–17–13 District Avenue, Burlington, (2) Before using any approved AMOC, for Schweizer Aircraft Corporation and Massachusetts 01803; telephone (781) notify your appropriate principal inspector, Hughes Helicopters, Inc. (now Sikorsky 238–7161; email blaine.williams@ or lacking a principal inspector, the manager Aircraft Corporation) (Sikorsky) Model faa.gov. TH55A, 269A, 269A–1, 269B, and 269C of the local flight standards district office/ SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: certificate holding district office. helicopters. AD 93–17–13 requires installing tachometer markings and Comments Invited (k) Related Information inspecting the driveshaft. This proposed We invite you to participate in this (1) For more information about this AD, AD would require recurring inspections rulemaking by submitting written contact Kevin Clark, Aerospace Engineer, of the driveshaft and would expand the comments, data, or views. We also Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine & applicability to include Model 269C–1 invite comments relating to the Propeller Directorate, 1200 District Avenue, helicopters. This proposed AD is economic, environmental, energy, or Burlington, MA 01803; phone: 781–238– prompted by reports of accidents federalism impacts that might result 7088; fax: 781–238–7199; email: because of driveshaft failures. The from adopting the proposals in this [email protected]. actions of this proposed AD are document. The most helpful comments (2) PW Alert Service Bulletin PW2000 intended to prevent the unsafe reference a specific portion of the A73–170, dated July 14, 2016, can be condition on these products. proposal, explain the reason for any obtained from PW using the contact DATES: We must receive comments on recommended change, and include information in paragraph (k)(3) of this AD. this proposed AD by March 6, 2017. supporting data. To ensure the docket (3) For service information identified in ADDRESSES: You may send comments by does not contain duplicate comments, this AD, contact Pratt & Whitney Division, any of the following methods: commenters should send only one copy 400 Main St., East Hartford, CT 06118; • phone: 800–565–0140; fax: 860–565–5442. Federal eRulemaking Docket: Go to of written comments, or if comments are (4) You may view this referenced service http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the filed electronically, commenters should information at the FAA, Engine & Propeller online instructions for sending your submit only one time. Directorate, 1200 District Avenue, comments electronically. We will file in the docket all • Fax: 202–493–2251. comments that we receive, as well as a Burlington, MA. For information on the • availability of this material at the FAA, call Mail: Send comments to the U.S. report summarizing each substantive 781–238–7125. Department of Transportation, Docket public contact with FAA personnel Operations, M–30, West Building concerning this proposed rulemaking. Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 1200 Before acting on this proposal, we will December 28, 2016. New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, consider all comments we receive on or Colleen M. D’Alessandro, DC 20590–0001. before the closing date for comments. Manager, Engine & Propeller Directorate, • Hand Delivery: Deliver to the We will consider comments filed after Aircraft Certification Service. ‘‘Mail’’ address between 9 a.m. and 5 the comment period has closed if it is [FR Doc. 2016–31870 Filed 1–4–17; 8:45 am] p.m., Monday through Friday, except possible to do so without incurring BILLING CODE 4910–13–P Federal holidays. expense or delay. We may change this proposal in light of the comments we Examining the AD Docket receive. You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http:// Discussion www.regulations.gov or in person at the On August 31, 1993, we issued AD Docket Operations Office between 9 93–17–13, Amendment 39–8684 (58 FR a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 51770, October 5, 1993), for Schweizer Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD Aircraft Corporation and Hughes docket contains this proposed AD, the Helicopters, Inc., Model 269A, 269A–1, economic evaluation, any comments 269B, 269C, and TH55A helicopters. AD received, and other information. The 93–17–13 requires within 30 days or street address for the Docket Operations 100 hours time-in-service (TIS), VerDate Sep<11>2014 20:07 Jan 04, 2017 Jkt 241001 PO 00000 Frm 00037 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 4702 E:\FR\FM\05JAP1.SGM 05JAP1 mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with PROPOSALS 1268 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 3 / Thursday, January 5, 2017 / Proposed Rules whichever occurs first, and thereafter FAA’s Determination numbered driveshaft is installed, every 300 hours TIS, visually inspecting We are proposing this AD because we emailing information to Sikorsky, and for cracks, machining steps, evaluated all known relevant returning damaged parts to Sikorsky; manufacturing tool marks, surface information and determined that an this proposed AD would not. defects, and lack of cleanup during the unsafe condition exists and is likely to Interim Action production grinding operation. AD 93– exist or develop on other products of 17–13 also requires installing engine these same type designs. We consider this proposed AD to be and rotor tachomometer markings and an interim action. The design approval replacing any unairworthy lower Related Service Information Under 1 holder is developing a replacement coupling driveshaft (driveshaft) before CFR Part 51 driveshaft that will address the unsafe further flight. The actions in AD 93–17– We reviewed Sikorsky 269C condition identified in this proposed 13 are intended to prevent failure of the Helicopter Alert Service Bulletin B–307, AD. Once the replacement driveshaft is driveshaft, loss of power to the rotor Basic Issue, dated December 18, 2014, developed, approved and available, we system, and subsequent loss of and Sikorsky 269C–1 Helicopter Alert might consider additional rulemaking. helicopter control. Service Bulletin C1B–043, Basic Issue, Costs of Compliance Actions Since AD 93–17–13 Was Issued dated December 18, 2014 (ASBs). The ASBs call for a one-time visual and We estimate that this proposed AD Since we issued AD 93–17–13, magnetic particle inspection of the would affect 619 helicopters of U.S. Sikorsky became the type certificate driveshaft and driveshaft assembly for Registry and that labor costs average $85 holder of the Model 269A, 269A–1, damage. The ASBs advise that the per work hour. Based on these 269B, 269C, and TH55A. Sikorsky driveshaft be sent to Sikorsky and estimates, we expect the following costs: • performed a safety analysis and replaced if damaged. The inspection is We estimate that the visual and determined that the initial and recurrent to be accomplished within 25 hours TIS magnetic particle inspections of the inspection intervals and inspection or within 180 days from the ASBs’ issue driveshaft would require 11 work hours method were not adequate to detect all date, whichever comes first. Sikorsky for a cost of $935 per helicopter and corrosion, pits, nicks, scratches, dents, has since revised its maintenance $578,765 for the U.S. fleet per and cracks. Since 1992, 10 accidents, 2 manual to incorporate these inspections inspection cycle. • of them fatal, occurred because of every 150 hours TIS. Replacing the driveshaft, if needed, driveshaft failures due to static overload We also reviewed Schweizer Aircraft would cost about $4,574 for parts. No or torsional fatigue. Five of the Service Bulletin B–257.1, dated May 21, additional labor costs would be accidents occurred after AD 93–17–13 1993 (ASB B–257.1). ASB B–257.1 calls necessary. • was issued. for a one-time inspection to look for Installing engine and rotor We propose reducing the initial and drive-shaft defects; installing tachometer markings would require 0.5 recurring inspection intervals, changing declutched limit markings on the work-hour for a labor cost of about $43. the type of damage to be detected by the engine/rotor tachometer to reinforce The cost of parts would be minimal. visual inspection, and adding a operating limits; and prohibiting engine Authority for This Rulemaking magnetic particle inspection.