This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains notices to the public of the proposed

issuance of rules and regulations. The

purpose of these notices is to give interested

persons an opportunity to participate in the

rule making prior to the adoption of the final

rules.

Proposed Rules Federal Register

27281 

Vol. 76, No. 91 

Wednesday, May 11, 2011 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2011–0033; Directorate 

Identifier 2011–NE–01–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Dowty 

Propellers Type R212/4–30–4/22 and 

R251/4–30–4/49 Propeller Assemblies 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for the 

products listed above. This proposed 

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: 

Reports have been received from a small 

number of HS.748 operators of finding cracks 

in the propeller hub port buttress threads of 

R212 and R251 propellers. The affected hubs 

had accumulated in excess of 6,000 flight 

hours. This condition, if not detected and 

corrected, could lead to propeller blade 

separation, possibly resulting in damage to 

the aeroplane and/or injury to persons on the 

ground. 

We are proposing this AD to prevent 

propeller hub failure due to cracks in 

the hub, which could result in damage 

to the airplane. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by June 27, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by 

any of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov and follow 

the instructions for sending your 

comments electronically. 

• Mail: Docket Management Facility, 

U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue, SE., West Building 

Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 

Washington, DC 20590–0001. 

• Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail 

address above between 9 a.m. and 

5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

• Fax: (202) 493–2251. 

Contact Dowty Propellers, 114 Powers 

Court, Sterling, VA 20166, telephone 

(703) 421–4434; fax (703) 450–0087, for 

the service information identified in this 

proposed AD. 

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 proposed AD, the 

regulatory evaluation, any comments 

received, and other information. The 

street address for the Docket Operations 

office (phone (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: 

Michael Schwetz, Aerospace Engineer, 

Boston Aircraft Certification Office, 

FAA, Engine and Propeller Directorate, 

12 New England Executive Park, 

Burlington, MA 01803; e-mail: 

michael.schwetz@faa.gov; telephone 

(781) 238–7761; fax (781) 238–7170. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

We invite you to send any written 

relevant data, views, or arguments about 

this proposed AD. Send your comments 

to an address listed under the 

ADDRESSES section. Include ‘‘Docket No. 

FAA–2011–0033; Directorate Identifier 

2011–NE–01–AD’’ at the beginning of 

your comments. We specifically invite 

comments on the overall regulatory, 

economic, environmental, and energy 

aspects of this proposed AD. We will 

consider all comments received by the 

closing date and may amend this 

proposed AD based on 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 with FAA 

personnel concerning this proposed AD. 

Using the search function of the Web 

site, anyone can find and read the 

comments in any of our dockets, 

including, if provided, the name of the 

individual who sent the comment (or 

signed the comment on behalf of an 

association, business, labor union, etc.). 

You may review the DOT’s complete 

Privacy Act Statement in the Federal 

Register published on April 11, 2000 

(65 FR 19477–78). 

Discussion 

The European Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA), which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Community, has issued EASA 

Airworthiness Directive 2011–0012, 

dated January 20, 2011 (referred to after 

this as ‘‘the MCAI’’), to correct an unsafe 

condition for the specified products. 

The MCAI states: 

Reports have been received from a small 

number of HS.748 operators of finding cracks 

in the propeller hub port buttress threads of 

R212 and R251 propellers. The affected hubs 

had accumulated in excess of 6,000 flight 

hours. This condition, if not detected and 

corrected, could lead to propeller blade 

separation, possibly resulting in damage to 

the aeroplane and/or injury to persons on the 

ground. 

The cracks originating from the root of 

the buttress threads in the blade ports, 

are caused by high-cycle fatigue. You 

may obtain further information by 

examining the MCAI in the AD docket. 

Relevant Service Information 

Dowty Propellers has issued Alert 

Service Bulletin (ASB) No. 61–1043, 

Revision 6, dated January 5, 2011. The 

actions described in this service 

information are intended to correct the 

unsafe condition identified in the 

MCAI. 

FAA’s Determination and Requirements 

of This Proposed 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, EASA has notified us of the 

unsafe condition described in the MCAI 

and service information referenced 

above. We are proposing this AD 

because we evaluated all information 

provided by EASA and determined the 

unsafe condition exists and is likely to 

exist or develop in other products of the 

same type design. This proposed AD 

would require initial and repetitive 


emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with PROPOSALS
27282 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 91 / Wednesday, May 11, 2011 / Proposed Rules 

inspections of the buttress threads in the 

propeller hub ports for cracks. 

Costs of Compliance 

Based on the service information, we 

estimate that this proposed AD would 

affect about 2 propellers installed on 

one airplane of U.S. registry. We also 

estimate that it would take about 1 

work-hour per propeller to comply with 

this proposed AD. The average labor 

rate is $85 per work-hour. Required 

parts would cost about $20,000 per 

propeller. Based on these figures, we 

estimate the cost of the proposed AD on 

U.S. operators to be $40,170. 

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 proposed AD 

would not have federalism implications 

under Executive Order 13132. This 

proposed AD would 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 proposed regulation: 

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 proposed AD and placed it in the 

AD docket. 

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39 

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation 

safety, Incorporation by reference, 

Safety. 

The Proposed Amendment 

Accordingly, under the authority 

delegated to me by the Administrator, 

the FAA proposes to amend 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 AD: 

Dowty Propellers (formerly Dowty 

Aerospace; Dowty Rotol Limited; and 

Dowty Rotol): Docket No. FAA–2011– 

0033; Directorate Identifier 2011–NE– 

01–AD. 

Comments Due Date 

(a) We must receive comments by June 27, 

2011. 

Affected Airworthiness Directives (ADs) 

(b) None. 

Applicability 

(c) This AD applies to Dowty Propellers 

type R212/4–30–4/22 propeller assemblies 

with hub and driving center assembly part 

number (P/N) 601022105, 601022211, 

601022294, 601021426, 601021858, or 

601021859 installed, and type R251/4–30–4/ 

49 propeller assemblies with hub and driving 

center assembly P/N 660207202 or P/N 

660207203 installed. 

Reason 

(d) 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. We are 

issuing this AD to prevent propeller hub 

failure due to cracks in the hub, which could 

result in damage to the airplane. 

Actions and Compliance 

(e) Unless already done, do the following: 

(1) Within 500 flight hours after the 

effective date of this AD, and thereafter at 

intervals not exceeding 500 flight hours, 

inspect the buttress threads in the propeller 

hub and driving center assembly, for cracks. 

(2) Use paragraphs 2.A.(1) through 

2.A.(4)(a) of Accomplishment Instructions of 

Dowty Propellers Alert Service Bulletin No. 

61–1043, Revision 6, dated January 5, 2011, 

and NDT Technique NDT 175U (Appendix A 

of Dowty Propellers Alert Service Bulletin 

No. 61–1043, Revision 6, dated January 5, 

2011), to do the inspection. 

(3) If a crack is found, remove the propeller 

assembly from service before further flight. 

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

not install this propeller on any airplane 

unless the propeller hub and driving center 

has passed the inspections required by this 

AD. 

FAA AD Differences 

(f) This AD differs from the service 

information as follows: 

(1) Although the service bulletin tells you 

to return the affected parts to the 

manufacturer, this AD does not require that 

action. 

(2) Although the service bulletin tells you 

to submit information to the manufacturer, 

this AD does not require that action. 

Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(g) The Manager, Boston Aircraft 

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 MCAI European Aviation 

Safety Agency AD 2011–0012, dated January 

20, 2011, and Dowty Propellers Alert Service 

Bulletin No. 61–1043, Revision 6, dated 

January 5, 2011, for related information. 

Contact Dowty Propellers, 114 Powers Court, 

Sterling, VA 20166, telephone (703) 421– 

4434; fax (703) 450–0087, for a copy of this 

service information. 

(i) Contact Michael Schwetz, Aerospace 

Engineer, Boston Aircraft Certification Office, 

FAA, Engine and Propeller Directorate, 12 

New England Executive Park, Burlington, 

MA 01803; e-mail: michael.schwetz@faa.gov; 

telephone (781) 238–7761; fax (781) 238– 

7170, for more information about this AD. 

Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on 

April 28, 2011. 

Peter A. White, 

Acting Manager, Engine and Propeller 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–11480 Filed 5–10–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2011–0187; Directorate 

Identifier 2011–NE–07–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; General 

Electric Company CF34–10E2A1; 

CF34–10E5, CF34–10E5A1; CF34– 

10E6; CF34–10E6A1; CF34–10E7; and 

CF34–10E7–B Turbofan Engines 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for the 

products listed above with certain part 

number (P/N) fan rotor spinners 


emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with PROPOSALS