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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 36 / Thursday, February 25, 2021 / Rules and Regulations
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration 14 CFR Part 39
Docket No. FAA20201026; Project Identifier MCAI202000745R; Amendment 3921418; AD 20210315
RIN 2120AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Leonardo S.p.a. Helicopters Federal Aviation Administration FAA, DOT.
ACTION: Final rule.
AGENCY:

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive AD 202013
02 for Leonardo S.p.A. Leonardo Model A119 and AW119 MKII
helicopters. AD 20201302 required inspecting for movement and the tightening torque of the tail rotor T/R
plug, the installation of the outboard and inboard faces of the T/R duplex bearing, and the condition of the T/R
duplex bearing, T/R plug threads, and nut threads. Depending on the inspection results, AD 20201302
required corrective actions and reporting information. This new AD
retains the requirements of AD 2020
1302 except the reporting requirement, updates the service information, and requires repeating the inspection. This AD was prompted by Leonardos update to the service information. The actions of this AD are intended to address an unsafe condition on these products.
DATES: This AD is effective April 1, 2021.
The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of a certain publication listed in this AD
as of April 1, 2021.
ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this final rule, contact Leonardo S.p.A. Helicopters, Emanuele Bufano, Head of Airworthiness, Viale G.
Agusta 520, 21017 C. Costa di Samarate Va Italy; telephone +390331225074;
fax +390331229046; or at https
www.leonardocompany.com/en/home.
You may view this referenced service information at the FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Room 6N321, Fort Worth, TX 76177. It is also available on the internet at https
www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA2020
1026.
SUMMARY:

Examining the AD Docket You may examine the AD docket on the internet at https
www.regulations.gov in Docket No.

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FAA20201026; 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 AD, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency EASA AD, any service information that is incorporated by reference, any comments received, and other information. The street address for Docket Operations is U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M
30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
David Hatfield, Aviation Safety Engineer, Aircraft Systems Section, Technical Innovation Policy Branch, FAA, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Fort Worth, TX 76177; telephone 817222
5110; email david.hatfield@faa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Discussion The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking NPRM to amend 14 CFR
part 39 to remove AD 20201302, Amendment 3921147 85 FR 37551, June 23, 2020 AD 20201302, and add a new AD. AD 20201302 applied to Leonardo Model A119 and AW119
MKII helicopters with a T/R duplex bearing part number P/N 1290160
11103 installed. The NPRM published in the Federal Register on November 18, 2020 85 FR 73432. The NPRM
proposed to retain all of the inspection requirements and the installation prohibition of AD 20201302. The NPRM also proposed to require repeating the inspection for presence of the P/N and serial number S/N
markings of the outboard and inboard faces of T/R duplex bearing every 200
hours time-in-service TIS. The NPRM
also proposed to remove the reporting requirements required by AD 202013
02.
The NPRM was prompted by EASA
AD No. 20200128, dated June 4, 2020
EASA AD 20200128, issued by EASA, which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Union, to correct an unsafe condition for Leonardo Model A119 and AW119MKII helicopters, S/N up to 14972 inclusive, except S/Ns 14950, 14957, 14961, 14962, 14964, 14965, 14967, and 14970. EASA AD 20200128
supersedes EASA Emergency AD No.
20190194E, dated August 9, 2019
EASA AD 20190194E, which prompted AD 20201302. EASA
advises that after EASA AD 20190194
E was issued, Leonardo determined that additional serial-numbered helicopters are affected by the unsafe condition.
EASA also advises that Leonardo
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canceled Emergency Alert Service Bulletin EASB No. 119100, dated August 7, 2019 EASB 119100 and instead included the repetitive inspections in the maintenance manual MM.
FAA AD 20201302 did not require repeating the inspection of the T/R
duplex bearing installation every 200
hours TIS, as there was sufficient time to allow for notice and comment prior to this long-term action going into effect.
The FAA has determined that repeating the inspection is needed to address this unsafe condition. Although Leonardo has added this action to the MM, the FAA must mandate it through an AD in order to require it for all operators.
Accordingly, the FAA included this long-term requirement in the NPRM.
Comments The FAA gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing this final rule, but the FAA did not receive any comments on the NPRM or on the determination of the cost to the public.
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 of the unsafe condition described in its AD. The FAA is issuing this AD
after evaluating all of the information provided by EASA and determining the unsafe condition exists and is likely to exist or develop on other helicopters of these same type designs and that air safety and the public interest require adopting the AD requirements as proposed.
Differences Between This AD and the EASA AD
The EASA AD is applicable to certain serial-numbered Model A119 and AW119MKII helicopters, whereas this AD applies to Model A119 and AW119
MKII helicopters with a T/R duplex bearing P/N 129016011103 installed instead. The EASA AD requires inspecting the tightening torque of the T/R plug in the range of 30.533.9 Nm, whereas this AD requires inspecting the tightening torque of the T/R plug to a minimum of 30.5 Nm instead. This AD
requires repeating the inspections for the presence of the P/N and S/N
markings, for rough rotation, brinelling, spalling, chipping, flaking, evidence of overheated bearing balls, and damage to the races, and for damaged threads of the T/R plug and nut, at intervals not to exceed 200 hours TIS, whereas the EASA AD does not require repeating
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