Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney (PW) JT9D-7R4 Series Turbofan Engines

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 85 (Tuesday, May 5, 2009)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 20580-20582]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-10145]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2006-23742; Directorate Identifier 2005-NE-53-AD; 
Amendment 39-15896; AD 2009-10-06]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney (PW) JT9D-7R4 Series 
Turbofan Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive 
(AD) for PW JT9D-7R4 series turbofan engines. That AD currently 
requires removing certain reduced cooling flow 2nd stage high-pressure 
turbine (HPT) vane assemblies installed in certain 2nd stage HPT vane 
cluster assemblies. It also requires a visual and a fluorescent 
penetrant inspection (FPI) of the 2nd stage HPT air seal assembly, part 
number (P/N) 815097. This AD requires a visual and FPI of all P/N 2nd 
stage HPT air seal assemblies that were used with reduced cooling flow 
2nd stage HPT vane assemblies. This AD results from PW identifying 
additional P/N air seal assemblies that are affected by the unsafe 
condition. We are issuing this AD to prevent uncontained failure of the 
2nd stage HPT air seal assembly, leading to engine in-flight shutdown 
and damage to the airplane.

DATES: This AD becomes effective June 9, 2009.

ADDRESSES: You can get the service information identified in this AD 
from Pratt & Whitney, 400 Main St., East Hartford, CT 06108; telephone 
(860) 565-8770; fax (860) 565-4503.
    The Docket Operations office is located at Docket Management 
Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, 
SE., West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-
0001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Riley, Aerospace Engineer, Engine 
Certification Office, FAA, Engine and Propeller Directorate, 12 New 
England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; e-mail: 
[email protected]; telephone (781) 238-7758; fax (781) 238-7199.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA proposed to amend 14 CFR part 39 by 
superseding AD 2007-17-21, Amendment 39-15180 (72 FR 48549, August 24, 
2007), with a proposed AD. The proposed AD applies to PW JT9D-7R4 
series turbofan engines. We published the proposed AD in the Federal 
Register on November 9, 2007 (72 FR 63510). That action proposed to 
require at the next HPT module exposure:
    <bullet> Removing the reduced cooling flow 2nd stage HPT vane 
assemblies.
    <bullet> Visual and fluorescent penetrant inspections of the 2nd 
stage HPT air seal assemblies that have operated in an engine with 
reduced cooling flow 2nd stage HPT vane assemblies.

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 provided in 
the ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in the AD docket 
shortly after receipt.

Comments

    We provided the public the opportunity to participate in the 
development of this AD. We have considered the comments received.

Difficulty Determining Reduced Cooling Flow 2nd Stage HPT Vane 
Assemblies

    One commenter, FedEx Express, states since FedEx Express does not 
track 2nd stage NGVs, it will be difficult to determine if the 2nd 
stage air seal operated in an engine with reduced cooling flow HPT vane 
assemblies installed.
    We don't agree. There is no requirement to identify 2nd stage air 
seals which may have operated in the past with reduced cooling flow 2nd 
stage HPT vane assemblies. This AD requires inspections of 2nd stage 
air seals if at disassembly, the air seals are found with reduced 
cooling flow 2nd stage HPT vanes installed. HPT 2nd stage air seals 
that pass inspection requirements per the engine manual

[[Page 20581]]

may be reinstalled. We changed the AD to make this clear.

Request to Remove PW Alert Service Bulletin JT9D-7R4-A72-596 From the 
AD

    The same commenter states that the NPRM contains a paragraph titled 
``Relevant Service Information.'' The paragraph provides the 
instructions for modifying the reduced cooling flow vane assemblies. 
FedEx Express asks ``What is the purpose of the subject paragraph?'' 
They ask if the AD will include a reference to PW ASB JT9D-7R4-A72-96 
as a requirement to modify 2nd stage HPT vane assemblies. They ask us 
to remove the paragraph since it may not be pertinent to the action 
required by this AD.
    We partially agree. We agree that incorporating the requirements of 
PW ASB JT9D-7R4-A72-596, dated September 15, 2005, isn't a requirement 
of the AD. However, we include this information in the AD as relevant 
information to inform operators that a rework procedure for the 2nd 
stage vanes is available and that parts don't have to be replaced with 
new parts. We didn't change the AD.

Conclusion

    We have carefully reviewed the available data, including the 
comments received, 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 85 PW JT9D-7R4 series turbofan 
engines installed on airplanes U.S. registry. We also estimate that it 
would take about 65.5 work-hours per engine to perform the required 
actions, and that the average labor rate is $80 per work-hour. Required 
parts will cost about $5,400 per engine. Based on these figures, we 
estimate the total cost of the AD to U.S. operators to be $904,400.

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.

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 removing Amendment 39-15180 (72 FR 
48549, August 24, 2007), and by adding a new airworthiness directive, 
Amendment 39-15896, to read as follows:

2009-10-01 Pratt & Whitney: Amendment 39-15896. Docket No. FAA-2006-
23742; Directorate Identifier 2005-NE-53-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This airworthiness directive (AD) becomes effective June 9, 
2009.

Affected ADs

    (b) This AD supersedes AD 2007-17-21, Amendment 39-15180.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to Pratt & Whitney (PW) JT9D-7R4G2, -7R4E1, 
-7R4E4, and -7R4H1 series turbofan engines. These engines are 
installed on, but not limited to, Boeing 747-200, -300, 767-200, and 
Airbus A300-600 and A310-300 series airplanes.

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from the manufacturer identifying additional 
part number (P/N) air seal assemblies that are affected by the 
unsafe condition. We are issuing this AD to prevent uncontained 
failure of the 2nd stage high-pressure turbine (HPT) air seal 
assembly, leading to engine in-flight shutdown and damage to the 
airplane.

Compliance

    (e) You are responsible for having the actions required by this 
AD performed at the next HPT module exposure after the effective 
date of this AD, unless the actions have already been done.
    (f) At the next HPT module exposure, remove reduced cooling flow 
2nd stage HPT vane assemblies P/Ns: 797282, 796972, 800082, 800072, 
803182, 803282, and 822582, installed in 2nd stage HPT vane cluster 
assemblies: P/Ns 797592, 797372, 799872, 799782, and 822572.
    (g) For 2nd stage HPT air seals that are installed in engines 
that had a reduced cooling flow HPT vane assembly removed as 
specified in (f) of this AD, do the following:
    (1) Perform a onetime visual inspection of the 2nd stage HPT air 
seal assembly. Information on the visual inspection can be found in 
the JT9D-7R4 engine manual, Section 72-51-22, Inspection/Check-01, 
paragraphs 1.D.(1), 1.D.(4), and 1.D.(6). (2) Perform a fluorescent 
penetrant inspection (FPI) of the 2nd stage HPT air seal assembly 
for cracks. Information on the FPI can be found in the JT9D-7R4 
engine manual, Section 72-51-00, Inspection/Check-03.

Definition

    (h) For the purpose of this AD, we define an HPT module exposure 
as removing the 1st stage HPT rotor or the 2nd stage HPT rotor from 
the HPT case.

Alternative Methods of Compliance

    (i) 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

    (j) Pratt & Whitney Alert Service Bulletin JT9D-7R4-A72-596, 
dated September 15, 2005, contains information for modifying the 
reduced cooling flow 2nd stage HPT vane assemblies. Contact Pratt & 
Whitney, 400 Main St., East Hartford, CT 06108; telephone (860) 565-
8770; fax (860) 565-4503, for a copy of this service information.
    (k) Contact Mark Riley, Aerospace Engineer, Engine Certification 
Office, FAA, Engine and Propeller Directorate, 12 New England 
Executive Park, Burlington, MA

[[Page 20582]]

01803; e-mail: [email protected]; telephone (781) 238-7758; fax 
(781) 238-7199, for more information about this AD.

Material Incorporated by Reference

    (l) None.

    Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on April 23, 2009.
Peter A. White,
Assistant Manager, Engine and Propeller Directorate, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. E9-10145 Filed 5-4-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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