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

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 57 (Friday, March 23, 2012)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 16917-16919]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-6995]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2012-0288; Directorate Identifier 2012-NE-10-AD; 
Amendment 39-16998; AD 2012-06-17]
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

[[Page 16918]]

Rolls-Royce Deutschland (RRD) Models Tay 611-8 and Tay 611-8C turbofan 
engines. This AD requires replacement of the high-pressure (HP) turbine 
spanner retaining nut. This AD was prompted by the discovery that 
certain HP turbine spanner retaining nuts were improperly heat treated 
after application of silver plating. We are issuing this AD to prevent 
failure of the HP turbine stage 2 disc, uncontained engine failure, and 
damage to the airplane.

DATES: This AD becomes effective March 23, 2012.
    We must receive comments on this AD by May 7, 2012.

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 33-7086-1883; fax: 49 0 33-7086-3276. You 
may review copies of the referenced 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.

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: Mark Riley, Aerospace Engineer, Engine 
Certification Office, FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 New 
England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; email: 
[email protected]; phone: 781-238-7758; fax: 781-238-7199.

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 
Emergency Airworthiness Directive 2012-0039-E, dated March 9, 2012, and 
EASA AD 2012-0039R1, dated March 14, 2012 (referred to after this as 
``the MCAI''), to correct an unsafe condition for the specified 
products. The MCAI states:

    A recent quality investigation by Rolls-Royce Deutschland has 
identified that certain stage 2 high-pressure turbine (HPT) disc 
spanner retaining nuts did not receive the proper heat treatment 
after application of silver plating. This condition, if not 
corrected, could result in a stage 2 HPT disc failure, possibly 
leading to release of high energy debris, resulting in damage to the 
aeroplane and/or injury to occupants.

We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of the HP turbine stage 2 
disc, uncontained engine failure, and damage to the airplane.
    You may obtain further information by examining the MCAI in the AD 
docket.

Relevant Service Information

    RRD has issued Alert Service Bulletin No. TAY-72-A1769, dated March 
9, 2012. The actions described in this service information are intended 
to correct the unsafe condition identified in the MCAI.

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 EASA, they have 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 replacement of the 
HP turbine spanner retaining nut on certain serial number engines, 
within 20 flight cycles after the effective date of the AD or within 
200 flight cycles since the last engine shop visit, whichever occurs 
first.

FAA's 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 of 
the short compliance time required to remove the unsafe condition. 
Therefore, we determined that notice and opportunity for public comment 
before issuing this AD are impracticable and that good cause exists for 
making this amendment effective in fewer than 30 days.

Comments Invited

    This AD is a final rule that involves requirements affecting flight 
safety, and we did not precede it by notice and opportunity for public 
comment. We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments about this AD. Send your comments to an address listed under 
the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2012-0288; Directorate 
Identifier 2012-NE-10-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 
with FAA personnel concerning 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

[[Page 16919]]

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 airworthiness 
directive (AD):

2012-06-17 Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG (Formerly Rolls-Royce 
plc, Derby, England): Amendment 39-16998; Docket No. FAA-2012-0288; 
Directorate Identifier 2012-NE-10-AD.

(a) Effective Date

    This AD becomes effective March 23, 2012.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to the following Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & 
Co KG (RRD) turbofan engines:
    (1) TAY 611-8 engines, serial numbers (S/Ns) 16870, 16879, 
16880, 16897, 18046, 18051, 18052, 18053, 18058, 18065, 18066, 
18169, and 18194.
    (2) TAY 611-8C engine S/N 85313.

(d) Reason

    This AD was prompted by the discovery that certain high-pressure 
(HP) turbine spanner retaining nuts were improperly heat treated 
after application of silver plating. We are issuing this AD to 
prevent failure of the HP turbine stage 2 disc, uncontained engine 
failure, and damage to the airplane.

(e) Actions and Compliance

    Unless already done, do the following actions.
    (1) Within 20 flight cycles after the effective date of the AD 
or within 200 flight cycles since the last engine shop visit, 
whichever occurs first, remove the HP turbine spanner retaining nut 
from the combustion and HP turbine module, and install a new HP 
turbine spanner retaining nut.
    (2) Do not reinstall HP turbine spanner retaining nuts removed 
as specified in paragraph (e)(1) of this AD, into any engine.

(f) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

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

(g) Related Information

    (1) For more information about this AD, contact Mark Riley, 
Aerospace Engineer, Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine & 
Propeller Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 
01803; email: [email protected]; phone: 781-238-7758; fax: 781-238-
7199.
    (2) Refer to MCAI European Aviation Safety Agency Emergency AD 
2012-0039-E, dated March 9, 2012; AD 2012-0039R1, dated March 14, 
2012; and RRD Alert Service Bulletin No. TAY-72-A1769, dated March 
9, 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; phone: 49 0 33-7086-1883; fax: 49 0 
33-7086-3276. 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.

    Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on March 19, 2012.
Peter A. White,
Manager, Engine & Propeller Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-6995 Filed 3-22-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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