Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc RB211 Trent 500 Series Turbofan Engines

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 232 (Tuesday, December 2, 2008)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 73169-73171]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-28549]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2008-1122; Directorate Identifier 2008-NE-35-AD; 
Amendment 39-15759; AD 2008-25-01]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc RB211 Trent 500 Series 
Turbofan Engines

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

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the 
products listed above. This AD results from mandatory continuing 
airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by an aviation authority of 
another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an 
aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as:

    Recent analysis of the low-pressure turbine (LPT) discs 1-5 
carried out by Rolls-Royce plc concluded that it is necessary to 
reduce the declared safe cyclic life of all Trent 500

[[Page 73170]]

LPT stage 3 discs, part number (P/N) FK29581.

Rolls-Royce plc has reduced the declared safe cyclic life of these LPT 
stage 3 discs to 7,990 cycles-since-new (CSN). This AD requires actions 
that are intended to address the unsafe condition described in the 
MCAI, which could result in uncontained failure of LPT stage 3 discs, 
resulting in damage to the airplane.

DATES: This AD becomes effective December 17, 2008.
    We must receive comments on this AD by January 2, 2009.

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.

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 (telephone (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: James Lawrence, Aerospace Engineer, 
Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine and Propeller Directorate, 12 
New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; e-mail: 
[email protected]; telephone (781) 238-7176; 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 
AD 2008-0098, dated May 21, 2008, to correct an unsafe condition for 
the specified products. The EASA AD states:

    Recent analysis of the LPT discs 1-5 carried out by Rolls-Royce 
plc concluded that it is necessary to reduce the declared safe 
cyclic life of all Trent 500 LPT stage 3 discs, P/N FK29581.

You may obtain further information by examining the MCAI in the AD 
docket.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of This AD

    This product has been approved by the aviation authority of the 
United Kingdom, and is approved for operation in the United States. 
Pursuant to our bilateral agreement with the United Kingdom, 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 removing LPT stage 3 discs, P/N 
FK29581, from service before reaching the new reduced declared safe 
cyclic life of 7,990 CSN.

FAA's Determination of the Effective Date

    Since there are currently no domestic operators of these engine 
models, notice and opportunity for public comment before issuing this 
AD are unnecessary. Therefore, a situation exists that allows the 
immediate adoption of this regulation.

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-2008-1122; Directorate 
Identifier 2008-NE-35-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 we 
receive about this AD.

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); 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, Safety.

Adoption of the Amendment

0
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 AD:

2008-25-01 Rolls-Royce plc: Amendment 39-15759; Docket No. FAA-2008-
1122; Directorate Identifier 2008-NE-35-AD.

[[Page 73171]]

Effective Date

    (a) This airworthiness directive (AD) becomes effective December 
17, 2008.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to Rolls-Royce plc RB211 Trent 553-61, 
553A2-61, 556-61, 556A2-61, 556B-61, 556B2-61, 560-61, and 560A2-61 
turbofan engines with a low-pressure turbine (LPT) stage 3 disc, 
part number (P/N) FK29581, installed. These engines are installed 
on, but not limited to, Airbus A340-500 and A340-600 series 
airplanes.

Reason

    (d) European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD No. 2008-0098, 
dated May 21, 2008, states the unsafe condition as follows:
    Recent analysis of the LPT discs 1-5 carried out by Rolls-Royce 
plc concluded that it is necessary to reduce the declared safe 
cyclic life of all Trent 500 LPT stage 3 discs, P/N FK29581.
    Rolls-Royce plc has reduced the declared safe cyclic life of 
these LPT stage 3 discs to 7,990 cycles-since-new (CSN). We are 
issuing this AD to prevent an uncontained failure of the LPT stage 3 
disc, resulting in damage to the airplane.

Actions and Compliance

    (e) After the effective date of this AD, remove LPT stage 3 
discs, P/N FK29581, from service before reaching the new reduced 
declared safe cyclic life of 7,990 CSN.
    (f) Do not install an LPT stage 3 disc, P/N FK29581, onto any 
engine, unless it has been verified that the disc has not yet 
accumulated 7,990 CSN.

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (g) The Manager, Engine Certification Office, FAA, has the 
authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the 
procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19.

Related Information

    (h) Refer to EASA Airworthiness Directive 2008-0098, dated May 
21, 2008, and Rolls-Royce plc Alert Service Bulletin No. RB.211-72-
AF781, dated April 2, 2008, for related information. Contact Rolls-
Royce plc, P.O. Box 31, Derby, England, DE248BJ; telephone: 011-44-
1332-242424; fax: 011-44-1332-245418, for the alert service 
bulletin.
    (i) Contact James Lawrence, Aerospace Engineer, Engine 
Certification Office, FAA, Engine and Propeller Directorate, 12 New 
England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; e-mail: 
[email protected]; telephone (781) 238-7176; fax (781) 238-
7199, for more information about this AD.

    Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on November 24, 2008.
Francis A. Favara,
Manager, Engine and Propeller Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
 [FR Doc. E8-28549 Filed 12-1-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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