Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney PW2000 Series Turbofan Engines

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 169 (Thursday, September 1, 2005)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 52001-52004]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-17318]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 98-ANE-61-AD; Amendment 39-14243; AD 2005-18-03]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney PW2000 Series Turbofan 
Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive 
(AD) for Pratt & Whitney (PW) PW2000 series turbofan engines. That AD 
currently requires revisions to the engine manufacturer's time limits 
section (TLS) to include enhanced inspection of selected critical life-
limited parts at each piece-part opportunity. This AD requires 
modifying the airworthiness limitations section of the manufacturer's 
manual and an air carrier's approved continuous airworthiness 
maintenance program to incorporate additional inspection requirements. 
This AD results from an FAA study of in-service events involving 
uncontained failures of critical rotating engine parts that indicates 
the need for mandatory inspections. The mandatory inspections are 
needed to identify those critical rotating parts with conditions, which 
if allowed to continue in service, could result in uncontained 
failures. We are issuing this AD to prevent critical life-limited 
rotating engine part failure, which could result in an uncontained 
engine failure and damage to the airplane.

DATES: This AD becomes effective February 28, 2006.

ADDRESSES: You may examine the AD docket at the FAA, New England 
Region, Office of the Regional Counsel, 12 New England Executive Park, 
Burlington, MA.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Riley, Aerospace Engineer, Engine 
Certification Office, FAA, Engine and Propeller Directorate, 12 New 
England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803-5299; telephone (781) 238-
7758, fax (781) 238-7199.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA proposed to amend 14 CFR part 39 
with a proposed airworthiness directive (AD). The proposed AD applies 
to PW PW2000 series turbofan engines. We published the proposed AD in 
the Federal Register on August 18, 2004 (69 FR 51198). That action 
proposed to require modifying the TLS of the manufacturer's manual and 
an air carrier's approved continuous airworthiness maintenance program 
to incorporate the additional inspection requirements.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD Docket (including any comments and service 
information), by appointment, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday 
through

[[Page 52002]]

Friday, except Federal holidays. See ADDRESSES for the location.

Comments

    We provided the public the opportunity to participate in the 
development of this AD. We have considered the comments received.

Request To Increase the Costs of Compliance

    Several commenters express concern about the capital investment 
required to eddy-current inspect the bolt holes of the HPT stage 2 hub. 
They suggest the NPRM fails to recognize the substantial up-front 
investment to get the equipment needed for the eddy current inspection. 
In addition, one commenter states we should increase the Costs of 
Compliance because the complex inspections will require several full-
time, specially trained operators. We don't agree. The AD doesn't 
require air carriers to invest in tooling and equipment or hire more 
personnel to comply with the proposed AD. The AD requires adding the 
new eddy current inspection to the TLS of the engine manufacturer's 
manual, and to the air carriers' approved maintenance manuals. 
Operators can choose to buy equipment to perform the inspection, or 
they may send the disk to an approved service provider.

Request for an Annual Cost for the Recurring Inspections

    One commenter states that the NPRM implies a onetime cost for the 
inspection, but that it is actually a recurring cost. We don't agree. 
The Costs of Compliance section of the NPRM states the estimated cost 
for each inspection on each engine. We used the current shop visit rate 
for the PW2000 engine to calculate the recurring cost for each engine 
on a yearly basis. The air carriers can use their own specific costs 
for their individual PW2000 fleet to calculate their inspection cost.

Question About the Actual Cost for the Inspection

    One commenter states that the actual costs for the inspections are 
significantly different from the costs we specified in the NPRM. We 
don't agree. We based our cost estimate on actual inspection times 
provided by the engine manufacturer. We understand that cost estimates 
can vary depending on the service provider. However, we consider basing 
our estimate on inspection times provided by the engine manufacturer to 
be the most accurate approach to estimating the cost to comply with the 
AD.

Concern About Increased Inventory Levels for Parts Not Reflected in the 
Cost Estimate

    One commenter suggests that quoted turnaround time for the 
inspection will make air carriers increase inventory levels for the 
affected parts. The commenter also feels the cost estimate doesn't 
reflect the cost of the increased inventory. We don't agree. The 
proposed AD requires adding the new eddy current inspection for the 
bolt holes in the HPT stage 2 hub to the TLS of the engine 
manufacturer's manual, and to the air carrier's approved maintenance 
manuals. The AD doesn't require air carriers to increase spare parts 
inventory levels or specify the logistics of performing the 
inspections.

Requests To Allow Operators To Use Equivalent Equipment To Perform the 
Inspections

    Two commenters ask that we allow them to use equipment that is 
equivalent to the inspection equipment specified by the engine 
manufacturer. The commenters ask us to allow them to use equipment they 
already use for other mandated inspections. The commenters suggest that 
using the single-source equipment specified by the manufacturer will 
cause an undue burden. We don't agree. We don't intend that this 
proposed AD specify only one method, or limit the inspection to one 
method of inspection. This AD requires the operators to revise the ALS 
to include a mandatory opportunistic inspection. The engine 
manufacturer developed a validated inspection procedure using specific 
tooling and equipment that provides an acceptable inspection technique. 
However, operators may still seek approval from the manufacturer to use 
alternative tools or methods of inspections other than those specified 
in the engine manual. Providing flexibility for the engine 
manufacturers to revise their engine manuals as they fine-tuned their 
inspection methods and developed alternatives is part of the outcome of 
working with the Air Transportation Association, operators, and 
manufacturers.

Request To Extend the Compliance Time of the Final Rule

    Two commenters ask that we extend the compliance of the AD to allow 
an additional six to eight months to procure the eddy current 
inspection equipment and train personnel. We agree. We changed the 
effective date from 30 days after publication in the Federal Register 
to 180 days after publication in the Federal Register.

Request To Provide Special Eddy Current Inspection Instructions

    Two commenters ask that we provide clear instructions regarding 
special handling of the parts and the complexity and sensitivity of the 
eddy current inspection equipment. We partially agree. We agree that 
eddy current inspections of aircraft engine parts require special 
inspection procedures to perform the inspections. However, this AD only 
requires the operators add eddy current inspection of the bolt holes of 
HPT stage 2 hub bolt holes to the ALS of the manufacturer's engine 
manual as a mandatory inspection. The engine manufacturer and the 
suppliers of the eddy current inspection equipment will provide the 
special procedures and requirements for the actual inspections.

Removed PW2240 Series and PW2337 Series Engine Models From the 
Applicability

    On January 6, 2005, we removed PW engine models PW2240 and PW2337 
from the type certificate data sheet for the PW2000 series engine type 
certificate. We removed reference to them from paragraph (c) of this 
AD.

Corrected a Typographical Error

    One commenter found a typographical error in paragraph (f)(1)(b). 
We specified inspection 72-52-00. The inspection should be 72-52-16. We 
corrected paragraph (f)(1)(b) in the final rule.

Conclusion

    We have carefully reviewed the available data, including the 
comments received, and determined that air safety and the public 
interest require adopting the AD with the changes described previously. 
We have determined that these changes will neither increase the 
economic burden on any operator nor increase the scope of the AD.

Costs of Compliance

    There are about 938 Pratt & Whitney PW2000 series turbofan engines 
of the affected design in the worldwide fleet. We estimate that this AD 
will affect 777 engines installed on airplanes of U.S. registry. We 
also estimate that it will take about 4 work hours per engine to 
perform the inspections, and that the average labor rate is $65 per 
work hour. Since this is an added inspection requirement, included as 
part of the normal maintenance cycle, no additional part costs are 
involved. Based on these figures, we estimate the total additional cost 
per engine per shop visit to be $260. Based on the current PW2000 
engine shop visit rate, we

[[Page 52003]]

estimate the total additional cost for the PW2000 fleet to be $80,860 
per year.

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.
    We are 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

    We have determined that 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 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;
    (2) Is not a ``significant rule'' under 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.
    We prepared a summary of the costs to comply with this AD and 
placed it in the AD Docket. You may get a copy of this summary by 
sending a request to us at the address listed under ADDRESSES. Include 
``AD Docket No. 98-ANE-61-AD'' in your request.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

    Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Safety.

Adoption of the Amendment

0
Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, 
the Federal Aviation Administration 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 removing Amendment 39-12778, (67 FR 
40143, June 4, 2002) and by adding a new airworthiness directive, 
Amendment 39-14243, to read as follows:

2005-18-03 Pratt & Whitney: Amendment 39-14243. Docket No. 98-ANE-
61-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This AD becomes effective February 28, 2006.

Affected ADs

    (b) This AD supersedes AD 2002-12-06.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to Pratt & Whitney (PW) PW2037, PW2040, 
PW2043, PW2143, PW2643, PW2037D, PW2037M, and PW2040D series 
turbofan engines. These engines are installed on, but not limited to 
Boeing 757 series and Ilyushin IL-96T series airplanes.

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from the need to require enhanced inspection 
of selected critical life-limited parts of PW PW2000 series turbofan 
engines. We are issuing this AD to prevent critical life-limited 
rotating engine part failure, which could result in an uncontained 
engine failure and damage to the airplane.

Compliance

    (e) You are responsible for having the actions required by this 
AD performed within the compliance times specified unless the 
actions have already been done.
    (f) Within 30 days after the effective date of this AD, revise 
the manufacturer's Time Limits section (TLS) of the manufacturer's 
engine manual, as appropriate for PW PW2037, PW2040, PW2043, PW2143, 
PW2643, PW2037D, PW2037M, and PW2040D series turbofan engines, and 
for air carriers revise the approved continuous airworthiness 
maintenance program, by adding the following:
    ``MANDATORY INSPECTIONS
    (1) Perform inspections of the following parts at each piece-
part opportunity in accordance with the instructions provided in 
PW2000 Engine Manuals 1A6231 and 1B2412:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                         EM Manual
           Nomenclature                 Part No.          section       Inspection/check           Subtask
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hub, LPC Assembly.................  ALL.............        72-31-04  -06.................
Disk, HPT 1st Stage...............  ALL.............        72-52-02  FPI entire disk per       72-52-02-230-007
                                                                       72-52-00,
                                                                       Inspection/Check-02.
Hub, HPT 2nd Stage................  ALL.............        72-52-16  (a) FPI entire hub        72-52-16-230-007
                                                                       per 72-52-00,
                                                                       Inspection/Check-02.
                                                                      (b) Eddy-current          72-52-16-200-005
                                                                       inspect hub bolt
                                                                       holes per 72-52-16,
                                                                       Inspection/Check-
                                                                       05.
Hub, HPC Front....................  ALL.............        72-35-02  -05.................
Disk, HPC Drum Rotor Assembly (7-   ALL.............        72-35-03  -04.................
 15).
Disk, HPC Drum Rotor Assembly (16-  ALL.............        72-35-10  -05.................
 17).
Disk, HPC 16th Stage..............  ALL.............        72-35-06  -04.................
Disk, HPC 17th Stage..............  ALL.............        72-35-07  -04.................
HPC Turbine Drive Shaft Assembly..  ALL.............        72-35-08  -05.................
LPC Drive Turbine Shaft...........  ALL.............        72-32-01  -06.................
Hub, Turbine Rear.................  ALL.............        72-53-81  -06.................
Disk, LPT 3rd Stage...............  ALL.............        72-53-31  -01.................
Disk, LPT 4th Stage...............  ALL.............        72-53-41  -01.................
Disk, LPT 5th Stage...............  ALL.............        72-53-51  -01.................
Disk, LPT 6th Stage...............  ALL.............        72-53-61  -01.................
Disk, LPT 7th Stage...............  ALL.............        72-53-71  -01.................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 52004]]

    (2) For the purposes of these mandatory inspections, piece-part 
opportunity means:
    (i) The part is considered completely disassembled when done in 
accordance with the disassembly instructions in the manufacturer's 
engine manual to either part number level listed in the table above, 
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.''

Alternative Methods of Compliance

    (g) You must perform these mandatory inspections using the TLS 
and the applicable Engine Manual unless you receive approval to use 
an alternative method of compliance under paragraph (h) of this AD. 
Section 43.16 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 43.16) may 
not be used to approve alternative methods of compliance or 
adjustments to the times in which these inspections must be 
performed.
    (h) The Manager, Engine Certification Office, has the authority 
to approve alternative methods of compliance for this AD if 
requested using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19.

Maintaining Records of the Mandatory Inspections

    (i) You have met the requirements of this AD by using a TLS of 
the manufacturer's engine manual changed as specified in paragraph 
(f) of this AD, and, for air carriers operating under part 121 of 
the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 121), by modifying 
your continuous airworthiness maintenance plan to reflect those 
changes. You must maintain records of the mandatory inspections that 
result from those changes to the TLS according to the regulations 
governing your operation. You do not need to record each piece-part 
inspection as compliance to this AD. For air carriers operating 
under part 121, you may use either the system established to comply 
with section 121.369 or use an alternative system that your 
principal maintenance inspector has accepted if that alternative 
system:
    (1) Includes a method for preserving and retrieving the records 
of the inspections resulting from this AD; and
    (2) Meets the requirements of section 121.369(c); and
    (3) Maintains the records either indefinitely or until the work 
is repeated.
    (j) These record keeping requirements apply only to the records 
used to document the mandatory inspections required as a result of 
revising the TLS as specified in paragraph (f) of this AD, and do 
not alter or amend the record keeping requirements for any other AD 
or regulatory requirement.

Related Information

    (k) None.

    Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on August 24, 2005.
Jay J. Pardee,
Manager, Engine and Propeller Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 05-17318 Filed 8-31-05; 8:45 am]
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