2017-22-01: Autopilot System

Adoption of 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 (AD): 2017-22-01 Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation: Amendment 39-19081; Docket No. FAA-2017-0946; Product Identifier 2017-SW-045-AD. (a) Applicability This AD applies to Model S-92A helicopters, certificated in any category, with a Search and Rescue (SAR) Automatic Flight Control System installed with a Flight Control Computer (FCC) part number 92900-01802-112. (b) Unsafe Condition This AD defines the unsafe condition as a software defect in the FCC. This condition could result in unintended decoupling of the flight director in all three axes and flight into terrain. (c) Effective Date This AD becomes effective November 8, 2017. (d) Compliance You are responsible for performing each action required by this AD within the specified compliance time unless it has already been accomplished prior to that time. (e) Required Actions Within 10 hours time-in-service, revise the operating limitations section of the Rotorcraft Flight Manual by adding the information in Figure 1 to paragraph (e) of this AD as paragraph 4, System Limits, in Section 1 of Sikorsky SA S92A-RFM-003 Rotorcraft Flight Manual Supplement (RFMS) No. 4 for the SAR AFCS (Sikorsky SA S92A-RFM-003 RFMS No. 4). This action may be done by: (1) Inserting a copy of this AD; (2) Making pen-and-ink changes; or (3) Inserting pages 1-2 and 1-3/1-4 of Sikorsky SA S92A-RFM-003 RFMS No. 4, Revision 1, approved October 6, 2017. Using a different Sikorsky SA S92A-RFM-003 RFMS No. 4 revision with information identical to that in paragraph 4,System Limits, from Section 1 of Sikorsky SA S92A-RFM-003 RFMS No. 4, Revision 1, approved October 6, 2017, is acceptable for compliance with the requirements of this AD. [[Page 49097]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR24OC17.005 (f) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs) (1) The Manager, Boston ACO Branch, FAA, may approve AMOCs for this AD. Send your proposal to: Nick Rediess, Aviation Safety Engineer, Boston ACO Branch, Compliance and Airworthiness Division, 1200 District Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803; telephone (781) 238- 7159; email [email protected]. (2) For operations conducted under a 14 CFR part 119 operating certificate or under 14 CFR part 91, subpart K, we suggest that you notify your principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the manager of the local flight standards district office or certificate holding district office before operating any aircraft complying with this AD through an AMOC. (g) Additional Information Sikorskyletter CCS-92-APL-17-0001, dated July 31, 2017, which is not incorporated by reference, contains additional information about the subject of this AD. For service information identified in this AD, contact Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, Customer Service Engineering, 124 Quarry Road, Trumbull, CT 06611; telephone 1-800- Winged-S or 203-416-4299; email [email protected]. You may review this service information at the FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy, Room 6N-321, Fort Worth, TX 76177. (h) Subject Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) Code: 2210, Autopilot System. (i) Material Incorporated by Reference (1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of the service information listed in this paragraph under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. (2) You must use this service information as applicable to do the actions required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise.(i) Pages 1-2 and 1-3/1-4 of Sikorsky SA S92A-RFM-003 RFMS No. 4 Sikorsky Model S-92A Part 1, Revision 1, approved October 6, 2017. (ii) Reserved. (3) For Sikorsky service information identified in this AD, Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, Customer Service Engineering, 124 Quarry Road, Trumbull, CT 06611; telephone 1-800-Winged-S or 203- 416-4299; email [email protected]. (4) You may view this service information at FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy, 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 service information that is incorporated by reference at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this material at NARA, call (202) 741-6030, or go to: http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.