Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce Corporation Turboprop and Turboshaft Engines

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 21 (Monday, February 2, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 5452-5454]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-01371]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2011-0961; Directorate Identifier 2011-NE-22-AD; 
Amendment 39-18090; AD 2015-02-22]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce Corporation Turboprop and 
Turboshaft Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: We are superseding airworthiness directive (AD) 2012-14-06 for 
certain Rolls-Royce Corporation (RRC) 250-C20, -C20B, and -C20R/2 
turboshaft engines. AD 2012-14-06 required a one-time visual inspection 
and fluorescent-penetrant inspection (FPI) on certain 3rd-stage and 
4th-stage turbine wheels for cracks in the turbine blades. This new AD 
replaces the one-time visual inspection and FPI with repetitive visual 
inspections and FPIs. This AD also adds certain engine models to the 
applicability. This AD was prompted by the determination that the one-
time inspections required by AD 2012-14-06 should be changed to 
repetitive inspections. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of 
3rd-stage and 4th-stage turbine wheel blades, which could cause engine 
failure and damage to the aircraft.

DATES: This AD is effective March 9, 2015.

ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Rolls-Royce Corporation, 450 South Meridian Street, Indianapolis, IN 
46225-1103; phone: 888-255-4766 or 317-230-2720; email: 
royce.com">helicoptercustsupp@rolls-royce.com; Internet: www.rolls-royce.com. 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.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.govby searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2011-
0961; 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 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 Tallarovic, Aerospace Engineer, 
Chicago Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, 2300 E. Devon Ave., Des 
Plaines, IL 60018; phone: 847-294-8180; fax: 847-294-7834; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion

    We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 
part 39 to supersede AD 2012-14-06, Amendment 39-17120 (77 FR 40479, 
July 10, 2012), (``AD 2012-14-06''). AD 2012-14-06 applied to certain 
RRC 250-C20, -C20B, and -C20R/2 turboshaft engines. The NPRM published 
in the Federal Register on October 2, 2014 (79 FR 59463). The NPRM was 
prompted by determination that the one-time inspections required by AD 
2012-14-06 should be changed to repetitive inspections. The NPRM 
proposed to replace the one-time visual inspection and FPI with 
repetitive visual inspections and FPIs, and also to require a visual 
inspection and FPI after any engine hot start. The NPRM also proposed 
to add certain engine models to the applicability. We are issuing this 
AD to prevent failure of 3rd-stage and 4th-stage turbine wheel blades, 
which could cause engine failure and damage to the aircraft.

Comments

    We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD. The following presents the comments received on the NPRM (79 
FR 59463, October 2, 2014) and the FAA's response to each comment.

Request To Remove a Certain Proposed Inspection Requirement

    RRC requested that we remove the requirement to inspect the 3rd-
stage and 4th-stage turbine wheels after a hot start because they are 
already prohibited from further use after a hot start by the 
maintenance instructions.
    We agree. Maintenance instructions clearly direct replacement of 
3rd-stage and 4th-stage turbine wheels following a hot start. We 
removed from this AD the requirement to perform a visual inspection and 
an FPI on the affected turbine wheels after any hot start.

Request To Limit Applicability

    RRC requested that we restrict applicability of the AD to only 
those affected engines that are installed on MD helicopters because the 
majority of failures have occurred on MD helicopters.
    We disagree. Failures have occurred in installations on other than 
MD helicopters. Also, the FAA cannot ensure that parts once used on MD 
helicopters have not been subsequently installed on other engines or 
helicopter models. We did not change this AD.

Request To Delete a Certain Reference

    RRC requested that we remove, from the Actions Since AD 2012-14-06 
Was Published paragraph, reference to 3rd-stage turbine wheel failures 
by replacing the words ``3rd-stage and'' with the words ``two 
additional'' because additional failures only occurred in 4th-stage 
turbine wheels.

[[Page 5453]]

    We agree. The new failures since AD 2012-14-06 was published were 
in 4th-stage turbine wheels. However, the paragraph, Actions Since AD 
2012-14-06 was Published, which appeared in the NPRM (October 2, 2014 
79 FR 59463), does not appear in this final rule. We did not change 
this AD.

Request To Revise a Certain Paragraph

    RRC requested that we add the word ``potential'' before the word 
``failures'' in the Actions Since AD 2012-14-06 Was Published 
paragraph.
    We agree. However, the paragraph, Actions Since AD 2012-14-06 Was 
Published, which appeared in the NPRM (October 2, 2014 79 FR 59463), 
does not appear in this final rule. We did not change this AD.

Request To Revise the Costs of Compliance

    RRC requested that we change, in the Costs of Compliance paragraph, 
the estimated time to conduct the inspection from one hour to two 
hours.
    We agree. We changed our estimate in this AD to reflect two hours 
of labor to conduct the inspection.

Request To Revise the Labor Rate

    RRC requested that we change, in the Costs of Compliance paragraph, 
the labor rate from $85 per hour to $116 per hour.
    We disagree. The rate of $85 per hour is provided by the FAA Office 
of Aviation Policy and Plans for us to use when estimating the labor 
costs of complying with AD requirements. We did not change this AD.

Request To Revise the Costs of Compliance

    RRC requested that we add the word ``initial'' before the stated 
cost in the Costs of Compliance paragraph.
    We partially agree. We did not insert the word ``initial'', but we 
clarified that our estimate of costs of compliance are for one 
inspection, whether initial or recurring.

Request To Revise a Definition

    RRC requested that we change our definition of a hot start.
    We partially agree. We agree with the suggested changes because 
they clarify the definition of a hot start. However, in our reply to a 
prior comment, we agreed to remove the inspection requirements 
associated with a hot start. Therefore, we have deleted all 
requirements in this AD to conduct inspections after hot starts, and 
have deleted the Definition paragraph.

Conclusion

    We reviewed the relevant data, considered the comments received, 
and determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting 
this AD with the changes described previously. We have determined that 
these minor changes:
    <bullet> Are consistent with the intent that was proposed in the 
NPRM (79 FR 59463, October 2, 2014) for correcting the unsafe 
condition; and
    <bullet> Do not add any additional burden upon the public than was 
already proposed in the NPRM (79 FR 59463, October 2, 2014).
    We also determined that these changes will not significantly 
increase the economic burden on any operator or increase the scope of 
this AD.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD affects 3,769 engines installed on 
aircraft of U.S. registry. We also estimate that it will take about 2 
hours per engine to comply with the inspection requirement of this AD. 
The average labor rate is $85 per hour. Based on these figures, we 
estimate the cost of this AD on U.S. operators for one inspection to be 
$640,730.

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),
    (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 removing Airworthiness Directive (AD) 
2012-14-06, Amendment 39-17120 (77 FR 40479, July 10, 2012), and adding 
the following new AD:

2015-02-22 Rolls-Royce Corporation: Amendment 39-18090; Docket No. 
FAA-2011-0961; Directorate Identifier 2011-NE-22-AD.

(a) Effective Date

    This AD is effective March 9, 2015.

(b) Affected ADs

    This AD supersedes AD 2012-14-06, Amendment 39-17120 (77 FR 
40479, July 10, 2012).

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Rolls-Royce Corporation (RRC) 250-B17, -B17B, 
-B17C, -B17D, -B17E, -B17F, -B17F/1, -B17F/2 turboprop engines; and 
250-C20, -C20B, -C20F, -C20J, -C20R, -C20R/1, -C20R/2, -C20R/4, -
C20S, and -C20W turboshaft engines; with either a 3rd-stage turbine 
wheel, part number (P/N) 23065818, or a 4th-stage turbine wheel, P/N 
23055944, installed.

(d) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by investigations that revealed that not 
all 3rd-stage and 4th-stage turbine wheel blade failures were 
identified by the one-time inspections required by AD 2012-14-06, 
Amendment 39-17120 (77 FR 40479, July 10, 2012). We determined that 
to address the unsafe condition, repetitive inspections are

[[Page 5454]]

required, triggered by hours since last inspection (HSLI). We are 
issuing this AD to prevent failure of 3rd-stage and 4th-stage 
turbine wheel blades, which could cause engine failure and damage to 
the aircraft.

(e) Compliance

    Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified, 
unless already done. After the effective date of this AD:
    (1) Within 1,750 HSLI, remove the affected turbine wheels and 
perform a visual inspection and a fluorescent-penetrant inspection 
(FPI) on the removed turbine wheels for cracks at the trailing edge 
of the turbine blades near the fillet at the rim.
    (2) Any time the power turbine is disassembled, perform a visual 
inspection and an FPI on the affected turbine wheels for cracks at 
the trailing edge of the turbine blades, near the fillet at the rim.
    (3) Thereafter, re-inspect every 1,750 HSLI.
    (4) Do not return to service any turbine wheels that have cracks 
detected.

(f) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    The Manager, Chicago Aircraft 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 John Tallarovic, 
Aerospace Engineer, Chicago Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, 2300 
E. Devon Ave., Des Plaines, IL 60018; phone: 847-294-8180; fax: 847-
294-7834; email: [email protected].
    (2) RRC Alert Commercial Engine Bulletin (CEB) No. CEB-A-1407, 
Revision 3, dated May 19, 2014, and Alert CEB No. CEB-A-72-4098, 
Revision 3, dated May 19, 2014 (combined into one document), which 
are not incorporated by reference in this AD, can be obtained from 
RRC, using the contact information in paragraph (g)(3) of this AD.
    (3) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Rolls-Royce Corporation Customer Support, 450 South Meridian Street, 
Indianapolis, IN 46225-1103; phone: 888-255-4766 or 317-230-2720; 
email: royce.com">helicoptercustsupp@rolls-royce.com; Internet: www.rolls-
royce.com.
    (4) 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.

(h) Material Incorporated by Reference

    None.

    Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on January 20, 2015.
Colleen M. D'Alessandro,
Assistant Directorate Manager, Engine & Propeller Directorate, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-01371 Filed 1-30-15; 8:45 am]
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