[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 136 (Friday, July 15, 2016)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 46000-46002]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-16646]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2016-6692; Directorate Identifier 2016-NE-13-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc 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 all 
Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-Trent 875-17, RB211-Trent 877-17, RB211-
Trent 884-17, RB211-Trent 884B-17, RB211-Trent 892-17, RB211-Trent 
892B-17, and RB211-Trent 895-17 turbofan engines. This proposed AD was 
prompted by a report of cracking and material release from an engine 
upper bifurcation fairing. This proposed AD would require repetitive 
inspections of the engine upper bifurcation fairing and repairing or 
replacing any fairing that fails inspection. We are proposing this AD 
to prevent failure of the engine fire protection system, engine fire, 
and damage to the airplane.

DATES: We must receive comments on this NPRM by September 13, 2016.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     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 plc, Corporate Communications, P.O. Box 31, Derby, England, 
DE24 8BJ; phone: 011-44-1332-242424; fax: 011-44-1332-249936; email: 
http://www.rolls-royce.com/contact/civil_team.jsp; Internet: https://customers.rolls-royce.com/public/rollsroycecare. You may view this 
service information at the FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 1200 
District Avenue, Burlington, MA. For information on the availability of 
this material at the FAA, call 781-238-7125.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2016-
6692; 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 mandatory continuing airworthiness 
information (MCAI), the regulatory evaluation, any comments received, 
and other information. The address for the Docket Office (phone: 800-
647-5527) is in the ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in 
the AD docket shortly after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wego Wang, Aerospace Engineer, Engine 
Certification Office, FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 1200 
District Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803; phone: 781-238-7134; 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 NPRM. Send your comments to an address listed 
under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2016-6692; 
Directorate Identifier 2016-NE-13-AD'' at the beginning of your 
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, 
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this NPRM. We will 
consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend this 
NPRM 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 NPRM.

Discussion

    The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical 
Agent for the Member States of the European Community, has issued EASA 
AD 2016-0084, dated April 28, 2016 (referred to hereinafter as ``the 
MCAI''), to correct an unsafe condition for the specified products. The 
MCAI states:

    Inspection of in-service Rolls-Royce RB211 Trent 800 engines has 
identified cracking and/or material release from the upper 
bifurcation fairing. This fairing hardware mates to the aeroplane 
thrust reverser upper bifurcation forward fire seal. Both sets of 
hardware create the engine firewall to isolate the engine 
compartment fire zone, which is a firewall feature of the aeroplane 
type design. Damage (missing materials and holes/

[[Page 46001]]

openings) to the upper bifurcation fairing creates a breach of the 
engine fire wall, which may decrease the effectiveness of the engine 
fire detection and suppression systems due to excess fan air 
entering the engine compartment fire zone. This could delay or 
prevent the fire detection and suppression system from functioning 
properly, and can result in an increased risk of prolonged burning, 
potentially allowing a fire to reach unprotected areas of the 
engine, strut and wing.

    Failure to inspect the engine upper bifurcation fairing as proposed 
by this AD could result in failure of the engine fire protection 
system, engine fire, and damage to the airplane.
    You may obtain further information by examining the MCAI in the AD 
docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for 
and locating Docket No. FAA-2016-6692.

Related Service Information

    RR has issued Alert Non-Modification Service Bulletin (NMSB) 
RB.211-72-AJ165, dated March 31, 2016. The NMSB describes procedures 
for inspecting and, if necessary, repairing or replacing the engine 
upper bifurcation fairing.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of This Proposed AD

    This product has been approved by the aviation authority of the 
United Kingdom 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. This NPRM would require repetitive inspections of 
the engine upper bifurcation fairing and repairing or replacing any 
fairing that fails inspection.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this proposed AD affects 125 engines installed on 
airplanes of U.S. registry. We estimate that it would take about 3.25 
hours to inspect the upper bifurcation fairing do the inspection. We 
estimate that 5 engine fairings will require repair at 8 hours per 
engine and that an additional 5 engine fairings will require 
replacement at 30 hours per engine. We also estimate that materials and 
parts costs would be $500 for each engine. The cost for repair or 
replacement would be about $5,900 or $15,250 respectively. The average 
labor rate is $85 per hour. Based on these figures, we estimate the 
cost of this proposed AD on U.S. operators to be $55,681.

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),
    (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.

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

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 airworthiness 
directive (AD):

Rolls-Royce plc: Docket No. FAA-2016-6692; Directorate Identifier 
2016-NE-13-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

    We must receive comments by September 13, 2016.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-Trent 875-17, 
RB211-Trent 877-17, RB211-Trent 884-17, RB211-Trent 884B-17, RB211-
Trent 892-17, RB211-Trent 892B-17, and RB211-Trent 895-17 turbofan 
engines.

(d) Reason

    This AD was prompted by a report of cracking and material 
release from an engine upper bifurcation fairing. We are issuing 
this AD to prevent failure of the engine fire protection system, 
engine fire, and damage to the airplane.

(e) Actions and Compliance

    Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified, 
unless already done.
    (1) Within 7,500 engine flight hours (EFHs) time since new, or 
since last inspection, or within 150 flight cycles after the 
effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later, inspect the 
engine upper bifurcation fairing for cracks or missing material. Use 
paragraph (e)(3) of this AD to perform the inspections.
    (2) Repeat the inspection required by this AD within every 7,500 
EFH time since last inspection.
    (3) Inspect the engine upper bifurcation fairing as follows. 
Refer to Figure 1 of RR Alert Non-Modification Service Bulletin 
(NMSB) RB.211-72-AJ165, dated March 31, 2016, for guidance on upper 
bifurcation fairing inspection locations.
    (i) Visually inspect upper bifurcation fairing seal face 22, 
seal support 23, and zone A for any cracks or material loss on the 
right side.
    (A) If fairing seal face 22 is found to have released material, 
repair or replace the fairing before further flight.
    (B) If there is a single crack found on fairing seal face 22, 
shorter than 6 mm, repair or replace the fairing within 100 engine 
flight cycles, or at the next shop visit, whichever occurs sooner.
    (C) If there is a single crack found on fairing seal face 22, 
longer than 6 mm, repair or replace the fairing within 15 engine 
flight cycles or at the next shop visit, whichever occurs sooner.
    (D) If there are two or more cracks found on fairing seal face 
22, replace the fairing

[[Page 46002]]

within 15 engine flight cycles or at next shop visit, whichever 
occurs sooner.
    (E) If there is any cracking or material loss found on seal 
support 23, replace the fairing within 15 engine flight cycles or at 
next shop visit, whichever occurs sooner.
    (ii) If the visual inspection required by paragraph (e)(3)(i) of 
this AD does not detect any crack, fluorescent penetrant inspect 
zone A. Refer to AMM TASK 70-20-02, Water Washable Fluorescent 
Penetrant Inspection (Maintenance Process 213), or OMat 632, high 
sensitivity fluorescent penetrant inspection, for guidance on 
fluorescent penetrant inspection.
    (A) If a crack shorter than 6 mm is detected, repair or replace 
the fairing within 100 engine flight cycles, or at the next shop 
visit, whichever occurs sooner.
    (B) If a crack longer than 6 mm is detected, repair or replace 
the fairing within 15 engine flight cycles or at the next shop 
visit, whichever occurs sooner.

Definition

    For the purpose of this AD, a ``shop visit'' is defined as 
induction of an engine into the shop for maintenance involving the 
separation of pairs of major mating engine flanges, except that the 
separation of engine flanges solely for the purposes of 
transportation without subsequent engine maintenance does not 
constitute an engine shop visit.

(f) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    The Manager, Engine Certification Office, FAA, may approve AMOCs 
for this AD. Use the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19 to make your 
request. You may email your request to: [email protected].

(g) Related Information

    (1) For more information about this AD, contact Wego Wang, 
Aerospace Engineer, Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine & 
Propeller Directorate, 1200 District Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803; 
phone: 781-238-7134; fax: 781-238-7199; email: [email protected].
    (2) Refer to MCAI European Aviation Safety Agency AD 2016-0084, 
dated April 28, 2016, for more information. You may examine the MCAI 
in the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by 
searching for and locating it in Docket No. FAA-2016-6692.
    (3) RR NMSB RB.211-72-AJ165, dated March 31, 2016, can be 
obtained from RR, using the contact information in paragraph (g)(4) 
of this proposed AD.
    (4) For service information identified in this proposed AD, 
contact Rolls-Royce plc, Corporate Communications, P.O. Box 31, 
Derby, England, DE24 8BJ; phone: 011-44-1332-242424; fax: 011-44-
1332-249936; email: http://www.rolls-royce.com/contact/civil_team.jsp; Internet: https://customers.rolls-royce.com/public/rollsroycecare.
    (5) You may view this service information at the FAA, Engine & 
Propeller Directorate, 1200 District Avenue, Burlington, MA. For 
information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 
781-238-7125.

    Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on July 1, 2016.
Ann C. Mollica,
Acting Manager, Engine & Propeller Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-16646 Filed 7-14-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P