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[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 54 (Wednesday, March 20, 2013)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 17082-17083]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-06174]

[[Page 17082]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2012-1006; Directorate Identifier 2012-NE-28-AD; 
Amendment 39-17392; AD 2013-05-20]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG 
Turbojet Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 
Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG (RRD) Spey 511-8 turbojet engines. 
This AD requires inspection and, if necessary, replacement of affected 
bolts and, if any bolt is found broken, inspection of the adjacent 
disc(s) for damage. This AD was prompted by a recent quality review 
determination that bolts with reduced material properties may have been 
installed in some engines. We are issuing this AD to prevent 
uncontained turbine disc fracture and damage to the airplane.

DATES: This AD becomes effective April 24, 2013.

ADDRESSES: The Docket Operations office is located at Docket Management 
Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue 
SE., West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-
0001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Frederick Zink, Aerospace Engineer, 
Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 
New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; phone: 781-238-7779; 
fax: 781-238-7199; email: frederick.zink@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 was published in the Federal Register on November 7, 2012 (77 
FR 66769). That NPRM proposed to correct an unsafe condition for the 
specified products. The Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information 
states:

    The results of a recent quality review of low pressure turbine 
(LPT) support assembly, high pressure turbine (HPT) bearing support 
assembly and HPT air seal sleeve bolts identified that, before 
installation, those bolts are not subjected to a complete quality 
inspection. As a consequence, bolts with reduced material properties 
may have been installed in some engines.
    This condition, if not detected and corrected, could lead to 
failure of a bolt, potentially causing turbine disc fracture and 
release of high-energy debris, possibly resulting in damage to the 
aeroplane and/or injury to the occupants.

Comments

    We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD. We received no comments on the NPRM (77 FR 66769, November 7, 
2012).
    However, we made editorial changes to paragraph (e) of this AD for 
clarification purposes. Paragraphs (e)(1) and (e)(2) were re-written to 
clearly define the drawdown for engines that have accumulated more then 
4,500 engine cycles since the last engine shop visit on the effective 
date of the AD. If an engine had greater than 4,500 cycles since the 
last engine shop visit, paragraph (e)(1) of the NPRM (77 FR 66769, 
November 7, 2012) could be interpreted to mean that the actions were 
required before further flight. This is not the intent of the proposed 
rule. Paragraph (e)(2) of the NPRM specified that an inspection within 
100 engine cycles was required for engines with greater than 4,400 
cycles since last shop visit, but we determined that this could be 
confusing. We therefore changed paragraphs (e)(1) and (e)(2) in the 
final rule to:
    (1) If engine cycles accumulated since the last engine shop visit 
are 4,400 cycles or more on the effective date of this AD, visually 
inspect the bolts installed in the low-pressure turbine (LPT) support 
assembly, high-pressure turbine (HPT) bearing support assembly, and HPT 
air seal sleeve within 100 engine cycles-in-service.
    (2) If engine cycles accumulated since the last engine shop visit 
are fewer than 4,400 cycles on the effective date of this AD, visually 
inspect the bolts installed in the LPT support assembly, HPT bearing 
support assembly, and HPT air seal sleeve before accumulating 4,500 
engine cycles since the last shop visit.
    Paragraph (e) was also modified to clarify that the type of 
inspection required is a visual inspection. The NPRM only stated to 
``inspect.''
    Paragraph (e) was also modified by removing the reporting 
requirement, because that requirement is not necessary to correct the 
unsafe condition.

Conclusion

    We reviewed the available data and determined that air safety and 
the public interest require adopting the AD with the changes described 
previously. We 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 affects about six engines installed on 
airplanes of U.S. registry. We also estimate that it will take about 2 
hours per engine to comply with this AD. The average labor rate is $85 
per hour. Required parts will cost about $860 per engine. Based on 
these figures, we estimate the cost of the AD on U.S. operators to be 
$6,180.

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 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 this AD:
    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); 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 regulatory evaluation of the estimated costs to 
comply with this AD and placed it in the AD docket.

[[Page 17083]]

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov; or in person at the Docket Operations office 
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 street address for 
the Docket Operations office (phone: (800) 647-5527) is provided in the 
ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly 
after receipt.

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

0
1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.

Sec.  39.13  [Amended]

0
2. The FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by adding the following new AD:

2013-05-20 Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG (formerly Rolls-Royce 
Deutschland GmbH, formerly Rolls-Royce plc): Amendment 39-17392; 
Docket No. FAA-2012-1006; Directorate Identifier 2012-NE-28-AD.

(a) Effective Date

    This airworthiness directive (AD) becomes effective April 24, 
2013.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG (RRD) 
Spey 511-8 turbojet engines, serial numbers 8847, 8853, 8879, 8989, 
8994, and 9817, with a date of the last shop visit before November 
15, 2007.

(d) Reason

    This AD was prompted by a recent quality review determination 
that bolts with reduced material properties may have been installed 
in some engines. We are issuing this AD to prevent uncontained 
turbine disc fracture and damage to the airplane.

(e) Actions and Compliance

    Unless already done, do the following actions for engines with a 
date of the last shop visit before November 15, 2007:
    (1) If engine cycles accumulated since the last engine shop 
visit are 4,400 cycles or more on the effective date of this AD, 
visually inspect the bolts installed in the low-pressure turbine 
(LPT) support assembly, high-pressure turbine (HPT) bearing support 
assembly, and HPT air seal sleeve within 100 engine cycles-in-
service.
    (2) If engine cycles accumulated since the last engine shop 
visit are fewer than 4,400 cycles on the effective date of this AD, 
visually inspect the bolts installed in the LPT support assembly, 
HPT bearing support assembly, and HPT air seal sleeve before 
accumulating 4,500 engine cycles since the last shop visit.
    (3) If you identify any broken bolt, brown bolt, or bolt with a 
rough oxidized surface, replace all bolts of the inspected engine 
flange with new bolts before further flight.
    (4) If you find any broken bolt in the LPT support assembly, 
visually inspect the LPT stage 2 disc for damage before further 
flight.
    (5) If you find any broken bolt in the HPT shaft air seal 
sleeve, visually inspect the HPT stage 1 disc for damage before 
further flight.

(f) Installation Prohibition

    After the effective date of this AD, do not install any LPT 
support assembly, HPT bearing support assembly, or HPT air seal 
sleeve into any engine, or any engine onto an airplane, unless the 
affected bolts have been inspected and replaced if necessary, and 
the LPT stage 2 disc and HPT stage 1 disc have been inspected if 
necessary, as specified in paragraph (e) of this AD.

(g) Definition

    For the purpose of this AD, a shop visit is when the engine is 
inducted into the shop for any maintenance involving the separation 
of pairs of major mating engine flanges (lettered flanges). However, 
the separation of engine flanges solely for the purposes of 
transporting the engine without subsequent engine maintenance is not 
an engine shop visit.

(h) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    The Manager, Engine Certification Office, FAA, may approve AMOCs 
to this AD. Use the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19 to make your 
request.

(i) Related Information

    (1) For more information about this AD, contact Frederick Zink, 
Aerospace Engineer, Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine & 
Propeller Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 
01803; phone: 781-238-7779; fax: 781-238-7199; email: 
frederick.zink@faa.gov.
    (2) Refer to European Aviation Safety Agency AD 2012-0158, dated 
August 22, 2012, and RRD Alert Service Bulletin Sp72-A1068, for 
related information.
    (3) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG, Eschenweg 11, Dahlewitz, 15827 
Blankenfelde-Mahlow, Germany; phone: 49 0 33-7086-1200 (direct 
1016); fax: 49 0 33-7086-1212. You may view this service information 
at the FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 New England Executive 
Park, Burlington, MA. For information on the availability of this 
material at the FAA, call 781-238-7125.

(j) Material Incorporated by Reference

    None.

    Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on March 7, 2013.
Colleen M. D'Alessandro,
Assistant Manager, Engine & Propeller Directorate, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-06174 Filed 3-19-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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