AD 2018-25-17

This AD is effective January 22, 2019.

The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of certain documents listed in this AD as of January 22, 2019.

For service information identified in this final rule, contact Air Comm Corporation, 1575 West 124th Ave., Westminster, CO 80234; telephone (303) 440-4075; email service@aircommcorp.com; website www.aircommcorp.com. You may review a copy of the referenced service information at the FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy, Room 6N-321, Fort Worth, TX 76177. It is also available on the internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2017-1217.

Matthew Bryant, Aerospace Engineer, Denver ACO Branch, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, FAA, 26805 East 68th Ave., Room 214, Denver, CO 80249; telephone (303) 342-1092; email matthew.bryant@faa.gov.

On January 11, 2018, at 83 FR 1313, the Federal Register published our notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), which proposed to amend 14 CFR part 39 by adding an AD that would apply to Airbus Helicopters Model AS350B, AS350B1, AS350B2, AS350B3, AS350BA, AS350C, AS350D, AS350D1, and EC130B4, and Bell Model 206A, 206B, 206L, 206L-1, 206L-3, and 206L-4, and 407 helicopters with certain part-numbered Air Comm air conditioning systems installed. The NPRM proposed to require replacing certain connectors with Air Comm connectors and to prohibit installing certain part-numbered plugs, sockets, receptacles, and pin in some aft evaporator assemblies, aft evaporator blower assemblies, and aft condenser blowers. The proposed requirements were intended to address the unsafe condition of an overheated connector, which could result in a fire and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

On April 17, 2018, after the comment period closed, we had a teleconference with Air Comm about some of the Air Comm parts identified in the NPRM. We subsequently continued this discussion by email. Air Comm's comment during these discussions is addressed below. A copy of each email contact and a summary of each telephone contact can be found in the rulemaking docket at http://www.regulations.gov in Docket No. FAA-2017-1217.

We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing this AD. The following presents the comment we received and the FAA's response.

Air Comm requested that we review paragraph (e)(2) of the NPRM, which lists aft evaporator assembly part number (P/N) AS350-6202. Air Comm stated that this P/N is not part of the type design for the air conditioning system. According to Air Comm, the correct P/N is AS350-6202-1. In support of this request, Air Comm provided the type design data for our review.

We agree. Although Figure 1 of Air Comm Corporation Service Bulletin (SB) AS350-111014, Revision B, dated January 10, 2017, identifies the aft evaporator assembly as P/N AS350-6202, the correct P/N is AS350-6202-1. We have corrected this error in this Final Rule.

Further, because of Air Comm's comments, we conducted additional review of the blower and wire harness drawings for the affected components. As a result, we determined that plugP/N 03-09-1042 and receptacle P/N 03-09-2042 were listed in error in the NPRM. These two P/Ns are also not part of the type design for the air conditioning system. Accordingly, we have removed these P/Ns from paragraph (e)(2) of this Final Rule.

We have reviewed the relevant information and determined that an unsafe condition exists and is likely to exist or develop on other products of these same type designs and that air safety and the public interest require adopting the AD requirements as proposed with the changes described previously. These changes are consistent with the intent of the proposals in the NPRM and will not increase the economic burden on any operator nor increase the scope of the AD.

Air Comm Corporation has issued SB AS350-111014, Revision B, dated January 10, 2017, for Airbus Helicopters AS350 series helicopters and SB EC130-6204, Revision B, dated January 10, 2017, for Airbus Helicopters EC130 series helicopters. Air Comm Corporation has also issued SB 206-110414 for Bell 206 series helicopters, Revision C, and SB 407-110414 for Bell Model 407 helicopters, Revision D, both dated January 13, 2017. This service information specifies inspecting certain aft evaporator blower motor and certain condenser blower electrical connectors for indications of overheating, discoloration, and plastic deformation and performing a pull test. This service information also specifies replacing connector housings and contacts that fail the inspection or the pull test.

This service information 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.

Air Comm Corporation has also issued the following:

• SB AS350-111014 and SB EC130-6204, both Revision A and both dated July 6, 2016;

• SB 206-110414, Revision B, dated January 10, 2017, and Revision A dated June 3, 2016; and

• SB 407-110414, Revision C, dated January 10, 2017, and Revision B, dated July 6, 2016.

This service information contains the same procedures described above. However, SB AS350-111014 and SB EC130-6204, both Revision B and dated January 10, 2017, contain additional instructions and figures for the connectors. SB 206-110414, Revision C, and SB 407-110414, Revision D, both dated January 13, 2017, contain minor corrections.

The Air Comm service information specifies a compliance time of 20 flight hours. This AD requires compliance within 90 hours time-in-service. The Air Comm service information specifies inspecting each connector and replacing the connector housings and contacts that have any signs of overheating or that fail a pull test. This AD requires replacing each connector without an inspection. This AD also prohibits installing certain parts in certain part-numbered aft evaporator assemblies, aft evaporator blower assemblies, and aft condenser blowers.

We estimate that this AD affects 914 units installed on helicopters of U.S. Registry. We estimate that operators may incur the following costs in order to comply with this AD. Labor costs are estimated at $85 per work-hour.

Replacing the connectors takes about 1 work-hour and parts cost about $60 for a total estimated cost of $145 per helicopter and $132,530 for the U.S. fleet.

According to Air Comm's service information, some of the costs of this AD may be covered under warranty, thereby reducing the cost impact on affected individuals. We do not control warranty coverage by Air Comm. Accordingly, we have included all costs in our cost estimate.

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.

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 to the extent that it justifies making a regulatory distinction; 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.

We prepared an economic evaluation of the estimated costs to comply with this AD and placed it in the AD docket.

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 adding the following new airworthiness directive (AD):