14 CFR 27.917 - Design.

These special conditions are issued for the Eurocopter France Model EC130T2 helicopter. This model helicopter will have the novel or unusual design feature of a 30-minute power rating, generally intended to be used for hovering at increased power for search and rescue missions. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These special conditions contain the additional safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary to establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by the existing airworthiness standards.

The FAA is correcting two final rules, “Damage Tolerance and Fatigue Evaluation for Composite Rotorcraft Structures” (76 FR 74655), published December 1, 2011, and “Damage Tolerance and Fatigue Evaluation for Metallic Structures” (76 FR 75435), published December 2, 2011. In the “Composite Rotorcraft Structures” rule, the FAA amended its regulations to require evaluation of fatigue and residual static strength of composite rotorcraft structures using a damage tolerance evaluation, or a fatigue evaluation if the applicant establishes that a damage tolerance evaluation is impractical. In the “Metallic Structures” rule, the FAA amended its regulations to address advances in structural fatigue substantiation technology for metallic structures to provide an increased level of safety by avoiding or reducing the likelihood of the catastrophic fatigue failure of a metallic structure. This document corrects errors in the preamble of those two documents by adding a statement advising that affected parties do not need to comply with the information collection requirements until the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approves the collections.

This document notifies the public of the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB's) approval of the information collection requirement contained in the FAA's final rule, “Damage Tolerance and Fatigue Evaluation of Composite Rotorcraft Structures,” which was published on December 1, 2011.

These special conditions are issued for the Eurocopter France Model EC130T2 helicopter. This model helicopter will have the novel or unusual design feature of a 30-minute power rating, generally intended to be used for hovering at increased power for search and rescue missions. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These special conditions contain the additional safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary to establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by the existing airworthiness standards.

The FAA is correcting two final rules, “Damage Tolerance and Fatigue Evaluation for Composite Rotorcraft Structures” (76 FR 74655), published December 1, 2011, and “Damage Tolerance and Fatigue Evaluation for Metallic Structures” (76 FR 75435), published December 2, 2011. In the “Composite Rotorcraft Structures” rule, the FAA amended its regulations to require evaluation of fatigue and residual static strength of composite rotorcraft structures using a damage tolerance evaluation, or a fatigue evaluation if the applicant establishes that a damage tolerance evaluation is impractical. In the “Metallic Structures” rule, the FAA amended its regulations to address advances in structural fatigue substantiation technology for metallic structures to provide an increased level of safety by avoiding or reducing the likelihood of the catastrophic fatigue failure of a metallic structure. This document corrects errors in the preamble of those two documents by adding a statement advising that affected parties do not need to comply with the information collection requirements until the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approves the collections.