[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 192 (Thursday, October 5, 2023)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 69099-69102]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-22174]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2023-1989; Project Identifier AD-2023-00512-E]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; International Aero Engines, LLC 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 International Aero Engines, LLC (IAE) Model PW1124G1-JM,
PW1127G-JM, PW1127GA-JM, PW1129G-JM, PW1130G-JM, PW1133G-JM, and
PW1133GA-JM engines. This proposed AD was prompted by a report that
certain high-pressure compressor (HPC) 2nd stage rotors and HPC 4th
stage rotors have potentially degraded knife-edge seals and abrasive
coating of the rear wing 4th stage rotor due to having been cleaned in
alkaline solution without masking the knife-edge seal coating.
Operating in this condition could result in material degradation and
fracture of the HPC 2nd stage rotor and HPC 4th stage rotor. This
proposed AD would require replacement of certain HPC 2nd stage rotors
and HPC 4th stage rotors. 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 November
20, 2023.
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 regulations.gov. Follow
the instructions for submitting comments.
Fax: (202) 493-2251.
[[Page 69100]]
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.
AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at regulations.gov by
searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2023-1989; 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.
Material Incorporated by Reference:
For Pratt & Whitney service information identified in this
NPRM, contact International Aero Engines, LLC, 400 Main Street, East
Hartford, CT 06118; phone: (860) 565-0140; email: [email protected];
website: connect.prattwhitney.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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Taylor, Aviation Safety Engineer,
FAA, 2200 South 216th Street, Des Moines, WA 98198; phone: (781) 238-
7229; 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-2023-1989; Project Identifier
AD-2023-00512-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
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 Mark
Taylor, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th Street, Des
Moines, WA 98198. 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 was notified that on certain IAE Model PW1124G1-JM,
PW1127G-JM, PW1127GA-JM, PW1129G-JM, PW1130G-JM, PW1133G-JM, and
PW1133GA-JM engines, a batch of HPC 2nd stage rotors and HPC 4th stage
rotors could have degraded knife-edge seals and abrasive coating on the
rear wing 4th stage rotor due to having been cleaned in alkaline
solution without masking the knife-edge seal coating. Operating in this
condition could result in material degradation and fracture of the HPC
2nd stage rotor and HPC 4th stage rotor. This condition, if not
addressed, could result in uncontained part release or dual-engine
shutdown, damage to the engine, damage to the airplane, and loss of 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 Pratt & Whitney Service Bulletin (SB) PW1000G-C-
72-00-0208-00A-930A-D, Issue 001, dated September 13, 2022. This
service information identifies the affected HPC 2nd stage rotors and
HPC 4th stage rotors and specifies procedures for inspection and repair
of the HPC 2nd stage rotors and HPC 4th stage rotors. 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 replacement of the affected HPC 2nd
stage rotor and HPC 4th stage rotor with parts eligible for
installation.
Costs of Compliance
The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would
affect 6 engines installed on airplanes of U.S. registry. The FAA
estimates the following costs to comply with this proposed AD:
Estimated Costs
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Cost per Cost on U.S.
Action Labor cost Parts cost product operators
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Replace HPC 2nd stage rotor and HPC 73 work-hours x $85 per $0 $6,205 $37,230
4th stage rotor with repaired parts. hour = $6,205.
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Operators may choose to use new parts instead of repaired parts to
comply with this proposed AD. For replacement with new parts, the FAA
estimates the following costs:
[[Page 69101]]
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Cost per
Action Labor cost Parts cost product
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Replace HPC 2nd stage rotor................... 32 work-hours x $85 per hour = $312,000 $314,720
$2,720.
Replace HPC 4th stage rotor................... 32 work-hours x $85 per hour = 244,000 246,720
$2,720.
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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:
International Aero Engines, LLC: Docket No. FAA-2023-1989; Project
Identifier AD-2023-00512-E.
(a) Comments Due Date
The FAA must receive comments on this airworthiness directive
(AD) by November 20, 2023.
(b) Affected ADs
None.
(c) Applicability
This AD applies to International Aero Engines, LLC Model
PW1124G1-JM, PW1127G-JM, PW1127GA-JM, PW1129G-JM, PW1130G-JM,
PW1133G-JM, and PW1133GA-JM engines having a high-pressure
compressor (HPC) 2nd stage rotor or HPC 4th stage rotor having a
part number and serial number identified in the Applicability, Table
2, of Pratt & Whitney Service Bulletin (SB) PW1000G-C-72-00-0208-
00A-930A-D, Issue 001, dated September 13, 2022 (Pratt & Whitney SB
PW1000G-C-72-00-0208-00A-930A-D).
(d) Subject
Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) Code 7230, Turbine Engine
Compressor Section.
(e) Unsafe Condition
This AD was prompted by a report that certain HPC 2nd stage
rotors and HPC 4th stage rotors have potentially degraded knife-edge
seals and abrasive coating of the rear wing 4th stage rotor due to
having been cleaned in alkaline solution without masking the knife-
edge seal coating. The FAA is issuing this AD to prevent material
degradation and fracture of the HPC 2nd stage rotor and HPC 4th
stage rotor. The unsafe condition, if not addressed, could result in
uncontained part release or dual-engine shutdown, damage to engine,
damage to airplane, and loss of the airplane.
(f) Compliance
Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified,
unless already done.
(g) Required Actions
(1) At the next engine shop visit after the effective date of
this AD, remove the HPC 2nd stage rotor having a part number and
serial number identified in the Applicability, Table 2, of Pratt &
Whitney SB PW1000G-C-72-00-0208-00A-930A-D and replace with a part
eligible for installation.
(2) At the next engine shop visit after the effective date of
this AD, remove the HPC 4th stage rotor having a part number and
serial number identified in the Applicability, Table 2, of Pratt &
Whitney SB PW1000G-C-72-00-0208-00A-930A-D and replace with a part
eligible for installation.
(h) Definitions
(1) For the purposes of this AD, a ``part eligible for
installation'' is:
(i) Any HPC 2nd stage rotor or HPC 4th stage rotor, as
applicable, that does not have a part number and serial number
identified in the Applicability, Table 2, of Pratt & Whitney SB
PW1000G-C-72-00-0208-00A-930A-D; or
(ii) Any HPC 2nd stage rotor or HPC 4th stage rotor, as
applicable, that has incorporated Pratt & Whitney SB PW1000G-C-72-
00-0208-00A-930A-D.
(2) For the purposes of this AD, an engine shop visit is the
induction of an engine into the shop for maintenance involving the
separation of the ``H'' flange.
(i) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)
(1) The Manager, AIR-520 Continued Operational Safety 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 AIR-520 Continued
Operational Safety Branch, send it to the attention of the person
identified in paragraph (j) 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
For more information about this AD, contact Mark Taylor,
Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th Street, Des Moines,
WA 98198; phone: (781) 238-7229; email: [email protected].
(k) Material Incorporated by Reference
(1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the
incorporation by reference (IBR) of the service information listed
in this paragraph under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
(2) You must use this service information as applicable to do
the actions required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise.
[[Page 69102]]
(i) Pratt & Whitney Service Bulletin PW1000G-C-72-00-0208-00A-
930A-D, Issue 001, dated September 13, 2022.
(ii) [Reserved]
(3) For Pratt & Whitney service information identified in this
AD, contact International Aero Engines, LLC, 400 Main Street, East
Hartford, CT 06118; phone: (860) 565-0140; email: [email protected];
website: connect.prattwhitney.com.
(4) You may view this service information at 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.
(5) You may view this service information that is incorporated
by reference at the National Archives and Records Administration
(NARA). For information on the availability of this material at
NARA, email: [email protected], or go to: www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.
Issued on September 29, 2023.
Victor Wicklund,
Deputy Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-22174 Filed 10-4-23; 8:45 am]
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