DEPARTMENTOFTRANSPORTATIONFederalAviationAdministration14CFRPart39[DocketNo.FAA-2015-3713;DirectorateIdentifier2015-NE-23-AD]RIN2120-AA64AinvorthinessDirectives;EngineAllianceTurbofanEnginesAGENCY:FederalAviationAdministration(FAA),DOT.ACTION:Noticeofproposedrulemaking(NPRM).[4910-13-P]SUMMARY:Weproposetoadoptanewairworthinessdirective(AD)forcertainEngineAlliance(EA)GP7270turbofanengines.ThisproposedADwaspromptedbyreportsoftheinstallationofnon-conforminghoneycombsealsinthehigh-pressurecompressor(HPC)adjacenttotheHPCrotorstage2to5spoolandstage7to9spool.ThisproposedADwouldrequireremovalandreplacementoftheaffectedHPCrotorstage2to5andstage7to9spools.WeareproposingthisADtopreventfailureoftheHPCrotorstage2to5andstage7to9spools, whichcouldleadtouncontainedenginefailureanddamagetotheairplane.DATES:WemustreceivecommentsonthisproposedADby[INSERTDATE60DAYSAFTERDATEOFPUBLICATIONINTHEFederalRegister].ADDRESSES:Youmaysendcomments,usingtheproceduresfoundin14CFR11.43and11.45,byanyofthefollowingmethods:•FederaleRulemakingPortal:Gotohttp://www.regulations.gov.Followtheinstructionsforsubmittingcomments.•Fax:202-493-2251.•Mail:U.S.DepartmentofTransportation,DocketOperations,M-30,WestBuildingGroundFloor,RoomW12-140,1200NewJerseyAvenueSE.,Washington,DC20590.•HandDelivery:DelivertoMailaddressabovebetween9a.m.and5p.m.,MondaythroughFriday,exceptFederalholidays.ForserviceinformationidentifiedinthisproposedAD,contactEngineAlliance,400MainSt.,EastHartford,CT06108,MIS169-10,phone:800-565-0140;email:help24@pw.utc.com;website:www.engineallianceportal.com.YoumayviewthisserviceinformationattheFAA,Engine&PropellerDirectorate,12NewEnglandExecutivePark,Burlington,MA.ForinformationontheavailabilityofthismaterialattheFAA,call781-238-7125.ExaminingtheADDocketYoumayexaminetheADdocketontheInternetathttp://www.regulations.govbysearchingforandlocatingDocketNo.FAA-2015-3713;orinpersonattheDocketManagementFacilitybetween9a.m.and5p.m.,MondaythroughFriday,exceptFederalholidays.TheADdocketcontainsthisproposedAD,theregulatoryevaluation,anycommentsreceived,andotherinformation.ThestreetaddressfortheDocketOffice(phone:800-647-5527)isintheADDRESSESsection.CommentswillbeavailableintheADdocketshortlyafterreceipt.FORFURTHERINFORMATIONCONTACT:MartinAdler,AerospaceEngineer,Engine&PropellerDirectorate,FAA,12NewEnglandExecutivePark,Burlington,MA01803;phone:781-238-7157;fax:781-238-7199;email:martin.adler@faa.gov.SUPPLEMENTARYINFORMATION:CommentsInvitedWeinviteyoutosendanywrittenrelevantdata,views,orargumentsaboutthisproposal.SendyourcommentstoanaddresslistedundertheADDRESSESsection.Include"DocketNo.FAA-2015-3713;DirectorateIdentifier2015-NE-23-AD"atthebeginningofyourcomments.Wespecificallyinvitecommentsontheoverallregulatory,economic,environmental,andenergyaspectsofthisproposedAD.Wewillconsiderall2commentsreceivedbytheclosingdateandmayamendthisproposedADbecauseofthosecomments.Wewillpostallcommentswereceive,withoutchange,tohttp://www.regulations.gov,includinganypersonalinformationyouprovide.WewillalsopostareportsummarizingeachsubstantiveverbalcontactwereceiveaboutthisproposedAD.DiscussionWeleamedfromthemanufacturerthatnon-conforminghoneycombsealswereinstalledintheaffectedHPCsadjacenttotheHPCrotorstage2to5spoolsandstage7to9spools.ThehoneycombsealsintheHPCweremachinedtoanincorrectradialheightwhichresultedinreducedclearancesbetweenthehoneycombandtherotatingspools.Thiserrorcouldleadtocracksonthespoolspriortoreachingtheirfulllife.Thiscondition,ifnotcorrected,couldresultinfailureoftheHPCrotorstage2to5andstage7to9spools,whichcouldleadtouncontainedenginefailure,anddamagetotheairplane.RelevantServiceInformationunder1CFRPart51EngineAlliancehasissuedEAServiceBulletin(SB)No.EAGP7-72-327,datedJuly21,2015;andSBNo.EAGP7-72-328,datedJuly21,2015.TheSBsdescribeproceduresforremovalandreplacementofHPCrotorstage2to5spoolsandHPCrotorstage7to9spools,respectively.ThisserviceinformationisreasonablyavailablebecausetheinterestedpartieshaveaccesstoitthroughtheirnormalcourseofbusinessorbythemeansidentifiedintheADDRESSESsectionofthisdocument.FAA'sDeterminationWeareproposingthisADbecauseweevaluatedalltherelevantinfonnationanddeterminedtheunsafeconditiondescribedpreviouslyislikelytoexistordevelopinotherproductsofthesametypedesign.3ProposedADRequirementsThisproposedADwouldrequireremovalandreplacementoftheaffectedHPCrotorstage2to5andstage7to9spools.CostsofComplianceWeestimatethatthisproposedADaffectszeroenginesinstalledonairplanesofU.S.registry.Theaveragelaborrateis$85perhour.Basedonthesefigures,weestimatethecostofthisproposedADonU.S.operatorstobe$0.AuthorityforthisRulemakingTitle49oftheUnitedStatesCodespecifiestheFAA'sauthoritytoissuerulesonaviationsafety.SubtitleI,section106,describestheauthorityoftheFAAAdministrator.SubtitleVII:AviationPrograms,describesinmoredetailthescopeoftheAgency'sauthority.WeareissuingthisrulemakingundertheauthoritydescribedinSubtitleVII,PartA,SubpartIll,Section44701:"Generalrequirements."Underthatsection,CongresschargestheFAAwithpromotingsafeflightofcivilaircraftinaircommercebyprescribingregulationsforpractices,methods, andprocedurestheAdministratorfindsnecessaryforsafetyinaircommerce.Thisregulationiswithinthescopeofthatauthoritybecauseitaddressesanunsafeconditionthatislikelytoexistordeveloponproductsidentifiedinthisrulemakingaction.RegulatoryFindingsWedeterminedthatthisproposedADwouldnothavefederalismimplicationsunderExecutiveOrder13132.ThisproposedADwouldnothaveasubstantialdirecteffectontheStates,ontherelationshipbetweenthenationalGovernmentandtheStates,oronthedistributionofpowerandresponsibilitiesamongthevariouslevelsofgovernment.Forthereasonsdiscussedabove,Icertifythisproposedregulation:4(1)Isnota"significantregulatoryaction"underExecutiveOrder12866,(2)Isnota"significantrule"undertheDOTRegulatoryPoliciesandProcedures(44FR11034,February26,1979),(3)WillnotaffectintrastateaviationinAlaskatotheextentthatitjustifiesmakingaregulatorydistinction,and(4)Willnothaveasignificanteconomicimpact,positiveornegative,onasubstantialnumberofsmallentitiesunderthecriteriaoftheRegulatoryFlexibilityAct.ListofSubjectsin14CFRPart39Airtransportation,Aircraft,Aviationsafety,Incorporationbyreference,Safety.TheProposedAmendmentAccordingly,undertheauthoritydelegatedtomebytheAdministrator,theFAAproposestoamend14CFRpart39asfollows:PART39-AIRWORTHINESSDIRECTIVES1.Theauthoritycitationforpart39continuestoreadasfollows:Authority:49U.S.C.106(g),40113,44701.§39.13[Amended]2.TheFAAamends§39.13byaddingthefollowingnewairworthinessdirective(AD):EngineAlliance:DocketNo.FAA-2015-3713;DirectorateIdentifier2015-NE-23-AD.(a)CommentsDueDateWemustreceivecommentsby[INSERTDATE60DAYSAFTERDATEOFPUBLICATIONINTHEFederalRegister].(b)AffectedADsNone.5(c)ApplicabilityThisADappliestoEngineAlliance(EA)GP7270turbofanengineswithoneorbothofthefollowinginstalled:(1)ahigh-pressurecompressor(HPC)rotorstage2to5spool,partnumber(PIN)382-104-807-0,withaserialnumber(SIN)listedinEAServiceBulletin(SB)No.EAGP7-72-327,datedJuly21,2015;or(2)anHPCrotorstage7to9spool,PIN2031M90G04,2031M90G05,or2031M90G07,withanSINlistedinEASBNo.EAGP7-72-328,datedJuly21,2015.(d)UnsafeConditionThisADwaspromptedbyreportsoftheinstallationofnon-conforminghoneycombsealsintheHPCadjacenttotheHPCrotorstage2to5spoolandstage7to9spool.WeareissuingthisADtopreventfailureoftheHPCrotorstage2to5spoolsandstage7to9spools,whichcouldleadtouncontainedenginefailureanddamagetotheairplane.(e)ComplianceComplywiththisADwithinthecompliancetimesspecified,unlessalreadydone.Within30daysaftertheeffectivedateofthisADorbeforeaccumulating2,100enginecyclessincethelastdisassemblyofthecompressormoduleoftheengine,whicheveroccurslater:(1)ForengineswithanHPCrotorstage2to5spool,PIN382-104-807-0,installedwithaSINlistedinEASBNo.EAGP7-72-327,datedJuly21,2015,dothefollowing:(i)RemovetheHPCrotorstage2to5spoolfromserviceandreplacewithaparteligibleforinstallation.(ii)RemoveandreplacethehoneycombsealsontheHPCstage5vanes.6

# (2)

For engines

with

an HPC

rotor

stage

7

to

9 spool,



# P IN 2031M90G04, 2031M90G05, or2031M90G07

installed

with

an SIN listed

in EA

SB No. EAG P7-72- 328, dated

July

21, 2015,

do the following: (i) Remove

the HPC

rotor

stage

7

to

9 spool

from service

and replace

with

a part eligible

for installation. (ii) Remove

and replace

the honeycomb

seals

on

the HPC

stage

6, stage

7, and s tage

8 vanes. 

# (f) 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.

You

may email

your request to: ANE-AD-AMOC@faa.gov. (g)



# R

e lated Information (1) For more information

about

this

AD, contact

Martin

Adler, Aerospace Engineer,

E ngine

& 

# Propeller Directorate

, FAA,

1 2 New England Executive

Park, Burlington

, MA 01803;

phone: 781-238-7157;

fax: 781-238-7199;

email: martin.adler

@faa.gov. (2)

EA

SBs

No. EAGP7-72-327,

dated

July

21, 2015;

and

No. EAGP7-72-328, dated

July

21, 2015

can

be obtained

from

EA using

th

e contact information

in paragraph (g)(3)

of this proposed

AD. (3)

For service information

identified

in

thi

s AD, contact

Engine Alliance,

400 Main

St., East Hartford

, CT

061

08,

M

/ S 169-10,

phone: 800-565-0

140;

ema

il: help24

@ pw.utc.com;

website: www.engineallianceportal.com. ( 4) You

may view

this 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. 

# 7I ssued

in Burlington

, Massachusetts,

on October

16, 2015. Colleen

M.

D' Alessandro, Directorate

Manager,

Engine

& Propeller Directorate, A

i rcraft

Ce

r tification

Service.

8