This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains regulatory documents having general

applicability and legal effect, most of which

are keyed to and codified in the Code of

Federal Regulations, which is published under

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REGISTER issue of each week.

Rules and Regulations Federal Register

62319 

Vol. 75, No. 195 

Friday, October 8, 2010 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2010–0514; Directorate 

Identifier 2010–NE–02–AD; Amendment 39– 

16477; AD 2010–21–17] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & 

Whitney JT8D–9, –9A, –11, –15, –17, 

and –17R Turbofan Engines 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for Pratt & 

Whitney (PW) JT8D–9, –9A, –11, –15, 

–17, and –17R turbofan engines. This 

AD requires overhauling fan blade 

leading edges at the first shop visit after 

4,000 cycles-in-service (CIS) since the 

last total fan blade overhaul was 

performed. This AD results from reports 

of failed fan blades. We are issuing this 

AD to prevent high-cycle fatigue 

cracking at the blade root, which could 

result in uncontained failures of first 

stage fan blades and damage to the 

airplane. 

DATES: This AD becomes effective 

November 12, 2010. 

ADDRESSES: You can get the service 

information identified in this AD from 

Pratt & Whitney, 400 Main St., East 

Hartford, CT 06108; telephone (860) 

565–7700; fax (860) 565–1605. 

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: 

James Gray, Aerospace Engineer, Engine 

Certification Office, FAA, Engine & 

Propeller Directorate, 12 New England 

Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; 

e-mail: james.e.gray@faa.gov; telephone 

(781) 238–7742; fax (781) 238–7199. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA 

proposed to amend 14 CFR part 39 with 

a proposed AD. The proposed AD 

applies to PW JT8D–9, –9A, –11, –15, 

–17, and –17R turbofan engines. We 

published the proposed AD in the 

Federal Register on May 19, 2010 (75 

FR 27972). That action proposed to 

require overhauling fan blade leading 

edges at the first shop visit after 4,000 

CIS since the last total fan blade 

overhaul was performed. 

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. 

Request To Extend the Proposed AD 

Comment Period 

Two commenters, Delta Airlines, Inc. 

and the National Transportation Safety 

Board, request that we extend the 

proposed AD comment period. The 

extension would allow time to 

determine the root cause of a fan blade 

failure on a Delta DC–9 airplane, 

occurring on June 14, 2010. 

We do not agree. Extending the 

comment period would delay the 

rulemaking process. The root cause 

investigation can continue after the AD 

is issued. We did not change the AD. 

Request for Clarification of Shop Visit 

Delta Airlines, Inc. requests 

clarification of the shop visit definition 

in paragraph (i) of the proposed AD. 

Specifically, clarify whether a gearbox 

removal or gearbox change would fit 

into the shop visit definition. Also, that 

we clarify that a nose cowl removal or 

a thrust reverser removal not be 

included in the shop visit definition. 

These actions involve components that 

mate to engine flanges. 

We partially agree. We revised the 

definition of shop visit in the AD to 

include a clarification of ‘‘lettered 

flanges’’ after ‘‘pairs of major mating 

engine flanges.’’ The procedures 

referenced by the commenter are shop 

visits according to the definition in 

paragraph (i) of the AD. Since the nose 

cowl and thrust reverser are not engine 

components, they would involve the 

separation of an engine flange with a 

non-engine flange. A gearbox removal 

would not involve a lettered flange. You 

can find further information on what is 

a lettered flange in the engine manual. 

Clarification Requirements 

Since we issued the proposed AD, we 

discovered that paragraphs (f) and (g) 

require clarification. We clarified those 

paragraphs in the AD, to state that the 

cycles-in-service apply to the fan blades. 

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 with the changes described 

previously. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this AD will affect 

1,527 engines installed on airplanes of 

U.S. registry. We also estimate that it 

will take about 63 work-hours per 

engine to perform the actions, and that 

the average labor rate is $85 per workhour. No additional parts are required. 

Based on these figures, we estimate the 

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

be $8,177,085. 

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 


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62320 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 195 / Friday, October 8, 2010 / Rules and Regulations 

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 

■ 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 

■ 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: 

2010–21–17 Pratt & Whitney: Amendment 

39–16477. Docket No. FAA–2010–0514; 

Directorate Identifier 2010–NE–02–AD. 

Effective Date 

(a) This airworthiness directive (AD) 

becomes effective November 12, 2010. 

Affected ADs 

(b) None. 

Applicability 

(c) This AD applies to Pratt & Whitney 

(PW) JT8D–9, –9A, –11, –15, –17, and –17R 

turbofan engines. These engines are installed 

on, but not limited to, Boeing 727 series, 

Boeing 737–200 series and McDonnell 

Douglas DC–9 airplanes. 

Unsafe Condition 

(d) This AD results from reports of failed 

fan blades. We are issuing this AD to prevent 

high-cycle fatigue cracking at the blade root, 

which could result in uncontained failures of 

first stage fan blades and damage to the 

airplane. 

Compliance 

(e) You are responsible for having the 

actions required by this AD performed within 

the compliance times specified, unless the 

actions have already been done. 

Initial Overhaul 

(f) For engines where the cycles-in-service 

(CIS) since the last overhaul of the fan blades 

are known, overhaul the total set of stage 1 

fan blades at the first shop visit after 4,000 

CIS since the last total stage 1 fan blade 

overhaul, or the next shop visit after the 

effective date of this AD, whichever occurs 

later. Guidance on performing a fan blade 

overhaul can be found in Pratt & Whitney 

JT8D Maintenance Advisory Notice No. 

MAN–JT8D–2–06, and the Engine Manual 

Chapter/Section 72–33–21, Inspection 00. 

(g) For engines where the CIS since the last 

overhaul of the fan blades are unknown, 

overhaul the total set of stage 1 fan blades at 

the next shop visit after the effective date of 

this AD. Guidance on performing a fan blade 

overhaul can be found in Pratt & Whitney 

JT8D Maintenance Advisory Notice No. 

MAN–JT8D–2–06, and the Engine Manual 

Chapter/Section 72–33–21, Inspection 00. 

Repetitive Overhaul 

(h) Thereafter, overhaul the total set of 

stage 1 fan blades at the first shop visit after 

4,000 CIS since the last total stage 1 fan blade 

overhaul. Guidance on performing a fan 

blade overhaul can be found in Pratt & 

Whitney JT8D Maintenance Advisory Notice 

No. MAN–JT8D–2–06, and the Engine 

Manual Chapter/Section 72–33–21, 

Inspection 00. 

Definitions 

(i) For the purpose of this AD, a shop visit 

is the induction of an engine into the shop 

for maintenance involving the separation of 

pairs of major mating engine flanges (lettered 

flanges), except that the separation of engine 

flanges solely for the purposes of transporting 

the engine without subsequent engine 

maintenance does not constitute an engine 

shop visit. 

Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(j) The Manager, Engine Certification 

Office, FAA, 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 

(k) Contact James Gray, Aerospace 

Engineer, Engine Certification Office, FAA, 

Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 New 

England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 

01803; e-mail: james.e.gray@faa.gov; 

telephone (781) 238–7742; fax (781) 238– 

7199, for more information about this AD. 

(l) Pratt & Whitney JT8D Maintenance 

Advisory Notice No. MAN–JT8D–2–06, dated 

November 20, 2006, pertains to the subject of 

this AD. Contact Pratt & Whitney, 400 Main 

St., East Hartford, CT 06108; telephone (860) 

565–7700; fax (860) 565–1605, for a copy of 

this service information. 

Material Incorporated by Reference 

(m) None. 

Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on 

October 1, 2010. 

Peter A. White, 

Assistant Manager, Engine and Propeller 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2010–25391 Filed 10–7–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 

SECURITY 

Coast Guard 

33 CFR Part 165 

[Docket No. USCG–2010–0917] 

RIN 1625–AA00 

Safety Zone; Fireworks for USS 

GRAVELY Commissioning Ceremony, 

Cape Fear River, Wilmington, NC 

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. 

ACTION: Temporary final rule. 

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is 

establishing a safety zone on the 

navigable waters of Cape Fear River in 

Wilmington, NC in support of the 

Fireworks for the USS GRAVELY 

Commissioning Ceremony. This action 

is necessary to protect the life and 

property of the maritime public and 

spectators from the hazards posed by 

aerial fireworks displays. Entry into or 

movement within this safety zone 

during the enforcement period is 

prohibited without approval of the 

Captain of the Port. 

DATES: This rule is effective from 9 p.m. 

to 10 p.m. November 19, 2010. 

ADDRESSES: Documents indicated in this 

preamble as being available in the 

docket are part of docket USCG–2010– 

0917 and are available online by going 

to http://www.regulations.gov, inserting 

USCG–2010–0917 in the ‘‘Keyword’’ 

box, and then clicking ‘‘Search.’’ They 

are also available for inspection or 

copying at the Docket Management 

Facility (M–30), U.S. Department of 

Transportation, West Building Ground 

Floor, Room W12–140, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, 

between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday 

through Friday, except Federal holidays. 


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