26884 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 112 / Monday, June 11, 2018 / Proposed Rules 

§ 39.13 [Amended] 

■ 2. The FAA amends § 39.13 by adding 

the following new airworthiness 

directive (AD): 

Airbus: Docket No. FAA–2018–0506; Product 

Identifier 2018–NM–045–AD. 

(a) Comments Due Date 

We must receive comments by July 26, 

2018. 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to Airbus Model A350– 

941 airplanes certificated in any category, all 

manufacturer serial numbers, except those on 

which Airbus Modification 106695 (or 

retrofit Modification 110281) and 

Modification 107824 (or retrofit Modification 

107877 and retrofit Modification 108494) 

have been embodied in production. 

(d) Subject 

Air Transport Association (ATA) of 

America Code 53, Fuselage; 55, Stabilizers. 

(e) Reason 

This AD was prompted by the discovery of 

inadequate corrosion protection in certain 

areas of the horizontal stabilizer and the rear 

fuselage cone structure. We are issuing this 

AD to prevent reduced structural integrity of 

the horizontal stabilizer and the rear fuselage 

cone structure. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(g) Definitions 

(1) For the purpose of this AD, Group 1 

airplanes are those with manufacturer serial 

numbers (MSNs) listed in Section 1.A., 

‘‘Applicability’’ of Airbus Service Bulletin 

A350–53–P029, dated November 17, 2017. 

(2) For the purpose of this AD, Group 2 

airplanes are those with MSNs listed in 

Section 1.A., ‘‘Applicability’’ of Airbus 

Service Bulletin A350–55–P003, dated 

November 6, 2017. 

(h) Modification 

(1) For Group 1 airplanes: Before exceeding 

36 months since the date of issuance of the 

original standard airworthiness certificate or 

date of issuance of the original export 

certificate of airworthiness, or within 90 days 

after the effective date of this AD, whichever 

occurs later, apply sealant and protective 

treatment on the affected areas of the rear 

fuselage cone structure, as defined in, and in 

accordance with the Accomplishment 

Instructions of Airbus Service Bulletin A350– 

53–P029, dated November 17, 2017. 

(2) For Group 2 airplanes: Before exceeding 

36 months since the date of issuance of the 

original standard airworthiness certificate or 

date of issuance of the original export 

certificate of airworthiness, or within 90 days 

after the effective date of this AD, whichever 

occurs later, accomplish concurrently the 

actions specified in paragraphs (h)(2)(i) and 

(h)(2)(ii) of this AD, in accordance with the 

Accomplishment Instructions of Airbus 

Service Bulletin A350–55–P003, dated 

November 6, 2017. 

(i) Apply sealant and protective treatment 

on the affected areas of the horizontal 

stabilizer, as defined in Airbus Service 

Bulletin A350–55–P003, dated November 6, 

2017. 

(ii) Modify the trimmable horizontal 

stabilizer (THS) torsion box in zone 330 and 

340, and re-identify the elevator in zone 335 

and 345. 

(i) Other FAA AD Provisions 

The following provisions also apply to this 

AD: 

(1) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs): The Manager, International 

Section, Transport Standards Branch, FAA, 

has the authority to approve AMOCs for this 

AD, if requested using the procedures found 

in 14 CFR 39.19. In accordance with 14 CFR 

39.19, send your request to your principal 

inspector or local Flight Standards District 

Office, as appropriate. If sending information 

directly to the International Section, send it 

to the attention of the person identified in 

paragraph (j)(2) of this AD. Information may 

be emailed to: 9-ANM-116-AMOCREQUESTS@faa.gov. Before using any 

approved AMOC, notify your appropriate 

principal inspector, or lacking a principal 

inspector, the manager of the local flight 

standards district office/certificate holding 

district office. 

(2) Contacting the Manufacturer: For any 

requirement in this AD to obtain corrective 

actions from a manufacturer, the action must 

be accomplished using a method approved 

by the Manager, International Section, 

Transport Standards Branch, FAA; or the 

European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA); or 

Airbus’s EASA Design Organization 

Approval (DOA). If approved by the DOA, 

the approval must include the DOAauthorized signature. 

(3) Required for Compliance (RC): If any 

service information contains procedures or 

tests that are identified as RC, those 

procedures and tests must be done to comply 

with this AD; any procedures or tests that are 

not identified as RC are recommended. Those 

procedures and tests that are not identified 

as RC may be deviated from using accepted 

methods in accordance with the operator’s 

maintenance or inspection program without 

obtaining approval of an AMOC, provided 

the procedures and tests identified as RC can 

be done and the airplane can be put back in 

an airworthy condition. Any substitutions or 

changes to procedures or tests identified as 

RC require approval of an AMOC. 

(j) Related Information 

(1) Refer to Mandatory Continuing 

Airworthiness Information (MCAI) EASA AD 

2018–0036, dated February 7, 2018, for 

related information. This MCAI may be 

found in the AD docket on the internet at 

http://www.regulations.gov by searching for 

and locating Docket No. FAA–2018–0506. 

(2) For more information about this AD, 

contact Kathleen Arrigotti, Aerospace 

Engineer, International Section, Transport 

Standards Branch, FAA, 2200 South 216th 

St., Des Moines, WA 98198; telephone and 

fax 206–231–3218. 

(3) For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Airbus SAS, Airworthiness 

Office—EAL, 1 Rond Point Maurice Bellonte, 

31707 Blagnac Cedex, France; telephone +33 

5 61 93 36 96; fax +33 5 61 93 45 80; email 

continued-airworthiness.a350@airbus.com; 

internet http://www.airbus.com. You may 

view this service information at the FAA, 

Transport Standards Branch, 2200 South 

216th St., Des Moines, WA. For information 

on the availability of this material at the 

FAA, call 206–231–3195. 

Issued in Des Moines, Washington, on May 

25, 2018. 

Jeffrey E. Duven, 

Director, System Oversight Division, Aircraft 

Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2018–12229 Filed 6–8–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2018–0508; Product 

Identifier 2018–NM–012–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus 

Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 

Airbus Model A350–941 airplanes. This 

proposed AD was prompted by a 

determination that more restrictive 

maintenance requirements and 

airworthiness limitations are necessary. 

This proposed AD would require 

revising the maintenance or inspection 

program, as applicable, to incorporate 

new or more restrictive maintenance 

requirements and airworthiness 

limitations. We are proposing this AD to 

address the unsafe condition on these 

products. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by July 26, 2018. 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, 

using the procedures found in 14 CFR 

11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following 

methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Fax: 202–493–2251. 

• Mail: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 

Washington, DC 20590. 

• Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail 

address above between 9 a.m. and 5 


daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with PROPOSALS
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 112 / Monday, June 11, 2018 / Proposed Rules 26885 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

For service information identified in 

this NPRM, contact Airbus SAS, 

Airworthiness Office—EAL, 1 Rond 

Point Maurice Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac 

Cedex, France; telephone +33 5 61 93 36 

96; fax +33 5 61 93 45 80; email 

continued-airworthiness.a350@

airbus.com; internet http://

www.airbus.com. You may view this 

service information at the FAA, 

Transport Standards Branch, 2200 

South 216th St., Des Moines, WA. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call 206–231–3195. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the internet at http://

www.regulations.gov by searching for 

and locating Docket No. FAA–2018– 

0508; 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 NPRM, the regulatory 

evaluation, any comments received, and 

other information. The street address for 

the Docket Operations office (telephone 

800–647–5527) is in the ADDRESSES

section. Comments will be available in 

the AD docket shortly after receipt. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Kathleen Arrigotti, Aerospace Engineer, 

International Section, Transport 

Standards Branch, FAA, 2200 South 

216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; 

telephone and fax 206–231–3218. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

We invite you to send any written 

relevant data, views, or arguments about 

this proposal. Send your comments to 

an address listed under the ADDRESSES

section. Include ‘‘Docket No. FAA– 

2018–0508; Product Identifier 2018– 

NM–012–AD’’ at the beginning of your 

comments. We specifically invite 

comments on the overall regulatory, 

economic, environmental, and energy 

aspects of this NPRM. We will consider 

all comments received by the closing 

date and may amend this NPRM based 

on those comments. 

We will post all comments we 

receive, without change, to http://

www.regulations.gov, including any 

personal information you provide. We 

will also post a report summarizing each 

substantive verbal contact we receive 

about this NPRM. 

Discussion 

The European Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA), which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Union, has issued EASA AD 2018–0004, 

dated January 9, 2018 (referred to after 

this as the Mandatory Continuing 

Airworthiness Information, or ‘‘the 

MCAI’’), to correct an unsafe condition 

for all Airbus Model A350–941 

airplanes. The MCAI states: 

Certification Maintenance Requirements 

(CMR) for the Airbus A350, which are 

approved by EASA, are currently defined and 

published in the Airbus A350 ALS Part 3 

document. These instructions have been 

identified as mandatory for continued 

airworthiness. 

Failure to accomplish these instructions 

could result in an unsafe condition [which is 

safety-significant latent failures that would, 

in combination with one or more other 

specific failures or events, result in a 

hazardous or catastrophic failure condition]. 

EASA previously issued [EASA] AD 2017– 

0029 to require the actions as specified in 

Airbus A350 ALS Part 3 Revision 03. 

Since this [EASA] AD was issued, Airbus 

published Revision 04 of Airbus A350 ALS 

Part 3, to introduce new and more restrictive 

CMRs. 

For the reason described above, this 

[EASA] AD retains the requirements of EASA 

AD 2017–0029, which is superseded, and 

requires accomplishment of the actions 

specified in the ALS. 

You may examine the MCAI in the 

AD docket on the internet at http://

www.regulations.gov by searching for 

and locating Docket No. FAA–2018– 

0508. 

Related Service Information Under 1 

CFR Part 51 

Airbus has issued A350 

Airworthiness Limitations Section 

(ALS) Part 3, Certification Maintenance 

Requirements (CMR), Revision 04, dated 

December 15, 2017. The service 

information describes mandatory 

maintenance tasks that operators must 

perform at specified intervals. This 

service information is reasonably 

available because the interested parties 

have access to it through their normal 

course of business or by the means 

identified in the ADDRESSES section. 

FAA’s Determination and Requirements 

of This Proposed AD 

This product has been approved by 

the aviation authority of another 

country, and is approved for operation 

in the United States. Pursuant to our 

bilateral agreement with the State of 

Design Authority, we have been notified 

of the unsafe condition described in the 

MCAI and service information 

referenced above. We are proposing this 

AD because we evaluated all pertinent 

information and determined an unsafe 

condition exists and is likely to exist or 

develop on other products of the same 

type design. 

This AD requires revisions to certain 

operator maintenance documents to 

include new actions (e.g., inspections). 

Compliance with these actions is 

required by 14 CFR 91.403(c). For 

airplanes that have been previously 

modified, altered, or repaired in the 

areas addressed by this proposed AD, 

the operator may not be able to 

accomplish the actions described in the 

revisions. In this situation, to comply 

with 14 CFR 91.403(c), the operator 

must request approval for an alternative 

method of compliance according to 

paragraph (i) of this proposed AD. The 

request should include a description of 

changes to the required inspections that 

will ensure the continued operational 

safety of the airplane. 

Differences Between This Proposed AD 

and the MCAI 

The MCAI specifies that if there are 

findings from the airworthiness 

limitations section (ALS) inspection 

tasks, corrective actions must be 

accomplished in accordance with 

Airbus maintenance documentation. 

However, this proposed AD does not 

include that requirement. Operators of 

U.S.-registered airplanes are required by 

general airworthiness and operational 

regulations to perform maintenance 

using methods that are acceptable to the 

FAA. We consider those methods to be 

adequate to address any corrective 

actions necessitated by the findings of 

ALS inspections required by this 

proposed AD. 

Airworthiness Limitations Based on 

Type Design 

The FAA recently became aware of an 

issue related to the applicability of ADs 

that require incorporation of an ALS 

revision into an operator’s maintenance 

or inspection program. 

Typically, when these types of ADs 

are issued by civil aviation authorities 

of other countries, they apply to all 

airplanes covered under an identified 

type certificate (TC). The corresponding 

FAA AD typically retains applicability 

to all of those airplanes. 

In addition, U.S. operators must 

operate their airplanes in an airworthy 

condition, in accordance with 14 CFR 

91.7(a). Included in this obligation is the 

requirement to perform any 

maintenance or inspections specified in 

the ALS, and in accordance with the 

ALS as specified in 14 CFR 43.16 and 

91.403(c), unless an alternative has been 

approved by the FAA. 

When a type certificate is issued for 

a type design, the specific ALS, 

including revisions, is a part of that type 

design, as specified in 14 CFR 21.31(c). 

The sum effect of these operational 

and maintenance requirements is an 

obligation to comply with the ALS 


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26886 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 112 / Monday, June 11, 2018 / Proposed Rules 

defined in the type design referenced in 

the manufacturer’s conformity 

statement. This obligation may 

introduce a conflict with an AD that 

requires a specific ALS revision if new 

airplanes are delivered with a later 

revision as part of their type design. 

To address this conflict, the FAA has 

approved alternative methods of 

compliance (AMOCs) that allow 

operators to incorporate the most recent 

ALS revision into their maintenance/ 

inspection programs, in lieu of the ALS 

revision required by the AD. This 

eliminates the conflict and enables the 

operator to comply with both the AD 

and the type design. 

However, compliance with AMOCs is 

normally optional, and we recently 

became aware that some operators 

choose to retain the AD-mandated ALS 

revision in their fleet-wide 

maintenance/inspection programs, 

including those for new airplanes 

delivered with later ALS revisions, to 

help standardize the maintenance of the 

fleet. To ensure that operators comply 

with the applicable ALS revision for 

newly delivered airplanes containing a 

later revision than that specified in an 

AD, we plan to limit the applicability of 

ADs that mandate ALS revisions to 

those airplanes that are subject to an 

earlier revision of the ALS, either as part 

of the type design or as mandated by an 

earlier AD. 

This proposed AD therefore applies to 

all Airbus Model A350–941 airplanes 

with an original certificate of 

airworthiness or original export 

certificate of airworthiness that was 

issued on or before the date of approval 

of the ALS revision identified in this 

proposed AD. Operators of airplanes 

with an original certificate of 

airworthiness or original export 

certificate of airworthiness issued after 

that date must comply with the 

airworthiness limitations specified as 

part of the approved type design and 

referenced on the type certificate data 

sheet. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this proposed AD 

affects 6 airplanes of U.S. registry. 

We estimate the following costs to 

comply with this proposed AD: 

We have determined that revising the 

maintenance or inspection program 

takes an average of 90 work-hours per 

operator, although this figure may vary 

from operator to operator. In the past, 

we have estimated that this action takes 

1 work-hour per airplane. Since 

operators incorporate maintenance or 

inspection program changes for their 

affected fleet(s), we have determined 

that a per-operator estimate is more 

accurate than a per-airplane estimate. 

Therefore, we estimate the total cost per 

operator to be $7,650 (90 work-hours × 

$85 per work-hour). 

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. 

This proposed AD is issued in 

accordance with authority delegated by 

the Executive Director, Aircraft 

Certification Service, as authorized by 

FAA Order 8000.51C. In accordance 

with that order, issuance of ADs is 

normally a function of the Compliance 

and Airworthiness Division, but during 

this transition period, the Executive 

Director has delegated the authority to 

issue ADs applicable to transport 

category airplanes to the Director of the 

System Oversight Division. 

Regulatory Findings 

We determined that this proposed AD 

would not have federalism implications 

under Executive Order 13132. This 

proposed AD would 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 this proposed regulation: 

1. Is not a ‘‘significant regulatory 

action’’ under Executive Order 12866; 

2. Is not a ‘‘significant rule’’ under the 

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. 

The Proposed Amendment 

Accordingly, under the authority 

delegated to me by the Administrator, 

the FAA proposes to amend 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): 

Airbus: Docket No. FAA–2018–0508; Product 

Identifier 2018–NM–012–AD. 

(a) Comments Due Date 

We must receive comments by July 26, 

2018. 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to Airbus Model A350– 

941 airplanes, certificated in any category, 

with an original certificate of airworthiness 

or original export certificate of airworthiness 

issued on or before December 15, 2017. 

(d) Subject 

Air Transport Association (ATA) of 

America Code 05, Time Limits/Maintenance 

Checks. 

(e) Reason 

This AD was prompted by a determination 

that more restrictive maintenance 

requirements and airworthiness limitations 

are necessary. We are issuing this AD to 

address safety-significant latent failures that 

would, in combination with one or more 

other specific failures or events, result in a 

hazardous or catastrophic failure condition. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(g) Maintenance or Inspection Program 

Revision 

Within 90 days after the effective date of 

this AD, revise the maintenance or inspection 

program, as applicable, to incorporate Airbus 

A350 Airworthiness Limitations Section 

(ALS) Part 3, Certification Maintenance 

Requirements (CMR), Revision 04, dated 

December 15, 2017. The initial compliance 

time for accomplishing the actions is at the 

applicable times specified in Airbus A350 

Airworthiness Limitations Section (ALS) Part 

3, Certification Maintenance Requirements 

(CMR), Revision 04, dated December 15, 

2017; or within 90 days after the effective 

date of this AD; whichever occurs later. 


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(h) No Alternative Actions or Intervals 

After the maintenance or inspection 

program has been revised as required by 

paragraph (g) of this AD, no alternative 

actions (e.g., inspections) or intervals, may be 

used unless the actions or intervals are 

approved as an alternative method of 

compliance (AMOC) in accordance with the 

procedures specified in paragraph (i)(1) of 

this AD. 

(i) Other FAA AD Provisions 

The following provisions also apply to this 

AD: 

(1) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs): The Manager, International 

Section, Transport Standards Branch, FAA, 

has the authority to approve AMOCs for this 

AD, if requested using the procedures found 

in 14 CFR 39.19. In accordance with 14 CFR 

39.19, send your request to your principal 

inspector or local Flight Standards District 

Office, as appropriate. If sending information 

directly to the International Section, send it 

to the attention of the person identified in 

paragraph (j)(2) of this AD. Information may 

be emailed to: 9-ANM-116-AMOCREQUESTS@faa.gov. Before using any 

approved AMOC, notify your appropriate 

principal inspector, or lacking a principal 

inspector, the manager of the local flight 

standards district office/certificate holding 

district office. 

(2) Contacting the Manufacturer: For any 

requirement in this AD to obtain corrective 

actions from a manufacturer, the action must 

be accomplished using a method approved 

by the Manager, International Section, 

Transport Standards Branch, FAA; or the 

European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA); or 

Airbus’s EASA Design Organization 

Approval (DOA). If approved by the DOA, 

the approval must include the DOAauthorized signature. 

(j) Related Information 

(1) Refer to Mandatory Continuing 

Airworthiness Information (MCAI) EASA AD 

2018–0004, dated January 9, 2018, for related 

information. This MCAI may be found in the 

AD docket on the internet at http://

www.regulations.gov by searching for and 

locating Docket No. FAA–2018–0508. 

(2) For more information about this AD, 

contact Kathleen Arrigotti, Aerospace 

Engineer, International Section, Transport 

Standards Branch, FAA, 2200 South 216th 

St., Des Moines, WA 98198; telephone and 

fax 206–231–3218. 

(3) For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Airbus SAS, Airworthiness 

Office—EAL, 1 Rond Point Maurice Bellonte, 

31707 Blagnac Cedex, France; telephone +33 

5 61 93 36 96; fax +33 5 61 93 45 80; email 

continued-airworthiness.a350@airbus.com; 

internet http://www.airbus.com. You may 

view this service information at the FAA, 

Transport Standards Branch, 2200 South 

216th St., Des Moines, WA. For information 

on the availability of this material at the 

FAA, call 206–231–3195. 

Issued in Des Moines, Washington, on May 

31, 2018. 

Michael Kaszycki, 

Acting Director, System Oversight Division, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2018–12233 Filed 6–8–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2018–0404; Product 

Identifier 2018–NE–15–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; International 

Aero Engines (IAE) Turbofan engines 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for all 

International Aero Engines (IAE) 

PW1133G–JM, PW1133GA–JM, 

PW1130G–JM, PW1127G–JM, 

PW1127GA–JM, PW1127G1–JM, 

PW1124G–JM, PW1124G1–JM, and 

PW1122G–JM turbofan engines. This 

proposed AD was prompted by reports 

of in-flight engine shutdowns and 

aborted take-offs as the result of certain 

parts affecting the durability of the rear 

high-pressure compressor (HPC) rotor 

hub knife edge seal. This proposed AD 

would require replacing the diffuser 

case air seal assembly, the high-pressure 

turbine (HPT) 2nd-stage vane assembly, 

and the HPT 2nd-stage borescope stator 

vane assembly with parts eligible for 

installation. We are proposing this AD 

to address the unsafe condition on these 

products. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by July 26, 2018. 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, 

using the procedures found in 14 CFR 

11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following 

methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Fax: 202–493–2251. 

• Mail: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 

Washington, DC 20590. 

• Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail 

address above between 9 a.m. and 5 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

For service information identified in 

this NPRM, contact International Aero 

Engines, 400 Main Street, East Hartford, 

CT 06118; phone: 800–565–0140; email: 

help24@pw.utc.com; internet: http://

fleetcare.pw.utc.com. You may view this 

service information at the FAA, Engine 

and Propeller Standards Branch, 1200 

District Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803. 

For information on the availability of 

this material at the FAA, call 781–238– 

7759. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the internet at http://

www.regulations.gov by searching for 

and locating Docket No. FAA–2018– 

0404; or in person at Docket Operations 

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

through Friday, except Federal holidays. 

The AD docket contains this NPRM, the 

regulatory evaluation, any comments 

received, and other information. The 

street address for Docket Operations 

(phone: 800–647–5527) is listed above. 

Comments will be available in the AD 

docket shortly after receipt. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Kevin M. Clark, Aerospace Engineer, 

ECO Branch, FAA, 1200 District 

Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803; phone: 

781–238–7088; fax: 781–238–7199; 

email: kevin.m.clark@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

We invite you to send any written 

relevant data, views, or arguments about 

this proposal. Send your comments to 

an address listed under the ADDRESSES

section. Include ‘‘Docket No. FAA– 

2018–0404; Product Identifier 2018– 

NE–15–AD’’ at the beginning of your 

comments. We specifically invite 

comments on the overall regulatory, 

economic, environmental, and energy 

aspects of this NPRM. We will consider 

all comments received by the closing 

date and may amend this NPRM 

because of those comments. 

We will post all comments we 

receive, without change, to http://

www.regulations.gov, including any 

personal information you provide. We 

will also post a report summarizing each 

substantive verbal contact we receive 

about this NPRM. 

Discussion 

In-flight engine shutdowns and 

aborted take-offs have occurred on 

certain IAE turbofan engines as the 

result of a failed knife edge seal on 

engine serial numbers (ESNs) P770450 

through P770614. In response to these 

events, the European Aviation Safety 

Agency published AD 2018–0041R1, 

dated March 23, 2018 (corrected on 

April 4, 2018). Additionally, the FAA 

published AD 2018–04–01 (83 FR 6791, 


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