[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 54 (Wednesday, March 20, 2013)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 17075-17076]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-06170]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2012-1031; Directorate Identifier 2012-NE-31-AD; 
Amendment 39-17391; AD 2013-05-19]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG 
Turbofan Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 
Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG (RRD) Tay 611-8 turbofan engines. 
This AD requires inspection and replacement, if necessary, of affected 
bolts. This AD was prompted by a quality review determination that 
bolts with reduced material properties may have been installed in some 
engines. We are issuing this AD to prevent uncontained turbine disc 
fracture and damage to the airplane.

DATES: This AD becomes effective April 24, 2013.

ADDRESSES: The Docket Operations office is located at Docket Management 
Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue 
SE., West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-
0001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Frederick Zink, Aerospace Engineer, 
Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 
New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; email: 
[email protected]; telephone: 781-238-7779; fax: 781-238-7199.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion

    We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 
part 39 to include an AD that would apply to the specified products. 
That NPRM was published in the Federal Register on November 13, 2012 
(77 FR 67582). That NPRM proposed to correct an unsafe condition for 
the specified products. The Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness 
Information states:

    The results of a recent quality review of low pressure turbine 
(LPT) stage 1 static air seal and high pressure turbine (HPT) stage 
1 air seal support bolts identified that, before installation, those 
bolts may have not been inspected. As a consequence, bolts with 
reduced material properties may have been installed in some engines.
    This condition, if not detected and corrected, could lead to 
failure of a bolt, potentially causing turbine disc fracture and 
release of high-energy debris, possibly resulting in damage to the 
aeroplane and/or injury to the occupants.

Comments

    We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD. We received no comments on the NPRM (77 FR 67582, November 13, 
2012). However, we changed paragraph (e) of this AD by removing the 
reporting requirement because that requirement is not necessary to 
correct the unsafe condition.

Conclusion

    We reviewed the available data and determined that air safety and 
the public interest require adopting the AD as proposed (77 FR 67582, 
November 13, 2012).

Costs of Compliance

    Based on the service information, we estimate that this AD affects 
about 20 engines of U.S. registry. We also estimate that it will take 
about 4 hours per product to comply with this AD. The average labor 
rate is $85 per hour. Required parts will cost about $1,848 per engine. 
Based on these figures, we estimate the cost of the AD on U.S. 
operators to be $43,760.

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

[[Page 17076]]

products identified in this rulemaking action.

Regulatory Findings

    We determined that 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 this AD:
    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);
    3. Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska to the extent that 
it justifies making a regulatory distinction, 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.
    We prepared a regulatory evaluation of the estimated costs to 
comply with this AD and placed it in the AD docket.

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 AD, the regulatory evaluation, 
any comments received, and other information. The street address for 
the Docket Operations office (phone: (800) 647-5527) is provided in the 
ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly 
after receipt.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

    Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by 
reference, 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 adding the following new AD:

2013-05-19 Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG: Amendment 39-17391; 
Docket No. FAA-2012-1031; Directorate Identifier 2012-NE-31-AD.

(a) Effective Date

    This airworthiness directive (AD) becomes effective April 24, 
2013.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG (RRD) Tay 
611-8 turbofan engines, serial numbers 16245, 16256, 16417, 16418, 
16584, 16585, 16639, 16640, 16701, 16702, 16813, 16814, 16853, 
16854, 16879, 16880, 16898, 16905, 16906, 16911, 16923, 16935, and 
16936, with a date of the last shop visit before December 8, 2006.

(d) Reason

    This AD was prompted by a recent quality review determination 
that bolts with reduced material properties may have been installed 
in some engines. We are issuing this AD to prevent uncontained 
turbine disc fracture and damage to the airplane.

(e) Actions and Compliance

    Unless already done, for engines with a date of the last shop 
visit before December 8, 2006, do the following actions:
    (1) If engine cycles accumulated since the last engine shop 
visit is 5,400 cycles or more on the effective date of this AD, 
inspect the bolts installed in the low-pressure turbine (LPT) stage 
1 static seal and high-pressure turbine (HPT) stage 1 air seal 
support within 100 engine cycles-in-service after the effective date 
of this AD.
    (2) If engine cycles accumulated since the last engine shop 
visit is fewer than 5,400 cycles on the effective date of this AD, 
inspect the bolts installed in the LPT stage 1 static seal and HPT 
stage 1 air seal support before accumulating 5,500 engine cycles 
since the last engine shop visit.
    (3) If you find any broken bolt, brown bolt, or bolt with a 
rough oxidized surface, then replace all bolts of the inspected 
engine flange with new bolts before further flight.

(f) Installation Prohibition

    After the effective date of this AD, do not install any HPT 
module and/or LPT module into any engine, or any engine onto an 
airplane, unless the bolts have been inspected and replaced if 
necessary, as specified in paragraph (e) of this AD.

(g) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    The Manager, Engine Certification Office, FAA, may approve AMOCs 
to 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 Frederick Zink, 
Aerospace Engineer, Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine & 
Propeller Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 
01803; phone: 781-238-7779; fax: 781-238-7199; email: 
[email protected].
    (2) Refer to European Aviation Safety Agency AD 2012-0163, dated 
August 28, 2012, and RRD Alert Service Bulletin TAY-72-A1696, 
Revision 1, dated June 11, 2012, 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; phone: 49 0 33-7086-1200 (direct 
1016); fax: 49 0 33-7086-1212. You may view this 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.

(i) Material Incorporated by Reference

    None.


    Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on March 7, 2013.
Colleen M. D'Alessandro,
Assistant Manager, Engine & Propeller Directorate, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-06170 Filed 3-19-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P