[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 21 (Monday, February 2, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 5452-5454]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-01371]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2011-0961; Directorate Identifier 2011-NE-22-AD;
Amendment 39-18090; AD 2015-02-22]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce Corporation Turboprop and
Turboshaft Engines
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We are superseding airworthiness directive (AD) 2012-14-06 for
certain Rolls-Royce Corporation (RRC) 250-C20, -C20B, and -C20R/2
turboshaft engines. AD 2012-14-06 required a one-time visual inspection
and fluorescent-penetrant inspection (FPI) on certain 3rd-stage and
4th-stage turbine wheels for cracks in the turbine blades. This new AD
replaces the one-time visual inspection and FPI with repetitive visual
inspections and FPIs. This AD also adds certain engine models to the
applicability. This AD was prompted by the determination that the one-
time inspections required by AD 2012-14-06 should be changed to
repetitive inspections. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of
3rd-stage and 4th-stage turbine wheel blades, which could cause engine
failure and damage to the aircraft.
DATES: This AD is effective March 9, 2015.
ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this AD, contact
Rolls-Royce Corporation, 450 South Meridian Street, Indianapolis, IN
46225-1103; phone: 888-255-4766 or 317-230-2720; email:
royce.com">helicoptercustsupp@rolls-royce.com; Internet: www.rolls-royce.com. You
may view this service information at the FAA, Engine & Propeller
Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA. 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.govby searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2011-
0961; 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: John Tallarovic, Aerospace Engineer,
Chicago Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, 2300 E. Devon Ave., Des
Plaines, IL 60018; phone: 847-294-8180; fax: 847-294-7834; email:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Discussion
We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR
part 39 to supersede AD 2012-14-06, Amendment 39-17120 (77 FR 40479,
July 10, 2012), (``AD 2012-14-06''). AD 2012-14-06 applied to certain
RRC 250-C20, -C20B, and -C20R/2 turboshaft engines. The NPRM published
in the Federal Register on October 2, 2014 (79 FR 59463). The NPRM was
prompted by determination that the one-time inspections required by AD
2012-14-06 should be changed to repetitive inspections. The NPRM
proposed to replace the one-time visual inspection and FPI with
repetitive visual inspections and FPIs, and also to require a visual
inspection and FPI after any engine hot start. The NPRM also proposed
to add certain engine models to the applicability. We are issuing this
AD to prevent failure of 3rd-stage and 4th-stage turbine wheel blades,
which could cause engine failure and damage to the aircraft.
Comments
We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing
this AD. The following presents the comments received on the NPRM (79
FR 59463, October 2, 2014) and the FAA's response to each comment.
Request To Remove a Certain Proposed Inspection Requirement
RRC requested that we remove the requirement to inspect the 3rd-
stage and 4th-stage turbine wheels after a hot start because they are
already prohibited from further use after a hot start by the
maintenance instructions.
We agree. Maintenance instructions clearly direct replacement of
3rd-stage and 4th-stage turbine wheels following a hot start. We
removed from this AD the requirement to perform a visual inspection and
an FPI on the affected turbine wheels after any hot start.
Request To Limit Applicability
RRC requested that we restrict applicability of the AD to only
those affected engines that are installed on MD helicopters because the
majority of failures have occurred on MD helicopters.
We disagree. Failures have occurred in installations on other than
MD helicopters. Also, the FAA cannot ensure that parts once used on MD
helicopters have not been subsequently installed on other engines or
helicopter models. We did not change this AD.
Request To Delete a Certain Reference
RRC requested that we remove, from the Actions Since AD 2012-14-06
Was Published paragraph, reference to 3rd-stage turbine wheel failures
by replacing the words ``3rd-stage and'' with the words ``two
additional'' because additional failures only occurred in 4th-stage
turbine wheels.
[[Page 5453]]
We agree. The new failures since AD 2012-14-06 was published were
in 4th-stage turbine wheels. However, the paragraph, Actions Since AD
2012-14-06 was Published, which appeared in the NPRM (October 2, 2014
79 FR 59463), does not appear in this final rule. We did not change
this AD.
Request To Revise a Certain Paragraph
RRC requested that we add the word ``potential'' before the word
``failures'' in the Actions Since AD 2012-14-06 Was Published
paragraph.
We agree. However, the paragraph, Actions Since AD 2012-14-06 Was
Published, which appeared in the NPRM (October 2, 2014 79 FR 59463),
does not appear in this final rule. We did not change this AD.
Request To Revise the Costs of Compliance
RRC requested that we change, in the Costs of Compliance paragraph,
the estimated time to conduct the inspection from one hour to two
hours.
We agree. We changed our estimate in this AD to reflect two hours
of labor to conduct the inspection.
Request To Revise the Labor Rate
RRC requested that we change, in the Costs of Compliance paragraph,
the labor rate from $85 per hour to $116 per hour.
We disagree. The rate of $85 per hour is provided by the FAA Office
of Aviation Policy and Plans for us to use when estimating the labor
costs of complying with AD requirements. We did not change this AD.
Request To Revise the Costs of Compliance
RRC requested that we add the word ``initial'' before the stated
cost in the Costs of Compliance paragraph.
We partially agree. We did not insert the word ``initial'', but we
clarified that our estimate of costs of compliance are for one
inspection, whether initial or recurring.
Request To Revise a Definition
RRC requested that we change our definition of a hot start.
We partially agree. We agree with the suggested changes because
they clarify the definition of a hot start. However, in our reply to a
prior comment, we agreed to remove the inspection requirements
associated with a hot start. Therefore, we have deleted all
requirements in this AD to conduct inspections after hot starts, and
have deleted the Definition paragraph.
Conclusion
We reviewed the relevant data, considered the comments received,
and determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting
this AD with the changes described previously. We have determined that
these minor changes:
Are consistent with the intent that was proposed in the
NPRM (79 FR 59463, October 2, 2014) for correcting the unsafe
condition; and
Do not add any additional burden upon the public than was
already proposed in the NPRM (79 FR 59463, October 2, 2014).
We also determined that these changes will not significantly
increase the economic burden on any operator or increase the scope of
this AD.
Costs of Compliance
We estimate that this AD affects 3,769 engines installed on
aircraft of U.S. registry. We also estimate that it will take about 2
hours per engine to comply with the inspection requirement of this AD.
The average labor rate is $85 per hour. Based on these figures, we
estimate the cost of this AD on U.S. operators for one inspection to be
$640,730.
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.
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
We have determined that 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 removing Airworthiness Directive (AD)
2012-14-06, Amendment 39-17120 (77 FR 40479, July 10, 2012), and adding
the following new AD:
2015-02-22 Rolls-Royce Corporation: Amendment 39-18090; Docket No.
FAA-2011-0961; Directorate Identifier 2011-NE-22-AD.
(a) Effective Date
This AD is effective March 9, 2015.
(b) Affected ADs
This AD supersedes AD 2012-14-06, Amendment 39-17120 (77 FR
40479, July 10, 2012).
(c) Applicability
This AD applies to Rolls-Royce Corporation (RRC) 250-B17, -B17B,
-B17C, -B17D, -B17E, -B17F, -B17F/1, -B17F/2 turboprop engines; and
250-C20, -C20B, -C20F, -C20J, -C20R, -C20R/1, -C20R/2, -C20R/4, -
C20S, and -C20W turboshaft engines; with either a 3rd-stage turbine
wheel, part number (P/N) 23065818, or a 4th-stage turbine wheel, P/N
23055944, installed.
(d) Unsafe Condition
This AD was prompted by investigations that revealed that not
all 3rd-stage and 4th-stage turbine wheel blade failures were
identified by the one-time inspections required by AD 2012-14-06,
Amendment 39-17120 (77 FR 40479, July 10, 2012). We determined that
to address the unsafe condition, repetitive inspections are
[[Page 5454]]
required, triggered by hours since last inspection (HSLI). We are
issuing this AD to prevent failure of 3rd-stage and 4th-stage
turbine wheel blades, which could cause engine failure and damage to
the aircraft.
(e) Compliance
Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified,
unless already done. After the effective date of this AD:
(1) Within 1,750 HSLI, remove the affected turbine wheels and
perform a visual inspection and a fluorescent-penetrant inspection
(FPI) on the removed turbine wheels for cracks at the trailing edge
of the turbine blades near the fillet at the rim.
(2) Any time the power turbine is disassembled, perform a visual
inspection and an FPI on the affected turbine wheels for cracks at
the trailing edge of the turbine blades, near the fillet at the rim.
(3) Thereafter, re-inspect every 1,750 HSLI.
(4) Do not return to service any turbine wheels that have cracks
detected.
(f) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)
The Manager, Chicago Aircraft Certification Office, may approve
AMOCs for this AD. Use the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19 to make
your request.
(g) Related Information
(1) For more information about this AD, contact John Tallarovic,
Aerospace Engineer, Chicago Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, 2300
E. Devon Ave., Des Plaines, IL 60018; phone: 847-294-8180; fax: 847-
294-7834; email: [email protected].
(2) RRC Alert Commercial Engine Bulletin (CEB) No. CEB-A-1407,
Revision 3, dated May 19, 2014, and Alert CEB No. CEB-A-72-4098,
Revision 3, dated May 19, 2014 (combined into one document), which
are not incorporated by reference in this AD, can be obtained from
RRC, using the contact information in paragraph (g)(3) of this AD.
(3) For service information identified in this AD, contact
Rolls-Royce Corporation Customer Support, 450 South Meridian Street,
Indianapolis, IN 46225-1103; phone: 888-255-4766 or 317-230-2720;
email: royce.com">helicoptercustsupp@rolls-royce.com; Internet: www.rolls-
royce.com.
(4) You may view this 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.
(h) Material Incorporated by Reference
None.
Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on January 20, 2015.
Colleen M. D'Alessandro,
Assistant Directorate Manager, Engine & Propeller Directorate, Aircraft
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-01371 Filed 1-30-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P