Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 42 (Wednesday, March 4, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 11535-11536]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-04044]



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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 42 / Wednesday, March 4, 2015 / Rules 
and Regulations

[[Page 11535]]



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2014-0328; Directorate Identifier 2014-NE-07-AD; 
Amendment 39-18108; AD 2015-04-06]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all 
Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211 Trent 875-17, 877-17, 884-17, 884B-17, 892-
17, 892B-17, and 895-17 turbofan engines. This AD requires modification 
of the engine by installing upgraded software in the electronic engine 
control (EEC) or by removing any EEC that incorporates a software 
standard prior to B7.2 and installing an EEC eligible for installation. 
This AD was prompted by failure of the intermediate pressure (IP) 
turbine disk drive arm and subsequent overspeed and burst of the IP 
turbine disk on an RR RB211 Trent turbofan engine. We are issuing this 
AD to prevent overspeed of the IP turbine disk, resulting in failure of 
the turbine blades or the IP turbine disk and subsequent uncontained 
release of the turbine disk and/or blades, which could lead to damage 
to the engine and damage to the airplane.

DATES: This AD becomes effective April 8, 2015.

ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Rolls-Royce plc, Corporate Communications, P.O. Box 31, Derby, England, 
DE24 8BJ; phone: 011-44-1332-242424; fax: 011-44-1332-249936; email: 
http://www.rolls-royce.com/contact/civil_team.jsp; Internet: https://www.aeromanager.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.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2014-
0328; 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 mandatory continuing airworthiness information 
(MCAI), 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: Wego Wang, Aerospace Engineer, Engine 
Certification Office, FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 New 
England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; phone: 781-238-7134; fax: 
781-238-7199; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion

    We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 
part 39 by adding an AD that would apply to the specified products. The 
NPRM was published in the Federal Register on July 11, 2014 (79 FR 
40018). The NPRM proposed to correct an unsafe condition for the 
specified products. The MCAI states:

    A Trent engine experienced an engine internal fire, caused by 
combustion of carbon deposits inside the high/intermediate (HP/IP) 
oil vent tubes. The consequent chain of events resulted in the 
failure of the IP turbine disk drive arm. Similar engine 
architecture exists on Trent 800 series engines.
    This condition, if not corrected, could lead to uncontained 
multiple turbine blade failures or an IP turbine disk burst, 
possibly resulting in damage to, and reduced control of, the 
aeroplane.
    Prompted by these findings, an Intermediate Pressure Turbine 
Overspeed System (IPTOS) protection scheme has been developed for 
Trent 800 engines installed on Boeing 777 aeroplanes.
    For the reasons described above, this AD requires introduction 
of the IPTOS protection function by installation of a new software 
standard (B7.2) in the engine electronic controller (EEC), which 
will protect against IP turbine overspeed when IP shaft failure is 
detected.

    Since we issued the NPRM (79 FR 40018, July 11, 2014), we issued a 
supplemental NPRM (79 FR 70475, November 26, 2014) to amend the costs 
of compliance and to more clearly state certain compliance 
requirements. Since we issued the supplemental NPRM, we changed 
paragraph (e) of this AD for clarity.

Comments

    We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD. We considered the comments received.

Request To Modify the Installation Prohibition Paragraph

    American Airlines (AA) requested that we modify the Installation 
Prohibition paragraph (f) to allow installation of an EEC with a 
software standard earlier than B7.2, and coincident on-wing upgrade of 
the software standard to B7.2 or later, but prohibit operation of an 
engine that incorporates a software standard earlier than B7.2. AA 
states that the EEC original equipment manufacturer does not update the 
software as part of a component shop visit.
    We agree. We modified the Installation Prohibition paragraph (f) to 
allow installation of an EEC with a software standard earlier than 
B7.2, but to prohibit operation of an engine with a software standard 
earlier than B7.2.

Conclusion

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

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD affects about 140 engines installed on 
airplanes of U.S. registry. We also estimate that it would take about 2 
hours per engine to

[[Page 11536]]

comply with 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 to be 
$23,800.

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),
    (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):

2015-04-06 Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines: Amendment 39-18108; 
Docket No. FAA-2014-0328; Directorate Identifier 2014-NE-07-AD.

(a) Effective Date

    This AD becomes effective April 8, 2015.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to all Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211 Trent 875-17, 
877-17, 884-17, 884B-17, 892-17, 892B-17, and 895-17 turbofan 
engines.

(d) Reason

    This AD was prompted by failure of the intermediate pressure 
(IP) turbine disk drive arm and subsequent overspeed and burst of 
the IP turbine disk on an RR RB211 Trent turbofan engine. We are 
issuing this AD to prevent overspeed of the IP turbine disk, 
resulting in failure of the turbine blades or the IP turbine disk 
and subsequent uncontained release of the turbine disk and/or 
blades, which could lead to damage to the engine and damage to the 
airplane.

(e) Actions and Compliance

    Twelve months after the effective date of this AD, do not 
operate any engine with an electronic engine control (EEC) software 
standard earlier than B7.2.

(f) Installation Prohibition

    After removing any software standard earlier than B7.2 from an 
ECC on any engine, do not operate that engine with any software 
standard earlier than B7.2.

(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. You may email your request to: [email protected].

(h) Related Information

    (1) For more information about this AD, contact Wego Wang, 
Aerospace Engineer, Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine & 
Propeller Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 
01803; phone: 781-238-7134; fax: 781-238-7199; email: 
[email protected].
    (2) Refer to MCAI European Aviation Safety Agency AD 2014-0051, 
dated March 6, 2014, for more information. You may examine the MCAI 
in the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=FAA-2014-0328-0003.
    (3) RR Alert Service Bulletin No. RB.211-73-AH001, dated July 
17, 2013, which is not incorporated by reference in this AD, can be 
obtained from Rolls-Royce plc, using the contact information in 
paragraph (h)(4) of this AD.
    (4) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Rolls-Royce plc, Corporate Communications, P.O. Box 31, Derby, 
England, DE24 8BJ; phone: 011-44-1332-242424; fax: 011-44-1332-
249936; email: http://www.rolls-royce.com/contact/civil_team.jsp; or 
Internet: https://www.aeromanager.com.
    (5) 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 February 19, 2015.
Colleen M. D'Alessandro,
Assistant Directorate Manager, Engine & Propeller Directorate, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-04044 Filed 3-3-15; 8:45 am]
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