Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 67 / Monday, April 9, 2007 / Rules and Regulations 17379 

TABLE 1.—REQUIRED MATERIAL

INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Airbus Service information Date 

All Operators Telex 

A300–54A6037.

February 19, 2004. 

All Operators Telex 

A310–54A2038.

February 19, 2004. 

Service Bulletin A300–

24–6097, including 

Appendix 01.

March 3, 2006. 

Service Bulletin A310–

24–2100, including 

Appendix 01.

March 3, 2006. 

You must use the service information 

identified in Table 2 of this AD to perform 

the optional terminating action, if 

accomplished, unless the AD specifies 

otherwise. 

TABLE 2.—OPTIONAL MATERIAL

INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Airbus Service information Date 

Service Bulletin A300–

54–6038.

May 12, 2006. 

Service Bulletin A310–

54–2039.

May 12, 2006. 

(1) The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference of 

the service information identified in Table 3 

of this AD in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) 

and 1 CFR part 51. 

TABLE 3.—NEW MATERIAL

INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Airbus Service Bulletin Date 

A300–24–6097, including Appendix 01.March 3, 2006. 

A300–54–6038 ............. May 12, 2006. 

A310–24–2100, including Appendix 01.March 3, 2006. 

A310–54–2039 ............. May 12, 2006. 

(2) On May 13, 2004 (69 FR 23090, April 

28, 2004), the Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference of 

Airbus All Operators Telex A310–54A2038, 

dated February 19, 2004; and Airbus All 

Operators Telex A300–54A6037, dated 

February 19, 2004. 

(3) Contact Airbus, 1 Rond Point Maurice 

Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac Cedex, France, for a 

copy of this service information. You may 

review copies at the FAA, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, 

Washington; or at the National Archives and 

Records Administration (NARA). For 

information on the availability of this 

material at NARA, call 202–741–6030, or go 

to: http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/ 

cfr/ibr-locations.html. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on March 

28, 2007. 

Ali Bahrami, 

Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. E7–6450 Filed 4–6–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2005–20944; Directorate 

Identifier 2003–NE–64–AD; Amendment 39–

15018; AD 2007–08–01] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; General 

Electric Company CT7–5, –7, and –9 

Series Turboprop Engines 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: The FAA is superseding an 

existing airworthiness directive (AD) for 

General Electric Company (GE) CT7–

5A2, –5A3, –7A, –7A1, –9B, –9B1, and 

–9B2, –9C, –9C3, –9D, and –9D2 

turboprop engines, with certain part 

number (P/N) and serial number stage 2 

turbine aft cooling plates installed. That 

AD currently requires a onetime eddy 

current inspection (ECI) of boltholes in 

certain P/N stage 2 turbine aft cooling 

plates. This AD expands the population 

of affected CT7 turboprop engine 

models, but reduces the number of 

cooling plates affected. It also requires 

a onetime ECI of boltholes in certain P/ 

N stage 2 turbine aft cooling plates with 

specific serial numbers. This AD results 

from the manufacturer expanding the 

list of affected engine models and 

identifying the affected stage 2 turbine 

aft cooling plates by serial number. We 

are issuing this AD to prevent 

separation of the stage 2 turbine aft 

cooling plate, resulting in uncontained 

engine failure and damage to the 

airplane. 

DATES: This AD becomes effective May 

14, 2007. The Director of the Federal 

Register approved the incorporation by 

reference of certain publications listed 

in the regulations as of May 14, 2007. 

ADDRESSES: You can get the service 

information identified in this AD from 

General Electric Aircraft Engines CT7 

Series Turboprop Engines, 1000 

Western Ave, Lynn, MA 01910; 

telephone (781) 594–3140, fax (781) 

594–4805. 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov or in 

Room PL–401 on the plaza level of the 

Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, 

SW., Washington, DC. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Mark Bouyer, Engine Certification 

Office, FAA, Engine and Propeller 

Directorate, 12 New England Executive 

Park, Burlington, MA 01803; telephone 

(781) 238–7755; fax (781) 238–7199. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA 

proposed to amend 14 CFR part 39 with 

a proposed AD. The proposed AD 

applies to GE CT7–5A2, –5A3, –7A, 

–7A1, –9B, –9B1, and –9B2 turboprop 

engines, with certain P/N and serial 

number stage 2 turbine aft cooling plates 

installed. We published the proposed 

AD in the Federal Register on March 31, 

2006 (71 FR 16248). That action 

proposed to expand the population of 

affected CT7 turboprop engine models 

required to undergo a onetime ECI of 

boltholes in certain P/N stage 2 turbine 

aft cooling plates. That action also 

proposed to reduce the number of 

cooling plates affected by identifying 

the serial numbers. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the docket that 

contains the AD, any comments 

received, and any final disposition in 

person at the Docket Management 

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

Monday through Friday, except Federal 

holidays. The Docket Office (telephone 

(800) 647–5227) is located on the plaza 

level of the Department of 

Transportation Nassif Building at the 

street address stated in ADDRESSES. 

Comments will be available in the AD 

docket shortly after the DMS receives 

them. 

Comments 

We provided the public the 

opportunity to participate in the 

development of this AD. We have 

considered the comments received. 

Clarification of ECI Requirements 

GE suggests that we clarify paragraph 

(f) of this AD to limit the required ECI 

to stage 2 turbine aft cooling plates that 

are being returned to service. This 

change would eliminate any 

requirement to ECI cooling plates that 

are not going to be reused. We agree. If 

the cooling plate is not going to be 

reused, there is no need to ECI it 

immediately after it is removed. 

Paragraph (h) of this AD requires an ECI 

of all cooling plates affected by this AD 

before they are returned to service. We 

made the clarification to paragraph (f). 


rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with RULES
17380 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 67 / Monday, April 9, 2007 / Rules and Regulations 

Clarification of Onetime Inspection 

GE proposes that we add a 

terminating action statement to clarify 

that the ECI is a onetime inspection and 

repetitive inspections of the stage 2 

turbine aft cooling plate is unnecessary. 

We do not agree. This information is 

already included in paragraph (f), which 

specifies that the inspection is a 

onetime ECI. We did not change the AD. 

Question on Compliance Threshold of 

6,000 Cycles-in-Service (CIS) 

GE also questions whether the 

calculated compliance threshold of 

6,000 CIS is viable given the amount of 

time required to publish the AD. We do 

not agree. The number of engine cycles 

that will accumulate during the AD 

review process will not change the 

safety assessment that is based on the 

calculated compliance time. We did not 

change the AD. 

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. We have determined that 

these changes will neither increase the 

economic burden on any operator nor 

increase the scope of the AD. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this AD will affect 

494 engines installed on airplanes of 

U.S. registry. We also estimate that it 

will take about 1 work-hour per engine 

to perform the actions, and that the 

average labor rate is $80 per work-hour. 

Based on the number of cracks found in 

the inspected engines, we estimate that 

2.5 percent of the 494 engines will 

require replacing stage 2 turbine aft 

cooling plates because of rejection by 

the onetime ECI. Required parts will 

cost about $17,000 per engine. Based on 

these figures, we estimate the total cost 

of the AD to U.S. operators to be 

$243,520. 

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 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, Incorporation by reference, 

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 

removing Amendment 39–14247 70 FR 

54835, September 19, 2005, and by 

adding a new airworthiness directive, 

Amendment 39–15018, to read as 

follows: 

2007–08–01 General Electric Company: 

Amendment 39–15018. Docket No. 

FAA–2005–20944; Directorate Identifier 

2003–NE–64–AD. 

Effective Date 

(a) This airworthiness directive (AD) 

becomes effective May 14, 2007. 

Affected ADs 

(b) This AD supersedes AD 2005–18–01, 

Amendment 39–14247. 

Applicability 

(c) This AD applies to General Electric 

Company (GE) CT7–5A2/–5A3/–7A/–7A1/–

9B/–9B1/–9B2/–9C/–9C3/–9D/–9D2 

turboprop engines with stage 2 turbine aft 

cooling plates, part number (P/N) 

6064T07P01, 6064T07P02, 6064T07P05, or 

6068T36P01 installed. These engines are 

installed on, but not limited to, 

Construcciones Aeronauticas, SA CN–235 

series and SAAB Aircraft AB SF340 series 

airplanes. 

Unsafe Condition 

(d) This AD results from the manufacturer 

expanding the list of affected engine models 

and identifying the affected stage 2 turbine 

aft cooling plates by serial number. We are 

issuing this AD to prevent separation of the 

stage 2 turbine aft cooling plate, resulting in 

uncontained engine failure and damage to 

the airplane. 

Compliance 

(e) You are responsible for having the 

actions required by this AD performed at the 

next engine or hot section module shop visit, 

but before accumulating an additional 6,000 

cycles-in-service after the effective date of the 

AD, unless already done. 

Onetime Eddy Current Inspection (ECI) 

(f) Perform a onetime ECI of the stage 2 

turbine aft cooling plates P/N 6064T07P01, 

6064T07P02, 6064T07P05, or 6068T36P01, 

that are listed by serial number in Section 4, 

Appendix A, of GE Alert Service Bulletin 

(ASB) No. CT7–TP S/B 72–A0464, Revision 

04, dated December 12, 2005, and that will 

be returned to service. Use 3.B.(1) through 

3.B.(3) of GE ASB No. CT7–TP S/B 72–

A0464, Revision 4, dated December 12, 2005 

to perform the inspection. 

(g) For stage 2 turbine aft cooling plates 

that do not pass the Return to Service 

Criteria, do either of the following: 

(1) Replace the stage 2 turbine aft cooling 

plate with a new cooling plate that has a 

serial number that is not listed in Section 4, 

Appendix A, of GE ASB No. CT7–TP S/B 72–

A0464, Revision 04, dated December 12, 

2005, or 

(2) Replace the stage 2 turbine aft cooling 

plate with a cooling plate that meets the 

acceptance criteria of 3.B.(1) through 3.B.(3) 

of GE ASB No. CT7–TP S/B 72–A0464, 

Revision 4, dated December 12, 2005. 

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

not install any stage 2 turbine aft cooling 

plates with serial numbers identified in 

Section 4, Appendix A, without inspecting 

the cooling plate as specified in 3.B.(1) 

through 3.B.(3) of GE ASB No. CT7–TP S/B 

72–A0464 Revision 04, December 12, 2005. 

Previous Credit 

(i) Eddy current inspections of the stage 2 

turbine aft cooling plate boltholes done 

before the effective date of this AD that use 

GE ASB No. CT7–TP S/B 72–A0464, dated 

February 25, 2003; or Revision 1, dated 

March 12, 2003; or Revision 2, dated May 9, 


rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with RULES
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 67 / Monday, April 9, 2007 / Rules and Regulations 17381 

2003; or Revision 3, dated July 23, 2004, 

comply with the requirements specified in 

this AD. 

Definition of Engine or Hot Section Module 

Shop Visit 

(j) For the purposes of this AD, an engine 

or hot section module shop visit is defined 

as the introduction of the engine or hot 

section module into a shop that includes 

separating major case flanges. 

Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(k) The Manager, Engine Certification 

Office, 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 

(l) Contact Mark Bouyer, Engine 

Certification Office, FAA, Engine and 

Propeller Directorate, 12 New England 

Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; email: mark.bouyer@faa.gov; telephone (781) 

238–7755; fax (781) 238–7199, for more 

information about this AD. 

Material Incorporated by Reference 

(m) You must use General Electric Alert 

Service Bulletin No. CT7–TP S/B 72–A0464, 

Revision 04, dated December 12, 2005, to 

perform the actions required by this AD. The 

Director of the Federal Register approved the 

incorporation by reference of this service 

bulletin in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) 

and 1 CFR part 51. Contact General Electric 

Aircraft Engines CT7 Series Turboprop 

Engines, 1000 Western Ave, Lynn, MA 

01910; telephone (781) 594–3140; fax (781) 

594–4805 for a copy of this service 

information. You may review copies at the 

FAA, New England Region, Office of the 

Regional Counsel, 12 New England Executive 

Park, Burlington, MA; or at the National 

Archives and Records Administration 

(NARA). For information on the availability 

of this material at NARA, call 202–741–6030, 

or go to: http://www.archives.gov/federalregister/cfr/ibr-locations.html. 

Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on 

April 2, 2007. 

Peter A. White, 

Acting Manager, Engine and Propeller 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. E7–6446 Filed 4–6–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Office of the Secretary 

14 CFR Part 331 

[Docket OST–2006–25906] 

RIN 2105–AD61 

Procedures for Reimbursement of 

General Aviation Operators and 

Service Providers in the Washington, 

DC Area 

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: This rule provides 

reimbursement to fixed-base general 

aviation operators and providers of 

general aviation ground support services 

at five metropolitan Washington, DC 

area airports, for the direct and 

incremental financial losses they 

incurred while the airports were closed 

due to Federal government actions taken 

after the terrorist attacks on September 

11, 2001. The airports are: Ronald 

Reagan Washington National Airport; 

College Park Airport in College Park, 

Maryland; Potomac Airfield in Fort 

Washington, Maryland; Washington 

Executive/Hyde Field in Clinton, 

Maryland; and Washington South 

Capitol Street Heliport in Washington, 

DC. 

DATES: This rule is effective May 9, 

2007. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Interested persons with questions about 

this regulation should contact James R. 

Dann, U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Office of General 

Counsel, 400 7th Street, SW., Room 

10102, Washington, DC 20590; 

telephone 202–366–9154. Interested 

persons with questions about how to 

apply for assistance, the status of 

application reviews, etc. should contact 

Tim Carmody, U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Office of Aviation 

Analysis, 400 7th Street, SW., Room 

6417, Washington, DC 20590; telephone 

202–366–2348. Application materials 

and data sources that may assist 

applicants in preparing applications are 

available at the Department of 

Transportation, Office of the Secretary’s 

Web site at http://ostpxweb.dot.gov/ 

aviation/index.html under ‘‘Programs,’’

and then ‘‘General Aviation Operator 

and Services Reimbursement: 

Procedures for Reimbursement of 

General Aviation Operators and Service 

Providers in the Washington, DC Area.’’

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Following 

the terrorist attacks on the United States 

on September 11, 2001, general aviation 

activity in the Washington, DC 

metropolitan area was suspended. Five 

airports were most affected: Ronald 

Reagan Washington National Airport 

(DCA); College Park Airport in College 

Park, Maryland; Potomac Airfield in 

Fort Washington, Maryland; 

Washington Executive/Hyde Field in 

Clinton, Maryland; and Washington 

South Capitol Street Heliport in 

Washington, DC. While DCA and the 

three Maryland airports have since been 

reopened to transient general aviation 

traffic, the volume of general aviation 

activity has not returned to 

pre-September 11, 2001 levels due to 

continuing security restrictions, and the 

South Capitol Street Heliport was not 

reopened to general aviation traffic and 

is now used exclusively by the 

Washington DC Metropolitan Police. 

Because of the reduction in general 

aviation activity at these locations, the 

fixed-base operators and service 

providers that supported general 

aviation were also affected, with many 

claiming that they were incurring 

sustained and significant financial 

losses due to the closures. 

These fixed-base operators and 

service providers were not eligible for 

either compensation or loan guarantees 

under the Air Transportation Safety and 

System Stabilization Act, Pub. L. 107–

42 (Sept. 22, 2001), which had been 

enacted to provide compensation to ‘‘air 

carriers’’ who had incurred financial 

losses due to the terrorist attacks. Under 

that program, approximately $4.6 billion 

has been paid to qualifying air carriers. 

In 2003, the United States House of 

Representatives Committee on 

Appropriations requested that the 

Department of Transportation (DOT) 

prepare a report detailing the 

documented financial losses by holders 

of real property leases at the five 

affected airports that were attributable 

to the Federal actions since September 

11, 2001. (House Report 108–243, July 

30, 2003, p. 8.) The Committee stated 

that such a report would assist the 

Congress in considering ‘‘potential 

federal reimbursement for a portion of 

these unusual financial losses.’’ In 

October 2005, the Secretary of 

Transportation submitted to the 

Committee the requested report, which 

was entitled: Estimated Financial Losses 

to Selected General Aviation Entities in 

the Washington, DC Area Final Report 

(October 2005 DOT study). A copy of 

this Report has been placed onto the 

Office of the Secretary’s Web site, at the 

address noted above. (See FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT). 

The October 2005 DOT study 

identified sixteen general aviation 

leaseholders at the five airports, and 

estimated the financial losses that each 

incurred during its study period (which 

ran from September 11, 2001 to January 

23, 2004) due to the Federal actions 

taken after the terrorist attacks. The 

estimates reflected the difference in net 

income stated on a pre-tax basis 

between what the companies projected 

for the study period and the actual pretax net income for that period, and 

included both losses in pre-tax net 

income and one-time costs attributable 

directly to compliance with new 

restrictions or regulations resulting from 

the terrorist attacks. In formulating its 


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