[Federal Register: October 17, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 200)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 60927-60928]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr17oc06-34]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2006-25983; Directorate Identifier 2006-SW-11-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; MD Helicopters, Inc. Model MD900 Series
Helicopters
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: This document proposes adopting a new airworthiness directive
(AD) for MD Helicopters, Inc. (MDHI) Model MD900 series helicopters.
The AD would require modifying the pilot and co-pilot dual-control
directional pedal assemblies, or the pilot single-control directional
pedal assembly (directional control pedal assembly). This proposal is
prompted by an accident which has been attributed to loss of
directional control due to failure of the welds in the directional
control pedal assembly. The actions specified by the proposed AD are
intended to prevent fatigue cracking in the welds that connect the
directional control pedal to the pedal shaft, resulting in loss of
directional control and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before December 18, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Use one of the following addresses to submit comments on
this proposed AD:
DOT Docket Web site: Go to http://dms.dot.gov and follow
the instructions for sending your comments electronically;
Government-wide rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov
and follow the instructions for sending your
comments electronically;
Mail: Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, Room PL-401,
Washington, DC 20590;
Fax: 202-493-2251; or
Hand Delivery: Room PL-401 on the plaza level of the
Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, between 9
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
You may get the service information identified in this proposed AD
from MD Helicopters, Inc., Attn: Customer Support Division, 4555 E.
McDowell Rd., Mail Stop M615, Mesa, Arizona 85215-9734, telephone 1-
800-388-3378, fax 480-346-6813, or on the Web at http://www.mdhelicopters.com
.
You may examine the comments to this proposed AD in the AD docket
on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roger Durbin, Aviation Safety
Engineer, FAA, Los Angeles Aircraft Certification Office, Airframe
Branch, 3960 Paramount Blvd., Lakewood, California 90712, telephone
(562) 627-5233, fax (562) 627-5210.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
We invite you to submit any written data, views, or arguments
regarding this proposed AD. Send your comments to the address listed
under the caption ADDRESSES. Include the docket number ``FAA-2006-
25983, Directorate Identifier 2006-SW-11-AD'' at the beginning of your
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory,
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the proposed AD. We will
consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend the
proposed AD in light of those comments.
We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://dms.dot.gov
, including any personal information you provide. We will
also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact with FAA
personnel concerning this proposed rulemaking. Using the search
function of our docket web site, you can find and read the comments to
any of our dockets, including the name of the individual who sent or
signed the comment. You may review the DOT's complete Privacy Act
Statement in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR
19477-78) or you may visit http://dms.dot.gov.
Examining the Docket
You may examine the docket that contains the proposed AD, any
comments, and other information in person at the Docket Management
System (DMS) Docket Office between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through
Friday, except Federal holidays. The Docket Office (telephone 1-800-
647-5227) is located at the plaza level of the Department of
Transportation Nassif Building in Room PL-401 at 400 Seventh Street,
SW., Washington, DC. Comments will be available in the AD docket
shortly after the DMS receives them.
Discussion
This document proposes adopting a new AD for MDHI Model MD900
series helicopters, serial numbers (S/N) 900-00008 through 900-00111,
900-00113, and 900-00114. The AD would require modifying the
directional control pedal assembly by removing the existing pedals,
removing the welded pedal support plate from the pedal shafts,
installing a new pedal mount on each pedal shaft using rivets,
reinstalling the pedals on the new pedal mounts, and marking the
modified directional control pedal assembly with a part number. This
proposal is prompted by an accident which has been attributed to loss
of directional control due to failure of the welds in the directional
control pedal assembly. The actions specified by the proposed AD are
intended to prevent fatigue cracking in the welds that connect the
directional control pedal to the pedal shaft, resulting in loss of
directional control and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.
We have reviewed MD Helicopters Service Bulletin SB900-100, dated
April 5, 2006, which describes procedures for modifying the directional
control pedal assembly.
This unsafe condition is likely to exist or develop on other
helicopters of the same type design. Therefore, the proposed AD would
require modifying the directional control pedal assembly, part number
(P/N) 900C1012007-107, -109, -111, -113, or 900C6012007-111 (pilot dual
control); or P/N 900C1012207-105, -107, -109, -111, or -113 (co-pilot
dual control); or P/N 900C1010007-107, -109, -111, -113, or
900C6010007-111 (pilot single control), by removing the existing
pedals, removing the welded pedal support plate from the pedal shafts,
and installing a directional control pedal modification kit, P/N SBK-
010. Also, this AD would require ink stamping the P/N, 90005340111-101,
on the pedal shaft of each modified directional
[[Page 60928]]
control pedal assembly using permanent ink. The actions would be
required to be accomplished by following specified portions of the
service bulletin described previously.
We estimate that this proposed AD would affect 30 helicopters of
U.S. registry, and modifying the directional control pedal assembly
would take approximately 8 work hours for helicopters with single pilot
controls installed, or 16 work hours for helicopters with dual pilot
and co-pilot controls installed, at an average labor rate of $80 per
work hour. Required parts would cost approximately $775 for helicopters
with dual pilot and co-pilot controls installed. The manufacturer has
stated in its service bulletin that pedal kits may be provided at no
cost, and up to 8 work hours of labor for each set of directional
control pedals may be provided at authorized MDHI service centers (two
sets of directional control pedals are required for helicopters with
dual pilot and co-pilot controls installed). Based on these figures,
the total cost impact of the proposed AD on U.S. operators would be
$61,650 per helicopter, assuming that dual pilot and co-pilot controls
are installed.
Regulatory Findings
We have determined that this proposed AD would not have federalism
implications under Executive Order 13132. Additionally, 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 above, I certify that the 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); 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 a draft economic evaluation of the estimated costs to
comply with this proposed AD. See the DMS to examine the draft economic
evaluation.
Authority for This Rulemaking
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.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Safety.
The Proposed Amendment
Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the
Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration proposes to amend
part 39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) as
follows:
PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.
Sec. 39.13 [Amended]
2. Section 39.13 is amended by adding a new airworthiness directive
to read as follows:
MD Helicopters, Inc.: Docket No. FAA-2006-25983; Directorate
Identifier 2006-SW-11-AD.
Applicability: Model MD900 series helicopters, serial numbers
(S/N) 900-00008 through 900-00111, 900-00113, and 900-00114,
certificated in any category.
Compliance: Required within 90 days after the effective date of
this AD, unless accomplished previously.
To prevent fatigue cracking in the welds which connect the pilot
and co-pilot dual-control, or pilot single-control directional
control pedal (directional control pedal) to the pedal shaft,
resulting in loss of directional control and subsequent loss of
control of the helicopter, accomplish the following:
(a) Modify each directional control pedal assembly, part number
(P/N) 900C1012007-107, -109, -111, -113, or 900C6012007-111 (pilot
dual control); or P/N 900C1012207-105, -107, -109, -111, or -113
(co-pilot dual control); or P/N 900C1010007-107, -109, -111, -113,
or 900C6010007-111 (pilot single control), by removing the existing
pedals, removing the welded pedal support plate from the pedal
shafts, and installing a directional control pedal modification kit,
P/N SBK-010, in accordance with part 2, Accomplishment Instructions,
in MD Helicopters Service Bulletin SB900-100, dated April 5, 2006.
One modification kit is required to be installed on helicopters with
single controls and two modification kits are required to be
installed on helicopters with dual controls.
(b) Using a permanent ink, ink stamp the P/N, 90005340111-101,
on the pedal shaft of each modified directional control pedal
assembly.
(c) To request a different method of compliance or a different
compliance time for this AD, follow the procedures in 14 CFR 39.19.
Contact the Manager, Los Angeles Aircraft Certification Office, FAA,
Attn: Roger Durbin, Airframe Branch, 3960 Paramount Blvd., Lakewood,
California 90712, telephone (562) 627-5233, fax (562) 627-5210, for
information about previously approved alternative methods of
compliance.
Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on September 28, 2006.
Mark R. Schilling,
Acting Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. E6-17186 Filed 10-16-06; 8:45 am]
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