[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 107 (Friday, June 3, 2022)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 33658-33660]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-11896]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2022-0514; Project Identifier AD-2022-00357-E]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company 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 certain General Electric Company (GE) GEnx-1B model turbofan 
engines. This proposed AD was prompted by several reports of fuel leaks 
caused by high cycle fatigue (HCF) cracks found at the braze joints on 
fuel manifolds, and the subsequent manufacturer redesign of the high-
pressure turbine (HPT) fuel hose variable stator vane (VSV) manifold, 
VSV fuel hose manifold, low-pressure turbine (LPT) fuel hose variable 
bleed valve (VBV) manifold, and VBV fuel hose manifold. This proposed 
AD would require removal and replacement of the fuel hydraulic lines. 
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 July 18, 
2022.

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 General 
Electric Company, 1 Neumann Way, Cincinnati, OH 45215; phone: (513) 
552-3272; email: [email protected]; website: www.ge.com. You 
may view this service information at the FAA, Airworthiness Products 
Section, Operational Safety Branch, 1200 District Avenue, Burlington, 
MA 01803. For information on the availability of this material at the 
FAA, call (817) 222-5110.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket at https://www.regulations.gov by 
searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2022-0514; 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, any comments 
received, and other information. The street address for Docket 
Operations is listed above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alexei Marqueen, Aviation Safety 
Engineer, ECO Branch, FAA, 1200 District Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803; 
phone: (781) 238-7178; 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 ADDRESSES. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2022-0514; Project Identifier 
AD-2022-00357-E'' at the beginning of your comments. The most helpful 
comments reference a specific portion of the proposal, explain the 
reason for any recommended change, and include supporting data. The FAA 
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend 
this proposal because of those comments.
    Except for Confidential Business Information (CBI) 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 agency will also post a report summarizing each 
substantive verbal contact received about this NPRM.

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 
Alexei Marqueen, Aviation Safety 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.

Background

    The FAA received reports of fuel manifold leaks resulting in 
multiple flight delays and cancellations on four separate occasions 
between 2018 and 2021 on airplanes with GEnx-1B model turbofan engines 
installed. The manufacturer's investigation revealed that variations in 
braze coverage and braze fillet radii caused high stress concentration 
factors at the braze block

[[Page 33659]]

joints, leading to HCF failure in the tube bundles with brazed joints. 
As a result of its investigation, the manufacturer determined that the 
HPT fuel hose VSV manifold, VSV fuel hose manifold, LPT fuel hose VBV 
manifold, and VBV fuel hose manifold required redesign by replacing all 
braze features and cushioned clamps with block clamps. The manufacturer 
published GE GEnx-1B Service Bulletin 73-0099 R00, dated February 28, 
2022, which specifies procedures for the replacement of fuel hydraulic 
lines with redesigned fuel hydraulic lines. This condition, if not 
addressed, could result in engine fire and damage to the airplane.

FAA's Determination

    The FAA is issuing this NPRM after determining that the unsafe 
condition described previously is likely to exist or develop on other 
products of the same type design.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    The FAA reviewed GE GEnx-1B Service Bulletin 73-0099 R00, dated 
February 28, 2022. This service information specifies procedures for 
the removal and replacement of the fuel hydraulic lines. 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 ADDRESSES.

Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM

    This proposed AD would require the removal and replacement of the 
fuel hydraulic lines.

Costs of Compliance

    The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would 
affect 298 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
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Remove fuel hydraulic lines...........  2 work-hours x $85 per                $0            $170         $50,660
                                         hour = $170.
Install redesigned fuel hydraulic       2.5 work-hours x $85 per         232,000      232,212.50      69,199,325
 lines.                                  hour = $212.50.
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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.
    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) Would not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
    (3) Would 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:

General Electric Company: Docket No. FAA-2022-0514; Project 
Identifier AD-2022-00357-E.

(a) Comments Due Date

    The FAA must receive comments on this airworthiness directive 
(AD) by July 18, 2022.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    General Electric Company (GE) GEnx-1B64, GEnx-1B64/P1, GEnx-
1B64/P2, GEnx-1B67, GEnx-1B67/P1, GEnx-1B67/P2, GEnx-1B70, GEnx-
1B70/75/P1, GEnx-1B70/75/P2, GEnx-1B70/P1, GEnx-1B70/P2, GEnx-1B70C/
P1, GEnx-1B70C/P2, GEnx-1B74/75/P1, GEnx-1B74/75/P2, GEnx-1B76/P2, 
and GEnx-1B76A/P2 model turbofan engines with engine serial numbers 
956-102 through 958-775, inclusive, 958-795, and 958-802.

(d) Subject

    Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) Code 7310, Engine Fuel 
Distribution.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by several reports of fuel leaks caused by 
high cycle fatigue cracks found at the braze joints on certain GEnx-
1B fuel manifolds. The FAA is issuing this AD to prevent fuel leaks 
on the variable bypass valve and variable stator vane fuel hose 
manifolds. The unsafe condition, if not addressed, could result in 
engine fire and damage to the airplane.

(f) Compliance

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

(g) Required Actions

    At the next engine shop visit after the effective date of this 
AD, remove and replace the fuel hydraulic lines using the 
Accomplishment Instructions, paragraphs 3.A and 3.B, of GE GEnx-1B 
Service Bulletin (SB) 73-0099 R00, dated February 28, 2022.

(h) Definition

    For the purpose of this AD, an ``engine shop visit'' is the 
induction of an engine into the shop for maintenance involving the 
separation of pairs of major mating engine case flanges, except for 
the following situations, which do not constitute an engine shop 
visit:
    (1) Separation of engine flanges solely for the purposes of 
transportation of the engine without subsequent maintenance.

[[Page 33660]]

    (2) Separation of engine flanges solely for the purposes of 
replacing the fan or propulsor without subsequent maintenance.

(i) 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 
certification office, send it to the attention of the person 
identified in paragraph (j)(1) of this AD and email 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.

(j) Related Information

    (1) For more information about this AD, contact Alexei Marqueen, 
Aviation Safety Engineer, ECO Branch, FAA, 1200 District Avenue, 
Burlington, MA 01803; phone: (781) 238-7178; email: 
[email protected].
    (2) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
General Electric Company, 1 Neumann Way, Cincinnati, OH 45215; 
phone: (513) 552-3272; email: [email protected]; website: 
www.ge.com. You may view this referenced service information at the 
FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 1200 
District Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803. For information on the 
availability of this material at the FAA, call (817) 222-5110.

    Issued on May 5, 2022.
Lance T. Gant,
Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-11896 Filed 6-2-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P