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contains regulatory documents having general

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are keyed to and codified in the Code of

Federal Regulations, which is published under

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Rules and Regulations Federal Register

77107 

Vol. 76, No. 238 

Monday, December 12, 2011 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2011–0731; Directorate 

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

16886; AD 2011–25–10] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & 

Whitney Corp. (PW) JT9D–7R4H1 

Turbofan Engines 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for all PW 

JT9D–7R4H1 turbofan engines. This AD 

was prompted by reports of cracks in 

five high-pressure compressor (HPC) 

shafts. This AD requires removing 

certain HPC shafts before their certified 

life limits and establishes a new, lower 

life-limit for these parts. We are issuing 

this AD to correct the unsafe condition 

on these products. 

DATES: This AD is effective January 17, 

2012. 

ADDRESSES: For service information 

identified in this AD, contact Pratt & 

Whitney, 400 Main St., East Hartford, 

CT 06108; phone: (860) 565–1605. You 

may review copies of the referenced 

service information at the FAA, Engine 

& Propeller Directorate, 12 New England 

Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803. 

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: 

Stephen K. Sheely, Aerospace Engineer, 

Engine Certification Office, FAA, 12 

New England Executive Park, 

Burlington, MA 01803; phone: (781) 

238–7750; fax: (781) 238–7199; email: 

stephen.k.sheely@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 July 13, 2011 (76 FR 41144). 

That NPRM proposed to require: 

• For HPC shafts that have more than 

4,500 cycles-since-new (CSN) on the 

effective date of this AD, removing the 

HPC shaft from service within 500 

cycles-in-service (CIS) after the effective 

date of this AD or at the next shop visit 

after the effective date of this AD, 

whichever occurs first. 

• For HPC shafts that have 4,500 or 

fewer CSN on the effective date of this 

AD, removing the HPC shaft from 

service before exceeding 5,000 CSN. 

Comments 

We gave the public the opportunity to 

participate in developing this AD. The 

following presents the comment 

received on the proposal and the FAA’s 

response to this comment. 

Request To Clarify Exemption for JT9D– 

7R4E1 and JT9D–7R4E1H Engine 

Models 

One commenter, FedEx Express, 

requested that the FAA clearly state the 

exemption of JT9D–7R4E1 and –7R4E1H 

engine models from this requirement. 

We partially agree. We do not agree 

that it is necessary to specifically 

exempt the JT9D–7R4E1 and –7R4E1H 

engine models because the Applicability 

paragraph clearly states that this AD 

applies only to the PW JT9D–7R4H1 

turbofan engine model. All other models 

(including the JT9D–7R4E1 and 

–7R4E1H models) are automatically 

excluded from the compliance 

requirements. However, we do agree 

that the installation prohibition 

statement could be misinterpreted to go 

beyond the scope of the AD 

applicability. Therefore, we revised this 

AD by adding ‘‘JT9D–7R4H1’’ to 

paragraph (i)(2). 

Conclusion 

We reviewed the relevant data, 

considered the comment received, and 

determined that air safety and the 

public interest require adopting the AD 

with the changes described previously 

and minor editorial changes. We have 

determined that these minor changes: 

• Are consistent with the intent that 

was proposed in the NPRM (76 FR 

41144, July 13, 2011) for correcting the 

unsafe condition; and 

• Do not add any additional burden 

upon the public than was already 

proposed in the NPRM (76 FR 41144, 

July 13, 2011). 

We also determined that these 

changes will not increase the economic 

burden on any operator or increase the 

scope of the AD. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this AD does not 

affect any engines installed on airplanes 

of U.S. registry. 

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. 

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77108 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 238 / Monday, December 12, 2011 / Rules and Regulations 

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): 

2011–25–10 Pratt & Whitney Corp: 

Amendment 39–16886; Docket No. 

FAA–2011–0731; Directorate Identifier 

2010–NE–39–AD. 

(a) Effective Date 

This AD is effective January 17, 2012. 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

Pratt & Whitney Corp (PW) JT9D–7R4H1 

turbofan engines with a high-pressure 

compressor (HPC) shaft, part number (P/N) 

808070 or 808071, installed. 

(d) Unsafe Condition 

This AD was prompted by reports of cracks 

in five HPC shafts. We are issuing this AD 

to correct the unsafe condition on these 

products. 

(e) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(f) Engines With an HPC Shaft, P/N 808071, 

That Has More Than 4,500 Cycles-SinceNew (CSN) 

For engines with an HPC shaft, P/N 

808071, that has more than 4,500 CSN on the 

effective date of this AD, remove the HPC 

shaft from service within 500 cycles-inservice (CIS) after the effective date of the AD 

or at piece-part exposure, whichever occurs 

first. 

(g) Engines With an HPC Shaft, P/N 808071, 

That Has 4,500 or Fewer CSN 

For engines with an HPC shaft, P/N 

808071, that has 4,500 or fewer CSN on the 

effective date of this AD, remove the HPC 

shaft from service before exceeding 5,000 

CSN. 

(h) Engines With an HPC Shaft, P/N 808070, 

Removal From Service 

For engines with an HPC shaft, P/N 

808070, remove the HPC shaft, P/N 808070, 

from service before exceeding 1,200 CSN. 

(i) Installation Prohibition 

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

not install or reinstall into any engine any 

HPC shaft removed in accordance with 

paragraphs (f), (g), or (h) of this AD. 

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

not install or reinstall into any JT9D–7R4H1 

engine: 

(i) Any HPC shaft, P/N 808071, that is at 

piece-part exposure and exceeds the new 

lower life limit of 5,000 CSN, or 

(ii) Any HPC shaft, P/N 808070, that is at 

piece-part exposure and exceeds the new 

lower life limit of 1,200 CSN. 

(j) 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. 

(k) Related Information 

For more information about this AD, 

contact Stephen K. Sheely, Aerospace 

Engineer, Engine Certification Office, FAA, 

12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, 

MA 01803; phone: (781) 238–7750; fax: (781) 

238–7199; email: stephen.k.sheely@faa.gov. 

(l) Material Incorporated by Reference 

None. 

Issued in Burlington, MA, on November 

29, 2011. 

Peter A. White, 

Manager, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–31342 Filed 12–9–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2010–0494; Directorate 

Identifier 2010–NE–20–AD; Amendment 39– 

16884; AD 2011–25–08] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; International 

Aero Engines Turbofan Engines 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for 

International Aero Engines (IAE) 

V2500–A1, V2522–A5, V2524–A5, 

V2525–D5, V2527–A5, V2527E–A5, 

V2527M–A5, V2528–D5, V2530–A5, 

and V2533–A5 turbofan engines. This 

AD was prompted by three reports of 

high-pressure turbine (HPT) case burnthrough events, numerous reports of 

loss of stage 1 blade outer air seal 

segments, and HPT case bulging. This 

AD requires initial and repetitive 360 

degree borescope inspections of HPT 

stage 1 blade outer air seal segments for 

evidence of certain distress conditions. 

This AD also requires incorporation of 

improved durability stage 1 blade outer 

air seal segments at the next exposure to 

the HPT module subassembly as 

terminating action to the repetitive 

inspections. We are issuing this AD to 

prevent HPT case burn-through, 

uncontrolled under-cowl engine fire, 

and damage to the airplane. 

DATES: This AD is effective January 17, 

2012. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of certain publications listed in the AD 

as of January 17, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: For service information 

identified in this AD, contact 

International Aero Engines AG, 628 

Hebron Avenue, Suite 400, Glastonbury, 

CT 06033; phone: (860) 368–3700; fax: 

(860) 368–4600; email: 

iaeinfo@iaev2500.com; Web site: 

https://www.iaeworld.com. You may 

review copies of the referenced service 

information at the FAA, Engine & 

Propeller Directorate, 12 New England 

Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803. 

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 

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