[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 206 (Tuesday, October 24, 2000)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 63542-63544]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-27166]



[[Page 63542]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 98-ANE-61-AD; Amendment 39-11941; AD-2000-21-09]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney PW2000 Series Turbofan 
Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD), 
applicable to Pratt & Whitney (PW) PW2000 series turbofan engines, that 
requires revisions to the time limit sections (TLS) of the 
manufacturer's Engine Manuals to include enhanced inspection of 
selected critical life-limited parts at each piece-part exposure. This 
action adds additional critical life-limited parts for enhanced 
inspection. This amendment is prompted by additional focused inspection 
procedures for other critical life-limited rotating engine parts that 
have been developed by the manufacturer. The actions specified in the 
AD are intended to prevent critical life-limited rotating engine part 
failure, which could result in an uncontained engine failure and damage 
to the airplane.

DATES: Effective date January 22, 2001.

ADDRESSES: The service information referenced in this AD may be 
obtained from Pratt & Whitney, 400 Main Street, East Hartford, CT 
06108. This information may be examined at the Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA), New England Region, Office of the Regional 
Counsel, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA; or at the 
Office of the Federal Register, 800 North Capitol Street, NW., suite 
700, Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jason Yang, Aerospace Engineer, Engine 
Certification Office, FAA, Engine and Propeller Directorate, 12 New 
England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803-5299; telephone (781) 238-
7747, fax (781) 238-7199.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A proposal to amend part 39 of the Federal 
Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) to include an airworthiness 
directive (AD) that is applicable to Pratt & Whitney (PW) PW2000 series 
turbofan engines was published in the Federal Register on October 8, 
1999 (64 FR 54799). That action proposed revisions to the engine 
manufacturers time limits section (TLS) to include enhanced inspection 
of selected critical life-limited parts at each piece-part exposure. 
That action proposed to add additional critical life-limited parts for 
enhanced inspection.

Comments Received

    Interested persons have been afforded an opportunity to participate 
in the making of this amendment. Due consideration has been given to 
the comments received.

Part Numbers in the AD

    One comment states that the use of part numbers (P/N's) in the AD 
places undue burden on operators who must keep track of the Engine 
Manual changes to ensure consistency with 
P/N's, and creates a potential need for revisions to the AD as 
additional P/N's are introduced into service.
    The FAA agrees. The final rule has been revised to eliminate 
specific P/N's and to use the term ``ALL'' in the P/N column.

Extend the Comment Period

    One comment states that the proposed additional inspections have 
not been published in the Engine Manual, and that the comment period 
should be extended to allow for publication and evaluation by the 
operators.
    The FAA does not agree. The FAA believes that the nature and scope 
of the added inspections will not be significantly different from 
existing inspections. In addition, the effective date of this AD has 
been extended to 90 days after publication to allow time for the 
specific procedures to be published. The extra time until the AD 
becomes effective should also allow the manufacturer to issue a manual 
revision. Operators may submit comments to the docket file on the 
specific procedures, once they are published, and the FAA will consider 
extending the effective date further or additional rulemaking, as 
necessary. The FAA does not believe, however, that this final rule need 
be delayed pending the publication of the inspection procedures, or the 
initial compliance time extended to accommodate the manufacturer's 
manual revision cycle.

Discussion Section Changed From Original Proposed Rule

    One comment states that the summary and discussion sections of the 
proposed rule did not include the same guidelines concerning required 
enhanced inspections, as the summary and discussion sections published 
in the proposed rule for current AD 99-08-14. The commenter therefore 
asks that the discussion from the notice of proposed rule making, that 
preceded the current AD, be included in this final rule.
    The FAA does not agree. The inspection program established by the 
current AD has not been changed. The proposed rule adds more parts to 
the list that must be inspected, but does not change how air carriers 
must manage the inspection program. Future AD's may be issued to 
introduce additional intervention strategies in order to further reduce 
uncontained engine failures. These strategies may include AD's to add 
new parts to the list of parts to be inspected. The inspection program 
established by the current AD will remain unchanged unless specifically 
changed in a future proposal.

Incorrect Manual Reference

    Two comments state that Engine Manual 75-52-02, Inspection/Check-02 
is only a dimensional inspection to the HPT 1st stage disk. The 
required fluorescent-penetrant inspection (FPI) reference for all HPT 
1st stage disks and HPT 2nd stage hubs should be Engine Manual 72-52-
00, Inspection/Check-02.
    The FAA agrees. The final rule has been revised to reference the 
correct Engine Manual task and subtasks for HPT 1st stage disks and HPT 
2nd stage hubs.

Clarification of FPI Procedures

    One comment requests clarification for FPI procedures for parts 
repaired by plasma spray, as to whether the plasma spray should be 
removed before inspection.
    Upon investigation, the FAA has concluded that the manufacturer's 
engine manual has no plasma spray procedures for HPT disks at the 
critical locations to be fluorescent-penetrant-inspected. The engine 
manual does allow a plasma spray repair for the buildup of the HPT snap 
diameter. This plasma spray coating is not required to be removed to 
accomplish the FPI procedure.

Conclusion

    After careful review of the available data, including the comments 
noted above, the FAA has determined that air safety and the public 
interest require the adoption of the rule with the changes described 
previously. The FAA has determined that these changes will neither 
increase the economic burden on any operator nor increase the scope of 
the AD.

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Economic Analysis

    No comments were received on the economic analysis contained in the 
proposed rule. The FAA has determined that the annual cost of complying 
with this AD does not create a significant economic impact on small 
entities.

Regulatory Impact

    This rule does not have federalism implications, as defined in 
Executive Order 13132, because it 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. Accordingly, 
the FAA has not consulted with state authorities prior to publication 
of this rule.
    For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this proposed 
regulation (1) is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under 
Executive Order 12866; (2) is not a ``significant rule'' under the DOT 
Regulatory Policies and Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979); 
and (3) 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. A final evaluation has been prepared 
for this action and it is contained in the Rules Docket. A copy of it 
may be obtained by contacting the Rules Docket at the location provided 
under the caption ADDRESSES.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

    Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Safety.

Adoption of the Amendment

    Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the 
Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration amends part 39 of 
the Federal Aviation Regulations (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. Section 39.13 is amended by removing Amendment 39-11120, (64 FR 
17949, April 13, 1999), and by adding the following new airworthiness 
directive:

2000-21-09.  Pratt & Whitney: Amendment 39-11941. Docket No. 98-ANE-
61-AD.

    Applicability: Pratt & Whitney (PW) PW2037, PW2040, PW2037M, 
PW2240, PW2337, PW2043, PW2143, and PW2643 series turbofan engines. 
These engines are installed on but not limited to Boeing 757 series 
and Ilyushin IL-96T series airplanes.

    Note 1: This airworthiness directive (AD) applies to each engine 
identified in the preceding applicability provision, regardless of 
whether it has been modified, altered, or repaired in the area 
subject to the requirements of this AD. For engines that have been 
modified, altered, or repaired so that the performance of the 
requirements of this AD is affected, the owner/operator must request 
approval for an alternative method of compliance in accordance with 
paragraph (c) of this AD. The request should include an assessment 
of the effect of the modification, alteration, or repair on the 
unsafe condition addressed by this AD; and, if the unsafe condition 
has not been eliminated, the request should include specific 
proposed actions to address it.

    Compliance: Required as indicated, unless accomplished 
previously.
    To prevent critical life-limited rotating engine part failure, 
which could result in an uncontained engine failure and damage to 
the airplane, accomplish the following:
    (a) Within the next 30 days after the effective date of this AD, 
revise the manufacturer's Time Limits section (TLS) of the 
manufacturer's engine manual, Part Numbers (P/N's) 1A6231 and 
1B2412, as appropriate for the PW2037, PW2040, PW2037M, PW2240, 
PW2337, PW2043, PW2643, and PW2143 series turbofan engines, and for 
air carriers revise the approved continuous airworthiness 
maintenance program, by adding the following:

``MANDATORY INSPECTIONS

    (1) Perform inspections of the following parts at each piece-
part opportunity in accordance with the instructions provided in the 
PW2000 series Engine Manuals:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           EM Manual
           Nomenclature                   Part No.          section         Inspection             Subtask
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hub, LPC Assembly.................  ALL.................     72-31-04  -06.................
Disk, HPT 1st Stage...............  ALL.................     72-52-02  FPI entire disk per      72-52-02-230-007
                                                                        72-52-00,
                                                                        Inspection/Check-02.
Hub, HPT 2nd Stage................  ALL.................     72-52-16  FPI entire disk per      75-52-16-230-007
                                                                        72-52-00 Inspection/
                                                                        Check-02.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (2) For the purposes of these mandatory inspections, piece-part 
opportunity means:
    (i) The part is considered completely disassembled when done in 
accordance with the disassembly instructions in the manufacturer's 
engine manual to either the part detail, or part assembly level, 
listed in the table above, and
    (ii) The part has accumulated more then 100 cycles in service 
since the last piece-part opportunity inspection, provided that the 
part was not damaged or related to the cause for its removal from 
the engine.''
    (b) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this AD, and 
notwithstanding contrary provisions in Sec. 43.16 of Federal 
Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 43.16), these enhanced inspections 
shall be performed only in accordance with the TLS of the 
appropriate PW2000 series engine manuals.

Alternative Methods of Compliance

    (c) An alternative method of compliance or adjustment of the 
compliance time that provides an acceptable level of safety may be 
used if approved by the Manager, Engine Certification Office. 
Operators shall submit their requests through an appropriate FAA 
Principal Maintenance Inspector, who may add coments and then send 
it to the Manager, Engine Certification Office.

    Note 2: Information concerning the existence of approved 
alternative methods of comliance with this airworthiness directive, 
if any, may be obtained from the Engine Certification Office.

Special Flight Permits

    (d) Special flight permits may be issued in accordance with 
Secs. 21.197 and 21.199 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 
21.197 and 21.199) to operate the aircraft to a location where the 
requirements of this AD can be accomplished.

Continuous Airworthiness Maintenance Program

    (e) FAA-certificated air carriers that have an approved 
continuous airworthiness maintenance program in accordance with the 
record keeping requirement of Sec. 121.369(c) of the Federal 
Aviation Regulations [14 CFR 121.369(c)] of this chapter must 
maintain records of the mandatory inspections that result from 
revising the Time Limits section of the Instructions for Continuous 
Airworthiness (ICA) and the air carrier's continuous airworthiness 
program. Alternately, certificated air carriers may establish an 
approved system of record retention that provides a method for 
preservation and retrieval of the maintenance records that include 
the inspections resulting from this AD, and include the policy and 
procedures for implementing this alternate method in the air 
carrier's maintenance manual required by Sec. 121.369(c) of the 
Federal Aviation Regulations [14 CFR

[[Page 63544]]

121.369(c)]; however, the alternate system must be accepted by the 
appropriate PMI and require the maintenance records be maintained 
either indefinitely or until the work is repeated. Records of the 
piece-part inspections are not required under Sec. 121.380(a)(2)(vi) 
of the Federal Aviation Regulations [14 CFR 121.380(a)(2)(vi)]. All 
other Operators must maintain the records of mandatory inspections 
required by the applicable regulations governing their operations.

    Note 3: The requirements of this AD have been met when the 
engine manual changes are made and air carriers have modified their 
continuous airworthiness maintenance plans to reflect the 
requirements in the engine manuals.

Effective Date

    (f) This amendment becomes effective on January 22, 2001.

David A. Downey,
Assistant Manager, Engine and Propeller Directorate, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 00-27166 Filed 10-23-00; 8:45 am]
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