DEPARTMENTOFTRANSPORTATIONFederalAviationAdministration14CFRPart39!DocketNo.FAA-2015-4023;DirectorateIdentifier2015-NE-29-AD]RIN2120-AA64AirworthinessDirectives;GeneralElectricCompanyTurbofanEnginesAGENCY:FederalAviationAdministration(FAA),DOT.ACTION:Noticeofproposedrulemaking(NPRM).[4910-13-PJSUMMARY:Weproposetoadoptanewairworthinessdirective(AD)forallGeneralElectricCompany(GE)CF6-80Elturbofanengineswithrotatingcompressordischargepressure(CDP)seal,partnumber(PIN)1669M73P02,installed.ThisproposedADwaspromptedbyreportsfromthemanufacturerofcracksintheteethoftworotatingCDPsealsfoundduringengineshopvisits.ThisproposedADwouldrequirestrippingofthecoating,inspecting,andrecoatingtheteethoftheaffectedrotatingCDPseals.WeareproposingthisADtopreventcrackingoftheCDPsealteeth,whichcanleadtouncontainedpartrelease,damagetotheengine,anddamagetotheairplane.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,RoomWl2-140,1200NewJerseyAvenueSE.,Washington,DC20590.•HandDelivery:DelivertoMailaddressabovebetween9a.m.and5p.m.,MondaythroughFriday,exceptFederalholidays.ForserviceinformationidentifiedinthisproposedAD,contactGeneralElectricCompany,GEAviation,Room285,1NeumannWay,Cincinnati,OH45215;phone:513-552-3272; email:aviation.fleetsupport@ge.com.YoumayviewthisserviceinformationattheFAA,Engine&PropellerDirectorate,12NewEnglandExecutivePark,Burlington,MA.ForinformationontheavailabilityofthismaterialattheFAA,call781-238-7125.ExaminingtbeADDocketYoumayexaminetheADdocketontheInternetathttp://www.regulations.govbysearchingforandlocatingDocketNo.FAA-2015-4023;orinpersonattheDocketManagementFacilitybetween9a.m.and5p.m.,MondaythroughFriday,exceptFederalholidays.TheADdocketcontainsthisproposedAD,theregulatoryevaluation,anycommentsreceived,andotherinformation.ThestreetaddressfortheDocketOffice(phone:800-647-5527)isintheADDRESSESsection.CommentswillbeavailableintheADdocketshortlyafterreceipt.FORFURTHERINFORMATIONCONTACT:HermanMak,AerospaceEngineer,EngineCertificationOffice,FAA,Engine&PropellerDirectorate,12NewEnglandExecutivePark,Burlington,MA01803;phone:781-238-7147;fax:781-238-7199;email:herman.mak@faa.gov.SUPPLEMENTARYINFORMATION:CommentsInvitedWeinviteyoutosendanywrittenrelevantdata,views,orargumentsaboutthisproposal.SendyourcommentstoanaddresslistedundertheADDRESSESsection.Include"DocketNo.FAA-2015-4023;DirectorateIdentifier2015-NE-29-AD"atthebeginningofyourcomments.Wespecificallyinvitecommentsontheoverallregulatory,2economic,environmental,andenergyaspectsofthisproposedAD.WewillconsiderallcommentsreceivedbytheclosingdateandmayamendthisproposedADbecauseofthosecomments.Wewillpostallcommentswereceive,withoutchange,tohttp://www.regulations.gov,includinganypersonalinformationyouprovide.WewillalsopostareportsummarizingeachsubstantiveverbalcontactwereceiveaboutthisproposedAD.DiscussionWereceivedreportsfromGEofcracksintheteethontworotatingCOPsealsfoundduringengineshopvisits.WelearnedthattheCUITentborazon-nickelsealtoothcoatingoxidizesduringengineoperation,whichcouldleadtoreducedcuttingaction,overheatingofthesealteeth,andprematurecrackingofthesealteeth.Thiscondition,ifnotcorrected,couldresultincrackingoftheCOPsealteeth,uncontainedpartrelease,damagetotheengine,anddamagetotheairplane.RelevantServiceInformationunder1CFRPart51WereviewedGEServiceBulletin(SB)No.CF6-80E1SIB72-0529,Revision1,datedAugust21,2015.TheSBdescribesproceduresforstripping,inspecting,andreplacingthesealtoothcoatingontheaffectedrotatingCOPseals.Thisserviceinformationisreasonablyavailablebecausetheinterestedpartieshaveaccesstoitthroughtheirnom1alcourseofbusinessorbythemeansidentifiedintheADDRESSESsectionofthisdocument.OtherRelatedServiceInformationWereviewedGECF6-80El(GEK99376)EngineManual,Revision42,datedMarch15,2014.Theenginemanualdescribesacceptablerepairproceduresforthesealteeth.3FAA'sDeterminationWeareproposingthisADbecauseweevaluatedalltherelevantinformationanddeterminedtheunsafeconditiondescribedpreviouslyislikelytoexistordevelopinotherproductsofthesametypedesign.ProposedADRequirementsThisproposedADwouldrequirestripping,inspecting,andrecoatingtheteethontheaffectedCDPseals.CostsofComplianceWeestimate thatthisproposedADwillaffect6enginesinstalledonairplanesofU.S.registry.Wealsoestimatethatitwilltakeabout7hoursperenginetocomplywiththisproposedAD.Theaveragelaborrateis$85perhour.Partswouldcostabout$7,835perengine.Basedonthesefigures,weestimatethetotalcostofthisproposedADtoU.S.operatorstobe$50,657.AuthorityforthisRulemakingTitle49oftheUnitedStatesCodespecifiestheFAA'sauthoritytoissuerulesonaviationsafety.Subtitle1,sectionI06,describestheauthorityoftheFAAAdministrator.SubtitleVII:AviationPrograms,describesinmoredetailthescopeoftheAgency'sauthority.WeareissuingthisrulemakingundertheauthoritydescribedinSubtitleVII,PartA,Subpartlll,Section44701:"Generalrequirements."Underthatsection,CongresschargestheFAAwithpromotingsafeflightofcivilaircraftinaircommercebyprescribingregulationsforpractices,methods,andprocedurestheAdministratorfindsnecessaryforsafetyinaircommerce.Tllisregulationiswithinthescopeofthatauthoritybecauseitaddressesanunsafeconditionthatislikelytoexistordeveloponproductsidentifiedinthisrulemakingaction.4RegulatoryFindingsWedeterminedthatthisproposedADwouldnothavefederalismimplicationsunderExecutiveOrder13132.ThisproposedADwouldnothaveasubstantialdirecteffectontheStates,ontherelationshipbetweenthenationalGovernmentandtheStates,oronthedistributionofpowerandresponsibilitiesamongthevariouslevelsofgovernment.Forthereasonsdiscussedabove,Icertifythisproposedregulation:(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):5GeneralElectricCompany:DocketNo.FAA-2015-4023;DirectorateIdentifier2015-NE-29-AD.(a)CommentsDueDateWemustreceivecommentsby(lNSERTDATE60DAYSAFTERDATEOFPUBLICATIONINTHEFederalRegister].(b)AffectedADsNone.(c)ApplicabilityThisADappliestoallGeneralElectricCompany(GE)CF6-80Elturbofanengineswithrotatingcompressordischargepressure(CDP)seals,partnumber(PIN)1669M73P02,installed.(d)UnsafeConditionThisADwaspromptedbyreportsfromthemanufacturerofcracksintheteethoftworotatingCDPsealsfoundduringengineshopvisits.WeareissuingthisADtopreventcrackingoftheCDPsealteeth,whichcanleadtouncontainedpartrelease,damagetotheengine,anddamagetotheairplane.(e)Compliance(I)ComplywiththisADwithinthecompliancetimesspecified,unlessalreadydone.(2)AftertheeffectivedateofthisAD,stripcoating,inspect,andrecoattheteethoftherotatingCOPseal,PIN1669M73P02,inaccordancewithparagraph3.C.(2)ofGEServiceBulletin(SB)No.CF6-80E1S/B72-0529,Revision1,datedAugust21,2015,asfollows:(i)ForenginesthathavehadstationaryCOPseal,PIN1347M28002,repairedorreplaced,stripcoating,inspect,andrecoattherotatingCOPsealatthenextengineshopvisit.6(ii)ForenginesthathavenothadstationaryCDPseal,PIN1347M28G02,repairedorreplaced,stripcoating,inspect,andrecoattherotatingCDPsealatthenextpartexposure.(t)Definitions(1)ForthepurposeofthisAD,partexposureisdefinedasremovalofthecompressorrearframefromthehigh-pressurecompressormodule.(2)ForthepurposeofthisAD,anengineshopvisitisdefinedastheinductionofanengineintotheshopformaintenanceinvolvingtheseparationofpairsofmajormatingengineflanges,exceptthattheseparationofengineflangessolelyforthepurposesoftransportationwithoutsubsequentenginemaintenancedoesnotconstituteanengineshopvisit.(g)CreditforPreviousActionTfyoustripped,inspected,andrecoatedtheCDPseal,PIN1669M73P02,usingtheproceduresinESM72-31-10,REPAIR002oftheGECF6-80El(GEK99376)EngineManual,Revision42,datedMarch15,2014,orearlierversions,thenyoumettherequirementsofthisAD.(h)AlternativeMethodsofCompliance(AMOCs)TheManager,EngineCertificationOffice,FAA,mayapproveAMOCstothisAD.Usetheproceduresfoundin14CFR39.19tomakeyourrequest.Youmayemailyourrequestto:ANE-AD-AMOC@faa.gov.(i)RelatedInformation(1)FormoreinfonnationaboutthisAD,contactHennanMak,AerospaceEngineer,EngineCertificationOffice,FAA,Engine&PropellerDirectorate,12NewEnglandExecutivePark,Burlington,MA01803;phone:781-238-7147;fax:781-238-7199;email:herman.mak@faa.gov.7(2)GESBNo.CF6-80ElS/B72-0529,Revision1,datedAugust21,2015canbeobtainedfromGEusingthecontactinformationinparagraph(i)(3)ofthisproposedAD.(3)ForserviceinformationidentifiedinthisproposedAD,contactGeneralElectricCompany,GEAviation,Room285,INeumannWay,Cincinnati,OH45215;phone:513-552-3272;email:aviation.fleetsupport@ge.com.(4)YoumayviewthisserviceinformationattheFAA,Engine&PropellerDirectorate,12NewEnglandExecutivePark,Burlington,MA.ForinformationontheavailabilityofthismaterialattheFAA,call781-238-7125.IssuedinBurlington,Massachusetts,onNovember4,2015.CarlosA.Pestana,ActingDirectorateManager,Engine&PropellerDirectorate,AircraftCertificationService.8