Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company Turbofan Engines

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 64 (Wednesday, April 3, 2013)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 19983-19985]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-07510]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2012-1288; Directorate Identifier 2012-NE-37-AD; 
Amendment 39-17403; AD 2013-06-06]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company Turbofan 
Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for General 
Electric Company (GE) CF34-8C and CF34-8E turbofan engines with certain 
part numbers (P/N) of operability bleed valves (OBV) installed. This AD 
was prompted by three failure events of ring lock fuel fittings on the 
OBV. Two of those events led to an engine fire. This AD requires the 
affected OBVs be removed from service and replaced with OBVs eligible 
for installation. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of OBV ring 
lock fuel fittings, engine fuel leakage, uncontrolled fire, and damage 
to the airplane.

DATES: This AD is effective May 8, 2013.

ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this AD, contact 
General Electric Company, One Neumann Way, MD Y-75, Cincinnati, OH; 
phone: 513-552-2913; email: [email protected]; and Web site: www.GE.com. 
You may view 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

[[Page 19984]]

docket contains this AD, the regulatory evaluation, any comments 
received, and other information. The address for the Docket Office 
(phone: 800-647-5527) is Document Management Facility, U.S. Department 
of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Frost, Aerospace Engineer, Engine 
& Propeller Directorate, FAA, 12 New England Executive Park, 
Burlington, MA 01803; phone: 781-238-7756; fax: 781-238-7199; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion

    We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 
part 39 to include an AD that would apply to the specified products. 
That NPRM published in the Federal Register on December 13, 2012 (77 FR 
74125). That NPRM proposed to require the affected OBVs be removed from 
service and replaced with OBVs eligible for installation.

Comments

    We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD. The following presents the comments received on the proposal 
and the FAA's response to each comment.

Request To Change ``Operating Hours'' to ``Flight Hours''

    American Eagle Airlines requested that we change ``operating 
hours'' to ``flight hours'' throughout the document. Airlines track the 
aircraft flight hours, but not the time that an engine operates while 
the aircraft is on the ground.
    We agree. We changed the AD to use flight hours throughout the AD.

Request To Change the Compliance Time

    General Electric Company requested that we simplify the compliance 
by only requiring the OBVs to be replaced within two years after the 
effective date of the AD.
    We do not agree. The proposed AD compliance is substantiated by 
risk analysis to provide an acceptable level of safety during the 
control program. We did not change the AD.

In Support of the Proposed AD

    The National Transportation Safety Board stated that it is in 
support of the proposed AD.

P/N Corrections

    Since we issued the proposed AD (77 FR 74125, December 13, 2012), 
we discovered during a technical review while preparing to issue the 
final rule AD, that the OBV parts manufacturer approval (PMA) P/Ns 
listed in the proposed AD were incorrect. We corrected PMA P/Ns 392155-
2, 392155-3, and 392155-4, to PMA P/Ns 3291552-2, 3291552-3, and 
3291552-4, respectively.

Conclusion

    We reviewed the relevant data, considered the comments received, 
and determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting 
the AD with the changes described previously. We also determined that 
these changes will not increase the economic burden on any operator or 
increase the scope of the AD.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD will affect 300 engines installed on 
airplanes of U.S. registry. We also estimate that it will take about 
two hours per engine to perform the actions required by this AD, and 
that the average labor rate is $85 per hour. Required parts will cost 
about $25,000 per engine. Based on these figures, we estimate the total 
cost of the AD to U.S. operators to be $7,551,000.

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 to the extent 
that it justifies making a regulatory distinction, 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):

2013-06-06 General Electric Company: Amendment 39-17403; Docket No. 
FAA-2012-1288; Directorate Identifier 2012-NE-37-AD.

(a) Effective Date

    This AD is effective May 8, 2013.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to General Electric Company (GE) CF34-8C1, CF34-
8C5, CF34-8C5A1, CF34-8C5A2, CF34-8C5A3, CF34-8C5B1, CF34-8E2, CF34-
8E2A1, CF34-8E5, CF34-8E5A1, CF34-8E5A2, CF34-8E6, and CF34-8E6A1 
turbofan engines, with an operability bleed valve (OBV) part number 
(P/N) 4121T67P02, P/N 4121T67P03, P/N 4121T67P04, parts manufacturer 
approval (PMA) P/N 3291552-2, PMA P/N 3291552-3, or PMA P/N 3291552-
4, installed.

(d) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by three failure events of ring lock fuel 
fittings on the OBV. Two of those events led to an engine fire. We 
are issuing this AD to prevent failure of OBV ring lock fuel 
fittings, engine fuel leakage, uncontrolled fire, and damage to the 
airplane.

[[Page 19985]]

(e) Compliance

    Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified, 
unless already done.

(f) Remove OBVs

    (1) For OBVs with fewer than 6,000 flight hours since new on the 
effective date of this AD, remove the OBV from service before 
accumulating 12,000 flight hours since new, or within four years 
after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs first.
    (2) For OBVs with 6,000 or more flight hours since new on the 
effective date of this AD, remove the OBV from service before 
accumulating an additional 6,000 flight hours, or within two years 
after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs first.

(g) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    The Manager, Engine Certification Office, FAA, may approve AMOCs 
for 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 John Frost, 
Aerospace Engineer, Engine & Propeller Directorate, FAA, 12 New 
England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; phone: 781-238-7756; 
fax: 781-238-7199; email: [email protected].
    (2) Refer to GE Service Bulletin (SB) No. CF34-8C-AL S/B 75-
0017, Revision 1, dated October 9, 2012, and SB No. CF34-8E-AL S/B 
75-0012, Revision 1, dated October 9, 2012, for related information.
    (3) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
General Electric Company, One Neumann Way, MD Y-75, Cincinnati, OH; 
phone: 513-552-2913; email: [email protected]; and Web site: 
www.GE.com. You may view 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.

(i) Material Incorporated by Reference

    None.

    Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on March 21, 2013.
Robert J. Ganley,
Acting Manager, Engine & Propeller Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-07510 Filed 4-2-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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