[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 31 (Tuesday, February 15, 2011)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 8620-8622]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-3347]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2010-0594; Directorate Identifier 98-ANE-43-AD; 
Amendment 39-16604; AD 2011-04-04]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney JT8D-209, -217, -217A, 
-217C, and -219 Turbofan Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: We are superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) 
for Pratt & Whitney (PW) JT8D-209, -217, -217A, -217C, and -219 
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 opportunity. 
This new AD modifies the TLS of the manufacturer's engine manual and an 
air carrier's approved continuous airworthiness maintenance program to 
incorporate additional inspection requirements. This AD was prompted by 
PW developing, and the FAA approving, improved inspection procedures 
for the critical life-limited parts. The mandatory inspections are 
needed to identify those critical rotating parts with conditions, which 
if allowed to continue in service, could result in uncontained 
failures. We are issuing this AD to prevent critical life-limited 
rotating engine part failure, which could result in an uncontained 
engine failure and damage to the airplane.

DATES: This AD is effective March 22, 2011.

ADDRESSES:

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov; or in person at the Docket Management Facility 
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. The AD docket contains this AD, the regulatory evaluation, 
any comments received, and other information. The address for the 
Docket Office (phone: 800-647-5527) is Document Management Facility, 
U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West 
Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 
Washington, DC 20590.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ian Dargin, Aerospace Engineer, Engine 
Certification Office, FAA, Engine and Propeller Directorate, 12 New 
England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; phone: 781-238-7178, fax: 
781-238-7199; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

    We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 
part 39 to supersede AD 2005-18-02, Amendment 39-14242 (70 FR 71610, 
November 29, 2005). That AD applies to the specified products. The NPRM 
published in the Federal Register on August 18, 2010 (75 FR 50945). 
That NPRM proposed to modify the TLS of the manufacturer's engine 
manual and an air carrier's approved continuous airworthiness 
maintenance program to incorporate additional inspection requirements. 
PW has developed and the FAA has approved improved inspection 
procedures for the critical life-limited parts. The mandatory 
inspections are needed to identify those critical rotating parts with 
conditions which, if allowed to continue in service, could result in 
uncontained failures.

Comment

    We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD. The following presents the comment received on the proposal 
and the FAA's response to the comment.

Request

    One commenter, American Airlines, requested that we change the

[[Page 8621]]

compliance time from within 30 days after the effective date of the AD, 
to within 180 days after the effective date of the AD. This change 
would give PW the time to revise fan hub inspection Alert Service 
Bulletin No. A6272, dated September 24, 1996, to obtain an Alternative 
Method of Compliance to fan hub inspection AD 97-17-04R1, and to allow 
automatic eddy current inspection per engine manual Section 72-33-31, 
Inspection No.-05.
    We agree. Availability of the tooling will take about 6 months, and 
the risk will be negligible since a manual inspection is now in place. 
We revised this AD as requested.

Conclusion

    We reviewed the relevant data, considered the comment received, and 
determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting the 
AD with the change described previously. We also determined that this 
change will not increase the economic burden on any operator nor 
increase the scope of the AD.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD will affect 1,143 JT8D-209, -217, -217A, -
217C, and -219 turbofan engines installed on airplanes of U.S. 
registry. We also estimate that it will take about 10 work-hours per 
engine to perform the actions, and that the average labor rate is $85 
per work-hour. Since this is an added inspection requirement, included 
as part of the normal maintenance cycle, no additional part costs are 
involved. Based on these figures, we estimate the total cost of the AD 
to U.S. operators to be $971,550.

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

    This AD will not have federalism implications under Executive Order 
13132. This AD 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.
    For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this AD:
    (1) Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive 
Order 12866;
    (2) Is not a ``significant rule'' under DOT Regulatory Policies and 
Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979),
    (3) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
    (4) 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.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

    Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Safety.

Adoption of the Amendment

    Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the 
Administrator, the FAA amends 14 CFR part 39 as follows:

PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

0
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]

0
2. The FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by removing Amendment 39-14242 (70 FR 
71610, November 29, 2005), and adding the following new AD:

2011-04-04 Pratt & Whitney: Amendment 39-16604. Docket No. FAA-2010-
0594; Directorate Identifier 98-ANE-43-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This airworthiness directive (AD) is effective March 22, 
2011.

Affected ADs

    (b) This AD supersedes AD 2005-18-02, Amendment 39-14242.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to Pratt & Whitney (PW) JT8D-209, -217, -
217A, -217C, and -219 turbofan engines. These engines are installed 
on, but not limited to Boeing 727 and McDonnell Douglas MD-80 series 
airplanes.

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from the need to require enhanced inspection 
of selected critical life-limited parts of JT8D-209, -217, -217A, -
217C, and -219 turbofan engines. We are issuing this AD to prevent 
critical life-limited rotating engine part failure, which could 
result in an uncontained engine failure and damage to the airplane.

Compliance

    (e) You are responsible for having the actions required by this 
AD performed within the compliance times specified unless the 
actions have already been done.
    (f) Within the next 180 days after the effective date of this 
AD, (1) revise the Time Limits section (TLS) of the manufacturer's 
engine manual, part number 773128, as appropriate for PW JT8D-209, -
217, -217A, -217C, and -219 turbofan engines, and (2) for air 
carriers, revise the approved mandatory inspections section of the 
continuous airworthiness maintenance program, by adding the 
following:

``Critical Life Limited Part Inspection

    A. Inspection Requirements:
    (1) This section contains the definitions for individual engine 
piece-parts and the inspection procedures, which are necessary, when 
these parts are removed from the engine.
    (2) It is necessary to do the inspection procedures of the 
piece-parts in Paragraph B when:
    (a) The part is removed from the engine and disassembled to the 
level specified in paragraph B and
    (b) The part has accumulated more than 100 cycles since the last 
piece-part inspection, provided that the part is not damaged or 
related to the cause of its removal from the engine.
    (3) The inspections specified in this section do not replace or 
make unnecessary other recommended inspections for these parts or 
other parts.
    B. Parts Requiring Inspection.

    Note:  Piece-part is defined as any of the listed parts with all 
the blades removed.


------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Description                  Section         Inspection No.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hub (Disk), 1st Stage
 Compressor:
    * Hub Detail--All P/Ns......            72-33-31       -03, -04, -05
    * Hub Assembly--All P/Ns....            72-33-31       -03, -04, -05
Disk, 13th Stage Compressor--All            72-36-47                 -02
 P/Ns...........................
HP Turbine, First Stage:
    Rotor Assembly--All P/Ns....            72-52-02                 -04

[[Page 8622]]

 
    Disk--All P/Ns..............            72-52-02                 -03
Disk, 2nd Stage Turbine--All P/             72-53-16                 -02
 Ns.............................
* Disk, 3rd Stage Turbine--All P/           72-53-17            -02, -03
 Ns.............................
* Disk, 4th Stage Turbine--All P/           72-53-18            -02, -03
 Ns.............................
------------------------------------------------------------------------

     (g) The parts that have an Engine Manual Inspection Task and or 
Sub Task Number reference updated in the table of this AD, are 
identified by an asterisk (*) that precedes the part nomenclature.
    (h) Except as provided in paragraph (i) of this AD, and 
notwithstanding contrary provisions in section 43.16 of the Federal 
Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 43.16), these mandatory inspections 
shall be performed only in accordance with the TLS of the 
manufacturer's engine manual.

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOC)

    (i) You must perform these mandatory inspections using the TLS 
of the manufacturer's engine manual unless you receive approval to 
use an AMOC under paragraph (j) of this AD. Section 43.16 of the 
Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 43.16) may not be used to 
approve alternative methods of compliance or adjustments to the 
times in which these inspections must be performed.
    (j) The Manager, Engine Certification Office, has the authority 
to approve alternative methods of compliance for this AD if 
requested using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19.

Maintaining Records of the Mandatory Inspections

    (k) You have met the requirements of this AD when you revise the 
TLS of the manufacturer's engine manual as specified in paragraph 
(f) of this AD. For air carriers operating under part 121 of the 
Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 121), you have met the 
requirements of this AD when you modify your continuous 
airworthiness maintenance plan to reflect those changes. You do not 
need to record each piece-part inspection as compliance to this AD, 
but you must maintain records of those inspections according to the 
regulations governing your operation. For air carriers operating 
under part 121, you may use either the system established to comply 
with section 121.369 or an alternative accepted by your principal 
maintenance inspector if that alternative:
    (1) Includes a method for preserving and retrieving the records 
of the inspections resulting from this AD; and
    (2) Meets the requirements of section 121.369(c); and
    (3) Maintains the records either indefinitely or until the work 
is repeated.
    (l) These record keeping requirements apply only to the records 
used to document the mandatory inspections required as a result of 
revising the TLS of the manufacturer's engine manual as specified in 
paragraph (f) of this AD. These record keeping requirements do not 
alter or amend the record keeping requirements for any other AD or 
regulatory requirement.

Related Information

    (m) For more information about this AD, contact Ian Dargin, 
Aerospace Engineer, Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine and 
Propeller Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 
01803; e-mail: [email protected]; phone: 781-238-7178, fax: 781-
238-7199.

    Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on February 3, 2011.
Peter A. White,
Acting Manager, Engine and Propeller Directorate, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-3347 Filed 2-14-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P