Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company CF34-10E Series Turbofan Engines

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 107 (Tuesday, June 5, 2007)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 30955-30956]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-10746]



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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 107 / Tuesday, June 5, 2007 / Rules 
and Regulations

[[Page 30955]]



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2006-26585; Directorate Identifier 2006-NE-44-AD; 
Amendment 39-15087; AD 2007-12-09]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company CF34-10E 
Series Turbofan Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Final rule.

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

SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
General Electric Company (GE) CF34-10E series turbofan engines. This AD 
requires revising the combustor case published life limit and removing 
combustor cases from service before reaching a reduced life limit. This 
AD results from GE's evaluation of the effects to the combustor case 
due to installing version 5.10 software in the full-authority digital 
electronic control (FADEC), and revising the combustor case published 
life limit. We are issuing this AD to prevent uncontained combustor 
case failure resulting in an in-flight engine shutdown and possible 
damage to the airplane.

DATES: This AD becomes effective July 10, 2007.

ADDRESSES: You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov or in Room PL-401 on the plaza level of the Nassif 
Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tara Chaidez, Aerospace Engineer, 
Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 
New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; e-mail: 
[email protected]; telephone (781) 238-7773; fax (781) 238-7199.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA proposed to amend 14 CFR part 39 
with a proposed AD. The proposed AD applies to GE CF34-10E series 
turbofan engines. We published the proposed AD in the Federal Register 
on January 17, 2007 (72 FR 1946). That action proposed to require 
revising the combustor case published life limit and removing combustor 
cases from service before reaching a reduced life limit.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the docket that contains the AD, any comments 
received, and any final disposition in person at the Docket Management 
Facility between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays. The Docket Office (telephone (800) 647-5227) is 
located on the plaza level of the Department of Transportation Nassif 
Building at the street address stated in ADDRESSES. Comments will be 
available in the AD docket shortly after the DMS receives them.

Comments

    We provided the public the opportunity to participate in the 
development of this AD. We received no comments on the proposal or on 
the determination of the cost to the public.

Elimination of Paragraph (g)

    After we issued the proposed AD, our review indicated that we 
should simplify the compliance by eliminating paragraph (g). That 
paragraph is redundant to paragraph (f), and would only add an 
additional requirement for the operators to show compliance after 
removal of every affected part. We eliminated the proposed AD paragraph 
(g), and re-codified the paragraphs, in this AD.

Conclusion

    We have carefully reviewed the available data and determined that 
air safety and the public interest require adopting the AD as proposed.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD will affect 42 CF34-10E series turbofan 
engines installed on airplanes of U.S. registry. This combustor case 
removal does not impose any additional labor costs if performed at the 
time of scheduled engine overhaul. The financial burden to the 
operators (prorate) is about $140,080 per engine due to the reduction 
in the life limit. Based on these figures, and on the prorating for the 
usage of the combustor cases, we estimate the cost of the AD on U.S. 
operators to be $5,886,720.

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); 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 summary of the costs to comply with this AD and 
placed it in the AD Docket. You may get a copy of this summary at the 
address listed under ADDRESSES.

[[Page 30956]]

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

    Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Safety.

Adoption of the Amendment

0
Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, 
the Federal Aviation Administration 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:

2007-12-09 General Electric Company: Amendment 39-15087. Docket No. 
FAA-2006-26585; Directorate Identifier 2006-NE-44-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This airworthiness directive (AD) becomes effective July 10, 
2007.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to General Electric Company (GE) CF34-
10E2A1, CF34-10E5, CF34-10E5A1, CF34-10E6, CF34-10E6A1, and CF34-
10E7 turbofan engines. These engines are installed on, but not 
limited to, Embraer ERJ-190 and -195 airplanes.

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from GE's evaluation of the effects to the 
combustor case due to installing version 5.10 software in the full-
authority digital electronic control (FADEC), and revising the 
combustor case published life limit. We are issuing this AD to 
prevent uncontained combustor case failure resulting in an in-flight 
engine shutdown and possible damage to the airplane.

Compliance

    (e) You are responsible for having the actions required by this 
AD performed within 30 days after the effective date of this AD, 
unless the actions have already been done.
    (f) Revise the published life limit in the Airworthiness 
Limitations Section of the CF34-10E Engine Manual, for combustor 
cases, part number (P/N) 2070M47G02 and P/N 2070M47G03, from 39,600 
cycles-since-new (CSN) to 24,600 CSN.
    (g) The requirements of this AD have been met when the engine 
manual changes are made and operators have modified their continuous 
airworthiness maintenance plans to reflect the Engine Maintenance 
Program requirements specified in the GE CF34-10E Engine Manual.

Alternative Methods of Compliance

    (h) The Manager, Engine Certification Office, has the authority 
to approve alternative methods of compliance for this AD if 
requested using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19.

Related Information

    (i) Contact Tara Chaidez, Aerospace Engineer, Engine 
Certification Office, FAA, Engine and Propeller Directorate, 12 New 
England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; e-mail: 
[email protected]; telephone (781) 238-7773, fax (781) 238-7199, 
for more information about this AD.

    Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on May 30, 2007.
Robert Ganley,
Acting Manager, Engine and Propeller Directorate, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
 [FR Doc. E7-10746 Filed 6-4-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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