Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG Model BR700-715A1-30, BR700-715B1-30, and BR700-715C1-30 Turbofan Engines

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 208 (Thursday, October 29, 2009)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 55759-55761]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-25942]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2009-0045; Directorate Identifier 2007-NE-53-AD; 
Amendment 39-16041; AD 2009-21-04]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG 
Model BR700-715A1-30, BR700-715B1-30, and BR700-715C1-30 Turbofan 
Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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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:

    Repair Scheme BRG3086 Issue 1 instructs the repair of the High-
Pressure (HP) Compressor Front Drum Assembly Damping Grooves. This 
repair has an impact on the life of the HP Compressor Front Drum 
Assembly.

    We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of front HP compressor 
rotors, which could result in an uncontained engine failure and damage 
to the airplane.

DATES: This AD becomes effective December 3, 2009.

ADDRESSES: 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: Jason Yang, Aerospace Engineer, Engine 
Certification Office, FAA, Engine and Propeller Directorate, 12 New 
England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; e-mail 
[email protected]; telephone (781) 238-7747; fax (781) 238-7199.
    Contact Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG, Eschenweg 11, 
Dahlewitz, 15827 Blankenfelde-Mahlow, Germany; telephone 49 (0) 33-
7086-1768; fax 49 (0) 33-7086-3356, or go to: http://www.rolls-royce.com/deutschland/en/default.htm, for a copy of the service 
information referenced in this AD.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

    We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 
part 39 to include an AD that would apply to the specified products. 
That NPRM was published in the Federal Register on February 12, 2009 
(74 FR 7004). That NPRM proposed to correct an unsafe condition for the 
specified products. The MCAI states that:

    Repair Scheme BRG3086 Issue 1 instructs the repair of the HP 
Compressor Front Drum Assembly Damping Grooves. This repair has an 
impact on the life of the HP Compressor Front Drum Assembly. This 
emergency airworthiness directive has been raised to mandate certain 
specific CAUTION notes related to specific subtasks of the BR715 
Time Limits Manual (TLM) T-715-3BR instructing a reduced life for 
certain Serial Numbers (SN) of the HP Compressor Front Drum 
Assemblies Part No. BRH20070 after repair BRG3086 Issue 1 has been 
applied and Part No. BRR21918 after repair BRG3086 Issue 1 has been 
applied. Results for each individual repair case are listed in the 
latest revision of Non-Modification Service Bulletin SB-BR700-72-
A900437.

Comments

    We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD. We received no comments on the NPRM or on the determination of 
the cost to the public.
    Since we issued the proposed AD, we found it necessary to add a 
column to Table 1 for affected HP compressor rotor front disc 
assemblies operating under the C1-30 derated design engine mission.

Conclusion

    We reviewed the available data and determined that air safety and 
the public interest require adopting the AD with the change described 
previously.

Differences Between This AD and the MCAI or Service Information

    We have found it necessary to differ from the MCAI as follows:
    <bullet> We don't require operators to amend the Time Limits 
Manual.
    <bullet> We don't allow the operators to show compliance by using 
RRD ASB SB-BR700-72-A900437, initial issue, dated February 26, 2007. 
Some of the affected parts are not included in the initial issue of the 
ASB.
    <bullet> We have incorporated in this AD, the life reduction Table 
for the HPC drum assemblies, by serial number (SN), that are specified 
in RRD ASB SB-BR700-72-A900437, Revision 2, dated September 17, 2009.
    <bullet> HPC drum assembly, P/N BRH20070 is not affected by the AD; 
since only certain HPC drums with P/N BRR21918 were affected in

[[Page 55760]]

accordance with RRD ASB SB-BR700-72-A900437, Revision 2, dated 
September 17, 2009.

Costs of Compliance

    Based on the service information, we estimate that this AD will 
affect about 14 engines installed on airplanes of U.S. registry. We 
also estimate that it will take about 10 work-hours per engine to 
comply with this AD. The average labor rate is $80 per work-hour. 
Required parts will cost about $100,000 per engine. Based on these 
figures, we estimate the cost of the AD on U.S. operators to be 
$1,411,200.

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.

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.

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:

2009-21-04 Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG (formerly BMW Rolls-
Royce GmbH and BMW Rolls-Royce Aero Engines): Amendment 39-16041. 
Docket No. FAA-2009-0045; Directorate Identifier 2007-NE-53-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This airworthiness directive (AD) becomes effective December 
3, 2009.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG model 
BR700-715A1-30, BR700-715B1-30, and BR700-715C1-30 turbofan engines. 
These engines are installed on, but not limited to, McDonnell 
Douglas 717-200 airplanes.

Reason

    (d) Repair Scheme BRG3086 Issue 1 instructs the repair of the 
High-Pressure (HP) Compressor Front Drum Assembly Damping Grooves. 
This repair has an impact on the life of the HP Compressor Front 
Drum Assembly.
    We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of front HP compressor 
rotors, which could result in an uncontained engine failure and 
damage to the airplane.

Actions and Compliance

    (e) Remove the following HP Compressor drum assemblies from 
operation before reaching the life limit specified in Table 1 of 
this AD.

  Table 1--Flight Cycle Life by Part Number, Serial Number, and Mission for Affected HP Compressor Rotor Front
                                                 Disc Assemblies
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                          C1-30
                                                A1-30       B1-30 and       A1-30     Tropical and      C1-30
   Disc assembly part No.      Serial  No.     design         C1-30       Hawaiian       derated       Derated
                                                             designs                    tropical       design
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BRR21918....................         1,107         6,600         4,500         4,500         3,800         6,600
BRR21918....................         1,120         6,800         4,700         4,700         4,000         6,800
BRR21918....................         1,122         7,000         4,900         4,900         4,100         7,000
BRR21918....................         1,144         7,300         5,000         5,000         4,200         7,300
BRR21918....................         1,154         6,800         4,700         4,700         4,000         6,800
BRR21918....................         1,163         6,800         4,700         4,700         4,000         6,800
BRR21918....................         1,166         6,500         4,500         4,500         3,800         6,500
BRR21918....................         1,194         6,900         4,800         4,800         4,000         6,900
BRR21918....................         1,217         7,000         4,900         4,900         4,100         7,000
BRR21918....................         1,232         7,200         5,000         5,000         4,200         7,200
BRR21918....................         1,255         7,300         5,100         5,100         4,300         7,300
BRR21918....................         1,259         7,500         5,200         5,200         4,400         7,500
BRR21918....................         1,271         7,300         5,100         5,100         4,300         7,300
BRR21918....................         1,292         7,300         5,100         5,100         4,300         7,300
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[[Page 55761]]

Other FAA AD Provisions

    (f) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs): 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

    (g) Refer to MCAI Emergency Airworthiness Directive 2007-0050-E, 
dated February 26, 2007, and Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG 
Alert Service Bulletin SB-BR700-72-A900437, Revision 2, dated 
September 17, 2009, for related information. Contact Rolls-Royce 
Deutschland Ltd & Co KG, Eschenweg 11, Dahlewitz, 15827 
Blankenfelde-Mahlow, Germany; telephone 49 (0) 33-7086-1768; fax 49 
(0) 33-7086-3356, or go to: http://www.rolls-royce.com/deutschland/en/default.htm, for a copy of this service information.
    (h) Contact Jason Yang, Aerospace Engineer, Engine Certification 
Office, FAA, Engine and Propeller Directorate, 12 New England 
Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; e-mail [email protected]; 
telephone (781) 238-7747; fax (781) 238-7199, for more information 
about this AD.

    Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on October 1, 2009.
Peter A. White,
Assistant Manager, Engine and Propeller Directorate, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. E9-25942 Filed 10-28-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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