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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 102 / Friday, May 28, 2021 / Proposed Rules Background EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Union, has issued a series of ADs, the most recent being EASA AD 20180006, dated January 10, 2018 EASA AD
20180006, to correct an unsafe condition for Leonardo S.p.A.
Helicopters formerly Finmeccanica S.p.A., AgustaWestland S.p.A. Model AW189 helicopters with certain partnumbered and serial-numbered Aero Sekur EFS float assemblies installed, except those float assemblies marked with SB18925004. EASA initially issued EASA AD 20170256, dated December 22, 2017 EASA AD 2017
0256, to address the unsafe condition.
EASA issued EASA AD 20180006 to supersede EASA AD 20170256 to revise the compliance time based on the EFS float assembly condition.
This proposed AD was prompted by corrosion on the inlet check valve banjo fitting of EFS float assemblies. The FAA
is proposing this AD to prevent reduced inflation of an EFS float, which if not addressed, could affect the helicopters buoyancy during an emergency landing on water. See EASA AD 20180006 for additional background information.
FAAs Determination These helicopters have been approved by EASA and are approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant to the FAAs bilateral agreement with the European Union, EASA has notified the FAA about the unsafe condition described in its AD. The FAA is proposing this AD after evaluating all known relevant information and determining that the unsafe condition described previously is likely to exist or develop on other helicopters of the same type design.
Related Service Information Under 1
CFR Part 51
EASA AD 20180006 requires visually inspecting the banjo fittings installed on an affected EFS float assembly. If there is corrosion on a banjo fitting, EASA AD 20180006
requires replacing the banjo fitting.
EASA AD 20180006 also requires applying corrosion inhibiting compound to each banjo fitting installed on an affected EFS float assembly.
EASA AD 20180006 prohibits installing an affected EFS float assembly unless the banjo fitting inspection, banjo fitting replacement, and corrosion inhibiting compound application requirements have been accomplished.
EASA AD 20180006 also allows credit for actions accomplished previously
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with a prior revision of the Leonardo Helicopters service information.
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.
Other Related Service Information The FAA reviewed Leonardo Helicopters Alert Service Bulletin No.
189174, original issue, dated December 22, 2017 ASB 189174 original issue, and Revision A, dated January 5, 2018
ASB 189174 Rev A. The FAA also reviewed Aero Sekur Service Bulletin SB18925004, original issue, dated November 22, 2017 SB18925004, which is attached as Annex A to ASB
189174 original issue and ASB 189
174 Rev A.
ASB 189174 Rev A and ASB 189
174 original issue specify the same procedures, except the compliance time specified by ASB 189174 Rev A has been revised by adding affected EFS
float assemblies that have been inspected by procedures in the maintenance manual within the previous 12 months. ASB 189174
original issue and ASB 189174 Rev A
specify accomplishing the Visual Inspection and Corrosion Prevention, and Record Instruction procedures specified in SB18925004. ASB 189
174 original issue and ASB 189174 Rev A also specify emailing photographical evidence of each corroded banjo fitting to Leonardo Helicopters PSE Division and returning replaced banjo fittings to Leonardo Helicopters Customer Support Division.
SB18925004 specifies procedures for cleaning and visually inspecting each banjo fitting for evidence of corrosion. If there is corrosion, SB189
25004 specifies procedures for discarding the banjo fitting and its Orings, and installing a new banjo fitting.
SB18925004 also specifies procedures for applying corrosion inhibiting compound JC5A or Mastinox 6856 on all banjo fittings. When SB
18925004 is accomplished, SB189
25004 specifies procedures for marking the identification label of the EFS float assembly.
Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM
This proposed AD would require accomplishing the actions specified in EASA AD 20180006, described previously, as incorporated by reference, except for any differences identified as exceptions in the regulatory text of this proposed AD and except as discussed under Differences
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Between this Proposed AD and the EASA AD.
Explanation of Required Compliance Information In the FAAs ongoing efforts to improve the efficiency of the AD
process, the FAA developed a process to use certain 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, EASA AD 20180006
will be incorporated by reference in the FAA final rule. This proposed AD
would, therefore, require compliance with EASA AD 20180006 in its entirety, through that incorporation, except for any differences identified as exceptions in the regulatory text of this proposed AD. Using common terms that are the same as the heading of a particular section in EASA AD 2018
0006 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 Actions and Compliance Times in EASA AD
20180006. Service information specified in EASA AD 20180006 that is required for compliance with it will be available at https www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No.
FAA20210383 after the FAA final rule is published.
Differences Between This Proposed AD
and the EASA AD
EASA AD 20180006 requires returning and discarding certain parts, whereas this proposed AD would require removing those parts from service instead.
Costs of Compliance The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would affect 4
helicopters of U.S. Registry. Labor rates are estimated at $85 per work-hour.
Based on these numbers, the FAA
estimates the following costs to comply with this proposed AD.
Inspecting the banjo fittings would take about 8.5 work-hours for an estimated cost of $723 per helicopter and $2,892 for the U.S. fleet. Applying corrosion inhibiting compound would take about 1.5 work-hours for an estimated cost of $128 per helicopter and $512 for the U.S. fleet. If required, replacing a banjo fitting would take a minimal additional amount of time after inspecting it and parts would cost about
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