24796 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 85 / Tuesday, May 3, 2011 / Rules and Regulations 

AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the 

procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. 

Related Information 

(h) See European Aviation Safety Agency 

Airworthiness Directive 2009–0073R1, dated 

April 8, 2009, for related information. 

(i) Contact Alan Strom, Aerospace 

Engineer, Engine Certification Office, FAA, 

Engine and Propeller Directorate, 12 New 

England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 

01803; e-mail: alan.strom@faa.gov; telephone 

(781) 238–7143; fax (781) 238–7199, for more 

information about this AD. 

Material Incorporated by Reference 

(j) You must use Rolls-Royce Alert Service 

Bulletin RB.211–72–AF964, Revision 1, 

dated June 6, 2008, to do the actions required 

by this AD, unless the AD specifies 

otherwise. 

(1) The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference of 

this service information under 5 U.S.C. 

552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. 

(2) For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Rolls-Royce plc, P.O. Box 

31, Derby, DE24 8BJ, United Kingdom; 

phone: 011 44 1332 242424, fax: 011 44 1332 

249936; e-mail: tech.help@rolls-royce.com. 

(3) You may review copies at the FAA, 

New England Region, 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/federal-register/cfr/ibrlocations.html. 

Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on 

April 12, 2011. 

Peter A. White, 

Acting Manager, Engine and Propeller 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–10517 Filed 5–2–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2008–1165; Directorate 

Identifier 2008–NE–38–AD; Amendment 39– 

16685; AD 2011–10–04] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce 

plc RB211–Trent 800 Series Turbofan 

Engines 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for the 

products listed above. This AD results 

from mandatory continuing 

airworthiness information (MCAI) 

issued by an aviation authority of 

another country to identify and correct 

an unsafe condition on an aviation 

product. The MCAI describes the unsafe 

condition as: 

During manufacture of high-pressure (HP) 

compressor stage 1 discs, a small number of 

parts have been rejected due to a machining 

defect that was found during inspection. 

Analysis of the possibility of less severe 

examples having been undetected and passed 

into service has concluded that action is 

required to reduce the risk of failure. It was 

therefore necessary to reduce the life limit. 

The HP compressor stage 1 disc is part 

of the HP compressor stage 1–4 shaft, 

part number (P/N) FK32580. We are 

issuing this AD to prevent failure of the 

HP compressor stage 1 disc, 

uncontained engine failure, and damage 

to the airplane. 

DATES: This AD becomes effective June 

7, 2011. 

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: 

Alan Strom, Aerospace Engineer, Engine 

Certification Office, FAA, Engine & 

Propeller Directorate, 12 New England 

Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; 

e-mail: alan.strom@faa.gov; telephone 

(781) 238–7143; fax (781) 238–7199. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

We issued a notice of proposed 

rulemaking (NPRM) and a supplemental 

notice of proposed rulemaking (SNPRM) 

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 February 18, 

2009 (74 FR 7563) and that SNPRM was 

published in the Federal Register on 

October 4, 2010 (75 FR 61114). That 

SNPRM proposed to correct an unsafe 

condition for the specified products. 

The MCAI states that: 

During manufacture of high-pressure (HP) 

compressor stage 1 discs, a small number of 

parts have been rejected due to a machining 

defect that was found during inspection. 

Analysis of the possibility of less severe 

examples having been undetected and passed 

into service has concluded that action is 

required to reduce the risk of failure. It was 

therefore necessary to reduce the life limit. 

The HP compressor stage 1 disc is 

part of the HP compressor stage 1–4 

shaft, P/N FK32580. Since we issued the 

original NPRM on February 10, 2009 

(74 FR 7563, February 18, 2009), EASA 

issued AD 2010–0087, dated May 5, 

2010 (corrected May 6, 2010), which 

retains certain requirements of 

superseded EASA AD 2008–0099, and 

imposes more restrictive life limits in 

the Heavy Flight Profile Parts. You may 

obtain further information by examining 

the MCAI in the AD docket. 

Comments 

We gave the public the opportunity to 

participate in developing this AD. We 

considered the comments received. 

Request To Revise the Compliance 

Times 

Four commenters, American Airlines, 

Delta Airlines, Rolls-Royce plc, and The 

Boeing Company, request that we revise 

the compliance times to be consistent 

with the service bulletin and the 

airworthiness limitations section (ALS) 

of the engine manual. Doing this would 

account for the later AD release date and 

for the entire Trent 800 series fleet 

instead of just certain US operators’ 

expected cyclic usage. The commenters 

state that the proposed requirements 

would have a severe adverse economic 

impact to operators relative to the 

service bulletin requirements. The 

simplified compliance requirements in 

the SNPRM relative to the service 

bulletin requirements, may not 

accurately reflect the risk of an 

uncontained event, and are confusing. 

We do not agree. The requirements in 

the SNPRM were developed to 

minimize the risk of uncontained disc 

failure, based on the age of the parts in 

the field at the time the SNPRM was 

issued. The service bulletin 

requirements were developed at a time 

when the age of the parts in service was 

lower than when the SNPRM was 

issued. Because the risk of failure 

increases as the age of the parts in the 

field increase, any revision to the 

requirements of the SNPRM would 

again have to take the increased age of 

the parts in service into account. As 

such, an analysis would result in 

removal requirements more stringent 

than the requirements in the SNPRM, 

and a follow-on NPRM would be 

required. Therefore, we determined that 

it is in the public interest to keep the 

removal requirements the same as 

published in the SNPRM. We did not 

change the AD. 

Request for Clarity and Interpretation 

Delta Airlines states that it would be 

helpful if we could provide some clarity 

in the AD as to how an operator should 

interpret the differing information 

between the AD, the ALS of the RollsRoyce Time Limits Manual, and the 

service bulletin. The commenter is 

concerned that there will be three 

locations where the life limit of the 
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 85 / Tuesday, May 3, 2011 / Rules and Regulations 24797 

shaft, P/N FK32580, is specified, and all 

three have different data. 

We do not agree. The AD and the ALS 

take precedence over the service 

bulletin. Operators must comply with 

the AD and the ALS. We did not change 

the AD. 

Question on Reworked Part 

Delta Airlines asks for clarification as 

to whether a part reworked from P/N 

FK32580 to FW61622, is still required to 

be removed in accordance with 

paragraphs (e)(1) and (e)(2) of the AD. 

The commenter is unsure if a reworked 

part can be returned to service under the 

life limit of the new part number. 

The AD applies only to P/N FK32580. 

If the part is reworked to a different 

P/N, the requirements of the new P/N 

would apply. We did not change the 

AD. 

Request To Use the Service Bulletin 

Method 

American Airlines requests that we 

revise the AD to use the service bulletin 

method of determining the number of 

cycles before removal is required; 

specifically, based on a date before the 

effective date of the AD. The commenter 

states that the simplified compliance in 

the SNPRM would result in early engine 

removal and a cumulative loss of about 

eleven engine-years of useful service to 

American Airlines. 

We do not agree. The compliance 

thresholds in the AD are a function of 

usage, which is not directly related to 

calendar dates. We did not change the 

AD. 

Request To Update Contact Information 

Rolls-Royce plc requests that we 

update their contact information in the 

AD to: Rolls-Royce plc, Corporate 

Communications, P.O. Box 31, Derby, 

England, DE248BJ, telephone: 011–44– 

1332–242424; fax: 011–44–1332– 

245418, or e-mail: http://www.rollsroyce.com/contact/civil_team.jsp. 

We agree and changed the AD. 

Conclusion 

We reviewed the available data and 

determined that air safety and the 

public interest require adopting the AD 

with the change described previously. 

Differences Between This AD and the 

MCAI 

We have reviewed the MCAI and, in 

general, agree with its substance. But we 

have found it necessary to not 

incorporate the June 4, 2008 compliance 

date which is in EASA AD 2010–0087, 

dated May 5, 2010 (corrected May 6, 

2010). We updated the compliance 

times in the AD based on a more recent 

assessment of the unsafe condition. 

Costs of Compliance 

Based on the service information, we 

estimate that this AD will affect about 

78 products of U.S. registry. Required 

parts will cost about $15,095 per 

product. We estimate that no additional 

labor costs would be incurred to 

perform the actions, as we anticipate 

that the removal from service of the HP 

compressor stage 1–4 shafts will occur 

while the engine is inducted into the 

shop for routine maintenance. Based on 

these figures, we estimate the cost of the 

AD on U.S. operators to be $1,177,410. 

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. 

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 

■ 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 AD: 

2011–10–04 Rolls-Royce plc: Amendment 

39–16685; Docket No. FAA–2008–1165; 

Directorate Identifier 2008–NE–38–AD. 

Effective Date 

(a) This airworthiness directive (AD) 

becomes effective June 7, 2011. 

Affected ADs 

(b) None. 

Applicability 

(c) This AD applies to Rolls-Royce plc 

models RB211–Trent 875–17, –Trent 877–17, 

–Trent 884–17, –Trent 884B–17, –Trent 892– 

17, –Trent 892B–17, and –Trent 895–17 

turbofan engines, with high-pressure (HP) 

compressor stage 1–4 shafts, part number (P/ 

N) FK32580, installed. 

Reason 

(d) This AD results from mandatory 

continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) 

issued by an aviation authority of another 

country to identify and correct an unsafe 

condition on an aviation product. European 

Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 2010– 

0087, dated May 5, 2010 (corrected May 6, 

2010) states the unsafe condition is as 

follows: 

During manufacture of high-pressure (HP) 

compressor stage 1 discs, a small number of 

parts have been rejected due to a machining 

defect that was found during inspection. 

Analysis of the possibility of less severe 

examples having been undetected and passed 

into service has concluded that action is 

required to reduce the risk of failure. It was 

therefore necessary to reduce the life limit. 
24798 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 85 / Tuesday, May 3, 2011 / Rules and Regulations 

The HP compressor stage 1 disc is part of the 

HP compressor stage 1–4 shaft, P/N FK32580. 

We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of 

the HP compressor stage 1 disc, uncontained 

engine failure, and damage to the airplane. 

Actions and Compliance 

(e) Unless already done, do the following 

actions. 

Multiple Flight Profile Monitoring Parts 

(1) For RB211–Trent 800 series engines 

being monitored by ‘‘Multiple Flight Profile 

Monitoring,’’ remove the HP compressor stage 

1–4 shaft, P/N FK32580, before accumulating 

5,580 standard duty cycles (SDC) since-new 

or within 960 SDC from the effective date of 

this AD, whichever occurs later. 

Heavy Flight Profile Parts 

(2) For RB211–Trent 800 series engines 

being monitored by ‘‘Heavy Flight Profile,’’ 

remove the HP compressor stage 1–4 shaft, 

P/N FK32580, before accumulating 5,280 

flight cycles since new or within 860 flight 

cycles from the effective data of this AD, 

whichever occurs later. 

FAA Differences 

(f) We have found it necessary to not 

incorporate the June 4, 2008 compliance date 

which is in EASA AD 2010–0087, dated May 

5, 2010 (corrected May 6, 2010). We also 

updated the compliance times in the AD 

based on a more recent assessment of the 

unsafe condition. 

Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(g) The Manager, Engine Certification 

Office, FAA, has the authority to approve 

AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the 

procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. 

Related Information 

(h) Refer to EASA Airworthiness Directive 

2010–0087, dated May 5, 2010 (corrected 

May 6, 2010), and Rolls-Royce plc Alert 

Service Bulletin No. RB.211–72–AF825, 

Revision 3, dated August 25, 2009 for related 

information. Contact Rolls-Royce plc, 

Corporate Communications, P.O. Box 31, 

Derby, England, DE248BJ, telephone: 011– 

44–1332–242424; fax: 011–44–1332–245418; 

or e-mail via: http://www.rolls-royce.com/ 

contact/civil_team.jsp, for a copy of this 

service information. 

(i) Contact Alan Strom, Aerospace 

Engineer, Engine Certification Office, FAA, 

Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 New 

England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 

01803; e-mail: alan.strom@faa.gov; telephone 

(781) 238–7143; fax (781) 238–7199, for more 

information about this AD. 

Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on 

April 25, 2011. 

Peter A. White, 

Acting Manager, Engine and Propeller 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–10520 Filed 5–2–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2010–0821; Directorate 

Identifier 2010–NE–30–AD; Amendment 39– 

16657; AD 2011–08–07] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce 

plc (RR) RB211–Trent 875–17, RB211– 

Trent 877–17, RB211–Trent 884–17, 

RB211–Trent 884B–17, RB211–Trent 

892–17, RB211–Trent 892B–17, and 

RB211–Trent 895–17 Turbofan Engines 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for the 

products listed above. This AD results 

from mandatory continuing 

airworthiness information (MCAI) 

issued by an aviation authority of 

another country to identify and correct 

an unsafe condition on an aviation 

product. The MCAI describes the unsafe 

condition as: 

In January 2009 a Trent 895 powered 

Boeing 777–200 aircraft experienced release 

of a low pressure (LP) compressor blade 

which failed due to fatigue cracking in the 

root section of the blade. The released blade 

(undercut root standard) had received a part 

life processing to apply a compression layer 

to the blade root (Service Bulletin SB 72– 

D672—Introduction of Laser Shock Peening 

(LSP)) and also a part life upgrade to the 

retention feature lubrication system. 

Investigation has revealed that the 

effectiveness of this upgraded blade root 

lubrication coating system may be reduced 

dependant on the extent of previous running 

with the earlier standard, leading to 

increased blade root stress levels. In the 

specific case of the released blade, a review 

of its in-service modification history has 

shown that it operated for a relatively high 

number of flight cycles prior to the 

compression layer processing and the new 

retention feature lubrication system. A 

review of the Engine Health Monitoring data 

has also identified it operated at high N1 

speeds compared to the Trent 800 fleet 

average N1 speeds. The combination of these 

factors has resulted in increased fatigue life 

usage which is considered to have led to 

crack initiation and propagation prior to 

reaching the blades declared life limit. A 

review of all in-service undercut/LSP 

standard Trent 800 LP compressor blades has 

identified specific blades that carry a similar 

increased susceptibility to cracking. 

This AD is issued to mitigate the risk of 

possible multiple fan blades failure affecting 

those blades identified as described above 

which could lead to high energy non 

contained debris from the engine. 

We are issuing this AD to prevent LP 

compressor blades from failing due to 

blade root cracks, which could lead to 

uncontained engine failure and damage 

to the airplane. 

DATES: This AD becomes effective June 

7, 2011. The Director of the Federal 

Register approved the incorporation by 

reference of certain publications listed 

in this AD as of June 7, 2011. 

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: 

Alan Strom, Aerospace Engineer, Engine 

Certification Office, FAA, Engine & 

Propeller Directorate, 12 New England 

Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; 

e-mail: alan.strom@faa.gov; telephone 

(781) 238–7143; fax (781) 238–7199. 

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 January 14, 2011 (76 FR 

2605). That NPRM proposed to correct 

an unsafe condition for the specified 

products. The MCAI states that: 

In January 2009 a Trent 895 powered 

Boeing 777–200 aircraft experienced release 

of a low pressure (LP) compressor blade 

which failed due to fatigue cracking in the 

root section of the blade. The released blade 

(undercut root standard) had received a part 

life processing to apply a compression layer 

to the blade root (Service Bulletin SB 72– 

D672—Introduction of Laser Shock Peening 

(LSP)) and also a part life upgrade to the 

retention feature lubrication system. 

Investigation has revealed that the 

effectiveness of this upgraded blade root 

lubrication coating system may be reduced 

dependant on the extent of previous running 

with the earlier standard, leading to 

increased blade root stress levels. In the 

specific case of the released blade, a review 

of its in-service modification history has 

shown that it operated for a relatively high 

number of flight cycles prior to the 

compression layer processing and the new 

retention feature lubrication system. A 

review of the Engine Health Monitoring data 

has also identified it operated at high N1 

speeds compared to the Trent 800 fleet 

average N1 speeds. The combination of these 

factors has resulted in increased fatigue life 

usage which is considered to have led to 

crack initiation and propagation prior to 

reaching the blades declared life limit. A 

review of all in-service undercut/LSP 

standard Trent 800 LP compressor blades has 

identified specific blades that carry a similar 

increased susceptibility to cracking.