Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company CF34-8C1 Turbofan Engines

[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 224 (Wednesday, November 20, 2002)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 70004-70006]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-29355]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 2002-NE-13-AD; Amendment 39-12946; AD 2002-23-02]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company CF34-8C1 
Turbofan Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a new airworthiness (AD), that is 
applicable to General Electric Company CF34-8C1 turbofan engines. This 
amendment requires revisions to the Airworthiness Limitations Section 
(ALS) of the manufacturer's Instructions for Continued Airworthiness 
(ICA) to include required enhanced inspection of selected critical 
life-limited parts at each piece-part exposure. This amendment also 
requires an air carrier's approved continuous airworthiness maintenance 
program to incorporate these inspection procedures. Air carriers with 
an approved continuous airworthiness maintenance program will be 
allowed to either maintain the records showing the current status of 
the inspections using the record keeping system specified in the air 
carrier's maintenance manual, or establish an acceptable alternate 
method of record keeping. This amendment is prompted by the need to 
require enhanced inspection of selected critical life-limited parts of 
CF34-8C1 turbofan engines at each piece-part exposure. The actions 
specified by this AD are intended to prevent critical life-limited 
rotating engine part failure, which could result in an uncontained 
engine failure and damage to the airplane.

DATES: Effective December 26, 2002.

ADDRESSES: The information contained in this AD may be examined, by 
appointment, at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), New England 
Region, Office of the Regional Counsel, 12 New England Executive Park, 
Burlington, MA.

[[Page 70005]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith Mead, Aerospace Engineer, Engine 
Certification Office, FAA, Engine and Propeller Directorate, 12 New 
England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803-5299; telephone (781) 238-
7744; fax (781) 238-7199.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A proposal to amend part 39 of the Federal 
Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) to include an AD that is 
applicable to General Electric Company CF34-8C1 turbofan engines was 
published in the Federal Register on July 10, 2002 (67 FR 45675). That 
action proposed to require an air carrier's approved continuous 
airworthiness maintenance program to incorporate these inspection 
procedures. That action also proposed that air carriers with an 
approved continuous airworthiness maintenance program would be allowed 
to either maintain the records showing the current status of the 
inspections using the record keeping system specified in the air 
carrier's maintenance manual, or establish an acceptable alternate 
method of record keeping.

Comments

    Interested persons have been afforded an opportunity to participate 
in the making of this amendment. Due consideration has been given to 
the comment received.
    One commenter expresses concern that compliance with this amendment 
will require removal of coatings on four parts located in noncritical 
areas. These include the HPT outer torque coupling, HPT shaft, HPC aft 
shaft spool and the HPC discharge rotating seal listed in Table 805 of 
the proposal. The FAA agrees that it is unnecesssary to remove the 
coating on these four parts to meet the intent of the enhanced 
inspection procedures specified in this AD. Table 805 has been changed 
accordingly.
    After careful review of the available data, including the comment 
noted above, the FAA has determined that air safety and the public 
interest require the adoption of the rule with the change described 
previously. The FAA has determined that this change will neither 
increase the economic burden on any operator nor increase the scope of 
the AD.

Economic Analysis

    Since this proposal was published in July of 2002, additional 
aircraft have been added to the domestic and worldwide fleet. 
Therefore, the numbers cited in the Economic Analysis have also 
increased.
    There are approximately 104 General Electric Company CF34-8C1 
turbofan engines of the affected design in the worldwide fleet. The FAA 
estimates that 60 engines installed on airplanes of U.S. registry will 
be affected by this AD, that it will take approximately 75 work hours 
per engine to perform the required actions, and that the average labor 
rate is $60 per work hour. Using average shop visitation rates, five 
engines are expected to be affected per year. Based on these figures, 
the total cost of the AD on U.S. operators is estimated to be $22,500 
per year.

Regulatory Analysis

    This final rule does not have federalism implications, as defined 
in Executive Order 13132, because it 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. Accordingly, 
the FAA has not consulted with state authorities prior to publication 
of this final rule.
    For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this action (1) is 
not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive Order 12866; 
(2) is not a ``significant rule'' under the DOT Regulatory Policies and 
Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979); 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. A final evaluation has been prepared for this action 
and it is contained in the Rules Docket. A copy of it may be obtained 
by contacting the Rules Docket at the location provided under the 
caption ADDRESSES.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

    Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, 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

    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]

    2. Section 39.13 is amended by adding a new airworthiness directive 
to read as follows:

2002-23-02 General Electric Company: Amendment 39-12946. Docket No. 
2002-NE-13-AD.

    Applicability: This airworthiness directive (AD) is applicable 
to General Electric Company CF34-8C1 turbofan engines. These engines 
are installed on, but not limited to, Bombardier Aerospace CRJ700 
airplanes.

    Note 1: This AD applies to each engine identified in the 
preceding applicability provision, regardless of whether it has been 
modified, altered, or repaired in the area subject to the 
requirements of this AD. For engines that have been modified, 
altered, or repaired so that the performance of the requirements of 
this AD is affected, the owner/operator must request approval for an 
alternative method of compliance in accordance with paragraph (c) of 
this AD. The request should include an assessment of the effect of 
the modification, alteration, or repair on the unsafe condition 
addressed by this AD; and, if the unsafe condition has not been 
eliminated, the request should include specific proposed actions to 
address it.

    Compliance: Compliance with this AD is required as indicated, 
unless already done.
    To prevent critical life-limited rotating engine part failure, 
which could result in an uncontained engine failure and damage to 
the airplane, do the following:
    (a) Within the next 30 days after the effective date of this AD, 
revise the Time Limits Section (TLS) of the manufacturer's Engine 
Manual (EM), GEK 105091 and for air carrier operations revise the 
approved continuous airworthiness maintenance program, by adding the 
following:
    ``MANDATORY INSPECTIONS
    (1) Perform inspections of the parts listed in the following 
Table 805 at each piece-part opportunity in accordance with the 
instructions provided in the applicable manual provisions:

                                  Table 801.--Mandatory Inspection Requirements
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                        Manual/Chapter Section /
          Part nomenclature                      Subject                        Mandatory Inspection
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fan Disk............................  72-21-15, INSPECTION........  All areas (FPI).\1\
                                                                    Bores (ECI).\2\
Fan Drive Shaft.....................  72-22-00, INSPECTION........  All areas (FPI).\1\

[[Page 70006]]

 
Stage 1 High Pressure Turbine (HPT)   72-51-06, INSPECTION........  All areas (FPI).\1\
 Rotor Disk.                                                        Bores (ECI).\2\
                                                                    Boltholes (ECI).\2\
                                                                    Air Holes (ECI).\2\
HPT Rotor Outer Torque Coupling.....  72-51-10, INSPECTION........  All non-coated areas (FPI).\1\
                                                                    Bores (ECI).\2\
Stage 2 HPT Rotor Disk..............  72-51-14, INSPECTION........  All areas (FPI).\1\
                                                                    Bores (ECI).\2\
HPT Shaft...........................  72-51-03, INSPECTION........  All non-coated areas (FPI).\1\
Stage 1 and Stage 2 High Pressure     72-33-01, INSPECTION........  All areas (FPI).\1\
 Compressor (HPC) Rotor Blisks.
HPC Forward Shaft...................  72-33-02, INSPECTION........  All areas (FPI).\1\
Stage 3 HPC Rotor Blisk.............  72-33-03, INSPECTION........  All areas (FPI).\1\
HPC Aft Shaft Spool.................  72-33-05, INSPECTION........  All non-coated areas (FPI).\1\
HPC Discharge Rotating Seal.........  72-33-08, INSPECTION........  All non-coated areas (FPI).\1\
Stage 3 Low Pressure Turbine (LPT)    72-57-10, INSPECTION........  All areas (FPI).\1\
 Rotor Disk.
Stage 4 LPT Rotor Disk..............  72-57-16, INSPECTION........  All areas (FPI).\1\
Rear LPT Shaft......................  72-57-23, INSPECTION........  All areas (FPI).\1\
Stage 5 LPT Rotor Disk..............  72-57-20, INSPECTION........  All areas (FPI).\1\
Stage 6 LPT Rotor Disk..............  72-57-28, INSPECTION........  All areas (FPI).\1\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ FPI = Fluorescent Penetrant Inspection Method
\2\ ECI = Eddy Current Inspection Method

    (2) For the purposes of these mandatory inspections, piece-part 
opportunity means:
    (i) The part is considered at ``piece-part opportunity'', when 
it is completely disassembled in accordance with the disassembly 
instructions in the manufacturer's engine manual; and
    (ii) The part has accumulated more than 100 cycles in service 
since the last piece-part opportunity inspection, provided that the 
part was not damaged or related to the cause for its removal from 
the engine.''
    (b) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this AD, and 
notwithstanding contrary provisions in section 43.16 of the Federal 
Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 43.16), these mandatory inspections 
shall be performed only in accordance with the TLS of the GE CF34-
8C1 EM.

Alternative Methods of Compliance

    (c) An alternative method of compliance or adjustment of the 
compliance time that provides an acceptable level of safety may be 
used if approved by the Manager, Engine Certification Office (ECO). 
Operators must submit their request through an appropriate FAA 
Principal Maintenance Inspector, who may add comments and then send 
it to the Manager, ECO.

    Note 2: Information concerning the existence of approved 
alternative methods of compliance with this airworthiness directive, 
if any, may be obtained from the ECO.

Special Flight Permits

    (d) Special flight permits may be issued in accordance with 
Sec. Sec.  21.197 and 21.199 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 
CFR 21.197 and 21.199) to operate the airplane to a location where 
the requirements of this AD can be done.

Continuous Airworthiness Maintenance Program

    (e) FAA-certificated air carriers that have an approved 
continuous airworthiness maintenance program in accordance with the 
record keeping requirement of Sec.  121.369 (c) of the Federal 
Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 121.369 (c)) must maintain records of 
the mandatory inspections that result from revising the CF34 Engine 
Maintenance Program and the air carrier's continuous airworthiness 
program. Alternatively, certificated air carriers may establish an 
approved system of record retention that provides a method for 
preservation and retrieval of the maintenance records that include 
the inspections resulting from this AD, and include the policy and 
procedures for implementing this alternate method in the air 
carrier's maintenance manual required by Sec.  121.369 (c) of the 
Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 121.369 (c)). However, the 
alternate system must be accepted by the appropriate PMI and require 
the maintenance records be maintained either indefinitely or until 
the work is repeated. Records of the piece-part inspections are not 
required under Sec.  121.380 (a) (2) (vi) of the Federal Aviation 
Regulations (14 CFR 121.380 (a) (2) (vi)). All other operators must 
maintain the records of mandatory inspections required by the 
applicable regulations governing their operations.

    Note 3: The requirements of this AD have been met when the 
engine manual changes are made and air carriers have modified their 
continuous airworthiness maintenance plans to reflect the Engine 
Maintenance Program requirements specified in the GE CF34-8C1 Engine 
Manual.

Effective Date

    (f) This amendment becomes effective on December 26, 2002.


    Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on November 7, 2002.
Jay J. Pardee,
Manager, Engine and Propeller Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 02-29355 Filed 11-19-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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