[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 101 (Friday, May 26, 2017)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 24257-24260]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-10439]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2017-0140; Directorate Identifier 2017-NE-05-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) model Tay 620-15 
turbofan engines. This proposed AD was prompted by RRD recalculating 
the life limit for certain high-pressure compressor (HPC) stage 12 
rotor disks.

[[Page 24258]]

This proposed AD would require reducing the maximum approved life 
limit. We are proposing this AD to correct the unsafe condition on 
these products.

DATES: We must receive comments on this NPRM by July 10, 2017.

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 Deutschland Ltd & Co KG, Eschenweg 11-15827 Dahlewitz, 
Blankenfelde-Mahlow, Germany; phone: +49 0 33-7086-1944; fax: +49 0 33-
7086-3276. You may view this service information at the FAA, Engine & 
Propeller Directorate, 1200 District Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803. 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-
0140; 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: Robert Green, Aerospace Engineer, 
Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 1200 
District Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803; phone: 781-238-7754; 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-2017-0140; 
Directorate Identifier 2017-NE-05-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 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 
with FAA personnel concerning this proposed AD.

Discussion

    The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical 
Agent for the Member States of the European Community, has issued EASA 
AD 2017-0010, dated January 16, 2017 (referred to hereinafter as ``the 
MCAI''), to correct an unsafe condition for the specified products. The 
MCAI states:

    Based on revised stress analysis and life calculation, Rolls-
Royce Deutschland (RRD) determined new provisional life limits for 
HPC stage 12 rotor disc Part Number (P/N) JR18449, reducing the 
maximum approved life limit defined in the Tay 620-15 and Tay 620-
15/20 engine Time Limits Manual (TLM), Chapter 05-10-01, Task 05-10-
01-800-000, currently at revision dated 15 September 2014. Failure 
to replace a HPC stage 12 rotor disc P/N JR18449, before exceeding 
the thresholds defined by this AD, could lead to an uncontained HPC 
stage 12 rotor disc failure, possibly resulting in damage to, and/or 
reduced control of, the aeroplane.

    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-2017-0140.

Related Service Information

    RRD has issued Alert Non-Modification Service Bulletin (NMSB) TAY-
72-A1813, dated October 11, 2016. The Alert NMSB provides instructions 
to determine or re-calculate the consumed and remaining service life. 
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 and Requirements of This Proposed AD

    This product has been approved by the aviation authority of 
Germany, 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 proposed AD would require reducing the 
maximum approved life limit for HPC stage 12 rotor disk, part number 
JR18449.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this proposed AD affects 25 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
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pro-rated life........................  1 work-hour x $85 per             $3,858          $3,943         $98,575
                                         hour = $85.
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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

[[Page 24259]]

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 Deutschland Ltd & Co KG: Docket No. FAA-2017-0140; 
Directorate Identifier 2017-NE-05-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

    We must receive comments by July 10, 2017.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG (RRD) 
model Tay 620-15 turbofan engines with high-pressure compressor 
(HPC) modules M03100AA, or M03100AB, or M03100AC and HPC stage 12 
rotor disk part number (P/N) JR18449 installed.

(d) Subject

    Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) 7230, Turbine Engine 
Compressor Section.

(e) Reason

    This AD was prompted by RRD recalculating the life limit for HPC 
stage 12 rotor disk P/N JR18449. We are issuing this AD to prevent 
failure of the HPC stage 12 rotor disk, uncontained HPC stage 12 
rotor disk 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) Within 30 days after the effective date of this AD, 
determine whether the HPC stage 12 rotor disk has operated in both 
flight profiles A and B. If the rotor disk was operated, or is 
operating, in both flight profiles A and B, re-calculate the 
consumed cyclic life using 16,700 flight cycles (FC) as the maximum 
approved life limit for flight profile B.
    (2) After the effective date of this AD, the maximum approved 
life limit for affected rotor disks operating in flight profile B is 
16,700 FC. Calculate the consumed cyclic life accumulated since new 
using 16,700 FC as the maximum approved life limit for flight 
profile B.
    (3) For those engines operating in flight profile B with an HPC 
stage 12 rotor disk P/N JR18449 installed, that do not have an 
engine shop visit after the effective date of this AD before the re-
calculated consumed cyclic life of the HPC stage 12 disk exceeds 
16,700 FC, remove the affected rotor disk from service before the 
re-calculated consumed cyclic life exceeds the threshold(s) defined 
in Figure 1 to paragraph (g) of this AD.

   Figure 1 to Paragraph (g)--Remove Affected Rotor Disks From Service
------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Recalculated consumed cyclic life on     Remove affected rotor disks
     the effective date of this AD                 from service
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(i) less than 15,700 FC................  Before exceeding 16,700 FC
                                          since new
(ii) 15,700 FC or more, but less than    Either:
 16,700 FC.                              (A) Within 1,000 FC or 19
                                          months after the effective
                                          date of this AD, whichever
                                          occurs first; or
                                            (B) Before exceeding 16,700
                                             FC since new,
                                         whichever occurs later.
(iii) 16,700 FC or more................  Either:
                                            (A) Within 1,000 FC after
                                             the effective date of this
                                             AD, or
                                            (B) Before exceeding 20,000
                                             FC since new, or
                                            (C) Within 19 months after
                                             the effective date of this
                                             AD,
                                         whichever occurs first.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

(h) Installation Prohibition

    After the effective date of this AD, installation of a 
serviceable spare engine or release to service of an engine after 
any shop visit, is allowed, provided the installed HPC stage 12 
rotor disk, P/N JR18449, is a serviceable part.

(i) Definition

    For the purpose of this AD, a serviceable part is an HPC stage 
12 rotor disk, P/N JR18449, that has not exceeded 20,500 FC for 
flight profile A or 16,700 FC for flight profile B, as applicable to 
engine operation.

(j) 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].

(k) Related Information

    (1) For more information about this AD, contact Robert Green, 
Aerospace Engineer, Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine & 
Propeller Directorate, 1200 District Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803; 
phone: 781-238-7754; fax: 781-238-7199; email: [email protected].
    (2) Refer to MCAI European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), AD 
2017-0010, dated January 16, 2017, 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-2017-0140.
    (3) RRD Alert Non-Modification Service Bulletin (NMSB) TAY-72-
A1813, dated October 11, 2016, can be obtained from RRD, using the 
contact information in paragraph (k)(4) of this proposed AD.

[[Page 24260]]

    (4) For service information identified in this proposed AD, 
contact Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG, Eschenweg 11-15827 
Dahlewitz, Blankenfelde-Mahlow, Germany; phone: +49 0 33-7086-1944; 
fax: +49 0 33-7086-3276.
    (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 May 3, 2017.
Robert J. Ganley,
Acting Manager, Engine & Propeller Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-10439 Filed 5-25-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P