Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG Turbofan Engines

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 230 (Thursday, November 29, 2012)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 71085-71087]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-28638]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2012-1056; Directorate Identifier 2012-NE-32-AD; 
Amendment 39-17271; AD 2012-24-01]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG 
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 
serial number (S/N) Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG (RRD) TAY 620-
15 turbofan engines. This AD requires initial and repetitive general 
inspections and ultrasonic inspections (UI) of low-pressure compressor 
(LPC) fan blades for cracks. If any fan blade is found cracked, this AD 
requires replacement of the LPC fan blade set and the LPC fan disc. 
This AD was prompted by a report of an LPC fan blade separation. We are 
issuing this AD to detect cracks in the LPC fan blades, which could 
lead to uncontained failure of the LPC fan blades and LPC fan disc, and 
damage to the airplane.

DATES: This AD becomes effective December 14, 2012.
    We must receive comments on this AD by January 14, 2013.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by any of the following methods:
    <bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the instructions for sending your 
comments electronically.
    <bullet> Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue SE., West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 
20590-0001.
    <bullet> Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail address above between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    <bullet> Fax: 202-493-2251.
    For service information identified in this AD, contact Rolls-Royce 
Deutschland Ltd & Co KG, Eschenweg 11, Dahlewitz, 15827 Blankenfelde-
Mahlow, Germany; phone: 49 0 33-7086-1944; fax: 49 0 33-7086-3276. You 
may view this service information at the FAA, Engine & Propeller 
Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803. For 
information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 781-
238-7125.

[[Page 71086]]

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov; or in person at the Docket Operations office 
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 Operations office (phone: 800-647-5527) is the same as the 
Mail address provided in the ADDRESSES section. Comments will be 
available in the AD docket shortly after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Frederick Zink, Aerospace Engineer, 
Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 
New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; phone: 781-238-7779; 
fax: 781-238-7199; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion

    The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical 
Agent for the Member States of the European Community, has issued EASA 
Airworthiness Directive 2012-0185-E, dated September 12, 2012 (referred 
to after this as ``the MCAI''), to correct an unsafe condition for the 
specified products. The MCAI states:

    Fan blade off on a TAY 620-15 engine has recently been reported. 
Subsequent investigation results identified vibration induced by a 
fan blade flutter as a possible cause of fan blade root failure 
leading to blade off.
    This condition, if not detected and corrected, could lead to the 
blade failure potentially causing release of high-energy debris, 
possibly resulting in damage to the aeroplane and/or injury to the 
occupants.

You may obtain further information by examining the MCAI in the AD 
docket.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of This AD

    This product has been approved by EASA, and is approved for 
operation in the United States. Pursuant to our bilateral agreement 
with the European Community, EASA has notified us of the unsafe 
condition described in the MCAI and service information referenced 
above. We are issuing this AD because we evaluated all information 
provided by EASA and determined the unsafe condition exists and is 
likely to exist or develop on other products of the same type design. 
This AD requires initial and repetitive general inspections and UIs of 
LPC fan blades for cracks. If any fan blade is found cracked, this AD 
requires replacement of the LPC fan blade set and the LPC fan disc.

FAA's Determination of the Effective Date

    No domestic operators use this product. 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-2012-1056 and 
Directorate Identifier 2012-NE-32-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. Using the search function of the Web site, 
anyone can find and read the comments in any of our dockets, including, 
if provided, the name of the individual who sent the comment (or signed 
the comment on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). 
You may review the DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal 
Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78).

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 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 this AD:
    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.
    We prepared a regulatory evaluation of the estimated costs to 
comply with this AD and placed it in the AD docket.

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 AD:

2012-24-01 Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG (formerly Rolls-Royce 
plc): Amendment 39-17271; Docket No. FAA-2012-1056; Directorate 
Identifier 2012-NE-32-AD.

(a) Effective Date

    This airworthiness directive (AD) becomes effective December 14, 
2012.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG (RRD) TAY 
620-15 engines, serial numbers 17054, 17085, 17088, 17107, and 
17166.

[[Page 71087]]

(d) Reason

    This AD was prompted by a report of a low-pressure compressor 
(LPC) fan blade separation. We are issuing this AD to detect cracks 
in the LPC fan blades, which could lead to uncontained failure of 
the LPC fan blades and LPC fan disc, and damage to the airplane.

(e) Actions and Compliance

    Unless already done, do the following actions:
    (1) Before further flight after the effective date of this AD, 
perform a visual inspection and ultrasonic inspection of the LPC fan 
blades to determine general condition and/or the presence of cracks.
    (2) Thereafter, perform the inspections specified in paragraph 
(e)(1) of this AD within every additional 1,500 flight hours (FHs), 
but not fewer than 1,000 FHs.
    (3) If any fan blade is found cracked, replace the LPC fan blade 
set and the LPC fan disc before further flight.

(f) Terminating Action

    Replacing the LPC fan blade set and the LPC fan disc is 
terminating action to the repetitive inspections required by this 
AD.

(g) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    The Manager, Engine Certification Office, FAA, may approve AMOCs 
to this AD. Use the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19 to make your 
request.

(h) Related Information

    (1) For more information about this AD, contact Frederick Zink, 
Aerospace Engineer, Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine & 
Propeller Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 
01803; email: [email protected]; phone: 781-238-7779; fax: 781-
238-7199.
    (2) Refer to European Aviation Safety Agency AD 2012-0185-E, 
dated September 12, 2012, and RRD Alert Service Bulletin TAY-72-
A1775, Revision 1, dated September 12, 2012, for related 
information.
    (3) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG, Eschenweg 11, Dahlewitz, 15827 
Blankenfelde-Mahlow, Germany; telephone: 49 0 33-7086-1944; fax: 49 
0 33-7086-3276.
    (4) You may view this 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.

(i) Material Incorporated by Reference

    None.

    Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on November 19, 2012.
Robert J. Ganley,
Acting Manager, Engine & Propeller Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-28638 Filed 11-28-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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