AD 2012-07-09

This AD is effective May 24, 2012.

The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of a certain publication listed in the AD as of May 24, 2012.

The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of a certain other publication listed in the AD as of August 19, 2009 (74 FR 34221, July 15, 2009).

For service information identified in this AD, contact Turbomeca, 40220 Tarnos, France; phone: 33 (0)5 59 74 40 00; telex 570 042; fax 33 (0)5 59 74 45 15. You may review copies of the referenced service information at the FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA. For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 781-238-7125.

Mark Riley, Aerospace Engineer, Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; phone: 781-238-7758; fax: 781-238-7199; email: mark.riley@faa.gov.

We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR part 39 to supersede AD 2009-14-11, Amendment 39-15961 (74 FR 34221, July 15, 2009). That AD applies to the specified products. The NPRM published in the Federal Register on December 13, 2011 (76 FR 77446). That NPRM proposed to continue to require inspections of the P3 air pipe (first section) and right-hand (RH) rear half-wall for proper clearance. That NPRM also proposed to require eliminating readjusting of the P3 air pipe (first section), replacing the RH rear half-wall under certain conditions, and adding an optional terminating action.

In AD 2009-14-11 (74 FR 34221, July 15, 2009), “Version A” was inadvertently omitted from the reference to Turbomeca Mandatory Service Bulletin No. 319 75 4810, dated May 14, 2008. In this AD, the service bulletin reference reads correctly as “Turbomeca Mandatory Service Bulletin No. 319 75 4810, Version A, dated May 14, 2008.”

We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing this AD. We received no comments on the NPRM (76 FR 77446, December 13, 2011).

Since we issued the NPRM (76 FR 77446, December 13, 2011) the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) superseded AD 2011-0182, dated September 22, 2011, to include a credit for inspections done using Turbomeca Mandatory Service Bulletin (MSB) No. 319 75 4810, Version A, dated May 14, 2008. We added a paragraph for credit for previous action, which states that inspections performed on an installed engine before the effective date of this AD using Turbomeca MSB No. 319 75 4810, Version A, dated May 14, 2008, satisfies the inspection requirements in paragraphs (e)(1)(i) and (e)(1)(ii) of this AD. We also changed the EASA AD reference to EASA AD 2011-0182R1, dated February 3, 2012.

We reviewed the relevant data and determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting the AD with the changes described previously.

We estimate that this AD will affect about 120 Arrius 2F turboshaft engines installed on helicopters of U.S. registry. We also estimate that it will take about 2 work-hours per engine to comply with this AD. The average labor rate is $85 per work-hour. Required parts will cost about $2,565 per engine. Based on these figures, we estimate the cost of the AD on U.S. operators to be $328,200. Our cost estimate is exclusive of possible warranty coverage.

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.

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 reasons discussed above, I certify that this AD:

(1) Is not a “significant regulatory action” under Executive Order 12866,

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

(3) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and

(4) 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.

Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the FAA amends 14 CFR part 39 as follows:

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

2. The FAA amends § 39.13 by removing airworthiness directive (AD) 2009-14-11, Amendment 39-15961 (74 FR 34221, July 15, 2009), and adding the following new AD: