[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 87 (Thursday, May 6, 2010)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 24825-24828]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-10739]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2007-0037; Directorate Identifier 2007-NE-41-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd. & Co. KG 
(RRD) Models Tay 650-15 and Tay 651-54 Turbofan Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: We propose to supersede an existing airworthiness directive 
(AD) for

[[Page 24826]]

Tay 650-15 turbofan engines. That AD currently requires initial and 
repetitive inspections of the low-pressure (LP) turbine discs stage 2 
and stage 3 for corrosion, on certain Tay 650-15 serial number engines. 
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: Strip results from some of the 
engines listed in the applicability section of this AD revealed 
excessively corroded low-pressure turbine disks stage 2 and stage 3. 
The corrosion is considered to be caused by the environment in which 
these engines are operated. Following a life assessment based on the 
strip findings it is concluded that inspections for corrosion attack 
are required. The action specified by this European Aviation Safety 
Agency (EASA) AD 2008-0122 was intended to avoid a failure of a low-
pressure turbine disk stage 2 or stage 3 due to potential corrosion 
problems which could result in uncontained engine failure and damage to 
the airplane. It has been later realized that the same unsafe condition 
could potentially occur on more serial numbers for the Tay 650-15 
engines and on the Tay 651-54 engines. This AD, superseding EASA AD 
2008-0122, retaining its requirements, is therefore issued to expand 
the Applicability in adding further engine serial numbers for the Tay 
650-15 engines and in adding the Tay 651-54 engines.
    We are proposing this AD to detect corrosion that could cause the 
stage 2 or stage 3 disk of the LP turbine to fail and result in an 
uncontained failure of the engine.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by June 21, 2010.

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.
    Contact Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG, Eschenweg 11, 
Dahlwitz, 15827 Blankenfelde-Mahlow, Germany; phone: 011 49 (0) 33-
7086-1883; fax: 011 49 (0) 33-7086-3276, for the service information 
identified in this proposed AD.

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 (phone: (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: Tara Chaidez, Aerospace Engineer, 
Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine and Propeller Directorate, 12 
New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; e-mail: 
[email protected]; phone: (781) 238-7773; 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-2007-0037; 
Directorate Identifier 2007-NE-41-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

    On October 8, 2009, the FAA issued AD 2009-22-01 (Amendment 39-
16052 (74 FR 55121, October 27, 2009), which superseded AD 2008-10-14 
(Amendment 39-15521, 73 FR 29405, May 21, 2008). AD 2009-22-01 requires 
initial and repetitive inspections of the LP turbine discs stage 2 and 
stage 3 for corrosion on 79 engines by serial number. That AD was the 
result of MCAI issued by an aviation authority of another country to 
identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. That 
condition, if not corrected, could result in the stage 2 or stage 3 
disk of the LP turbine to fail and result in an uncontained failure of 
the engine.
    Since AD 2009-22-01 was issued, RRD identified 14 additional Tay 
650-15 engines by serial number that require the same inspections. RRD 
also expanded the applicability to all Tay 651-54 engines. EASA, which 
is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Community, 
has issued EASA AD 2010-0060R1, dated April 14, 2010. That MCAI extends 
the applicability to include the 14 additional Tay 650-15 engine serial 
numbers and Tay 651-54 engines for inspections. You may obtain further 
information by examining the MCAI in the AD docket.

Relevant Service Information

    Rolls-Royce Deutschland has issued Alert Service Bulletin No. TAY-
72-A1524, Revision 3, dated March 24, 2010. 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

    These products have been approved by the United Kingdom (UK), and 
are approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant to our 
bilateral agreement with the UK, they have notified us of the unsafe 
condition described in the MCAI ADs, and service information referenced 
above. We are proposing this AD because we evaluated all pertinent 
information and determined an unsafe condition exists and is likely to 
exist or develop on other products of the same type design. This 
proposed AD would require initial and repetitive eddy current 
inspections of HP turbine discs.

Costs of Compliance

    Based on the service information, we estimate that this proposed AD 
would affect about three Tay 651-54 engines installed on airplanes of 
U.S. registry. We also estimate that it would take about three work-
hours per engine to comply with this proposed AD. The average labor 
rate is $85 per work-hour. Required parts would cost about $40,000 per 
engine. Based on these

[[Page 24827]]

figures, we estimate the cost of the proposed AD on U.S. operators to 
be $120,765.

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, Incorporation by 
reference, 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 (RRD) (formerly Rolls-Royce plc, 
Derby, England): Docket No. FAA-2007-0037; Directorate Identifier 
2007-NE-41-AD.

Comments Due Date

    (a) We must receive comments by June 21, 2010.

Affected Airworthiness Directives (ADs)

Affected ADs

    (b) This AD supersedes AD 2009-22-01, Amendment 39-16052.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to:
    (1) RRD model Tay 650-15 turbofan engines that have a serial 
number listed in Table 1, Table 2, or Table 3 of this AD;
    (2) All model Tay 651-54 turbofan engines; and
    (3) Engines with a low-pressure (LP) turbine module M05300AA 
installed.

These engines are installed on, but not limited to, Fokker F.28 Mark 
0070 and 0100 airplanes, Boeing 727 airplanes modified in accordance 
with Supplemental Type Certificate No. SA8472SW, and Gulfstream G-IV 
airplanes.

 Table 1--Affected Tay 650-15 Engines by Serial Number (Carried Forward
                  From AD 2008-10-14 and AD 2009-22-01)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Engine serial number
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  17251                                17561
                  17255                                17562
                  17256                                17563
                  17273                                17580
                  17275                                17581
                  17280                                17612
                  17281                                17618
                  17282                                17635
                  17300                                17637
                  17301                                17645
                  17327                                17661
                  17332                                17686
                  17365                                17699
                  17393                                17701
                  17437                                17702
                  17443                                17736
                  17470                                17737
                  17520                                17738
                  17521                                17739
                  17523                                17741
                  17539                                17742
                  17542                                17808
                  17556              ...................................
------------------------------------------------------------------------


 Table 2--Affected Tay 650-15 Engines by Serial Number (Carried Forward
                           From AD 2009-22-01)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Engine serial number
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  17249                                 17522
                  17303                                 17534
                  17358                                 17535
                  17370                                 17536
                  17425                                 17538
                  17426                                 17540
                  17433                                 17541
                  17438                                 17552
                  17445                                 17553
                  17446                                 17585
                  17460                                 17613
                  17474                                 17723
                  17478                                 17724
                  17490                                 17740
                  17491                                 17759
                  17517                                 17760
                  17518                                 17807
------------------------------------------------------------------------


Table 3--Affected Tay 650-15 Engines by Serial Number (Added New in This
                                   AD)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Engine serial number
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  17344                                17707
                  17360                                17716
                  17376                                17718
                  17413                                17719
                  17537                                17731
                  17694                                17756
                  17698                                17757
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reason

    (d) Strip results from some of the engines listed in the 
applicability section of this AD revealed excessively corroded low-
pressure turbine disks stage 2 and stage 3. The corrosion is 
considered to be caused by the environment in which these engines 
are operated. Following a life assessment based on the strip 
findings it is concluded that inspections for corrosion attack are 
required. The action specified by this European Aviation Safety 
Agency (EASA) AD 2008-0122 was intended to avoid a failure of a low-
pressure turbine disk stage 2 or stage 3 due to potential corrosion 
problems which could result in uncontained engine failure and damage 
to the airplane. It has been later realized that the same unsafe 
condition could potentially occur on more serial numbers for the Tay 
650-15 engines and on the Tay 651-54 engines. This AD, superseding 
EASA AD 2008-0122, retaining its requirements, is therefore issued 
to expand the Applicability in adding further engine serial numbers 
for the Tay 650-15 engines and in adding the Tay 651-54 engines. We 
are issuing this AD to detect corrosion that could cause the stage 2 
or stage 3 disk of the LP turbine to fail and result in an 
uncontained failure of the engine.

Actions and Compliance

    (e) Unless already done, do the following actions.
    (1) Prior to accumulating 11,700 flight cycles (FC) since new of 
disk life, and

[[Page 24828]]

thereafter at intervals not exceeding 11,700 FC of disk life, 
inspect the LP turbine disks stage 2 and stage 3 for corrosion using 
RRD Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) No. TAY-72-A1524, Revision 3, dated 
March 24, 2010.
    (2) For engines with disk life that already exceed 11,700 FC on 
the effective date of this AD, perform the inspection within 90 days 
after the effective date of this AD.
    (3) When, during any of the inspections as required by 
paragraphs (e)(1) and (e)(2) of this AD, corrosion is found, replace 
the affected parts. RRD TAY 650 Engine Manual--E-TAY-3RR, Tasks 72-
52-23-200-000 and 72-52-24-200-000, and RRD TAY 651 Engine Manual--
E-TAY-5RR, Tasks 72-52-23-200-000 and 72-52-24-200-000, contain 
guidance on performing the inspection for corrosion and rejection 
criteria.

Previous Credit

    (f) Initial inspections done before the effective date of this 
AD on LP turbine disks stage 2 and stage 3 listed in Table 1 and 
Table 2 of this AD using RRD ASB No. TAY-72-A1524, Revision 1, dated 
September 1, 2006, or Revision 2, dated June 13, 2008, comply with 
the initial inspection requirements specified in this AD.

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (g) 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

    (h) Refer to EASA AD 2010-060R1, dated April 14, 2010, for 
related information. Contact Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG, 
Eschenweg 11, Dahlwitz, 15827 Blankenfelde-Mahlow, Germany; phone: 
011 49 (0) 33-7086-1883; fax: 011 49 (0) 33-7086-3276, for a copy of 
the service information referenced in this AD.
    (i) Contact Tara Chaidez, Aerospace Engineer, Engine 
Certification Office, FAA, Engine and Propeller Directorate, 12 New 
England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; e-mail: 
[email protected]; phone: (781) 238-7773; fax (781) 238-7199, for 
more information about this AD.

    Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on April 29, 2010.
Peter A. White,
Assistant Manager, Engine and Propeller Directorate, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-10739 Filed 5-5-10; 8:45 am]
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