[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 77 (Tuesday, April 22, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19879-19880]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-9890]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

[Docket No. FAA-2003-14374]


Rotor Manufacturing Induced Anomaly Database

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Order designating voluntarily submitted information as 
protected from disclosure.

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SUMMARY: By this Order the FAA designates the information and data 
submitted to create the Rotor Manufacturing Induced Anomaly Database 
(known as the ``ROMAN Database'') as protected from disclosure under 14 
CFR part 193, Protection of voluntarily submitted information. This 
designation requires the FAA to protect the information from disclosure 
under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and other laws. The 
FAA makes this designation to encourage production approval holders and 
suppliers that manufacture high energy rotating gas turbine engine 
components to voluntarily submit information for inclusion into the 
ROMAN database.

    Authority: 49 U.S. 40123; and 14 CFR part 193.

DATES: Effective April 14, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dan Kerman, Aviation Safety Inspector-
Manufacturing Process Specialist, Manufacturing Inspection Office, ANE-
180, Engine and Propeller Directorate, Federal Aviation Administration, 
New England Region, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 
01802, telephone 781-238-7195; fax (781) 238-7898.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 4, 2003, the FAA issued a Notice 
proposing to designate information submitted to it to create the Rotor 
Manufacturing Induced Anomaly Database (known as the ``ROMAN 
Database'') as protected from disclosure under 14 CFR part 193 (68 FR 
6790, February 10, 2003). No comments were received on the proposal.

Findings under CFR Part 193

    The FAA finds:
    (1) The information will be provided voluntarily. The FAA finds 
that the information will be provided voluntarily. Note that the 
information provided by the participants is beyond the scope of that 
required by the type certification mandatory reporting rules, and that 
the participants may withdraw from the program at any time. The ROMAN 
database will provide production approval holders (PAH) and suppliers 
of critical rotating parts with an opportunity to benefit from each 
other's adverse experiences and lessons learned that is not available 
without the protection of 14 CFR part 193. The identification of trends 
and the establishment of the shortfalls with the base manufacturing 
processes as a result of the ROMAN database will provide economic 
benefit to the submitters.
    (2) The information is safety or security related. The FAA finds 
that the information is safety related. The ROMAN database will contain 
comprehensive information on manufacturing-induced anomalies on 
critical rotating engine components. These anomalies are of the kind 
that are known to initiate disk fracture and fatigue failure resulting 
in aircraft accidents. Also, important background information will be 
used to relate those anomalies to specific manufacturing methods and 
materials. The database will be instrumental in identifying 
manufacturing process and material shortfalls that will assist the 
industry and the FAA in improving the integrity and safety of rotating 
parts of jet engines.
    (3) The disclosure of the information would inhibit the voluntary 
provision of that type of information. The FAA finds that the 
disclosure of the information would inhibit persons from voluntarily 
providing of that type of information. The information submitted for 
the ROMAN database would be highly sensitive and commercially valuable 
information. One of the reasons why such a database does not already 
exist is the reluctance of each participant to share its data and 
lessons learned with the FAA as well as each other without the 
assurances of protection from public disclosure.
    (4) The receipt of this type of information aids in fulfilling the 
FAA's safety and security responsibilities. The

[[Page 19880]]

receipt of information for the ROMAN database will aid the FAA in 
improving overall engine rotor integrity and decreasing the occurrence 
and severity of engine rotor failures. Reducing the number of aircraft 
accidents attributable to the failure of rotating parts in engines is 
an important part of the FAA's Safer Skies Program. The ROMAN database 
provides a way to identify manufacturing trends and precursors before 
they result in anomalies that might cause rotating part failures and 
aircraft accidents.
    (5) Withholding such information from disclosure, under the 
circumstances provided in this part, is consistent with the FAA's 
safety and security responsibilities. Withholding the information 
submitted to the FAA to form the ROMAN database from public disclosure 
is consistent with the FAA's safety responsibilities. The ROMAN 
database will provide a key method to improving safety in air commerce 
by identifying manufacturing trends that may contribute to the presence 
of anomalies in the rotating parts in aircraft engines that could 
potentially cause those parts to fail. Identifying these trends will 
lead to improvements in manufacturing processes as well as design 
practices to eliminate and account for the anomalies in future 
production and the removal of parts already in service before the 
actual failure occurs.
    The FAA will withhold and release information submitted under this 
program as specified in 14 CFR 193.9.
    The FAA may release activity reports that include the number of 
PAHs and suppliers who are participating and the number of 
manufacturing trends identified as a result. Activity reports will not 
include the names of the PAH's and suppliers who participate, or 
numbers or details of the anomalies that have been disclosed under this 
program.
    (6) Summary of how the FAA will distinguish information protected 
under this program from information the FAA receives from other 
sources. The FAA routinely receives data and information aircraft 
engine PAHs as part of its regulatory oversight of approved engine 
designs. The data received for the ROMAN database will be maintained 
separately by having the ROMAN database managed by a contractor. The 
ROMAN database will include only information received under this 
program. Information that is received under this program, and reports 
generated ROMAN database, will be clearly marked as having been 
received under this program as follows:

    WARNING: The Information in this Document Is Protected from 
Disclosure under 14 CFR part 193. This Information Shall Not Be 
Released Except With Written Permission of the Associate 
Administrator for Regulation and Certification.

Designation

    Accordingly, the Federal Aviation Administration hereby designates 
the information submitted under this program to be protected under 49 
U.S.C. 40123 and 14 CFR part 193.

    Issued in Washington, DC on April 14, 2003.
Nicholas A. Sabatini,
Associate Administrator for Regulation and Certification.
[FR Doc. 03-9890 Filed 4-2-03; 8:45 am]
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