AD 2007-22-02

Effective November 30, 2007.

The incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in the regulations is approved by the Director of the Federal Register as of November 30, 2007.

You may get the service information identified in this AD from Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., P.O. Box 482, Fort Worth, Texas 76101, telephone (817) 280-3391, fax (817) 280-6466.

Examining the Docket: You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov; or in person at the Docket Management Facility between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD docket contains this AD, the regulatory evaluation, any comments received, and other information. The address for the Docket Office (telephone 800-647-5527) is the Document Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590.

Michael Kohner, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, Rotorcraft Directorate, Rotorcraft Certification Office, Fort Worth, Texas 76193-0170, telephone (817) 222-5447, fax (817) 222-5783.

A proposal to amend 14 CFR part 39 by superseding AD 2002-09-04, Amendment 30-12737 (67 FR 22349, May 3, 2002), for the specified Bell model helicopters was published in the Federal Register on March 13, 2007 (72 FR 11295). The action proposed: retaining requirements to inspect the tip block and the tip closure for adhesive bonding voids and to remove any blade with an excessive void from service; retaining requirements to modify certain blades by installing shear pins and tip closure rivets in the tip area of the affected blades; expanding the applicability to include more blades and clarifying other requirements.

Since issuing AD 2002-09-04, Bell issued further revisions to Alert Service Bullet (ASB) Nos. 205-00-80, 205B-00- 34, 212-00-111, 412-00-106, and 412CR-00-13, Revision A, dated December 20, 2000. The revisions add blades with a serial number (S/N) prefix of “ A” or “AFS” and number of 11530 to 13594, 13603 to 13618, and also change the “effectivity” of the blades. The latest revisions, Revisions D, all dated March 18, 2005, provide an alternative fastener for the blade tip closure rivets installation. The revised ASBs also state that blades with S/N A or AFS-11926, 13351, 13367, 13393, 13400, 13402, 13515, 13540, 13568, 13595 to 13602, 13619, and subsequent will be modified before delivery.

The previously described unsafe condition is likely to exist or develop on other helicopters of these same type designs. Therefore, this AD supersedes AD 2002-09-04 to expand the applicability for the blade part and serial number. This AD also clarifies the requirement to re-identify the modified blade by adding “FM” after the part number and also requires dynamically balancing the tail rotor. Because blades, S/N with a prefix of “A” or “AFS” and a number 11926, 13351, 13367, 13393, 13400, 13402, 13515, 13540, 13568, 13595 to 13602, 13619, and subsequent, will be modified before delivery, we are excluding them from the applicability of this AD.

Interested persons have been afforded an opportunity to participate in the making of this amendment. No comments were received on the proposal or the FAA's determination of the cost to the public. The FAA has determined that air safety and the public interest require the adoption of the rule as proposed.

The FAA estimates that this AD will affect 281 helicopters of U.S. registry. The required actions will take about 3 work hours per helicopters to inspect certain blades, install the shear pins and tip closure rivets, reidentify the modified blades, and dynamically balance the blade assembly at an average labor rate of $80 per work hour. Required supplies will cost about $35 per helicopter. Based on these figures, we estimate the total cost impact of the AD on U.S. operators to be $77,275.

We have determined that 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 reason discussed above, I certify that the regulation:

1. Is not a “significant regulatory action” under Executive Order 12833;

2. Is not a “significant rule” under the DOT Regulatory Policies and Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979); 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.

We prepared an economic evaluation of the estimated costs to comply with this AD. See the AD docket to examine the economic evaluation.

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.

We are 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.

Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration amends part 39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) as follows:

1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:

2. Section 39.13 is amended by removing Amendment 39-12737 (67 FR 22349, May 3, 2002), and by adding a new airworthiness directive (AD), Amendment 39-15238, to read as follows: