[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 248 (Thursday, December 27, 2001)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 66819-66821]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-31557]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 98-ANE-61-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney (PW) PW2000 Series 
Turbofan Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM); reopening of 
comment period.

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SUMMARY: This action revises an earlier proposed airworthiness 
directive (AD), applicable to certain Pratt & Whitney (PW) PW2000 
series turbofan engines, that would supersede an existing airworthiness 
directive (AD) by modifying the airworthiness limitations section of 
the manufacturer's manual and an air carrier's approved continuous 
airworthiness maintenance program to incorporate additional inspection 
requirements. This action revises the proposed rule by adding the low 
pressure compressor (LPC) hub assembly, high pressure turbine (HPT) 1st 
stage disk, and HPT 2nd stage hub to the additional inspection 
requirements. The regulatory section revises the manufacturer's 
Airworthiness Limitations Section (ALS) of the Instructions for 
Continued Airworthiness (ICA), and for air carrier operations revises 
the approved continuous airworthiness maintenance program. The actions 
specified by this proposed 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: Comments must be received by January 28, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA), New England Region, Office of the Regional 
Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket No. 98-ANE-

[[Page 66820]]

61-AD, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803-5299. 
Comments may be inspected at this location, by appointment, between 8 
a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. 
Comments may also be sent via the Internet using the following address: 
``[email protected].'' Comments sent via the Internet must 
contain the docket number in the subject line.

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:

Comments Invited

    Interested persons are invited to participate in the making of the 
proposed rule by submitting such written data, views, or arguments as 
they may desire. Communications should identify the Rules Docket number 
and be submitted in triplicate to the address specified above. All 
communications received on or before the closing date for comments, 
specified above, will be considered before taking action on the 
proposed rule. The proposals contained in this action may be changed in 
light of the comments received.
    Comments are specifically invited on the overall regulatory, 
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the proposed rule. All 
comments submitted will be available, both before and after the closing 
date for comments, in the Rules Docket for examination by interested 
persons. A report summarizing each FAA-public contact concerned with 
the substance of this proposal will be filed in the Rules Docket.
    Commenters wishing the FAA to acknowledge receipt of their comments 
submitted in response to this proposal must submit a self-addressed, 
stamped postcard on which the following statement is made: ``Comments 
to Docket Number 98-ANE-61-AD.'' The postcard will be date stamped and 
returned to the commenter.

Availability of NPRM's

    Any person may obtain a copy of this NPRM by submitting a request 
to the FAA, New England Region, Office of the Regional Counsel, 
Attention: Rules Docket No. 98-ANE-61-AD, 12 New England Executive 
Park, Burlington, MA 01803-5299.

Discussion

    A proposal to amend part 39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 
CFR part 39) to add an airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to 
certain Pratt & Whitney (PW) PW2000 series turbofan engines, was 
published as a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal 
Register on November 1, 2001 (66 FR 55138). That NPRM would have 
modified the airworthiness limitations section of the manufacturer's 
manual and an air carrier's approved continuous airworthiness 
maintenance program to incorporate additional inspection requirements. 
That NPRM was prompted by an FAA study of in-service events involving 
uncontained failures of critical rotating engine parts. That condition, 
if not corrected, could result in an uncontained engine failure and 
damage to the airplane.
    Since the issuance of that NPRM, the FAA has become aware that the 
LPC hub assembly, HPT 1st stage disk, and HPT 2nd stage hub were 
inadvertantly omitted from the list of parts for enhanced inspection, 
and must be added. This proposal would add to that NPRM, modification 
of the airworthiness limitations section of the manufacturer's manual 
and air carrier's approved continuous airworthiness maintenance program 
to incorporate additional inspection requirements.
    Since this change expands the scope of the originally proposed 
rule, the FAA has determined that it is necessary to reopen the comment 
period to provide additional opportunity for public comment.

Economic Analysis

    The FAA estimates that 724 engines installed on airplanes of US 
registry would be affected by this proposed AD, that it would take 
approximately 20 work hours per engine to do the proposed actions. The 
average labor rate is $60 per work hour. The cost effect of the added 
inspections per engine is approximately $1,200 per year, with the 
approximate total cost for the U.S. fleet of $868,800 per year.

Regulatory Analysis

    The regulations adopted herein 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. Therefore, it 
is determined that this action does not have federalism implications 
under Executive Order 13132.
    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) if promulgated, will not have a significant economic effect, 
positive or negative, on a substantial number of small entities under 
the criteria of the Regulatory Flexibility Act. A copy of the draft 
regulatory evaluation prepared for this action 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.

The Proposed Amendment

    Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the 
Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration proposes to amend 
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 adding the following new 
airworthiness directive:

Pratt & Whitney: Docket No. 98-ANE-61-AD. Supersedes AD 2000-21-09, 
Amendment 39-11914.
    Applicability: This airworthiness directive (AD) is applicable 
to Pratt & Whitney (PW) PW2037, PW2040, PW2037M, PW2240, PW2337, 
PW2043, PW2643, and PW2143, series turbofan engines, installed on 
but not limited to Boeing 757 series and Ilyushin IL-96T series 
airplanes.

    Note 1: This 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 already done.
    To prevent critical life-limited rotating engine part failure, 
which could result in an

[[Page 66821]]

uncontained engine failure and damage to the airplane, do the 
following:
    (a) Within 30 days after the effective date of this AD, revise 
the manufacturer's Time Limits section (TLS) of the manufacturer's 
engine manual, as appropriate for PW 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 
PW2000 Engine Manuals 1A6231 and 1B2412:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Nomenclature                Part number   EM manual section   Inspection check         Subtask
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hub, LPC Assembly.....................  ALL.........  72-31-04..........  -06...............
Disk, HPT 1st Stage...................  ALL.........  72-52-02..........  FPI entire disk     72-52-02-230-007
                                                                           per 72-52-00,
                                                                           Inspection/Check-
                                                                           02.
Hub, HPT 2nd Stage....................  ALL.........  72-52-16..........  Fpi entire hub per  72-52-16-230-007
                                                                           72-52-00,
                                                                           Inspection/Check-
                                                                           02.
Hub, HPC Front........................  ALL.........  72-35-02..........  -05...............
Disk, HPC Drum Rotor Assembly (7-15)..  ALL.........  72-35-03..........  -04...............
Disk, HPC Drum Rotor Assembly (16-17).  ALL.........  72-35-10..........  -05...............
Disk, HPC 16th Stage..................  ALL.........  72-35-06..........  -04...............
Disk, HPC 17th Stage..................  ALL.........  72-35-07..........  -04...............
LPC Drive Turbine Shaft...............  ALL.........  72-32-01..........  -06...............
Hub, Turbine Rear.....................  ALL.........  72-53-81..........  -06...............
Disk, LPT 3rd Stage...................  ALL.........  72-53-31..........  -01...............
Disk, LPT 4th Stage...................  ALL.........  72-35-41..........  -01...............
Disk, LPT 5th Stage...................  ALL.........  72-32-51..........  -01...............
Disk, LPT 6th Stage...................  ALL.........  72-53-61..........  -01...............
Disk, LPT 7th Stage...................  ALL.........  72-53-71..........  -01...............
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (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 part number level listed in the table above, 
and
    (ii) The part has accumulated more than 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 (e) of this AD, and 
notwithstanding contrary provisions in Sec. 43.16 of Federal 
Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 43.16), these enhanced inspections must 
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 (ECO). 
Operators must submit their requests through an appropriate FAA 
Principal Maintenance Inspector (PMI), who may add comments and then 
send it to the Manager, ECO.

    Note 2: Information concerning the existence of approved 
alternative methods of compliance with this airworthiness directive, 
if any, may be obtained from the ECO.

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 done.
    (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. Alternatively, 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 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.

    Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on December 17, 2001.
Jay J. Pardee,
Manager, Engine and Propeller Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 01-31557 Filed 12-26-01; 8:45 am]
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