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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 111 / Friday, June 11, 2021 / Rules and Regulations DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration 14 CFR Part 39
Docket No. FAA20190113; Product Identifier 2017SW140AD; Amendment 3921584; AD 20211122
RIN 2120AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH
Helicopters Federal Aviation Administration FAA, DOT.
ACTION: Final rule.
AGENCY:

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive AD 201611
21 for Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH Airbus Helicopters Model EC135P1, EC135P2, EC135P2+, EC135T1, EC135T2, and EC135T2+
helicopters. AD 20161121 required revising the life limit of certain parts and removing each part that has reached its life limit. This AD continues to require revising the life limits for certain parts and removing each part that has reached or exceeded its life limit and expands the applicability to include Model EC135P3 and EC135T3
helicopters. This AD was prompted by the certification of new helicopter models since AD 20161121 was issued. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

SUMMARY:

This AD is effective July 16, 2021.
The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of a certain publication listed in this AD
as of July 16, 2021.
ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this final rule, contact Airbus Helicopters, 2701 N Forum Drive, Grand Prairie, TX 75052;
telephone 9726410000 or 800232
0323; fax 9726413775; or at https
www.airbus.com/helicopters/services/
technical-support.html. You may view this service information at the FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Room 6N321, Fort Worth, TX
76177. For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 8172225110. It is also available at https www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No.
FAA20190113.

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DATES:

Examining the AD Docket You may examine the AD docket at https www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No.

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FAA20190113; 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 European Aviation Safety Agency now European Union Aviation Safety Agency EASA AD, any service information that is incorporated by reference, any comments received, and other information. The address for Docket Operations is U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matt Fuller, AD Program Manager, Operational Safety Branch, Airworthiness Products Section, General Aviation & Rotorcraft Unit, FAA, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Fort Worth, TX 76177; telephone 817222
5110; email matthew.fuller@faa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking NPRM to amend 14 CFR
part 39 to supersede AD 20161121, Amendment 3918548 81 FR 36137, June 6, 2016, AD 20161121 which applied to Airbus Helicopters Model EC135P1, EC135P2, EC135P2+, EC135T1, EC135T2, and EC135T2+
helicopters. The NPRM published in the Federal Register on March 8, 2021 86
FR 13237. In the NPRM, the FAA
proposed to require, before further flight, establishing a life limit for the tail rotor hub body of 27,400 hours time-inservice TIS or using Airbus Helicopters service information if the history of the tail rotor hub body is not known or cannot be identified. The NPRM also proposed to require establishing life limits for certain swashplate and mixing lever gear unit parts in the Airworthiness Limitations Section ALS of the existing maintenance manual for your helicopter, and recording the revised life limit on the component history card or equivalent record. Additionally, the NPRM proposed to require continuing to record the life limit of certain parts that have not reached their life limit.
Finally, the NPRM proposed to require removing from service any part that reached or exceeded its life limit.
The NPRM was prompted by EASA
AD 20170243, dated December 6, 2017
EASA AD 20170243, issued by EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Union, to correct an unsafe condition Airbus Helicopters Model EC135P1, EC135P2, EC135P2+, EC135P3, EC135T1, EC135T2, EC135T2+,
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EC135T3, EC635P2+, EC635P3, EC635T1, EC635T2+, and EC635T3
helicopters. EASA AD 20170243
superseded EASA AD 20130178, dated August 7, 2013 EASA AD 20130178, which was prompted by Airbus Helicopters revising the airworthiness limitations for the Model EC135 and EC635 helicopters type design as published in the Master Servicing Manual MSM EC135 Chapter 04ALS
documents. Revision 14 of the MSM
contains these new airworthiness limitations. EASA stated that failure to comply with these limitations could result in failure of a critical part, which could result in loss of control of the helicopter. Accordingly, EASA AD
20130178 required revising the ALS to include the new life limits and replacing each part that has reached its life limit. Superseding EASA AD 2017
0243 expands the applicability to include Airbus Helicopters Model EC135P3, EC135T3, EC635P3, and EC635T3 helicopters. New life limits were also added for some parts.
Comments The FAA received comments from one commenter. The following presents the comments received on the NPRM
and the FAAs response.
The individual commented that the NPRM sets the life limit for the hinged support part number P/N
L671M7003210 at 8,400 hours TIS but that the life limit of this component is at 19,000 hours per ALS Rev 01 chapter 041000. The individual also commented that the NPRM sets the life limit for the bolt P/N L671M7001220 at 8,400 hours TIS but that the life limit of this component is at 19,000 hours per ALS Rev 01 chapter 041000. The FAA
agrees and has changed this AD to the revise the life limit to 19,000 hours TIS
for the hinged support and the bolt.
Conclusion 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 reviewed the relevant data, considered the comments received, and determined that air safety requires adopting this AD
as proposed except for increasing the life limit for the hinged support and bolt. These changes will neither increase the scope of the AD nor increase the economic burden on any operator. Accordingly, the FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these helicopters.

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