• DATES:
• ADDRESSES:
• Examining the AD Docket
• FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
• SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
• Comments Invited
• Discussion
• Actions Since AD 2001-13-51 Was Issued
• FAA’s Determination
• Related Service Information
• Proposed AD Requirements
• Differences Between the Proposed AD and the TCCA AD
• Costs of Compliance
• Authority for This Rulemaking
• Regulatory Findings
• List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
• The Proposed Amendment
• PART 39—AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
• (a) Applicability
• (b) Unsafe Condition
• (c) Affected ADs
• (d) Comments Due Date
• (e) Compliance
• (f) Required Actions
• (g) Special Flight Permit
• (h) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)
• (i) Additional Information
• (j) Subject

We must receive comments on this proposed AD by November 14, 2014.

You may send comments by any of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Docket: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for sending your comments electronically.
• Fax: 202-493-2251.
• Mail: Send comments to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
• Hand Delivery: Deliver to the “Mail” address between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov or in person at the Docket Operations Office between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD docket contains this proposed AD, the foreign authority’s AD, the economic evaluation, any comments received and other information. The street address for the Docket Operations Office (telephone 800-647-5527) is in the ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly after receipt.

For service information identified in this proposed AD, contact Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited, 12,800 Rue de l’Avenir, Mirabel, Quebec J7J1R4; telephone (450) 437-2862 or (800) 363-8023; fax (450) 433-0272; or at http://www.bellcustomer.com/files/. You may review service information at the FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Room 663, Fort Worth, Texas 76137.

Matthew Fuller, Aviation Safety Engineer, Safety Management Group, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 76137; telephone (817) 222-5110; email matthew.fuller@faa.gov.

We invite you to participate in this rulemaking by submitting written comments, data, or views. We also invite comments relating to the economic, environmental, energy, or federalism impacts that might result from adopting the proposals in this document. The most helpful comments reference a specific portion of the proposal, explain the reason for any recommended change, and include supporting data. To ensure the docket does not contain duplicate comments, commenters should send only one copy of written comments, or if comments are filed electronically, commenters should submit only one time.

We will file in the docket all comments that we receive, as well as a report summarizing each substantive public contact with FAA personnel concerning this proposed rulemaking. Before acting on this proposal, we will consider all comments we receive on or before the closing date for comments. We will consider comments filed after the comment period has closed if it is possible to do so without incurring expense or delay. We may change this proposal in light of the comments we receive.

On June 27, 2001, the FAA issued Emergency AD 2001-13-51, which we published by issuing a Final rule; request for comment on September 21, 2001 (66 FR 48535 FR), for Bell Model 206L-4, 407 and 427 helicopters. AD 2001-13-51 requires visually inspecting driveshaft, part number (P/N) 206-340-300-105, for a crack, a loose bolt or nut, or red powder residue and replacing a driveshaft if there is a crack, a loose bolt or nut, or red powder residue. AD 2001-13-51 also requires notifying the FAA within 10 days if a crack is found in the driveshaft, and prohibits interchanging a driveshaft between different models if the driveshaft has ever been installed on a Bell Model 407 helicopter. AD 2001-13-51 was prompted by a driveshaft failure on a Bell Model 407 helicopter that resulted in an engine shutdown and an emergency landing, as well as three other incidents of a cracked flex frame on the forward end of the driveshaft on other Model 407 helicopters. AD 2001-13-51 was prompted by AD No. CF-2001-24, dated June 11, 2001, issued by Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA), which is the aviation authority for Canada. TCCA AD No. CF-2001-24 required a one-time visual inspection of the driveshaft.

Since we issued AD 2001-13-51 (66 FR 48535, September 21, 2001), the Model 429 helicopter was certificated, and TCCA issued Revision 3, dated September 26, 2013, to AD No. CF-2001-24. Revision 3 adds Model 429 helicopters to the applicability section and requires removing any driveshaft, P/N 206-340-300-105, if it has ever been installed on a Bell Model 407 helicopter.

This proposed AD would expand the applicability to include the Bell Model 429 helicopter because the driveshaft, P/N 206-340-300-105, can also be installed on the Bell Model 429 helicopter. Also, we have removed the requirement to notify the FAA if a crack is found in the driveshaft because we did not receive any reports of driveshaft problems. This proposed AD would retain the one-time inspection, if not previously accomplished, for a crack, a loose bolt or nut, and red powder residue, and if there is a crack, a loose bolt or nut, or red powder residue, replacing each unairworthy driveshaft with an airworthy driveshaft before further flight. The one-time inspection is not required for Bell Model 429 helicopters because that model would have had the inspection done when it was certificated. Lastly, this proposed AD would require for all applicable models, within 1,250 hours time-in-service (TIS), removing from service any driveshaft, P/N 206-340-300-105, if it has ever been installed on a Bell Model 407 helicopter.

These helicopters have been approved by the aviation authority of Canada and are approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant to our bilateral agreement with Canada, TCAA, its technical representative, has notified us of the unsafe condition described in its AD. We are proposing this AD because we evaluated all known relevant information and determined that an unsafe condition is likely to exist or develop on other helicopters of the same type design.

We reviewed Bell Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) No. 206L-01-123, Revision A, dated February 22, 2006, for Bell Model 206L-4 helicopters and ASB No. 427-01-04, Revision A, dated March 31, 2006, for Bell Model 427 helicopters. Both ASBs describe inspecting the Historical Service Record of the engine-to-transmission driveshaft, P/N 206-340-300-105, to determine whether the driveshaft has ever been installed on a Bell Model 407 helicopter and removing the driveshaft if it has ever been installed on a Model 407 helicopter. We also reviewed Bell ASB No. 407-01-45, Revision B, dated April 23, 2013, for Bell Model 407 helicopters, which describes an engine-to-transmission driveshaft 1,250-Hour overhaul. TCCA classified these ASBs as mandatory and issued AD No. CF-2002-03R3, dated September 26, 2013, to ensure the continued airworthiness of these helicopters.

This proposed AD would require:

• Within 50 hours TIS, determining whether driveshaft, P/N 206-340-300-105, has ever been installed on a Bell Model 407 helicopter and making a note on the component history card or equivalent record. If a driveshaft has ever been installed on a Model 407 helicopter:

○ Within 25 hours TIS, inspecting each Model 206L-4, 407, and 427 helicopter with an affected driveshaft installed for a crack, loose bolts or nuts, and red powder residue. If there is a crack, a loose bolt or nut, or red powder residue, replacing the driveshaft with an airworthy driveshaft before further flight.

○ For each helicopter with an affected driveshaft installed, on or before accumulating 1,250 hours TIS, replacing the driveshaft with an airworthy driveshaft.

This proposed AD would also prohibit installing driveshaft, P/N 206-340-300-105, on any helicopter if it has ever been installed on a Bell Model 407 helicopter.

The TCCA AD requires following the compliance time specified in the Bell ASBs, which allows more time, based on the hours TIS, for removing the driveshaft. This proposed AD would require replacing the driveshaft before accumulating 1,250 hours TIS. The proposed AD would also prohibit the use of driveshaft, P/N 206-340-300-105, on the Model 407 helicopter.

We estimate that this proposed AD would affect 970 helicopters of U.S. Registry. We estimate that operators may incur the following costs in order to comply with this proposed AD. Labor costs are estimated at $85 per work-hour. We estimate 0.25 work-hour to determine whether the driveshaft has ever been installed on a Bell Model 407 helicopter for a total cost of $22 per helicopter or $21,340 for the fleet. If a driveshaft has been installed on a Model 407 helicopter, we estimate 1 work hour to inspect the driveshaft for a cost of $85 per helicopter, and 2 work hours and $39,724 for required parts to replace a driveshaft for a cost of $39,894 per helicopter.

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 proposed 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 determined that this proposed AD would not have federalism implications under Executive Order 13132. This proposed AD would 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, I certify this proposed regulation:

1. Is not a “significant regulatory action” under Executive Order 12866;

2. Is not a “significant rule” under the 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 proposed AD and placed it in the AD docket.

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

[FR Doc. 2014-21919 Filed 9-12-14; 8:45 am]

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