[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 93 (Monday, May 13, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 41304-41306]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-10093]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2024-0771; Project Identifier AD-2023-01251-E; 
Amendment 39-22720; AD 2024-06-15]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments; correction.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is correcting an airworthiness directive (AD) that 
published in the Federal Register. That AD applies to certain General 
Electric Company (GE) Model GE90-110B1 and GE90-115B engines. As 
published, references to the service information include a 
typographical error in the regulatory text of the AD. This document 
corrects that error in all references. In all other respects, the 
original document remains the same.

DATES: This correction is effective May 14, 2024. The effective date of 
AD 2024-06-15 remains May 14, 2024. The date for submitting comments 
remains June 13, 2024.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of May 14, 2024 
(89 FR 33215, April 29, 2024).

ADDRESSES: 
    AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at regulations.gov under 
Docket No. FAA-2024-0771, 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 address for Docket Operations is U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
    Material Incorporated by Reference:
     For service information identified in this final rule, 
contact General Electric Company, 1 Neumann Way, Cincinnati, OH 45215; 
phone: (513) 552-3272; email: ge.com">aviation.fleetsupport@ae.ge.com; website: 
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. It is 
also available at regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2024-0771.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alexander Thickstun, Aviation Safety 
Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th Street, Des Moines, WA 98198; phone: 
(202) 267-8292; 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 ``FAA-2024-0771; Project Identifier AD-2023-01251-
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 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 
Alexander Thickstun, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 2200

[[Page 41305]]

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

    AD 2024-06-15, Amendment 39-22720 (89 FR 33215, April 29, 2024), 
requires repetitive ultrasonic inspections (USIs) of the interstage 
high-pressure turbine (HPT) rotor seal for cracks and removal from 
service if necessary. As a mandatory terminating action to the 
repetitive USIs of the interstage HPT rotor seal, this AD requires 
replacement of the interstage HPT rotor seal.

Need for Correction

    As published, paragraphs (c), (g)(1), (g)(1)(i) and (ii), and 
(g)(2) in the regulatory text of AD 2024-06-15 are incorrect. These 
paragraphs refer to the service information as ``GE GE90-100 Service 
Bulletin (SB) 72-A0908 R00, dated July 7, 2023'' and ``GE SB 72-
A0908.'' The correct service information is ``GE GE90-100 Service 
Bulletin (SB) 72-0908 R00, dated July 7, 2023'' and ``GE SB 72-0908.''

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    The FAA reviewed GE GE90-100 Service Bulletin (SB) 72-0908 R00, 
dated July 7, 2023, which specifies procedures for performing a USI of 
the interstage HPT rotor seal. 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.

Correction of Publication

    This document corrects an error and correctly adds the AD as an 
amendment to 14 CFR 39.13. Although no other part of the preamble or 
regulatory information has been corrected, the FAA is publishing the 
entire rule in the Federal Register.
    The effective date of this AD remains May 14, 2024.
    Since this action only corrects a typographical error in the 
references to the service information, it has no adverse economic 
impact and imposes no additional burden on any person. Therefore, the 
FAA has determined that prior notice and public comment procedures are 
unnecessary.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

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

Adoption of the Amendment

    Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the 
Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration amends part 39 of 
the Federal Aviation Regulations (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  [Corrected]

0
2. The FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by adding the following airworthiness 
directive:

2024-06-15 General Electric Company: Amendment 39-22720; Docket No. 
FAA-2024-0771; Project Identifier AD-2023-01251-E.

(a) Effective Date

    This airworthiness directive (AD) is effective May 14, 2024.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to General Electric Company (GE) Model GE90-
110B1 and GE90-115B engines with an installed interstage high-
pressure turbine (HPT) rotor seal having a part number and serial 
number listed in Table 1 or Table 2 of GE GE90-100 Service Bulletin 
(SB) 72-0908 R00, dated July 7, 2023 (GE SB 72-0908).

(d) Subject

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

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by a report of an aborted takeoff due to 
left engine failure caused by liberation of the interstage HPT rotor 
seal rim. The FAA is issuing this AD to prevent failure of the HPT. 
The unsafe condition, if not addressed, could result in uncontained 
HPT failure, release of high-energy debris, damage to the engine, 
damage to the airplane, and possible loss of the airplane.

(f) Compliance

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

(g) Required Actions

    (1) Perform an ultrasonic inspection (USI) of the interstage HPT 
rotor seal in accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions, 
paragraph 3.B.(2), of GE SB 72-0908, as follows:
    (i) Perform an initial USI before reaching the part cycles since 
new limit listed in Table 1 or Table 2, as applicable, of GE SB 72-
0908, or within 10 flight cycles after the effective date of this 
AD, whichever occurs later; and
    (ii) Repeat the USI thereafter within every 100 cycles or 175 
cycles, as applicable, as listed in Table 1 or Table 2 of GE SB 72-
0908, since the last inspection.
    (2) If, during any USI required by paragraph (g)(1)(i) or (ii) 
of this AD, a non-serviceable indication is found, as defined in 
paragraph 3.B.(2)(b) of GE SB 72-0908, before further flight, remove 
the interstage HPT rotor seal from service.

(h) Mandatory Terminating Action

    As a terminating action to the repetitive USI required by 
paragraph (g)(1)(i) or (ii) of this AD, at the next engine shop 
visit after the effective date of this AD, remove the affected 
interstage HPT rotor seal from service.

(i) 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 
separation of engine flanges solely for the purposes of 
transportation of the engine without subsequent maintenance, which 
does not constitute an engine shop visit.

(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) Additional Information

    For more information about this AD, contact Alexander Thickstun, 
Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th Street, Des Moines, 
WA 98198; phone: (202) 267-8292; 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) General Electric Company GE90-100 Service Bulletin 72-0908 
R00, dated July 7, 2023.
    (ii) [Reserved]
    (3) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
General Electric Company, 1 Newman Way, Cincinnati, OH 45215; phone: 
(513) 552-3272; email: ge.com">aviation.fleetsupport@ae.ge.com; website: 
ge.com.
    (4) You may view this service information at the FAA, 
Airworthiness Products Section,

[[Page 41306]]

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 material at the National Archives and 
Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability 
of this material at NARA, visit www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations or email [email protected].

    Issued on May 2, 2024.
Victor Wicklund,
Deputy Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-10093 Filed 5-6-24; 11:15 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P