[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 234 (Tuesday, December 6, 2011)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 76027-76029]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-31177]
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Rules and Regulations
Federal Register
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 234 / Tuesday, December 6, 2011 /
Rules and Regulations
[[Page 76027]]
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2011-0733; Directorate Identifier 2010-NE-36-AD;
Amendment 39-16885; AD 2011-25-09]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Division (PW) PW4000
Series Turbofan Engines
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain
PW4000 turbofan engines. This AD was prompted by an updated low-cycle
fatigue (LCF) life analysis performed by PW. This AD requires removing
certain part number (P/N) high-pressure turbine (HPT) stage 1 and HPT
stage 2 airseals and HPT stage 1 airseal rings before their published
life limit and establishes a new lower life limit for these parts. We
are issuing this AD to prevent failure of these parts, which could lead
to an uncontained engine failure and damage to the airplane.
DATES: This AD is effective January 10, 2012.
ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this AD, contact Pratt
& Whitney, 400 Main St., East Hartford, CT 06108; phone: (860) 565-
1605. You may review copies of the referenced service information at
the FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park,
Burlington, MA 01803. For information on the availability of this
material at the FAA, call (781) 238-7125.
Examining the AD Docket
You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov; or in person at the Docket Management Facility
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal
holidays. The AD docket contains this AD, the regulatory evaluation,
any comments received, and other information. The address for the
Docket Office (phone: (800) 647-5527) is Document Management Facility,
U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West
Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE.,
Washington, DC 20590.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Gray, Aerospace Engineer, Engine
Certification Office, FAA, 12 New England Executive Park; phone: (781)
238-7742; fax: (781) 238-7199; email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Discussion
We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR
part 39 to include an AD that would apply to the specified products.
That NPRM published in the Federal Register on July 14, 2011 (76 FR
41430). That NPRM proposed to require removing certain P/N HPT stage 1
and HPT stage 2 airseals and HPT stage 1 airseal rings before their
published life limit, and establishes a new lower life limit for these
parts.
Comments
We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing
this AD. The following presents the comments received on the proposal
and the FAA's response to each comment.
Request To Publish Date When Chapter 5 Will Be Revised
One commenter, Lufthansa Technik AG (Lufthansa), requested that we
note in the AD that Chapter 5 will be revised and indicate when it will
occur. Lufthansa believes this knowledge will help optimize planning
for removal of parts that will be close to their reduced life limits
when Chapter 5 is revised.
We do not agree. Although Chapter 5 may be revised in the future,
we do not know when. If Chapter 5 is revised in the future, we will
publish an NPRM that will allow the public an opportunity to comment.
We did not change the AD as a result of this comment.
Request To Indicate How To Perform Pro-Rata Calculation
One commenter, SR Technics, requested that the AD define how to
perform the pro-rata calculation of the parts' life limit after the
effective date of the AD for parts that have been installed on engines
with different thrust loads.
We do not agree. Information on how to track part life for parts
that have been installed on engines with different thrust loads can be
found in the relevant engine manual. We did not change the AD as a
result of this comment.
Request for Industry Support Program
One commenter, FedEx Express (FedEx), indicated that the proposed
AD would affect 174 engines in its fleet and cost FedEx $8,149,290.
FedEx requested that Pratt & Whitney, therefore, provide an industry
support program to help alleviate this financial burden.
We do not agree. We do not have the authority to require a design
approval holder to offer such a program. We did not change the AD as a
result of this comment.
Conclusion
We reviewed the relevant data, considered the comments received,
and determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting
the AD as proposed except for minor editorial changes to the Unsafe
Condition paragraph made for clarification.
We have determined that these minor changes:
Are consistent with the intent that was proposed in the
NPRM (76 FR 41430, July 14, 2011) for correcting the unsafe condition;
and
Do not add any additional burden upon the public than was
already proposed in the NPRM (76 FR 41430, July 14, 2011).
Costs of Compliance
We estimate that this AD will affect 869 engines installed on
airplanes of U.S. registry. We also estimate that, because the removals
will be performed at piece-part level, no additional work-hours will be
required. Prorated life for the HPT is about $46,835 per engine. Based
on these figures, we estimate the total cost of this AD to U.S.
operators is $40,699,615.
Authority for This Rulemaking
Title 49 of the United States Code specifies the FAA's authority to
issue
[[Page 76028]]
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.
We are 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
This AD will not have federalism implications under Executive Order
13132. This AD will 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 that this AD:
(1) Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive
Order 12866,
(2) Is not a ``significant rule'' under DOT Regulatory Policies and
Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979),
(3) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
(4) Will 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.
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):
2011-25-09 Pratt & Whitney Division: Amendment 39-16885; Docket No.
FAA-2011-0733; Directorate Identifier 2010-NE-36-AD.
(a) Effective Date
This AD is effective January 10, 2012.
(b) Affected ADs
None.
(c) Applicability
This AD applies to the following Pratt & Whitney Division (PW)
turbofan engines, with high-pressure turbine (HPT) stage 1 airseal,
part number (P/N) 50L879; HPT stage 2 airseal, P/N 53L030; or HPT
stage 1 airseal ring, P/N 50L664, installed:
(1) PW4000-100'' Engines
PW4000-100'' engine models PW4164, PW4164C, PW4164C/B, PW4168,
and PW4168A.
(2) PW4000-94'' Engines
(i) PW4000-94'' engine models PW4060, PW4060A, PW4060C, PW4062,
PW4062A, PW4156A, PW4158, PW4160, PW4460, and PW4462 that have
incorporated either Engineering Change Numbers EC92KK322G, H, I, J,
and K, or one of the following PW Service Bulletins (SBs): PW4ENG
72-490, PW4ENG 72-504, PW4ENG 72-512, PW4ENG 72-572, PW4ENG 72-588,
PW4ENG 73-150; as indicated with a (-3), (-3A), or (-3B) suffix on
the engine data plate.
(ii) PW4000-94'' engine models PW4050, PW4052, PW4056, PW4152,
PW4156, and PW4650 that have incorporated either Engineering Change
Numbers EC92KK322G, H, I, J, and K, or one of the following PW SBs:
PW SB PW4ENG 72-490, PW4ENG 72-504, PW4ENG 72-512, PW4ENG 72-572,
PW4ENG 72-588, PW4ENG 73-150; as indicated with a (-3), (-3A), or (-
3B) suffix on the engine data plate.
(d) Unsafe Condition
This AD was prompted by an updated low-cycle fatigue (LCF) life
analysis performed by PW. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure
of these parts, which could lead to an uncontained engine failure
and damage to the airplane.
(e) Compliance
Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified,
unless already done.
(f) Removing From Service, the Stage 1 HPT Airseal, P/N 50L879
Remove the stage 1 HPT airseal, P/N 50L879, at the next piece-
part exposure after the effective date of this AD or before
accumulating the number of cycles listed in Table 1 of this AD,
whichever occurs later.
Table 1--Removal of Stage 1 HPT Airseals, P/N 50L879, by Cycles-Since-
New (CSN)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Remove stage 1 HPT airseal
For engine model . . . by . . .
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Listed in paragraph (c)(1) of the 12,600 CSN.
Applicability Section of this AD.
(2) Listed in paragraph (c)(2)(i) of the 13,900 CSN.
Applicability Section of this AD.
(3) Listed in paragraph (c)(2)(ii) of the 18,900 CSN.
Applicability Section of this AD.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(g) Removing From Service, the Stage 2 HPT Airseal, P/N 53L030
Remove the stage 2 HPT airseal, P/N 53L030, at the next piece-
part exposure after the effective date of this AD or before
accumulating the number of cycles listed in Table 2 of this AD,
whichever occurs later.
Table 2--Removal of Stage 2 HPT Airseals, P/N 53L030, by CSN
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Remove stage 2 HPT airseal
For engine model . . . by . . .
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Listed in paragraph (c)(1) of the 13,900 CSN.
Applicability Section of this AD.
[[Page 76029]]
(2) Listed in paragraph (c)(2)(i) of the 13,800 CSN.
Applicability Section of this AD.
(3) Listed in paragraph (c)(2)(ii) of the 15,900 CSN.
Applicability Section of this AD.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(h) Removing From Service, the Stage 1 HPT Airseal Ring, P/N 50L664
Remove the stage 1 HPT airseal ring, P/N 50L664, at the next
piece-part exposure after the effective date of this AD or before
accumulating the number of cycles listed in Table 3 of this AD,
whichever occurs later.
Table 3--Removal of Stage 1 HPT Airseal Ring, P/N 50L664, by CSN
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Remove stage 1 HPT airseal
For engine model . . . ring by * * *
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Listed in paragraph (c)(2)(i) of the 14,800 CSN.
Applicability Section of this AD.
(2) Listed in paragraph (c)(2)(ii) of the 16,800 CSN.
Applicability Section of this AD.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(i) Installation Prohibition
After the effective date of this AD, do not install any stage 1
HPT airseal, P/N 50L879, stage 2 HPT airseal, P/N 53L030, or stage 1
HPT airseal ring, P/N 50L664, that is at piece-part exposure and
exceeds the new life limit listed in Table 1, Table 2, or Table 3 of
this AD.
(j) Definitions
For the purpose of this AD, piece-part exposure means that the
part is completely disassembled and removed from the engine.
(k) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)
The Manager, Engine Certification Office, FAA, may approve AMOCs
for this AD. Use the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19 to make your
request.
(l) Related Information
For more information about this AD, contact James Gray,
Aerospace Engineer, Engine Certification Office, FAA, 12 New England
Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; phone: (781) 238-7742; fax:
(781) 238-7199; email: [email protected].
(m) Material Incorporated by Reference
None.
Issued in Burlington, MA, on November 30, 2011.
Peter A. White,
Manager, Engine & Propeller Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-31177 Filed 12-5-11; 8:45 am]
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