[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 113 (Wednesday, June 12, 2002)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 40143-40145]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-14695]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 98-ANE-61-AD; Amendment 39-12778; AD 2002-12-06]
RIN 2120-AA64


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

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This amendment supersedes an existing airworthiness directive 
(AD), that is applicable to certain Pratt & Whitney (PW) PW2000 series 
turbofan engines. That AD currently requires revisions to the engine 
manufacturer's Time Limits section (TLS) to include enhanced inspection 
of selected critical life-limited parts at each piece-part exposure. 
This action modifies 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 amendment is prompted by an FAA study of in-service 
events involving uncontained failures of critical rotating engine parts 
that has indicated the need for mandatory inspections. The actions 
specified by this 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 July 17, 2002.

ADDRESSES: The information referenced in this AD may be examined, by 
appointment, at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), New England 
Region, Office of the Regional Counsel, 12 New England Executive Park, 
Burlington, MA.

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) by superseding AD 2000-21-09, 
Amendment 39-11941 (65 FR 65730, November 3, 2000), which is applicable 
to Pratt & Whitney (PW) PW2000 series turbofan engines, was published 
in the

[[Page 40144]]

Federal Register on December 27, 2001 (66 FR 66819). That action 
proposed to modify the airworthiness limitations section of the 
manufacturer's manual and an air carrier's approved continuous 
airworthiness maintenance program to incorporate additional inspection 
requirements.

Comments

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

Typographical Errors

    One commenter states that two typographical errors exist in the 
MANDATORY INSPECTIONS table of the proposal. Disk, LPT 4th stage EM 
Manual Section reads 72-35-41, but should read 72-53-41, and Disk, LPT 
5th stage EM Manual Section reads 72-32-51, but should read 72-53-51.
    The FAA agrees. The typographical errors are corrected in the final 
rule.

Question Regarding HPC Hub Inspections

    One commenter asks why mandatory inspections of the HPC hub are not 
required by the proposed rule.
    The FAA agrees that the proposed rule should include mandatory 
inspections of the HPC hub (HPC turbine drive shaft assembly). 
Therefore, EM Manual Section 72-35-08 has been added to the final rule 
to include Inspection/Check -05 for the HPC turbine drive shaft 
assembly.

Economic Effect

    One commenter states that the additional cost of approximately 
$1,200 per year per engine visit, for enhanced disk inspection will not 
result in any hardship to the airline and will not have a significant 
effect on the operation. The FAA agrees.
    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.

Economic Analysis

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

Regulatory Analysis

    This final 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 final rule.
    For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this action (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 39-11941 (65 FR 
65730, November 2, 2000) and by adding a new airworthiness directive, 
Amendment 39-12778, to read as follows:

2002-12-06 Pratt & Whitney: Amendment 39-12778. Docket No. 98-ANE-
61-AD. Supersedes AD 2000-21-09, Amendment 39-11941

Applicability

    This airworthiness directive (AD) is applicable to Pratt & 
Whitney (PW) PW2037, PW2040, PW2037M, PW2240, PW2337, PW2043, 
PW2643, and PW2143, series turbofan engines. These engines are 
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

    Compliance with this AD is required as indicated, unless already 
done.
    To prevent critical life-limited rotating engine part failure, 
which could result in an 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:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                          EM manual
           Nomenclature                   Part No.         section       Inspection/check          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 hub per 72-    72-52-16-230-007
                                                                       52-00, Inspection/
                                                                       Check-02

[[Page 40145]]

 
Hub, HPC Front....................  ALL................     72-35-02  -05                    ...................
Disk, HPC Drum Rotor Assembly (7-   ALL................     72-35-03  -04                    ...................
 15).
Disk, HPC Drum Rotor Assembly (16-  ALL................     72-35-10  -05                    ...................
 17).
Disk, HPC 16th Stage..............  ALL................     72-35-06  -04                    ...................
Disk, HPC 17th Stage..............  ALL................     72-35-07  -04                    ...................
HPC Turbine Drive Shaft Assembly..  ALL................     72-35-08  -05                    ...................
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................     72-53-41  -01                    ...................
Disk, LPT 5th Stage...............  ALL................     72-53-51  -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 (c) 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 request 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 airplane to a location where the 
requirements of this AD can be done.

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. 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.

Effective Date

    (f) This amendment becomes effective on July 17, 2002.

    Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on June 4, 2002.
Francis A. Favara,
Acting Manager, Engine and Propeller Directorate, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 02-14695 Filed 6-11-02; 8:45 am]
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