[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 28 (Thursday, February 12, 2009)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 7004-7006]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-3017]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2009-0045; Directorate Identifier 2007-NE-53-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG 
Model BR700-715A1-30, BR700-715B1-30, and BR700-715C1-30 Turbofan 
Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the 
products listed above. This proposed AD results from mandatory 
continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by an aviation 
authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe 
condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe 
condition as:

    Repair Scheme BRG3086 Issue 1 instructs the repair of the High 
Pressure (HP) Compressor Front Drum Assembly Damping Grooves. This 
repair has an impact on the life of the High Pressure (HP) 
Compressor Front Drum Assembly.

We are proposing this AD to prevent failure of front HP compressor 
rotors, which could result in an uncontained engine failure and damage 
to the airplane.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by March 16, 2009.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the instructions for sending your 
comments electronically.
     Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., West Building Ground 
Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail address above between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
     Fax: (202) 493-2251.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov; or in person at the Docket Operations office 
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. The AD docket contains this proposed AD, the regulatory 
evaluation, any comments received, and other information. The street 
address for the Docket Operations office (telephone (800) 647-5527) is 
the same as the Mail address provided in the ADDRESSES section. 
Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly after receipt.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited

    We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments about this proposed AD. Send your comments to an address 
listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2009-0045; 
Directorate Identifier 2007-NE-53-AD'' at the beginning of your 
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, 
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this proposed AD. We 
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend 
this proposed AD based on those comments.
    We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. We 
will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact 
with FAA personnel concerning this proposed AD. Using the search 
function of the Web site, anyone can find and read the comments in any 
of our dockets, including, if provided, the name of the individual who 
sent the comment (or signed the comment on behalf of an association, 
business, labor union, etc.). You may review the DOT's complete Privacy 
Act Statement in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 
FR 19477-78).

Discussion

    The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical 
Agent for the Member States of the European Community, has issued EASA 
Airworthiness Directive 2007-0050-E, dated February 26, 2007 (referred 
to after this as ``the MCAI''), to correct an unsafe condition for the 
specified products. The MCAI states:

    Repair Scheme BRG3086 Issue 1 instructs the repair of the High 
Pressure (HP) Compressor Front Drum Assembly Damping Grooves. This 
repair has an impact on the life of the High Pressure (HP) 
Compressor Front Drum Assembly. This EAD has been raised to mandate 
certain specific CAUTION notes related to specific subtasks of the 
BR715 Time Limits Manual (TLM) T-715-3BR instructing a reduced life 
for certain Serial Numbers (S/N) of the High Pressure (HP) 
Compressor Front Drum Assemblies Part No. BRH20070 after repair 
BRG3086 Issue 1 has been applied and Part No. BRR21918 after repair 
BRG3086 Issue 1 has been applied. Results for each individual repair 
case are listed in the latest revision of Non-Modification Service 
Bulletin SB-BR700-72-A900437.

You may obtain further information by examining the MCAI in the AD 
docket.

Relevant Service Information

    Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG (RRD) has issued Alert Service 
Bulletin (ASB) SB-BR700-72-A900437, Revision 1, dated April 18, 2007. 
The actions described in this service information are intended to 
correct the unsafe condition identified in the MCAI.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of This Proposed AD

    This product has been approved by the aviation authority of the 
Federal Republic of Germany, and is approved for operation in the 
United States. Pursuant to our bilateral agreement with the Federal 
Republic of Germany, they have notified us of the unsafe condition 
described in the MCAI and service information referenced above. We are 
proposing this AD because we evaluated all information provided by the 
EASA, and determined the unsafe condition exists and is likely to exist 
or develop on other products of the same type design. We are proposing 
this AD to require removing the affected HPC front drum assemblies from 
operation before reaching the new, reduced life limit.

[[Page 7005]]

Differences Between This AD and the MCAI or Service Information

    We have found it necessary to differ from the MCAI as follows:
     We don't require operators to amend the Time Limits 
Manual.
     We don't allow the operators to show compliance by using 
RRD ASB SB-BR700-72-A900437, initial issue, dated February 26, 2007. 
Some of the affected parts are not included in the initial issue of the 
ASB.
     We have incorporated in this proposed AD, the life 
reduction Table for the HPC drum assemblies, by serial number (SN), 
that are specified in RRD ASB SB-BR700-72-A900437, Revision 1, dated 
April 18, 2007.
     HPC drum assembly, P/N BRH20070 is not affected by the 
proposed AD; since only certain HPC drums with P/N BRR21918 were 
affected in accordance with RRD ASB SB-BR700-72-A900437, Revision 1, 
dated April 18, 2007.

Costs of Compliance

    Based on the service information, we estimate that this proposed AD 
would affect about 14 products of U.S. registry. We also estimate that 
it would take about 10 work-hours per product to comply with this 
proposed AD. The average labor rate is $80 per work-hour. Required 
parts would cost about $100,000 per product. Based on these figures, we 
estimate the cost of the proposed AD on U.S. operators to be 
$1,411,200. Our cost estimate is exclusive of possible warranty 
coverage.

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 determined that this proposed AD would not have federalism 
implications under Executive Order 13132. This proposed AD 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.
    For the reasons discussed above, I certify 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.
    We prepared a regulatory evaluation of the estimated costs to 
comply with this proposed AD and placed it in the AD docket.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

    Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Safety.

The Proposed Amendment

    Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the 
Administrator, the FAA proposes to amend 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. The FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by adding the following new AD:

Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG (formerly BMW Rolls-Royce GmbH 
and BMW Rolls-Royce Aero Engines): Docket No. FAA-2009-0045; 
Directorate Identifier 2007-NE-53-AD.

Comments Due Date

    (a) We must receive comments by March 16, 2009.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG model 
BR700-715A1-30, BR700-715B1-30, and BR700-715C1-30 turbofan engines. 
These engines are installed on, but not limited to, McDonnell 
Douglas 717-200 airplanes.

Reason

    (d) Repair Scheme BRG3086 Issue 1 instructs the repair of the 
High Pressure (HP) Compressor Front Drum Assembly Damping Grooves. 
This repair has an impact on the life of the High Pressure (HP) 
Compressor Front Drum Assembly.

    We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of front HP compressor 
rotors, which could result in an uncontained engine failure and 
damage to the airplane.

Actions and Compliance

    (e) Remove the following HPC drum assemblies from operation 
before reaching the life limit specified in Table 1 of this AD.

                                 Table 1--Cyclic Life by Part Number and Mission
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                             High Pressure (HP) Compressor Rotor Front Disc Assembly
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                                                       A1-30      B1-30 and C1-30     A1-30      C1-30 Tropical
               Part No.                 Serial No.     design         designs        Hawaiian      and derated
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BRR21918.............................         1107        6,600             4,500        6,600             3,800
BRR21918.............................         1120        6,800             4,700        6,800             4,000
BRR21918.............................         1122        7,000             4,900        7,000             4,100
BRR21918.............................         1144        7,300             5,000        7,300             4,200
BRR21918.............................         1154        6,800             4,700        6,800             4,000
BRR21918.............................         1163        6,800             4,700        6,800             4,000
BRR21918.............................         1166        6,500             4,500        6,500             3,800
BRR21918.............................         1194        6,900             4,800        6,900             4,000
BRR21918.............................         1217        7,000             4,900        7,000             4,100
BRR21918.............................         1232        7,200             5,000        7,200             4,200
BRR21918.............................         1255        7,300             5,100        7,300             4,300
BRR21918.............................         1259        7,500             5,200        7,500             4,400
BRR21918.............................         1271        7,300             5,100        7,300             4,300

[[Page 7006]]

 
BRR21918.............................         1292        7,300             5,100        7,300             4,300
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Other FAA AD Provisions

    (f) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs): The Manager, 
Engine Certification Office, FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs 
for this AD, if requested using the procedures found in 14 CFR 
39.19.

Related Information

    (g) Refer to MCAI Emergency Airworthiness Directive 2007-0050-E, 
dated February 26, 2007, and Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG 
Alert Service Bulletin SB-BR700-72-A900437, Revision 1, dated April 
18, 2007, for related information. Contact Rolls-Royce Deutschland 
Ltd & Co KG, Eschenweg 11, Dahlewitz, 15827 Blankenfelde-Mahlow, 
Germany; telephone 49 (0) 33-7086-1768; fax 49 (0) 33-7086-3356, or 
go to: http://www.rolls-royce.com/deutschland/en/default.htm, for a 
copy of this service information.
    (h) Contact Jason Yang, Aerospace Engineer, Engine Certification 
Office, FAA, Engine and Propeller Directorate, 12 New England 
Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; e-mail: [email protected]; 
telephone (781) 238-7747; fax (781) 238-7199, for more information 
about this AD.

    Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on January 21, 2009.
Peter A. White,
Assistant Manager, Engine and Propeller Directorate, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
 [FR Doc. E9-3017 Filed 2-11-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P