[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 199 (Tuesday, October 17, 2023)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 71466-71468]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-22849]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2023-1996; Project Identifier AD-2022-01361-E; 
Amendment 39-22570; AD 2023-20-11]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; International Aero Engines, LLC Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
certain International Aero Engines, LLC (IAE LLC) Model PW1124G1-JM, 
PW1127G-JM, PW1127GA-JM, PW1129G-JM, PW1130G-JM, PW1133G-JM, and 
PW1133GA-JM engines. This AD was prompted by a manufacturer 
investigation which revealed that Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul 
(MRO) shops were misinterpreting accepted knife edge coating wear 
limits on the high-pressure compressor (HPC) rear hub. This AD requires 
replacement of the HPC rear hub with a part eligible for installation. 
The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these 
products.

DATES: This AD is effective November 1, 2023.
    Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain publications listed in this AD as of November 1, 
2023.
    The FAA must receive comments on this AD by December 1, 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.
     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 under 
Docket No. FAA-2023-1996; 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 final rule, 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 
final rule, 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. It is 
also available at regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2023-1996.

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 data, views, or arguments 
about this final rule. Send your comments to an address listed under 
ADDRESSES. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2023-1996 and Project Identifier 
AD-2022-01361-E'' at the beginning of your comments. The most helpful 
comments reference a specific portion of the final rule, 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 final rule because of those comments.
    Except for Confidential Business Information (CBI) as described in 
the

[[Page 71467]]

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 final rule.

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 AD 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 AD, 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 AD. 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 by the manufacturer that MRO shops 
misinterpreted the serviceable limits of HPC rear hubs on certain IAE 
LLC Model PW1124G1-JM, PW1127G-JM, PW1127GA-JM, PW1129G-JM, PW1130G-JM, 
PW1133G-JM, and PW1133GA-JM engines, and accepted knife edge coating 
wear that was beyond the design intent. The manufacturer indicated that 
the intended limit on knife edge coating is no more than 25-percent top 
coat loss, but shops misinterpreted the limit as no more than 25-
percent bond coat loss. Acceptance of coating loss beyond the 
manufacturer's intended limit may cause heat-induced cracking at the 
forward and aft knife edge seals and uncontained separation of the HPC 
rear hub. This condition, if not addressed, could result in uncontained 
debris release, damage to the engine, damage to the airplane, in-flight 
shutdown, and loss of the airplane. The FAA is issuing this AD to 
address the unsafe condition on these products.

FAA's Determination

    The FAA is issuing this AD because the agency has determined the 
unsafe condition described previously is likely to exist or develop in 
other products of the same type design.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    The FAA reviewed Pratt & Whitney Service Bulletin PW1000G-C-72-00-
0209-00A-930A-D, Issue No: 002, dated June 20, 2023, which provides the 
list of affected serial numbers for the HPC rear hub. 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.

AD Requirements

    This AD requires replacement of the HPC rear hub with a part 
eligible for installation.

Justification for Immediate Adoption and Determination of the Effective 
Date

    Section 553(b)(3)(B) of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) (5 
U.S.C. 551 et seq.) authorizes agencies to dispense with notice and 
comment procedures for rules when the agency, for ``good cause,'' finds 
that those procedures are ``impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to 
the public interest.'' Under this section, an agency, upon finding good 
cause, may issue a final rule without providing notice and seeking 
comment prior to issuance. Further, section 553(d) of the APA 
authorizes agencies to make rules effective in less than thirty days, 
upon a finding of good cause.
    The FAA justifies waiving notice and comment prior to adoption of 
this rule because no domestic operators use this product. It is 
unlikely that the FAA will receive any adverse comments or useful 
information about this AD from any U.S. operator. Accordingly, notice 
and opportunity for prior public comment are unnecessary, pursuant to 5 
U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B). In addition, for the foregoing reasons, the FAA 
finds that good cause exists pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d) for making 
this amendment effective in less than 30 days.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) do not 
apply when an agency finds good cause pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553 to adopt 
a rule without prior notice and comment. Because FAA has determined 
that it has good cause to adopt this rule without prior notice and 
comment, RFA analysis is not required.

Costs of Compliance

    The FAA estimates that this AD affects 0 engines installed on 
airplanes of U.S. registry.
    The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this AD:

                                                 Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                     Cost per      Cost on U.S.
                Action                         Labor cost           Parts cost        product        operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Replace HPC rear hub..................  73 work-hours x $85 per               $0          $6,205              $0
                                         hour = $6,205.
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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

    This AD will not have federalism implications under Executive Order 
13132. This AD will 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

[[Page 71468]]

responsibilities among the various levels of government.
    For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this AD:
    (1) Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive 
Order 12866, and
    (2) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

    Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by 
reference, Safety.

The Amendment

    Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the 
Administrator, the FAA amends 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:

2023-20-11 International Aero Engines, LLC: Amendment 39-22570; 
Docket No. FAA-2023-1996; Project Identifier AD-2022-01361-E.

(a) Effective Date

    This airworthiness directive (AD) is effective November 1, 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 with an installed high-pressure 
compressor (HPC) rear hub, part number 30G4008, with a serial number 
(S/N) listed in Table 2 or Table 3 of Pratt & Whitney Service 
Bulletin PW1000G-C-72-00-0209-00A-930A-D, Issue No: 002, dated June 
20, 2023 (PW1000G-C-72-00-0209-00A-930A-D, Issue No: 002).

(d) Subject

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

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by a manufacturer investigation which 
revealed that Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul shops were 
misinterpreting accepted knife edge coating wear limits. The FAA is 
issuing this AD to prevent heat-induced cracking at the forward and 
aft knife edge seals and uncontained separation of the HPC rear hub. 
The unsafe condition, if not addressed, could result in uncontained 
debris release, damage to the engine, damage to the airplane, in-
flight shutdown, and loss of 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, replace the HPC rear hub with a part eligible for installation.

(h) Definitions

    (1) For the purpose of this AD, a ``part eligible for 
installation'' is:
    (i) Any HPC rear hub with an S/N that does not appear in Table 2 
or Table 3 of PW1000G-C-72-00-0209-00A-930A-D, Issue No: 002; or
    (ii) Any HPC rear hub that has been serviced in accordance with 
Pratt & Whitney Service Bulletin PW1000G-C-72-00-0209-00A-930A-D 
(any revision).
    (2) 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 major mating engine flange H. The separation of engine 
flanges solely for the purpose of transportation without subsequent 
engine maintenance does not constitute an engine shop visit.

(i) Credit for Previous Actions

    You may take credit for the actions required by paragraph (g) of 
this AD if you performed those actions before the effective date of 
this AD using Pratt & Whitney Service Bulletin PW1000G-C-72-00-0209-
00A-930A-D, Issue No: 001, dated September 13, 2022.

(j) 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 (k) 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.

(k) 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].

(l) 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.
    (i) Pratt & Whitney Service Bulletin PW1000G-C-72-00-0209-00A-
930A-D, Issue No: 002, dated June 20, 2023.
    (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 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.
    (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 October 5, 2023.
Victor Wicklund,
Deputy Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-22849 Filed 10-16-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P