[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 37 (Friday, February 24, 2012)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 11019-11021]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-4287]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2012-0008; Directorate Identifier 2011-NE-43-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG 
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 
certain Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG (RRD) BR700-715A1-30, 
BR700-715B1-30, and BR700-715C1-30 turbofan engines. This proposed AD 
was prompted by the discovery of a manufacturing defect on certain part 
number (P/N) and serial number (S/N) low-pressure (LP) compressor 
booster rotors. This proposed AD would require initial and repetitive 
fluorescent penetrant inspections of certain P/N and S/N LP compressor 
booster rotors and rework or replacement of them as terminating action 
to the repetitive inspections. We are proposing this AD to prevent 
failure of the LP compressor booster rotor, uncontained engine failure, 
and damage to the airplane.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by April 24, 2012.

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.
    For service information identified in this proposed AD, contact 
Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG, Eschenweg 11, Dahlewitz, 15827 
Blankenfelde-Mahlow, Germany, telephone: +49 (0) 33-7086-1883, fax: +49 
(0) 33-7086-3276. You may review copies of the referenced service 
information at the FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 New England 
Executive Park, Burlington, MA. For information on the availability of 
this material at the FAA, call 781-238-7125.

[[Page 11020]]

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: Mark Riley, Aerospace Engineer, Engine 
Certification Office, FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 New 
England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; phone: 781-238-7758; fax: 
781-238-7199; email: [email protected].

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-2012-0008; 
Directorate Identifier 2011-NE-43-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 2011-0232, dated December 13, 2011 (referred to 
after this as ``the MCAI''), to correct an unsafe condition for the 
specified products. The MCAI states:

    Several LP compressor booster rotors have been found non-
compliant to original design. The technical investigations carried 
out by Rolls-Royce Deutschland revealed that this discrepancy is due 
to a manufacturing defect and that only some specific LP compressor 
booster rotor serial numbers are affected. This condition, if not 
corrected, could lead to an uncontained engine failure, potentially 
damaging the aeroplane and injuring its occupants, and/or injuring 
persons on the ground.

    To address this condition, RRD has developed an inspection 
program and a rework for the affected LP compressor booster rotors.
    For the reason described above, depending on engine type of 
operations, this AD requires repetitive fluorescent penetrant 
inspections of the LP compressor booster rotor and if any crack is 
found, replacement with a serviceable part. This AD also requires 
rework of all affected LP compressor booster rotors.

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

Relevant Service Information

    RRD has issued Alert Service Bulletin No. SB-BR700-72-A900503, 
Revision 4, dated June 16, 2011, and RRD SB No. SB-BR700-72-101683, 
dated September 20, 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

    This product has been approved by EASA and is approved for 
operation in the United States. Pursuant to our bilateral agreement 
with the European Community, EASA has 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 EASA and determined the unsafe condition exists and is 
likely to exist or develop on other products of the same type design.

Costs of Compliance

    Based on the service information, we estimate that this proposed AD 
would affect about 96 engines installed on airplanes of U.S. registry. 
We also estimate that it would take about 5 work-hours per engine to 
perform one inspection, and about 8 work-hours per engine to perform 
the rework. The average labor rate is $85 per work-hour. Based on these 
figures, if all engines are reworked, we estimate the cost of the 
proposed AD on U.S. operators to perform one inspection and to perform 
the rework to be $106,080.

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:


[[Page 11021]]


    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: Docket No. FAA-2012-0008; 
Directorate Identifier 2011-NE-43-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

    We must receive comments by April 24, 2012.

(b) Affected Airworthiness Directives (ADs)

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG (RRD) 
BR700-715A1-30, BR700-715B1-30, and BR700-715C1-30 turbofan engines, 
with a low-pressure (LP) compressor booster rotor, part number (P/N) 
BRH19215, or P/N BRH19871, with serial numbers 118 to 255 inclusive, 
installed.

(d) Reason

    This AD was prompted by the discovery of a manufacturing defect 
on certain P/N and S/N LP compressor booster rotors. We are issuing 
this AD to prevent failure of the LP compressor booster rotor, 
uncontained engine failure, and damage to the airplane.

(e) Actions and Compliance

    Unless already done, do the following actions.
    (1) At the applicable compliance time in Table 1 of this AD, 
perform an initial fluorescent penetrant inspection (FPI) of the LP 
compressor booster rotor, in accordance with paragraphs 3.D. through 
3.H.(3) of Accomplishment Instructions of RRD Alert Service Bulletin 
(ASB) No. SB-BR700-72-A900503, Revision 4, dated June 16, 2011.

                        Table 1--Compliance Times
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                         Repetitive FPI
   Engine type of operation     Initial FPI (whichever   interval  (not
                                     occurs later)         to exceed)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
``Hawaiian'' Flight Mission     Before accumulating     6,000 EC.
 only.                           36,000 engine cycles
                                 (EC) or within 500 EC
                                 after the effective
                                 date of this AD.
Any other rating, or            Before accumulating     4,000 EC.
 combination of ratings.         18,000 EC, or within
                                 500 EC after the
                                 effective date of
                                 this AD.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

     (2) Thereafter, at intervals not to exceed the applicable 
compliance time in Table 1 of this AD, perform repetitive FPIs of 
the LP compressor booster rotor, in accordance with paragraphs 3.D. 
through 3.H.(3) of Accomplishment Instructions of RRD ASB No. SB-
BR700-72-A900503, Revision 4, dated June 16, 2011.
    (3) Remove cracked LP compressor booster rotors before further 
flight.
    (4) At the next piece part exposure of the LP compressor booster 
rotor during shop visit, remove the LP compressor booster rotor and 
either:
    (i) Rework the LP compressor booster rotor in accordance with 
paragraphs 3.A. through 3.F. of Accomplishment Instructions of RRD 
Service Bulletin No. SB-BR700-72-101683, dated September 20, 2010; 
or
    (ii) Replace the LP compressor booster rotor with one that is 
eligible for installation.

(f) Definition

    (1) For the purpose of this AD, an LP compressor booster rotor 
that is eligible for installation is one that is not listed in 
applicability paragraph (c) of this AD.
    (2) The Hawaiian Flight Mission referenced in Table 1 of this AD 
is defined in RRD BR715 Time Limits Manual, T-715-3BR, Section 05-
00, Task 05-00-02-800-001, Hawaiian Flight Mission Profile, Figure 
05-00-02-990-008 (Fig. 8).

(g) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    The Manager, Engine Certification Office, may approve AMOCs for 
this AD. Use the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19 to make your 
request.

(h) Related Information

    (1) For more information about this AD, contact Mark Riley, 
Aerospace Engineer, Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine & 
Propeller Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 
01803; phone: 781-238-7758; fax: 781-238-7199; email: 
[email protected].
    (2) Refer to MCAI EASA Airworthiness Directive 2011-0232, dated 
December 13, 2011; RRD Alert ASB No. SB-BR700-72-A900503, Revision 
4, dated June 16, 2011; and RRD SB No. SB-BR700-72-101683, dated 
September 20, 2010, for related information.
    (3) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG, Eschenweg 11, Dahlewitz, 15827 
Blankenfelde-Mahlow, Germany, telephone: +49 (0) 33-7086-1883, fax: 
+49 (0) 33-7086-3276. You may review copies of the referenced 
service information at the FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 
New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA. For information on the 
availability of this material at the FAA, call 781-238-7125.

    Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on February 13, 2012.
Peter A. White,
Manager, Engine & Propeller Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-4287 Filed 2-23-12; 8:45 am]
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