DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2024-1886; Project Identifier AD-2023-01018-R]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Robinson Helicopter Company Helicopters
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive
(AD)
for Robinson Helicopter Company (Robinson Helicopter) Model R22 Beta,
R22 Mariner, R44, and R44 II helicopters with a certain governor
controller installed. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of
engine governor failure, which was a result of water intrusion inside
of the governor controller. This proposed AD would require removing
certain governor controllers from service and installing a part
eligible for installation. This proposed AD would also prohibit
installing certain governor controllers on any helicopter. The FAA is
proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
DATES: The FAA must receive comments on this proposed AD by September
3, 2024.
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-2024-1886; 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 NPRM, any comments received, and other
information. The street address for Docket Operations is listed above.
Material Incorporated by Reference:
For Robinson Helicopter service information, contact
Robinson Helicopter Company, Technical Support Department, 2901 Airport
Drive, Torrance, CA 90505; phone (310) 539-0508; fax (310) 539-5198;
email robinsonheli.com">ts1@robinsonheli.com; or at robinsonheli.com.
You may view this service information 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.
Other Related Service Information: For Robinson service information
identified in this NPRM, contact Robinson Helicopter Company at its
contact information under Material Incorporated by Reference above.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eric Moreland, Aviation Safety
Engineer, FAA, 3960 Paramount Boulevard, Lakewood, CA 90712; phone:
(562) 627-5364; email: eric.r.moreland@faa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
The FAA invites you to send any written relevant data, views, or
arguments about this proposal. Send your comments to an address listed
under ADDRESSES. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2024-1886; Project Identifier
AD-2023-01018-R'' at the beginning of your comments. The most helpful
comments reference a specific portion of the proposal, 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 proposal 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 NPRM.
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 NPRM 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 NPRM, 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 NPRM. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to Eric
Moreland, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 3960 Paramount Boulevard,
Lakewood, CA 90712; phone: (562) 627-5364; email:
eric.r.moreland@faa.gov. Any commentary that the FAA receives which is
not specifically designated as CBI will be placed in the public docket
for this rulemaking.
Background
The FAA has received three reports of governor controller failures
involving Robinson Helicopter Model R22 Beta and R44 II helicopters.
These failures resulted in three underspeed or overspeed events, and
two of these events resulted in hard landings which caused significant
damage to the helicopters. Each of these separate incidents occurred
after significant rainfall where the helicopter was exposed to those
weather conditions. Prior to these governor controller failures,
several operators notified Robinson Helicopter of a malfunction of the
governor controller. Subsequent investigation revealed evidence of
water spotting inside of these governor controllers. Testing involving
the
application of water to the electronics of a governor controller
confirmed that these conditions result in this malfunction. As a result
of this investigation, it has been determined that the root cause for
these malfunctions is water intrusion in the circuit board of the
governor controller. In light of this, Robinson Helicopter issued
service bulletins which specify exchanging the existing governor
controller with a governor which provides additional moisture
protection. Since the affected parts may also be installed on Robinson
Helicopter Model R22 Mariner and R44 helicopters, those model
helicopters are also affected by the unsafe condition. The affected
parts cannot be installed on Robinson Helicopter Model R22 and R22
Alpha helicopters, so those model helicopters are not affected by the
unsafe condition. The unsafe condition, if not addressed, could result
in loss of engine speed governing such as an engine overspeed or
underspeed condition, and subsequent unexpected loss of power during
critical phases of flight and landing.
FAA's Determination
The FAA is issuing this NPRM after determining that the unsafe
condition described previously is likely to exist or develop on other
products of the same type design.
Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51
The FAA reviewed Robinson Helicopter R22 Service Bulletin SB-121
and Robinson Helicopter R44 Service Bulletin SB-114, each dated June
28, 2023 (SB-121 and SB-114). This service information specifies
procedures for removing governor controller part number (P/N) D270-1,
Revision A thru E, and replacing it with governor controller P/N D270-
1, Revision F (or subsequent).
This service information is reasonably available because the
interested parties have access to it through their normal course of
business or by the means identified in ADDRESSES.
Other Related Service Information
The FAA also reviewed Robinson R22 and R44 Engine Monitoring Unit
(EMU) Technician's PC Software Guide, dated Oct 9, 2020. This service
information provides information to program the new EMU ID for the
governor controller.
Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM
This proposed AD would require removing any governor controller P/N
D270-1, Revision A thru E inclusive, from service and installing a
governor controller P/N D270-1, Revision F or later approved revision.
This proposed AD would also prohibit installing governor controller P/N
D270-1, Revision A through E inclusive, on any helicopter.
Costs of Compliance
The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would
affect 140 helicopters of U.S. registry. The FAA estimates the
following costs to comply with this proposed AD. Labor costs are
estimated at $85 per work-hour.
Replacing the governor controller would take approximately 2 work-
hours and parts would cost approximately $1,800 for an estimated cost
of $1,970 per helicopter and $275,800 for the U.S. fleet.
Differences Between This Proposed AD and the Service Information
The service information applies to Robinson Helicopter Model R22-
series and R44-series helicopters with a certain P/N D270-1 governor
controllers installed and also identifies which serial-numbered
helicopters the affected parts were factory installed on, whereas this
proposed AD would apply to all Robinson Helicopter Model R22 Beta, R22
Mariner, R44, and R44 II helicopters with a certain P/N D270-1 governor
controllers installed. This proposed AD would require accomplishing
certain actions specified in SB-121 or SB-114, as applicable to your
helicopter model, except the procedures in paragraph 4. of SB-121 and
SB-114 must be accomplished by persons authorized under 14 CFR 43.3.,
instead of ``an appropriately rated person.''
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
The FAA determined that this proposed AD would not have federalism
implications under Executive Order 13132. This proposed AD would 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.
For the reasons discussed above, I certify this proposed
regulation:
(1) Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive
Order 12866,
(2) Would not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
(3) Would not have a significant economic impact, positive or
negative, on a substantial number of small entities under the criteria
of the Regulatory Flexibility Act.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by
reference, Safety.
The Proposed Amendment
Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the
Administrator, the FAA proposes to amend 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. 106(g), 40113, 44701.
Sec. 39.13 [Amended]
2. The FAA amends Sec. 39.13 by adding the following new airworthiness
directive:
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