[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 48 (Tuesday, March 14, 2017)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 13570-13572]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-04957]



[[Page 13570]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2017-0021; Directorate Identifier 2017-NE-01-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; International Aero Engines AG 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 International Aero Engines AG (IAE) V2522-A5, V2524-A5, V2527-
A5, V2527E-A5, V2527M-A5, V2530-A5, V2533-A5, V2525-D5, V2528-D5, and 
V2531-E5 turbofan engines. This proposed AD was prompted following a 
self-disclosure by IAE regarding manufacturing quality escapes. This 
proposed AD would require replacing the affected and suspect parts 
within the time limits specified in the compliance section. We are 
proposing this AD to correct the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by April 28, 2017.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR 
11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
     Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket 
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590.
     Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail address above between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    For service information identified in this NPRM, contact 
International Aero Engines AG, 400 Main Street, East Hartford, CT 
06118; phone: 860-565-0140; email: [email protected]; Internet: http://fleetcare.pw.utc.com. 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-2017-
0021; 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 proposed AD, the regulatory evaluation, any comments 
received, and other information. The street 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: Brian Kierstead, Aerospace Engineer, 
Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 1200 
District Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803; phone: 781-238-7772; 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-2017-0021; 
Directorate Identifier 2017-NE-01-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 because of 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 we 
receive about this NPRM.

Discussion

    IAE self-disclosed several quality escapes that had occurred during 
manufacture of high-pressure turbine (HPT) stage 2 air seals, HPT 1st 
stage air seals, and/or HPT stage 2 ring plates, at the Pratt and 
Whitney Chengdu facility. The quality escapes are associated with P&W's 
manufacturing source approval requirement, which includes reporting of 
tool breaks on life-limited parts. A number of documented and 
undocumented occurences of tool breaks were experienced during 
machining, which could affect the low-cycle fatigue capability of the 
suspect parts. In addition, several manufactured life-limited parts 
without logbooks are also suspected of experiencing occurences of a 
tool break. This proposed AD would require replacing the affected parts 
within the time limits specified in the compliance section. This 
condition, if not corrected, could result in failure of high-energy, 
rotating hardware, uncontained part release, damage to the engine, and 
damage to the airplane.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    We reviewed International Aero Engines, IAE Non-Modification 
Service Bulletin (NMSB) V2500-ENG-72-0676, dated October 14, 2016; IAE 
NMSB V2500-ENG-72-0677, Revision 1, dated January 11, 2017; IAE NMSB 
V2500-ENG-72-0682, dated December 2, 2016; IAE NMSB V2500-ENG-72-0681, 
Revision 2, dated January 9, 2017; and IAE NMSB V2500-ENG-72-0678, 
Revision 1, dated January 5, 2017. Each of the NMSBs describes 
procedures for replacing a different affected part. This service 
information is reasonably available because the interested parties have 
access to it through their normal course of business or by the means 
identified in the ADDRESSES section.

FAA's Determination

    We are proposing this AD because we evaluated all the relevant 
information and determined the unsafe condition described previously is 
likely to exist or develop in other products of these same type 
designs.

Proposed AD Requirements

    This proposed AD would require replacing the affected parts within 
the time limits specified in the compliance section.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this proposed AD affects 70 engines installed on 
airplanes of U.S. registry.
    We estimate the following costs to comply with this proposed AD:

                                                 Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                     Cost per      Cost on U.S.
                     Action                         Labor cost      Parts cost        product        operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Removal of HPT stage 2 air seal (cycle limited).              $0     $154,119.00     $154,119.00     $308,238.00

[[Page 13571]]

 
Removal of HPT 1st stage air seal (cycle                       0       87,503.00       87,503.00      175,006.00
 limited).......................................
Removal of HPT stage 2 ring plate (cycle                       0       56,207.00       56,207.00      112,414.00
 limited).......................................
Removal of HPT stage 2 ring plate (piece-part)..               0       31,403.00       31,403.00    2,041,195.00
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    According to the manufacturer, some of the costs of this proposed 
AD may be covered under warranty, thereby reducing the cost impact on 
affected individuals. We do not control warranty coverage for affected 
individuals. As a result, we have included all costs in our cost 
estimate.

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, 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):

International Aero Engines AG: Docket No. FAA-2017-0021; Directorate 
Identifier 2017-NE-01-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

    We must receive comments by April 28, 2017.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    (1) This AD applies to International Aero Engines (IAE) V2522-
A5, V2524-A5, V2527-A5, V2527E-A5, V2527M-A5, V2530-A5, V2533-A5, 
V2525-D5, V2528-D5, and V2531-E5 turbofan engines with one or more 
of the following installed:
    (i) High-pressure turbine (HPT) stage 2 air seal, part number 
(P/N) 2A4157, with a serial number (S/N) listed in Table 1 of IAE 
Non-Modification Service Bulletin (NMSB) V2500-ENG-72-0676, dated 
October 14, 2016.
    (ii) HPT 1st stage air seal, P/N 2A3423, with an S/N listed in 
Table 1 of IAE NMSB V2500-ENG-72-0677 Revision 1, dated January 11, 
2017; or IAE NMSB V2500-ENG-72-0678, Revision 1, dated January 5, 
2017.
    (iii) HPT stage 2 ring plate, P/N 2A3437, with an S/N listed in 
Table 1 of IAE NMSB V2500-ENG-72-0682, dated December 2, 2016; or 
IAE NMSB V2500-ENG-72-0681, Revision 2, dated January 9, 2017.
    (2) Reserved.

(d) Subject

    Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) Code 7250, Turbine 
Engine.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by several reports by IAE of quality 
escapes during manufacture of HPT stage 2 air seals, HPT 1st stage 
air seals, and/or HPT stage 2 ring plates, at the Pratt and Whitney 
Chengdu facility. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of high-
energy, rotating hardware, uncontained part release, damage to the 
engine, and damage to the airplane.

(f) Compliance

    Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified, 
unless already done.

(g) Required Actions

    (1) Remove the following hardware from service before reaching 
the specified part cycles since new listed in the service 
instructions in paragraphs (g)(1)(i) through (iii) of this AD, or 
within 50 cycles in service after the effective date of this AD, 
whichever occurs later, and replace with a part eligible for 
installation:
    (i) HPT stage 2 air seal, P/N 2A4157, identified in Table 1 of 
IAE NMSB V2500-ENG-72-0676, dated October 14, 2016.
    (ii) HPT 1st stage air seal, P/N 2A3423, identified in Table 1 
of IAE NMSB V2500-ENG-72-0677, Revision 1, dated January 11, 2017.
    (iii) HPT stage 2 ring plate, P/N 2A3437, identified in Table 1 
of IAE NMSB V2500-ENG-72-0682, dated December 2, 2016.
    (2) After the effective date of this AD, remove the following 
hardware from service when the HPT module is disassembled and access 
to the part is available and replace with a part eligible for 
installation;
    (i) HPT 1st stage air seal, P/N 2A3423, identified in 
Accomplishment Instructions, Table 1, of IAE NMSB V2500-ENG-72-0678, 
Revision 1, dated January 5, 2017.
    (ii) HPT stage 2 ring plate, P/N 2A3437, identified in 
Accomplishment Instructions, Table 1, of IAE NMSB V2500-ENG-72-0681, 
Revision 2, dated January 9, 2017.

(h) 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].

(i) Related Information

    (1) For more information about this AD, contact Brian Kierstead, 
Aerospace Engineer, Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine & 
Propeller Directorate, 1200 District Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803; 
phone: 781-238-7772; fax: 781-238-7199; email: 
[email protected].

[[Page 13572]]

    (2) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
International Aero Engines AG, 400 Main Street, East Hartford, CT 
06118; phone: 860-565-0140; email: [email protected]; Internet: 
http://fleetcare.pw.utc.com.
    (3) 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 March 2, 2017.
Thomas A. Boudreau,
Acting Manager, Engine & Propeller Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-04957 Filed 3-13-17; 8:45 am]
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