Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 63 (Thursday, April 3, 2025)

[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 63 (Thursday, April 3, 2025)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 14572-14574]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-05711]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2025-0468; Project Identifier MCAI-2023-00872-R;
Amendment 39-22995; AD 2025-06-07]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all
Airbus Helicopters Model AS332C1 helicopters. This AD was prompted by a
determination that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations
are necessary. This AD requires revising the airworthiness limitations
section (ALS) of the existing maintenance manual (MM) or instructions
for continued airworthiness (ICAs) and the existing approved
maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, as specified in a
European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated
by reference. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe
condition on these products.

DATES: This AD becomes effective April 18, 2025.
The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by
reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of April 18,
2025.
The FAA must receive comments on this AD by May 19, 2025.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR
11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to regulations.gov. Follow
the instructions for submitting comments.
Fax: (202) 493-2251.
Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail address above between 9
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at regulations.gov under
Docket No. FAA-2025-0468; or in person at Docket Operations between 9
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD
docket contains this final rule, the mandatory continuing airworthiness
information (MCAI), any comments received, and other information. The
address for Docket Operations is listed above.
Material Incorporated by Reference:
For EASA material identified in this AD, contact EASA,
Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 Cologne, Germany; phone: +49 221 8999
000; email: ADs@easa.europa.eu; website: easa.europa.eu. You may find
the EASA material on the EASA website at ad.easa.europa.eu.
You may view this material at the FAA, Office of the
Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood Parkway, Room 6N-
321, Fort Worth, TX 76177. For information on the availability of this
material at the FAA, call (817) 222-5110. It is also available at
regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2025-0468.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Adam Hein, Aviation Safety Engineer,
FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; phone: (316)
946-4116; email: Adam.Hein@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

The FAA invites you to send any written data, views, or arguments
about this final rule. Send your comments to an address listed under
the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2025-0468; Project
Identifier MCAI-2023-00872-R'' at the beginning of your comments. The
most helpful comments reference a specific portion of the final rule,
explain the reason for any recommended change, and include supporting
data. The FAA will consider all comments received by the closing date
and may amend this final rule because of those comments.
Except for Confidential Business Information (CBI) as described in
the following paragraph, and other information as described in 14 CFR
11.35, the FAA will post all comments received, without change, to
regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. The
agency will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal
contact received about this final rule.

Confidential Business Information

CBI is commercial or financial information that is both customarily
and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public
disclosure. If your comments responsive to this AD contain commercial
or financial information that is customarily treated as private, that
you actually treat as private, and that is relevant or responsive to
this AD, it is important that you clearly designate the submitted
comments as CBI. Please mark each page of your submission containing
CBI as ``PROPIN.'' The FAA will treat such marked submissions as
confidential under the FOIA, and they will not be placed in the public
docket of this AD. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to Adam
Hein, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410,
Westbury, NY 11590; phone: (316) 946-4116; email: Adam.Hein@faa.gov.
Any commentary that the FAA receives that is not specifically
designated as CBI will be placed in the public docket for this
rulemaking.

Background

EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the
European Union, has issued EASA AD 2023-0144, dated July 14, 2023 (EASA
AD 2023-0144) (also referred to as the MCAI), to correct an unsafe
condition on Airbus Helicopters Model AS 332 C1 helicopters. The MCAI
states that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations have been
developed. EASA advises that airworthiness limitations and
certification maintenance instructions are identified as mandatory for
continued airworthiness and that Revision 9 of AH [Airbus Helicopters]
AS 332 C1 ALS, dated July 27, 2022, has been issued to specify all
service life

[[Page 14573]]

limits and maintenance tasks for AS 332 C1 helicopters and separate the
airworthiness limitations from the Master Servicing Manual (M.S.M.).
The FAA is issuing this AD to prevent a failure of critical parts and
primary structural components, which if not addressed could result in
loss of control of the helicopter.
You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at regulations.gov under
Docket No. FAA-2025-0468.

Material Incorporated by Reference Under 1 CFR Part 51

The FAA reviewed EASA AD 2023-0144, which requires replacing
components before exceeding their life limits and accomplishing all
applicable maintenance tasks within thresholds and intervals specified
in the ALS as defined in EASA AD 2023-0144. Depending on the results of
the maintenance tasks, EASA AD 2023-0144 requires accomplishing
corrective action(s) or contacting Airbus Helicopters for approved
instructions and accomplishing those instructions.
Additionally, EASA AD 2023-0144 requires revising the Aircraft
Maintenance Programme (AMP) by incorporating the limitations, tasks,
and associated thresholds and intervals described in the specified ALS,
as applicable. Revising the AMP constitutes terminating action for the
requirement to record accomplishment of the actions of replacing
components before exceeding their life limits and accomplishing
maintenance tasks within thresholds and intervals specified in the
applicable ALS as required by EASA AD 2023-0144 for demonstration of AD
compliance on a continued basis.
This material 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.

FAA's Determination

These products have been approved by the aviation authority of
another country and are approved for operation in the United States.
Pursuant to the FAA's bilateral agreement with this State of Design
Authority, it has notified the FAA of the unsafe condition described in
the MCAI referenced above. The FAA is issuing this AD after determining
that the unsafe condition described previously is likely to exist or
develop on other products of the same type design.

AD Requirements

This AD requires the actions specified in EASA AD 2023-0144,
described previously, as incorporated by reference, except for any
differences identified as exceptions in the regulatory text of this AD
and except as discussed under ``Differences Between this AD and the
MCAI.''

Explanation of Required Compliance Information

In the FAA's ongoing efforts to improve the efficiency of the AD
process, the FAA developed a process to use some civil aviation
authority (CAA) ADs as the primary source of information for compliance
with requirements for corresponding FAA ADs. The FAA has been
coordinating this process with manufacturers and CAAs. As a result, the
FAA proposes to incorporate EASA AD 2023-0144 by reference in the FAA
final rule. This AD, therefore, requires compliance with EASA AD 2023-
0144 in its entirety through that incorporation, except for any
differences identified as exceptions in the regulatory text of this AD.
Using common terms that are the same as the heading of a particular
section in EASA AD 2023-0144 does not mean that operators need comply
only with that section. For example, where the AD requirement refers to
``all required actions and compliance times,'' compliance with this AD
requirement is not limited to the section titled ``Required Action(s)
and Compliance Time(s)'' in EASA AD 2023-0144. Material referenced in
EASA AD 2023-0144 for compliance will be available at regulations.gov
under Docket No. FAA-2025-0468 after the FAA final rule is published.

Differences Between This AD and the MCAI

The MCAI defines ``the ALS'' as ``AH AS 332 C1 Airworthiness
Limitations Section (ALS) issue date 2014.05.28 at Revision (Rev.) 009
(date code 2022.07.27),'' whereas this AD requires changing ``the ALS''
definition to Revision 10 of that document. This AD still allows future
revisions of ``the ALS'' as specified in the provisions of the ``Ref.
Publications'' section of the MCAI, as incorporated by reference.

Justification for Immediate Adoption and Determination of the Effective
Date

Section 553(b) of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) (5 U.S.C.
551 et seq.) authorizes agencies to dispense with notice and comment
procedures for rules when the agency, for ``good cause,'' finds that
those procedures are ``impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to the
public interest.'' Under this section, an agency, upon finding good
cause, may issue a final rule without providing notice and seeking
comment prior to issuance. Further, section 553(d) of the APA
authorizes agencies to make rules effective in less than thirty days,
upon a finding of good cause.
There are currently no domestic operators of these products.
Accordingly, notice and opportunity for prior public comment are
unnecessary, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b). In addition, for the
foregoing reason(s), the FAA finds that good cause exists pursuant to 5
U.S.C. 553(d) for making this amendment effective in less than 30 days.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

The requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) do not
apply when an agency finds good cause pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553 to adopt
a rule without prior notice and comment. Because the FAA has determined
that it has good cause to adopt this rule without prior notice and
comment, RFA analysis is not required.

Costs of Compliance

There are no costs of compliance with this AD because there are no
helicopters with this type certificate on the U.S. Registry.

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.
The FAA is 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.

Regulatory Findings

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.

[[Page 14574]]

For the reasons discussed, I certify that this AD:
(1) Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive
Order 12866, and
(2) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by
reference, Safety.

The Amendment

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

PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

0
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]

0
2. The FAA amends Sec. 39.13 by adding the following new airworthiness
directive:

2025-06-07 Airbus Helicopters: Amendment 39-22995; Docket No. FAA-
2025-0468; Project Identifier MCAI-2023-00872-R.

(a) Effective Date

This airworthiness directive (AD) is effective April 18, 2025.

(b) Affected ADs

None.

This AD applies to Airbus Helicopters Model AS332C1 helicopters,
certificated in any category.

(d) Subject

Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 05, Time Limits/
Maintenance Checks.

(e) Unsafe Condition

This AD was prompted by new or more restrictive airworthiness
limitations. The FAA is issuing this AD to prevent failure of
critical parts and primary structural components, which if not
addressed, could result in loss of control of the helicopter.

(f) Compliance

Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified,
unless already done.

(g) Required Action

Except as specified in paragraphs (h) and (i) of this AD: Comply
with all required actions and compliance times specified in, and in
accordance with, European Union Aviation Safety Agency AD 2023-0144,
dated July 14, 2023 (EASA AD 2023-0144).

(h) Exceptions to EASA AD 2023-0144

(1) Where EASA AD 2023-0144 defines ``the ALS,'' this AD
requires replacing that text with ``Airbus Airworthiness Limitations
Section (ALS) AS 332 C1, Issue Date May 28, 2014, Revision 10, dated
July 26, 2023.''
(2) Where EASA AD 2023-0144 refers to its effective date, this
AD requires using the effective date of this AD.
(3) This AD does not adopt paragraphs (1), (2), (4) and (5) of
EASA AD 2023-0144.
(4) Where paragraph (3) of EASA AD 2023-0144 specifies ``Within
12 months after the effective date of this AD, revise the approved
AMP,'' this AD requires replacing that text with ``Within 30 days
after the effective date of this AD, revise the airworthiness
limitations section of the existing maintenance manual or
instructions for continued airworthiness and the existing approved
maintenance or inspection program, as applicable.''
(5) The initial compliance time for doing the tasks specified in
paragraph (3) of EASA AD 2023-0144 is on or before the applicable
``limitations'' and ``associated thresholds'' as incorporated by the
requirements of paragraph (3) of EASA AD 2023-0144 or within 30 days
after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later.
(6) This AD does not adopt the ``Remarks'' section of EASA AD
2023-0144.

(i) Provisions for Alternative Actions and Intervals

After the action required by paragraph (g) of this AD has been
done, no alternative actions and associated thresholds and
intervals, including life limits, are allowed unless they are
approved as specified in the provisions of the ``Ref. Publications''
section of EASA AD 2023-0144.

(j) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

(1) The Manager, International Validation Branch, FAA, has the
authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the
procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. In accordance with 14 CFR 39.19,
send your request to your principal inspector or local Flight
Standards District Office, as appropriate. If sending information
directly to the manager of the International Validation Branch, send
it to the attention of the person identified in paragraph (k) of
this AD. Information may be emailed to: AMOC@faa.gov.
(2) Before using any approved AMOC, notify your appropriate
principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the manager
of the local flight standards district office/certificate holding
district office.

(k) Additional Information

For more information about this AD, contact Adam Hein, Aviation
Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY
11590; phone: (316) 946-4116; email: Adam.Hein@faa.gov.

(l) Material Incorporated by Reference

(1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the
incorporation by reference of the material listed in this paragraph
under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
(2) You must use this material as applicable to do the actions
required by this AD, unless this AD specifies otherwise.
(i) European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 2023-0144,
dated July 14, 2023.
(ii) [Reserved]
(3) For EASA material identified in this AD, contact EASA,
Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668 Cologne, Germany; phone: +49 221 8999
000; email: ADs@easa.europa.eu; website: easa.europa.eu. You may
find the EASA material on the EASA website at ad.easa.europa.eu.
(4) You may view this material at the FAA, Office of the
Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood Parkway, Room 6N-
321, Fort Worth, TX 76177. For information on the availability of
this material at the FAA, call (817) 222-5110.
(5) You may view this material at the National Archives and
Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability
of this material at NARA, visit www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations or email fr.inspection@nara.gov.

Issued on March 27, 2025.
Steven W. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-05711 Filed 3-31-25; 11:15 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P