Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. Model 214B, 214B-1, and 214ST Helicopters

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 93-SW-12-AD; Amendment 39-8803; AD 94-02-05]

Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. Model

214B, 214B-1, and 214ST Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This amendment supersedes an existing airworthiness directive

(AD), applicable to Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. Model 214B and 214B-1

helicopters, that currently establishes a mandatory retirement life for

the main transmission upper planetary carrier (carrier). This amendment

requires changing the retirement life for the carrier from flight hours

to high-power events, removing the 2,500 hours' time-in-service

magnetic particle inspection (MPI) for the carrier, and making the

requirements applicable to the Model 214ST as well as the Model 214B

and 214B-1 helicopters. This amendment is prompted by the

manufacturer's analysis and retesting that has shown that frequent

takeoffs and external load lifts (high-power events) shorten the life

of the carrier. The actions specified by this AD are intended to

prevent fatigue failure of the carrier, failure of the main

transmission, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

EFFECTIVE DATE: July 28, 1994.

ADDRESSES: This AD and any related information may be examined in the

Rules Docket at the Federal Aviation Administration, Office of the

Assistant Chief Counsel, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Room 663, Fort Worth,

Texas.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Uday Garadi, Aerospace Engineer,

Rotorcraft Certification Office, FAA, Rotorcraft Directorate, 2601

Meacham Boulevard, Fort Worth, Texas 76137, telephone (817) 222-5157,

fax (817) 222-5959.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A proposal to amend part 39 of the Federal

Aviation Regulations by superseding AD 92-09-06, Amendment 39-8231, (57

FR 31431, July 16, 1992), which is applicable to Bell Helicopter

Textron, Inc. Model 214B and 214B-1 helicopters, was published in the

Federal Register on August 31, 1993, (58 FR 45858). That action

proposed to require changing the retirement life for the main

transmission upper planetary carrier (carrier), part numbers (P/N) 214-

040-077-007 and 214-040-077-101, from flight hours to high-power

events, removing the 2,500 hours' time-in-service magnetic particle

inspection (MPI) for the carrier, and making the requirements

applicable to the Model 214ST as well as the Model 214B and 214B-1

helicopters. High-power events are takeoffs and external load lifts.

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 with only minor editorial changes. The

FAA has determined that these changes will not increase the scope of

the AD. However, the FAA has performed a more detailed cost analysis

and has determined that, when factoring in the creation and maintenance

of the component history card or equivalent record, the anticipated

costs are $93,403 higher than the proposed amount for the first year

and $108,987 higher than the proposed amount for each subsequent year.

In the proposal, the cost of this AD was estimated to be $870,570 each

year.

The FAA estimates that 170 helicopters of U.S. registry will be

affected by this AD, that (1) it will take approximately 30 work hours

per helicopter to replace the affected parts due to the new method of

determining the retirement life required by this AD, (2) it will take

approximately 2 work hours per helicopter to create the component

history card or equivalent record (record), (3) it will take

approximately 10 work hours per helicopter to maintain the record each

year, and (4) the average labor rate is $55 per work hour. Required

parts will cost approximately $28,966 per helicopter. Based on these

figures, the total cost impact of the AD on U.S. operators for the

first year is estimated to be $979,557 and each subsequent year to be

$963,973. These costs assume replacement of the carrier in one-sixth of

the fleet each year, creation and maintenance of the records for all

the fleet the first year, and creation of one-sixth of the records and

maintenance of the records for all the fleet each subsequent year.

The regulations adopted herein will not have substantial direct

effects 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. Therefore, in

accordance with Executive Order 12612, it is determined that this final

rule does not have sufficient federalism implications to warrant the

preparation of a Federalism Assessment.

For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this action (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); 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. A final evaluation has been prepared for this action

and it is contained in the Rules Docket. A copy of it may be obtained

from the Rules Docket at the location provided under the caption

``ADDRESSES.''

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Safety.

Adoption of the Amendment

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:

PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

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

Authority: 49 U.S.C. App. 1354(a), 1421 and 1423; 49 U.S.C.

106(g); and 14 CFR 11.89.

Sec. 39.13 [Amended]

2. Section 39.13 is amended by removing Amendment 39-8231, (57 FR

31431, July 16, 1992), and by adding a new airworthiness directive

(AD), Amendment 39-8803, to read as follows:

AD 94-02-05 Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc.: Amendment 39-8803. Docket

Number 93-SW-12-AD. Supersedes AD 92-09-06, Amendment 39-8231.

Applicability: Model 214B, 214B-1, and 214ST helicopters,

certificated in any category.

Compliance: Required as indicated, unless accomplished

previously.

To prevent fatigue failure of the main transmission upper

planetary carrier (carrier), part numbers (P/N) 214-040-077-007 and

214-040-077-101, as a result of frequent takeoffs and external load

lifts (high-power events), that could result in failure of the main

transmission and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter,

accomplish the following:

(a) Within the next 25 hours' time-in-service (TIS) after the

effective date of this airworthiness directive (AD), accomplish the

following:

(1) Create a component history card or an equivalent record for

the affected carrier.

(2) Determine the actual TIS of the carrier from maintenance

records, if possible. If the actual TIS cannot be determined, use a

TIS of 900 hours per year. Prorate the hours for a partial year.

(3) For Model 214B and 214B-1 helicopters, determine and record

the accumulated high-power events on the carrier as follows:

(i) If the number of high-power events is unknown, assign 12

high-power events for each hour TIS obtained in paragraph (a)(2).

(ii) If the number of high-power events is known, divide that

number by 2 and record the resulting number as the total accumulated

high-power events.

(4) For Model 214ST helicopters, determine and record the

accumulated high-power events on the carrier as follows:

(i) If the number of high-power events is unknown, assign 11

high-power events for each hour TIS obtained in paragraph (a)(2).

(ii) If the number of high-power events is known, record that

number as the total accumulated high-power events.

(b) After the effective date of this AD, continue to record

high-power events. For Model 214B and 214B-1 helicopters, divide the

number of high-power events as they occur by 2 and add the resulting

number to the previously recorded sum; for Model 214ST helicopters,

add the high-power events as they occur to the previously recorded

sum.

(c) Remove the carriers from further service in accordance with

the following:

(1) For carriers with 59,400 or more high-power events on the

effective date of this AD, remove the carrier from service on or

before the accumulation of an additional 600 high-power events.

(2) For carriers with less than 59,400 high-power events on the

effective date of this AD, remove the affected carrier from service

on or before attaining 60,000 high-power events.

(d) This AD revises the helicopter Airworthiness Limitations

section of the maintenance manual by establishing a new retirement

life for the carrier of 60,000 high-power events. However, for

carriers with 59,400 or more high-power events on the effective date

of this AD, those carriers need not be retired until on or before

the accumulation of an additional 600 high-power events.

(e) An alternative method of compliance or adjustment of the

compliance time that provides an acceptable level of safety may be

used when approved by the Manager, Rotorcraft Certification Office,

FAA, Rotorcraft Directorate. Operators shall submit their requests

through an FAA Principal Maintenance Inspector, who may concur or

comment and then send it to the Manager, Rotorcraft Certification

Office.

Note: Information concerning the existence of approved

alternative methods of compliance with this AD, if any, may be

obtained from the Rotorcraft Certification Office.

(f) Special flight permits may be issued in accordance with

sections 21.197 and 21.199 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14

CFR 21.197 and 21.199) to operate the helicopter to a location where

the requirements of this AD can be accomplished.

(g) This amendment becomes effective on July 28, 1994.

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on June 6, 1994.

Larry M. Kelly,

Acting Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 94-15147 Filed 6-22-94; 8:45 am]

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