15756 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 62 / Wednesday, April 1, 1998 / Rules and Regulations calendar days, whichever occurs first, unless DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Register, 800 North Capitol accomplished previously. Street, NW., suite 700, Washington, DC. To prevent failure of the stabilizer bar Federal Aviation Administration FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. damper link assembly, which can result in Shep Blackman, Aerospace Engineer, 14 CFR Part 39 degraded control response and subsequent FAA, Rotorcraft Directorate, ASW±111, loss of control of the helicopter, accomplish [Docket No. 97±SW±28±AD; Amendment 2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, the following: 39±10431; AD 98±07±11] Texas, 76137, telephone (817) 222± (a) Remove the stabilizer bar damper link 5296, fax (817) 222±5961. assemblies from the helicopter, install a RIN 2120±AA64 SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: safety washer kit, part number (P/N) CA± The Civil Airworthiness Directives; GKN 047±96±022±1, and reinstall the stabilizer bar Aviation Administration (CAA), which Westland Helicopters Limited WG±30 damper link assemblies onto the helicopter is the airworthiness authority for the in accordance with the Accomplishment Series 100 and 100±60 Helicopters United Kingdom (UK), recently notified the FAA that an unsafe condition may Instructions contained in Bell Helicopter AGENCY: Federal Aviation exist on Westland WG±30 series 100 Textron, Inc. Alert Service Bulletin No. 47± Administration, DOT. 96±22, dated August 16, 1996. and 100±60 helicopters. The CAA ACTION: Final rule; request for (b) An alternative method of compliance or advises that when water gets into the comments. adjustment of the compliance time that blade sleeve it can cause bulging or swelling of a tie-bar that could result in provides an acceptable level of safety may be SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a failure of a tie-bar, loss of a main rotor used if approved by the Manager, Rotorcraft new airworthiness directive blade, and subsequent loss of control of Certification Office, Rotorcraft Directorate, (AD) that is applicable to GKN the helicopter. FAA. Operators shall submit their requests Westland Helicopters Limited Westland has issued Westland through an FAA Principal Maintenance (Westland) WG±30 series 100 and 100± Helicopters Service Bulletin (SB) No. Inspector, who may concur or comment and 60 helicopters. This action requires an W30±62±34 and W30±62±35, both dated then send it to the Manager, Rotorcraft initial visual inspection and November 29, 1995, which specify Certification Office. replacement, if necessary, of all main procedures for conditional, Note 2: Information concerning the rotor head tie-bars. Thereafter, this AD dimensional, and radiographic existence of approved alternative methods of requires, at intervals not to exceed 220 inspections and replacement, if compliance with this AD, if any, may be hours time-in-service (TIS), replacing necessary, of the tie-bars. The actions obtained from the Rotorcraft Certification each main rotor head tie-bar (tie-bar) specified in these service bulletins are Office. with an airworthy tie-bar. This intended to prevent loss of a main rotor (c) Special flight permits may be issued in amendment is prompted by an accident blade due to bulging or swelling of a tie- accordance with §§ 21.197 and 21.199 of the on a similar model military helicopter bar, tie-bar failure, and subsequent loss Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 21.197 in which a tie-bar failed; it is suspected of control of the helicopter. The CAA and 21.199) to operate the helicopter to a that the military helicopter involved in classified these service bulletins as location where the requirements of this AD the accident exceeded the power-off mandatory and issued CAA ADs 010± can be accomplished. transient rotor speed limitation. This 11±95 and 011±11-95, both dated (d) The installation shall be done in condition, if not corrected, could result January 31, 1996, in order to assure the accordance with Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. in failure of a tie-bar, loss of a main continued airworthiness of these Alert Service Bulletin No. 47±96±22, dated rotor blade, and subsequent loss of helicopters in the UK. August 16, 1996. This incorporation by control of the helicopter. reference was approved by the Director of the These helicopter models are DATES: Effective April 16, 1998. Federal Register in accordance with 5 U.S.C. manufactured in the UK and are type The incorporation by reference of 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. Copies may be certificated for operation in the United obtained from Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., certain publications listed in the States under the provisions of § 21.29 of P.O. Box 482, Fort Worth, Texas 76101. regulations is approved by the Director the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 Copies may be inspected at the FAA, Office of the Federal Register as of April 16, CFR 21.29) and the applicable bilateral of the Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 1998. airworthiness agreement. Pursuant to 2601 Meacham Blvd., Room 663, Fort Worth, Comments for inclusion in the Rules this bilateral airworthiness agreement, Texas; or at the Office of the Federal Register, Docket must be received on or before the CAA has kept the FAA informed of 800 North Capitol Street, NW., suite 700, June 1, 1998. the situation described above. The FAA Washington, DC. ADDRESSES: Submit comments in has examined the findings of the CAA, (e) This amendment becomes effective on triplicate to the Federal Aviation reviewed all available information, and May 6, 1998. Administration (FAA), Office of the determined that AD action is necessary Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on March 24, Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, for products of this type design that are 1998. Attention: Rules Docket No. 97-SW±28- certificated for operation in the United Eric Bries, AD, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Room 663, States. Fort Worth, Texas 76137. Since an unsafe condition has been Acting Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, The service information referenced in identified that is likely to exist or Aircraft Certification Service. this AD may be obtained from GKN develop on other Westland WG±30 [FR Doc. 98±8466 Filed 3±31±98; 8:45 am] Westland Helicopters Limited, series 100 and 100±60 helicopters of the BILLING CODE 4910±13±U Customer Support Division, Yeovil, same type design eligible for registration Somerset BA20 2YB, England, in the United States, this AD is being telephone (01935) 703884, fax (01935) issued to prevent loss of a main rotor 703905. This information may be blade due to failure of a tie-bar which examined at the FAA, Office of the could result in subsequent loss of Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, control of the helicopter. This AD 2601 Meacham Blvd., Room 663, Fort requires an initial visual inspection and Worth, Texas; or at the Office of the replacement, if necessary, of the tie-bars VerDate 31-MAR-98 12:36 Apr 01, 1998 Jkt 179005 PO 00000 Frm 00018 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 E:\FR\FM\P01AP0.PT1 r01pt1 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 62 / Wednesday, April 1, 1998 / Rules and Regulations 15757 and thereafter, at intervals not to exceed environmental, and energy aspects of PART 39ÐAIRWORTHINESS 220 hours TIS, replacement of each tie- the rule that might suggest a need to DIRECTIVES bar with an airworthy tie-bar. The modify the rule. All comments actions are required to be accomplished submitted will be available, both before 1. The authority citation for part 39 in accordance with the service bulletins and after the closing date for comments, continues to read as follows: described previously. in the Rules Docket for examination by Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701. None of the Westland series 100 and interested persons. A report that § 39.13 [Amended] 100±60 helicopters affected by this summarizes each FAA-public contact action are on the U.S. Register. All concerned with the substance of this AD 2. Section 39.13 is amended by helicopters included in the applicability will be filed in the Rules Docket. adding a new airworthiness directive to read as follows: of this rule currently are operated by Commenters wishing the FAA to non-U.S. operators under foreign AD 98±07±11 GKN Westland Helicopters acknowledge receipt of their comments registry; therefore, they are not directly Limited: Amendment 39±10431. Docket submitted in response to this rule must affected by this AD action. However, the No. 97±SW±28±AD. submit a self-addressed, stamped FAA considers that this rule is Applicability: Westland 30 Series 100 and postcard on which the following necessary to ensure that the unsafe 100±60 helicopters with main rotor head and statement is made: ``Comments to condition is addressed in the event that spider assemblies, part number (P/N) Docket No. 97±SW±28±AD.'' The WG1369±0062-all dash numbers, and main any of these subject helicopters are postcard will be date stamped and rotor head assemblies, P/N WG3069±0011, imported and placed in the U.S. Register returned to the commenter. installed, certificated in any category. in the future. Note 1: This AD applies to each helicopter Should an affected helicopter be The regulations adopted herein will identified in the preceding applicability imported and placed on the U.S. not have substantial direct effects on the provision, regardless of whether it has been Register in the future, it would require States, on the relationship between the modified, altered, or repaired in the area approximately 25 work hours for the national government and the States, or subject to the requirements of this AD. For visual inspection and 25 work hours, if on the distribution of power and helicopters that have been modified, altered, necessary, for the replacement of the tie- responsibilities among the various or repaired so that the performance of the bars, at an average labor rate of $60 per levels of government.