Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 202 / Monday, October 20, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 54373

To prevent fatigue cracking in the area of

the center wing-to-fuselage attachment

fitting, which consequently could reduce the

structural integrity of this area, accomplish

the following:

(a) For non-military airplanes: Prior to the

accumulation of 17,000 total landings,

accomplish the actions specified in

paragraphs (a)(1), (a)(2), and (a)(3) of this AD:

(1) Remove all parts and other items in the

area of the center wing-to-fuselage

attachment fitting, in accordance with

Paragraph 2.B. (‘‘Removal’’) of the

Accomplishment Instructions of CASA

Service Bulletin SB–235–53–20, Revision 2,

dated June 9, 1994.

(2) After all parts and other items have

been removed in accordance with paragraph

(a)(1) of this AD, conduct a visual inspection,

using a magnifier of at least 10x magnitude,

to detect fatigue cracking in this area (ref:

Figure 1, Sheet 1, of the service bulletin). If

any cracking is detected, prior to further

flight and prior to installing the reinforcing

plate in accordance with paragraph (a)(3) of

this AD, repair in a manner approved by the

Manager, Standardization Branch, ANM–113,

FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate.

(3) Install a reinforcing plate having CASA

part number (P/N) 35–25010–0101 in the

attachment area of the center wing-tofuselage attachment fitting, in accordance

with the service bulletin.

(b) For military airplanes: Prior to the

accumulation of 15,000 total landings,

accomplish the actions specified in

paragraphs (b)(1), (b)(2), and (b)(3) of this AD:

(1) Remove all parts and other items in the

area of the center wing-to-fuselage

attachment fitting, in accordance with

Paragraph 2.B. (‘‘Removal’’) of the

Accomplishment Instructions of CASA

Service Bulletin SB–235–53–20M, Revision

1, dated November 27, 1995.

(2) After all parts and other items have

been removed in accordance with paragraph

(b)(1) of this AD, conduct a visual inspection,

using a magnifier of at least 10x magnitude,

to detect fatigue cracking in this area (ref:

Figure 1, Sheet 1, of the service bulletin). If

any cracking is detected, prior to further

flight and prior to installing the reinforcing

plate in accordance with paragraph (b)(3) of

this AD, repair in a manner approved by the

Manager, Standardization Branch, ANM–113,

FAA.

(3) Install a reinforcing plate having CASA

part number (P/N) 35–25010–0101 in the

attachment area of the center wing-tofuselage attachment fitting, in accordance

with the service bulletin.

(c) An alternative method of compliance or

adjustment of the compliance time that

provides an acceptable level of safety may be

used if approved by the Manager,

Standardization Branch, ANM–113.

Operators shall submit their requests through

an appropriate FAA Principal Maintenance

Inspector, who may add comments and then

send it to the Manager, Standardization

Branch, ANM–113.

Note 2: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this AD, if any, may be

obtained from the Standardization Branch,

ANM–113.

(d) Special flight permits may be issued in

accordance with sections 21.197 and 21.199

of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR

21.197 and 21.199) to operate the airplane to

a location where the requirements of this AD

can be accomplished.

(e) Certain actions shall be done in

accordance with CASA Service Bulletin SB–

235–53–20M, Revision 1, dated November

27, 1995 (for military airplanes); and CASA

Service Bulletin SB–235–53–20, Revision 2,

dated June 9, 1994 (for non-military

airplanes), which contains the following list

of effective pages:

Page No.

Revision

level shown

on page

Date shown on

page

1 ................ 1 ................ April 13, 1994.

2 ................ 2 ................ June 9, 1994.

3–11 .......... Original ...... July 29, 1993.

This incorporation by reference was

approved by the Director of the Federal

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

and 1 CFR part 51. Copies may be obtained

from Construcciones Aeronauticas, S.A.,

Getafe, Madrid, Spain. Copies may be

inspected at the FAA, Transport Airplane

Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton,

Washington; or at the Office of the Federal

Register, 800 North Capitol Street, NW., suite

700, Washington, DC.

Note 3: The subject of this AD is addressed

in Spanish airworthiness directive 03/94,

dated August 1994.

(f) This amendment becomes effective on

November 24, 1997.

Issued in Renton, Washington, on October

9, 1997.

James V. Devany,

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 97–27354 Filed 10–17–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 97–ANE–18–AD; Amendment

39–10161; AD 97–21–08]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; General

Electric Company CT58 Series

Turboshaft Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a

new airworthiness directive (AD),

applicable to General Electric Company

CT58 series turboshaft engines, that

requires removal from service of certain

stage 1 and 2 forward cooling plates,

and stage 2 aft cooling plates, and

replacement with serviceable parts. This

amendment is prompted by reports of

certain cooling plates forged with

contaminated alloy that could reduce

the lives of the parts. The actions

specified by this AD are intended to

prevent cooling plate fracture, which

could result in a contained engine

failure, and an inflight engine

shutdown.

DATES: Effective December 19, 1997.

The incorporation by reference of

certain publications listed in the

regulations is approved by the Director

of the Federal Register as of December

19, 1997.

ADDRESSES: The service information

referenced in this AD may be obtained

from General Electric Company (GE),

1000 Western Ave., Lynn, MA 01909;

telephone (781) 594–9894, fax (781)

594–1527. This information may be

examined at the Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), New England

Region, Office of the Assistant Chief

Counsel, 12 New England Executive

Park, Burlington, MA; or at the Office of

the Federal Register, 800 North Capitol

Street, NW., suite 700, Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Diane Cook, Aerospace Engineer, Engine

Certification Office, FAA, Engine and

Propeller Directorate, 12 New England

Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803–

5299; telephone (781) 238–7133, fax

(781) 238–7199.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A

proposal to amend part 39 of the Federal

Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) to

include an airworthiness directive (AD)

that is applicable to General Electric

Company (GE) Models CT58–110–1,

–110–2, –140–1, –140–2, and T58–GE–

3/–5/–8F/–10/–100 turboshaft engines

was published in the Federal Register

on June 9, 1997 (62 FR 31370). That

action proposed to require removal from

service of certain stage 1 and 2 forward

cooling plates, and stage 2 aft cooling

plates, and replacement with

serviceable parts.

Interested persons have been afforded

an opportunity to participate in the

making of this amendment. No

comments were received on the

proposal or the FAA’s determination of

the cost to the public.

Since publication of the proposed

rule, GE Aircraft Engines has issued GE

Aircraft Engines CT58 Service Bulletin

(SB) No. 72–188 (CEB–293), Revision 1,

dated July 15, 1997. This final rule

references this current revision.

The FAA has determined that air

safety and the public interest require the

adoption of the rule with the changes

described previously.
54374 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 202 / Monday, October 20, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

There are approximately 400 engines

of the affected design in the worldwide

fleet. The FAA estimates that 126

engines installed on aircraft of U.S.

registry will be affected by this AD, that

it will not take any additional work

hours per engine to accomplish the

required actions at next part exposure.

Required parts will cost approximately

$2,730 per engine. Based on these

figures, the total cost impact of the AD

on U.S. operators is estimated to be

$343,980. The manufacturer, however,

has advised the FAA of a program to

prorate the cost of required parts

downward by a factor equal to the

quotient of the difference between the

original life limit of 4,000 hours time in

service and the total cycles of life

consumed at time of removal, divided

by the original life limit. Therefore, the

actual cost to operators may be less than

the FAA’s estimate.

The regulations adopted herein will

not have substantial direct effects 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. Therefore, in

accordance with Executive Order 12612,

it is determined that this final rule does

not have sufficient federalism

implications to warrant the preparation

of a Federalism Assessment.

For the reasons discussed above, I

certify that this action (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. A final evaluation has

been prepared for this action and it is

contained in the rules docket. A copy of

it may be obtained from the rules docket

at the location provided under the

caption ADDRESSES.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

Air Transportation, Aircraft, Aviation

safety, Incorporation by reference,

Safety.

Adoption of the Amendment

Accordingly, pursuant to the

authority delegated to me by the

Administrator, the Federal Aviation

Administration amends part 39 of the

Federal Aviation Regulations (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. Section 39.13 is amended by

adding the following new airworthiness

directive:

97–21–08 General Electric Company:

Amendment 39–10161. Docket 97–ANE–

18–AD.

Applicability: General Electric Company

(GE) Models CT58–110–1, –110–2, –140–1,

and –140–2, and T58–GE–3/–5/–8F/–10/–100

series turboshaft engines, with stage 1

forward cooling plate, Part Number (P/N)

37C300055P101, stage 2 forward cooling

plate, P/N 3000T88P02, and stage 2 aft

cooling plate, P/N 3002T27P01, installed.

These engines are installed on but not

limited to Boeing Vertol 107 series, and

Sikorsky S61 and S62 series aircraft.

Note 1: This airworthiness directive (AD)

applies to each engine identified in the

preceding applicability provision, regardless

of whether it has been modified, altered, or

repaired in the area subject to the

requirements of this AD. For engines that

have been modified, altered, or repaired so

that the performance of the requirements of

this AD is affected, the owner/operator must

request approval for an alternative method of

compliance in accordance with paragraph (c)

of this AD. The request should include an

assessment of the effect of the modification,

alteration, or repair on the unsafe condition

addressed by this AD; and, if the unsafe

condition has not been eliminated, the

request should include specific proposed

actions to address it.

Compliance: Required as indicated, unless

accomplished previously.

To prevent cooling plate fracture, which

could result in a contained engine failure and

an inflight engine shutdown, accomplish the

following:

(a) Remove from service affected cooling

plates, listed by serial number in GE Aircraft

Engines CT58 Service Bulletin (SB) No. 72–

188 (CEB–293), Revision 1, dated July 15,

1997, and replace with serviceable parts, at

the next part exposure, or next light

overhaul, whichever occurs first, but not to

exceed 1,000 hours time in service (TIS) for

engines installed on aircraft that have

engaged in Repetitive Heavy Lift (RHL)

operations, or 2,000 hours TIS for engines

installed on aircraft that have never engaged

in RHL operations, in accordance with that

SB.

(b) For the purpose of this AD, the

following definitions apply:

(1) RHL operation is defined as performing

more than 10 lift-carry-drop cycles per hour

TIS without landing, or more than 10 takeoffs

and landings per hour TIS.

(2) Light overhaul is defined as scheduled

engine maintenance that allows the engine to

continue in service until scheduled major

overhaul time is reached.

(c) An alternative method of compliance or

adjustment of the compliance time that

provides an acceptable level of safety may be

used if approved by the Manager, Engine

Certification Office. The request shall be

forwarded through an appropriate FAA

Principal Maintenance Inspector, who may

add comments and then send it to the

Manager, Engine Certification Office.

Note 2: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this airworthiness directive,

if any, may be obtained from the Engine

Certification Office.

(d) Special flight permits may be issued in

accordance with sections 21.197 and 21.199

of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR

21.197 and 21.199) to operate the aircraft to

a location where the requirements of this AD

can be accomplished.

(e) The actions required by this AD shall

be done in accordance with the following GE

Aircraft Engines SB:

Document No Pages Revision Date

72–188 (CEB–293) ............................................................................................................................................ 1–7 1 July 15, 1997

Total Pages: 7.

This incorporation by reference was

approved by the Director of the Federal

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

and 1 CFR part 51. Copies may be obtained

from General Electric Company (GE), 1000

Western Ave., Lynn, MA 01909; telephone

(781) 594–9894, fax (781) 594–1527. Copies

may be inspected at the FAA, New England

Region, Office of the Assistant Chief Counsel,

12 New England Executive Park, Burlington,

MA; or at the Office of the Federal Register,

800 North Capitol Street NW., suite 700,

Washington, DC.

(f) This amendment becomes effective on

December 19, 1997.

Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on

October 8, 1997.

Jay J. Pardee,

Manager, Engine and Propeller Directorate,

Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 97–27351 Filed 10–17–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U