16916 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 57 / Friday, March 23, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 

a manufacturer or other source, use these 

actions if they are FAA-approved. Corrective 

actions are considered FAA-approved if they 

are approved by the State of Design Authority 

(or their delegated agent). You are required 

to assure the product is airworthy before it 

is returned to service. 

(k) Related Information 

Refer to Mandatory Continuing 

Airworthiness Information (MCAI) European 

Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) 

Airworthiness Directive 2010–0245, dated 

November 26, 2010; and Airbus Mandatory 

Service Bulletin A340–53–4184, excluding 

Appendices 01 and 02, dated October 5, 

2010; for related information. 

(l) Material Incorporated by Reference 

(1) You must use the following service 

information to do the actions required by this 

AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise. The 

Director of the Federal Register approved the 

incorporation by reference (IBR) of the 

following service information under 5 U.S.C. 

552(a) and 1 CFR part 51: 

(i) Airbus Mandatory Service Bulletin 

A340–53–4184, dated October 5, 2010. 

(2) For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Airbus SAS—Airworthiness 

Office—EAL, 1 Rond Point Maurice Bellonte, 

31707 Blagnac Cedex, France; telephone +33 

5 61 93 36 96; fax +33 5 61 93 45 80; email 

airworthiness.A330-A340@airbus.com; 

Internet http://www.airbus.com. 

(3) You may review copies of the service 

information at the FAA, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, 

Washington. For information on the 

availability of this material at the FAA, call 

425–227–1221. 

(4) You may also review copies of the 

service information that is incorporated by 

reference at the National Archives and 

Records Administration (NARA). For 

information on the availability of this 

material at an NARA facility, call 202–741– 

6030, or go to http://www.archives.gov/ 

federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ 

ibr_locations.html. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on March 7, 

2012. 

Ali Bahrami, 

Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–6778 Filed 3–22–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2011–1176; Directorate 

Identifier 2011–NE–35–AD; Amendment 39– 

16995; AD 2012–06–14] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & 

Whitney (PW)Turbofan Engines 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for PW 

JT9D–7R4G2 and –7R4H1 turbofan 

engines. This AD was prompted by the 

determination that a new lower life 

limit for high-pressure turbine (HPT) 1st 

stage air seals, part number (P/N) 

735907, is necessary. This AD 

establishes a new lower life limit for 

HPT 1st stage air seals, P/N 735907, and 

requires removing them from service 

using a drawdown schedule. We are 

issuing this AD to prevent critical lifelimited rotating engine part failure and 

damage to the airplane. 

DATES: This AD is effective April 27, 

2012. 

ADDRESSES: You may review copies of 

the referenced 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; 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 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: Ian 

Dargin, Aerospace Engineer, Engine & 

Propeller Directorate, FAA, 12 New 

England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 

01803; phone: 781–238–7178; fax: 781– 

238–7199; email: ian.dargin@faa.gov. 

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 published in the Federal 

Register on November 23, 2011 (76 FR 

72348). That NPRM proposed to require 

establishing a new lower life limit for 

HPT 1st stage air seals, P/N 735907, 

from 15,000 cycles-since-new (CSN) to 

9,000 CSN and to require removing 

them from service using a drawdown 

schedule. 

Comments 

We gave the public the opportunity to 

participate in developing this AD. The 

following presents the comments 

received on the proposal and the FAA’s 

response to each comment. 

Support for the NPRM as Written 

The Boeing Company and an 

individual commenter support the 

NPRM (76 FR 72348, November 23, 

2011) as written. 

Request To Revise Applicability 

Commenter PW requested that we 

revise the applicability and summary 

sections of the AD to limit applicability 

to only the PW JT9D–7R4G2 and 

–7R4H1 turbofan engine models. We 

agree. In addition to the JT9D–7R4G2 

and –7R4H1 engines, the NPRM (76 FR 

72348, November 23, 2011) incorrectly 

included JT9D–7R4D, –7R4D1, –7R4E, 

–7R4E1 and –7R4E4 engine models. We 

changed the AD by limiting the 

applicability to only the PW JT9D– 

7R4G2 and –7R4H1 turbofan engine 

models. 

Request To Revise Removal Limits 

Commenter Federal Express requested 

that different removal (drawdown) 

limits be specified for the JT9D–7R4E1 

and –7R4E1H engine models, based on 

the life limits listed in chapter 05 of the 

PW engine manual. 

We do not agree. We removed the 

JT9D–7R4E1 and –7R4E1H engine 

models from this AD in response to 

another comment. Therefore, the JT9D– 

7R4E1 and –7R4E1H engine models are 

no longer affected by this AD. However, 

as these air seals are installed on other 

engine models, we modified the 

installation prohibition paragraph to 

indicate that an air seal removed in 

accordance with this AD cannot be 

installed in any other engine. Further, 

we noted that all air seals identified in 

this AD, when used on the JT9D–7R4E1 

and –7R4E1H engine models, have a 

9,000 CSN life limit. 

Conclusion 

We reviewed the relevant data, 

considered the comments received, and 

determined that air safety and the 

public interest require adopting the AD 

with the changes described previously. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this AD will affect 

28 Pratt & Whitney JT9D–7R4G2, and 

–7R4H1 turbofan engines installed on 

airplanes of U.S. registry. We also 

estimate that it will take 28.8 workhours per engine to perform the actions 

required by this AD, and that the 

average labor rate is $85 per work-hour. 


srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with RULES
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 57 / Friday, March 23, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 16917 

Required parts will cost about $37,200 

per engine. Based on these figures, we 

estimate the total cost of the AD to U.S. 

operators to be $1,110,144. 

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 

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), 

(3) Will not affect intrastate aviation 

in Alaska, 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 

■ 1. The authority citation for part 39 

continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701. 

§ 39.13 [Amended] 

■ 2. The FAA amends § 39.13 by adding 

the following new airworthiness 

directive (AD): 

2012–06–14 Pratt & Whitney: Amendment 

39–16995; Docket No. FAA–2011–1176; 

Directorate Identifier 2011–NE–35–AD. 

(a) Effective Date 

This AD is effective April 27, 2012. 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to Pratt & Whitney JT9D– 

7R4G2 and –7R4H1 turbofan engines. 

(d) Unsafe Condition 

This AD was prompted by the 

determination that a new lower life limit of 

9,000 cycles-since-new (CSN) for highpressure turbine (HPT) 1st stage air seals, 

part number (P/N) 735907, is necessary. We 

are issuing this AD to prevent critical lifelimited rotating engine part failure, and 

damage to the airplane. 

(e) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(f) Removal of HPT 1st Stage Air Seals, 

P/N 735907 

Remove HPT 1st stage air seals, P/N 

735907, from service as follows: 

(1) For air seals that have fewer than 6,500 

CSN on the effective date of this AD, remove 

the air seals from service before exceeding 

9,000 CSN. 

(2) For air seals that have 6,500 CSN or 

more on the effective date of this AD, do the 

following: 

(i) If the engine has a shop visit before the 

air seal exceeds 9,000 CSN, remove the air 

seal from service before exceeding 9,000 

CSN. 

(ii) If the engine does not have a shop visit 

before the air seal exceeds 9,000 CSN, 

remove the air seal from service at the next 

shop visit, not to exceed 2,500 cycles from 

the effective date of this AD or 15,000 CSN, 

whichever occurs first. 

(g) Installation Prohibition 

(1) After the effective date of this AD, do 

not install or reinstall into any engine any 

HPT 1st stage air seal, P/N 735907, removed 

from service in accordance with paragraph (f) 

of this AD. 

(2) After the effective date of this AD, do 

not install or reinstall into any JT9D–7R4G2 

or JT9D–7R4H1 engine any HPT 1st stage air 

seal, P/N 735907, that exceeds the new life 

limit of 9,000 CSN. 

(h) Engine Shop Visit Definition 

For the purposes of this AD, an engine 

shop visit is the induction of an engine into 

the shop after the effective date of this AD, 

where the separation of a major engine flange 

occurs, except that the following 

maintenance actions, or any combination 

thereof, are not considered engine shop 

visits: 

(1) Introduction of an engine into a shop 

solely for removal of the compressor top or 

bottom case for airfoil maintenance or 

variable stator vane bushing replacement. 

(2) Introduction of an engine into a shop 

solely for removal or replacement of the stage 

1 fan disk. 

(3) Introduction of an engine into a shop 

solely for replacement of the turbine rear 

frame. 

(4) Introduction of an engine into a shop 

solely for replacement of the accessory 

gearbox or transfer gearbox, or both. 

(5) Introduction of an engine into a shop 

solely for replacement of the fan containment 

case. 

(i) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

The Manager, Engine Certification Office, 

may approve AMOCs for this AD. Use the 

procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19 to make 

your request. 

(j) Related Information 

For more information about this AD, 

contact Ian Dargin, Aerospace Engineer, 

Engine & Propeller Directorate, FAA, 12 New 

England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 

01803; phone: 781–238–7178; fax: 781–238– 

7199; email: ian.dargin@faa.gov. 

(k) Material Incorporated by Reference 

None. 

Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on 

March 16, 2012. 

Peter A. White, 

Manager, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–6952 Filed 3–22–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2012–0288; Directorate 

Identifier 2012–NE–10–AD; Amendment 39– 

16998; AD 2012–06–17] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce 

Deutschland Ltd & Co KG Turbofan 

Engines 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule; request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 


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