Airworthiness Directives; Honeywell International Inc. Turbofan Engines

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 229 (Tuesday, November 29, 2011)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 73489-73491]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-30575]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2011-1261; Directorate Identifier 2011-NE-38-AD; 
Amendment 39-16875; AD 2011-24-11]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Honeywell International Inc. Turbofan 
Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 
Honeywell International Inc. ALF502L-2C, ALF502R-3, ALF502R-3A, 
ALF502R-5, LF507-1F, and LF507-IH turbofan engines. This AD requires 
removing from service certain second stage high pressure compressor 
(HPC2) discs. This AD was prompted by a report of cracks found in an 
HPC2 disc during routine inspection. We are issuing this AD to prevent 
the affected discs from fracturing before reaching the currently 
published life limit. A disc fracture could result in an uncontained 
failure of the disc and damage to the airplane.

DATES: This AD is effective December 14, 2011.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain publication listed in the AD as of December 14, 
2011.
    We must receive comments on this AD by January 13, 2012.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR 
11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods:
    <bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
    <bullet> Fax: (202) 493-2251.
    <bullet> 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.
    <bullet> Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket 
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    For service information identified in this AD, contact Honeywell 
International Inc., P.O. Box 52181, Phoenix, AZ 85072-2181, phone: 
(800) 601-3099; Web site: http://

[[Page 73490]]

portal.honeywell.com/wps/portal/aero. You may review copies of the 
referenced service information at the FAA, Engine & Propeller 
Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA. For 
information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call (781) 
238-7125.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov; or in person at the Docket Management Facility 
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. The AD docket contains this AD, the regulatory evaluation, 
any comments received, and other information. The street address for 
the Docket Office (phone: (800) 647-5527) is in the ADDRESSES section. 
Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Baitoo, Aerospace Engineer, Los 
Angeles Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, 3960 Paramount Blvd., 
Lakewood, CA 90712; phone: (562) 627-5245; fax: (562) 627-5210; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

    During a routine inspection, cracks were found in a low-time HPC2 
disc, part number (P/N) 2-101-332-12. Analysis has revealed that the 
cracks initiated during the forging process of a certain material 
ingot. Honeywell International Inc. has identified a suspect population 
of 29 HPC2 discs, by serial number (S/N), that were made from the 
affected material ingot. This condition, if not corrected, could result 
in an uncontained failure of the disc and damage to the airplane.

Relevant Service Information

    We reviewed Honeywell International Inc. Service Bulletin (SB) No. 
ALF/LF-72-1113, dated September 16, 2011. The SB lists the affected 
HPC2 discs by P/N and S/N, and describes procedures for removing them 
from service.

FAA's Determination

    We are issuing this AD because we evaluated all the relevant 
information and determined the unsafe condition described previously is 
likely to exist or develop in other products of the same type design.

AD Requirements

    This AD requires accomplishing the actions specified in the service 
information described previously.

FAA's Justification and Determination of the Effective Date

    An unsafe condition exists that requires the immediate adoption of 
this AD. The FAA has found that the risk to the flying public justifies 
waiving notice and comment prior to adoption of this rule because there 
are no U.S. operators of airplanes with Honeywell International Inc. 
ALF502L-2C, ALF502R-3, ALF502R-3A, ALF502R-5, LF507-1F, and LF507-IH 
turbofan engines, with an affected HPC2 disc installed. Therefore, we 
find that notice and opportunity for prior public comment are 
unnecessary and that good cause exists for making this amendment 
effective in less than 30 days.

Comments Invited

    This AD is a final rule that involves requirements affecting flight 
safety and was not preceded by notice and an opportunity for public 
comment. However, we invite you to send any written data, views, or 
arguments about this AD. Send your comments to an address listed under 
the ADDRESSES section. Include the docket number FAA-2011-1261 and 
Directorate Identifier 2011-NE-38-AD at the beginning of your comments. 
We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, economic, 
environmental, and energy aspects of this AD. We will consider all 
comments received by the closing date and may amend this AD because of 
those comments.
    We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. We 
will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact we 
receive about this AD.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD affects no Honeywell International Inc. 
ALF502L-2C, ALF502R-3, ALF502R-3A, ALF502R-5, LF507-1F, and LF507-IH 
turbofan engines installed on airplanes of U.S. registry. Therefore, we 
estimate the total cost of the AD to U.S. operators to be $0.

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

    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),
    (3) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
    (4) 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.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

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

Adoption of 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 (AD):

2011-24-11 Honeywell International Inc. Turbofan Engines: Amendment 
39-16875; Docket No. FAA-2011-1261; Directorate Identifier 2011-NE-
38-AD.

(a) Effective Date

    This AD is effective December 14, 2011.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

[[Page 73491]]

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Honeywell International Inc. ALF502L-2C, 
ALF502R-3, ALF502R-3A, ALF502R-5, LF507-1F, and LF507-IH turbofan 
engines with any of the second stage high pressure compressor (HPC2) 
discs, part number (P/N) 2-101-332-12, serial numbers (S/N) listed 
in Table 2 of Honeywell International Inc. Service Bulletin (SB) No. 
ALF/LF-72-1113, dated September 16, 2011, installed.

(d) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by a report of cracks found in an HPC2 disc 
during routine inspection. We are issuing this AD to prevent the 
affected discs from fracturing before reaching the currently 
published life limit. A disc fracture could result in an uncontained 
failure of the disc and damage to the airplane.

(e) Compliance

    Comply with this AD before accumulating 4,500 cycles-since-new 
on the affected HPC2 disc, or before exceeding 7 years after the 
effective date of this AD, whichever occurs first, unless already 
done.

(f) Removal of Affected HPC2 Discs

    Remove from service HPC2 discs, P/N 2-101-332-12, S/Ns listed in 
Table 2 of Honeywell International Inc. SB No. ALF/LF-72-1113, dated 
September 16, 2011.

(g) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    The Manager, Los Angeles Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, has 
the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the 
procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19.

(h) Related Information

    For more information about this AD, contact Robert Baitoo, 
Aerospace Engineer, Los Angeles Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, 
3960 Paramount Blvd., Lakewood, CA 90712; phone: (562) 627-5245; 
fax: (562) 627-5210; email: [email protected].

(i) Material Incorporated by Reference

    You must use the following service information to do the actions 
required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise. The Director 
of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference 
(IBR) under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51 of the following 
service information on the date specified:
    (1) Honeywell International Inc. Service Bulletin No. ALF/LF-72-
1113, dated September 16, 2011, approved for IBR December 14, 2011.
    (2) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Honeywell International Inc., P.O. Box 52181, Phoenix, AZ 85072-
2181, phone: (800) 601-3099; Web site: http://portal.honeywell.com/wps/portal/aero.
    (3) You may review copies of the service information at the FAA, 
Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park, 
Burlington, MA. For information on the availability of this material 
at the FAA, call (781) 238-7125.
    (4) You may also review copies of the service information that 
is incorporated by reference at the National Archives and Records 
Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this 
material at an NARA facility, call (202) 741-6030, or go to http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html.

    Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on November 15, 2011.
Peter A. White,
Manager, Engine & Propeller Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-30575 Filed 11-28-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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