[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 61 (Monday, March 30, 2020)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 17513-17515]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-06412]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2020-0265; Project Identifier MCAI-2019-00131-E]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG 
(Type Certificate Previously Held by Rolls-Royce plc) Turbofan Engines.

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) 
for all Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd. & Co KG Trent XWB-75, Trent XWB-
79, Trent XWB-79B, and Trent XWB-84 model turbofan engines. This 
proposed AD was prompted by reports of a lack of weld fusion on the 
resistance welding during manufacturing, which could result in air 
leakage through the low-pressure turbine (LPT) rear support seal panel 
assembly (``LPT seal panel''). This proposed AD would require 
replacement of the LPT seal panel. The FAA is proposing this AD to 
address the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: The FAA must receive comments on this proposed AD by May 14, 
2020.

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 https://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 Rolls-
Royce Deutschland Ltd. & Co KG, Eschenweg 11, 15827 Blankenfelde-
Mahlow, Germany; phone: +49 (0) 33 708 6 0; email: https://www.rolls-royce.com/contact-us.aspx. You may view this service information at the 
FAA, Engine and Propeller Standards Branch, 1200 District Avenue, 
Burlington, MA, 01803. For information on the availability of this 
material at the FAA, call 781-238-7759.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2020-
0265; or in person at Docket Operations between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD docket contains 
this NPRM, the mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI), 
any comments received, and other information. The street address for 
Docket Operations is listed above. Comments will be available in the AD 
docket shortly after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephen Elwin, Aerospace Engineer, ECO 
Branch, FAA, 1200 District Avenue, Burlington, MA, 01803; phone: 781-
238-7236; fax: 781-238-7199; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited

    The FAA invites you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments about this proposal. Send your comments to an address listed 
under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2020-0265; 
Project Identifier MCAI-2019-00131-E'' at the beginning of your 
comments. The FAA specifically invites comments on the overall 
regulatory, economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this NPRM. 
The FAA will consider all comments received by the closing date and may 
amend this NPRM because of those comments.
    Except for Confidential Business Information as described in the 
following paragraph, and other information as described in 14 CFR 
11.35, the FAA will post all comments received, without change, to 
https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you 
provide. The FAA will also post a report summarizing each substantive 
verbal contact received about this NPRM.

Confidential Business Information

    Confidential Business Information (CBI) is commercial or financial 
information that is both customarily and actually treated as private by 
its owner. Under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), 
CBI is exempt from public disclosure. If your comments responsive to 
this NPRM contain commercial or financial information that is 
customarily treated as private, that you actually treat as private, and 
that is relevant or responsive to this NPRM, it is important that you 
clearly designate the submitted comments as CBI. Please mark each page 
of your submission containing CBI as ``PROPIN.'' The FAA will treat 
such marked submissions as confidential under the FOIA, and they will 
not be placed in the public docket of this NPRM. Submissions containing 
CBI should be sent to Stephen Elwin, Aerospace Engineer, ECO Branch, 
FAA, 1200 District Avenue, Burlington, MA, 01803. Any commentary that 
the FAA receives which is not specifically designated as CBI will be 
placed in the public docket for this rulemaking.

Discussion

    The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the 
Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Community, has 
issued EASA AD 2019-0071, dated March 28, 2019 (referred to after this 
as ``the MCAI''), to address the unsafe condition on these products. 
The MCAI states:

    The affected parts, as defined in this [EASA] AD, are static 
parts, located behind the intermediate pressure (IP) turbine 2 disc, 
forming a seal between the IP and LP cavities through an interface 
with the rotating IP

[[Page 17514]]

flying seal. It was recently determined that, on certain affected 
parts, insufficient fusion was achieved on the resistance welding 
during manufacturing.
    This condition, if not corrected, could lead to air leakage 
through the LP seal panel, affecting the service lives of the IP 
turbine 2 and LP turbine 1 discs, possibly resulting in premature 
disc failure and high energy uncontained debris release from the 
engine, with consequent damage to, and reduced control of, the 
aeroplane.
    To address this potential unsafe condition, Rolls-Royce 
identified the affected parts and published the NMSB, providing 
instructions to replace these affected parts.
    For the reason described above, this [EASA] AD requires 
replacement of affected parts during a qualified shop visit.

    You may obtain further information by examining the MCAI in the AD 
docket on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for 
and locating Docket No. FAA-2020-0265.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    The FAA reviewed Rolls-Royce plc Alert Non-Modification Service 
Bulletin (NMSB) Trent XWB 72-AJ994, Revision 2, dated August 29, 2019. 
The Alert NMSB describes procedures for removing and replacing the LPT 
seal panel. 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

    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. The FAA is proposing this AD because we evaluated all the 
relevant information provided by EASA and determined the unsafe 
condition described previously is likely to exist or develop in other 
products of the same type design.

Proposed AD Requirements

    This proposed AD would require replacement of the LPT seal panel.

Costs of Compliance

    The FAA estimates that this proposed AD affects 26 engines 
installed on airplanes of U.S. registry.
    The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this proposed 
AD:

                                                 Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                     Cost per      Cost on U.S.
                Action                         Labor cost           Parts cost        product        operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Replace the LPT seal panel............  1 work-hour x $85 per           $282,890        $282,975      $7,357,350
                                         hour = $85.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    According to the manufacturer, all of the costs of this proposed AD 
may be covered under warranty, thereby reducing the cost impact on 
affected individuals. The FAA does not control warranty coverage for 
affected individuals. As a result, the FAA has 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.
    The FAA is 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

    The FAA 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) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, 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.

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-2020-0265; 
Project Identifier MCAI-2019-00131-E.

(a) Comments Due Date

    The FAA must receive comments by May 14, 2020.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to all Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd. & Co KG 
(Type Certificate Previously Held by Rolls-Royce plc) Trent XWB-75, 
Trent XWB-79, Trent XWB-79B, and Trent XWB-84 model turbofan 
engines.

(d) Subject

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

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by reports of a lack of weld fusion on the 
resistance welding during manufacturing, which could result in air 
leakage through the low-pressure turbine (LPT) rear support seal 
panel assembly (``LPT seal panel'') causing a life reduction to the 
intermediate pressure turbine (IPT) 2 and LPT 1 disks. The FAA is 
issuing this AD to prevent failure of the IPT 2 and LPT 1 disks. The 
unsafe condition, if not addressed, could result in uncontained 
debris release, damage to the engine, and damage to the airplane.

[[Page 17515]]

(f) Compliance

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

(g) Required Actions

    During the next qualified shop visit after the effective date of 
this AD, or during the current shop visit, if, on the effective date 
of this AD, the engine or module 51 is in a qualified shop visit, 
remove the affected LPT seal panel from service and replace it with 
a part eligible for installation in accordance with the 
Accomplishment Instructions, paragraph 3.A., of Rolls-Royce plc 
Alert Non-Modification Service Bulletin (NMSB) Trent XWB 72-AJ994, 
Revision 2, dated August 29, 2019.

(h) Definitions

    (1) For the purpose of this AD, a ``qualified shop visit'' is a 
Level 4 (Overhaul) or Level 3 (Refurbishment) shop visit of an 
affected engine with an affected LPT seal panel installed, or Level 
2 shop visit (Check and Repair) of module 51 with an affected LPT 
seal panel installed.
    (2) For the purpose of this AD, ``module 51'' is the 
intermediate pressure low-pressure turbine assembly.
    (3) For the purpose of this AD, an ``affected LPT seal panel'' 
is LPT rear support seal panel assembly, identified as catalogue 
serial number (CSN) 72512301890, with a serial number (S/N) listed 
in Appendix 1 of RR Alert NMSB Trent XWB 72-AJ994, Revision 2, dated 
August 29, 2019. This appendix additionally lists the module 51 S/N 
and engine S/N in which these panels were originally installed.
    (4) For the purpose of this AD, a ``part eligible for 
installation'' is a LPT seal panel, CSN 72512301890, with a S/N not 
listed in Appendix 1 of RR Alert NMSB Trent XWB 72-AJ994, Revision 
2, dated August 29, 2019.

(i) Credit for Previous Actions

    You may take credit for replacement of the LPT seal panel 
requirements of paragraph (g) of this AD if you performed the 
replacement before the effective date of this AD using RR Alert NMSB 
Trent XWB 72-AJ994, Revision 1, dated November 15, 2018, or Initial 
Issue, dated September 5, 2018.

(j) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (1) The Manager, ECO Branch, FAA, has the authority to approve 
AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the procedures found in 14 CFR 
39.19. In accordance with 14 CFR 39.19, send your request to your 
principal inspector or local Flight Standards District Office, as 
appropriate. If sending information directly to the manager of the 
ECO Branch, send it to the attention of the person identified in 
paragraph (k)(1) of this AD. You may email your request to: [email protected].
    (2) Before using any approved AMOC, notify your appropriate 
principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the manager 
of the local flight standards district office/certificate holding 
district office.

(k) Related Information

    (1) For more information about this AD, contact Stephen Elwin, 
Aerospace Engineer, ECO Branch, FAA, 1200 District Avenue, 
Burlington, MA, 01803; phone: 781-238-7236; fax: 781-238-7199; 
email: [email protected].
    (2) Refer to European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 
2019-0071, dated March 28, 2019, for more information. You may 
examine the EASA AD in the AD docket on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating it in Docket No. 
FAA-2020-0265.
    (3) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd. & Co KG, Eschenweg 11, 15827 
Blankenfelde-Mahlow, Germany; phone: +49 (0) 33 708 6 0; email: 
https://www.rolls-royce.com/contact-us.aspx. You may view this 
referenced service information at the FAA, Engine and Propeller 
Standards Branch, 1200 District Avenue, Burlington, MA, 01803. For 
information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 
781-238-7759.

    Issued on March 24, 2020.
Lance T. Gant,
Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-06412 Filed 3-27-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P