DEPARTMENTOFTRANSPORTATIONFederalAviationAdministration14CFRPart39[4910-13-P][DocketNo.FAA-2015-6823;DirectorateIdentifier2015-NE-38-AD;Amendment39-18360;AD2015-27-01]RIN2120-AA64AirworthinessDirectives;GeneralElectricCompanyTurbofanEnginesAGENCY:FederalAviationAdministration(FAA),DOT.ACTION:Finalrule;requestforcomments.SUMMARY:Weareadoptinganewairworthinessdirective(AD)forallGeneralElectricCompany(GE)GE90-76B,-77B,-85B,-90B,and-94Bturbofanengines.ThisADrequiresperforminganeddycurrentinspection(ECI)orultrasonicinspection(USI)ofthehigh-pressurecompressor(HPC)stage8-10spoolandremovingfromservicethosepartsthatfailinspection.ThisADwaspromptedbyanuncontainedfailureoftheHPCstage8-10spool,leadingtoanairplanefire.WeareissuingthisADtopreventfailureoftheHPCstage8-10spool,uncontainedrotorrelease,damagetotheengine,anddamagetotheairplane.DATES:ThisADiseffective[INSERTDATE15DAYSAFTERDATEOFPUBLICATIONINTHEFEDERALREGISTER].WemustreceivecommentsonthisADby[INSERTDATE45DAYSAFTERDATEOFPUBLICATIONINTHEFEDERALREGISTER].ADDRESSES:Youmaysendcomments,usingtheproceduresfoundin14CFR11.43and11.45,byanyofthefollowingmethods:•FederaleRulemakingPortal:Gotohttp://www.regulations.gov.Followtheinstructionsforsubmittingcomments.•Fax:202-493-2251.•Mail:U.S.DepartmentofTransportation,DocketOperations,M-30,WestBuildingGroundFloor,RoomWl2-140,1200NewJerseyAvenueSE.,Washington,DC20590.•HandDelivery:U.S.DepartmentofTransportation,DocketOperations,M-30,WestBuildingGroundFloor,RoomW12-140,1200NewJerseyAvenueSE.,Washington,DC20590,between9a.m.and5p.m.,MondaythroughFriday,exceptFederalholidays.ExaminingtheADDocketYoumayexaminetheADdocketontheInternetathttp://www.regulations.govbysearchingforandlocatingDocketNo.FAA-2015-6823;orinpersonattheDocketManagementFacilitybetween9a.m.and5p.m.,MondaythroughFriday,exceptFederalholidays.TheADdocketcontainsthisAD,theregulatoryevaluation,anycommentsreceived,andotherinformation.ThestreetaddressfortheDocketOffice(phone:800-647-5527)isintheADDRESSESsection.CommentswillbeavailableintheADdocketshortlyafterreceipt.FORFURTHERINFORMATIONCONTACT:JohnFrost,AerospaceEngineer,EngineCertificationOffice,FAA,Engine&PropellerDirectorate,12NewEnglandExecutivePark,Burlington,MA01803;phone:781-238-7756;fax:781-238-7199;email:jolm.frost@faa.gov.SUPPLEMENTARYINFORMATION:DiscussionWereceivedareportofanHPCstage8-10spooluncontainedfailureresultinginanairplanefire.Ongoinginvestigationshavedeterminedthatacrackinitiatedinthestage8aftwebupperfaceoftheHPC8-10spoolandpropagateduntilspoolrupture.Therootcauseofthecrackinitiationisnotyetknown.Thiscondition,ifnotcorrected,couldresultinfailureoftheHPCstage8-10spool,uncontainedrotorrelease,damagetothe2engine,anddamagetotheairplane.WeareissuingthisADtocorrecttheunsafeconditionontheseproducts.RelatedServiceInformationWereviewedGEServiceBulletin(SB)No.GE90SIB72-1145,datedNovember24,2015.TheSBdescribesproceduresforone-timeon-wingUSIofthestage8webofthestage8-10spool.WealsoreviewedthefollowingchaptersofGEGE90EngineManual,GEK100700,Revision66,datedSeptemberI,2015:•Chapter72-31-08,SpecialProcedure003,piece-partlevelECI,•Chapter72-00-31,SpecialProcedure006,rotorassemblyandmodulelevelECIand,•Chapter72-00-31,SpecialProcedure007,rotorassemblylevelUSI.FAA'sDeterminationWeareissuingthisADbecauseweevaluatedalltherelevantinformationanddeterminedtheunsafeconditiondescribedpreviouslyislikelytoexistordevelopinotherproductsofthesametypedesign.ADRequirementsThisADrequiresaccomplishinganECIorUSIofthestage8aftwebupperfaceoftheHPCstage8-10spoolandremovingfromservicethosepartsthatfailinspection.InterimActionWeconsiderthisADinterimaction.GEisdeterminingtherootcausefortheunsafeconditionidentifiedinthisAD.Oncearootcauseisidentified,wemightconsideradditionalrulemaking.FAA'sJustificationandDeterminationoftheEffectiveDateAnunsafeconditionexiststhatrequirestheimmediateadoptionofthisAD.TheFAAhasfoundthattherisktotheflyingpublicjustifieswaivingnoticeandcommentpriortoadoptionofthisrulebasedonthereportedenginefailure.Therefore,wefindthat3noticeandopportunityforpriorpubliccommentareimpracticableandthatgoodcauseexistsformakingthisamendmenteffectiveinlessthan30days.CommentsInvitedThisADisafinalrulethatinvolvesrequirementsaffectingflightsafetyandwasnotprecededbynoticeandanopportunityforpubliccomment.However,weinviteyoutosendany-writtendata,views,orargumentsaboutthisAD.SendyourcommentstoanaddresslistedundertheADDRESSESsection.Include"DocketNo.FAA-2015-6823;DirectorateIdentifier2015-NE-38-AD"atthebeginningofyourcomments.Wespecificallyinvitecommentsontheoverallregulatory,economic,environmental,andenergyaspectsofthisAD.WevvillconsiderallcommentsreceivedbytheclosingdateandmayamendthisADbecauseofthosecomments.Wewillpostallcommentswereceive,withoutchange,tohttp://www.regulations.gov,includinganypersonalinformationyouprovide.WevvillalsopostareportsummarizingeachsubstantiveverbalcontactwereceiveaboutthisAD.CostsofComplianceWeestimatethatthisADaffects1engineinstalledonanairplaneofU.S.registry.Wealsoestimatethatitwilltakeabout7hoursperenginetocomplywiththisAD.Theaveragelaborrateis$85perhour.Requiredpartscostabout$780,000perengine.Basedonthesefigures,weestimatethetotalcostoftheADtoU.S.operatorstobe$780,595.AuthorityforthisRulemakingTitle49oftheUnitedStatesCodespecifiestheFAA'sauthoritytoissuerulesonaviationsafety.SubtitleI,section106,describestheauthorityoftheFAAAdministrator."SubtitleVII:AviationPrograms"describesinmoredetailthescopeoftheAgency'sauthority.WeareissuingthisrulemakingundertheauthoritydescribedinSubtitleVII,PartA,SubpartIII,Section44701:"Generalrequirements."Underthatsection,Congress4

# 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 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), (3) Will

not affect intrastate

aviation

in Alaska

to the extent

that

it justifies making

a regulatory distinction,

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. 

# 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. 

# 5§39.13[Amended]2.TheFAAamends§39.13byaddingthefollowingnewairworthinessdirective(AD):2015-xx-xxGeneralElectricCompany:Amendment39-18xxx;DocketNo.FAA-2015-6823;DirectorateIdentifier2015-NE-38-AD.(a)EffectiveDateThisADiseffective(INSERTDATE15DAYSAFTERDATEOFPUBLICATIONINTHEFEDERALREGISTER].(b)AffectedADsNone.(c)ApplicabilityThisADappliestoGeneralElectricCompany(GE)GE90-76B,-77B,-85B,-90B,and-94Bturbofanengineswithhigh-pressurecompressor(HPC)stage8-10spool,partnumber1694M80G04,installed.(d)UnsafeConditionThisADwaspromptedbyanuncontainedfailureoftheHPCstage8-10spool,leadingtoanairplanefire.WeareissuingthisADtopreventfailureofthe1-IPCstage8-10spool,uncontainedrotorrelease,damagetotheengine,anddamagetotheairplane.(e)ComplianceComplyvviththisADwithinthecompliancetimesspecified,unlessalreadydone.(1)Performaneddycurrentinspectionorultrasonicinspectionofthestage8aftwebupperfaceoftheHPCstage8-10spoolforcracksasfollows:(i)ForHPCstage8-10spoolswithserialnumber(SIN)GWNHC086orGWNI-IB875,inspectwithin150cycles-in-service(CIS),aftertheeffectivedateofthisAD.6(ii)ForHPCstage8-10spoolswithSINGWNHC154,GWNHA455,GWNHC153,orGWNHB516,inspectwithin300CIS,aftertheeffectivedateofthisAD.(2)RemovefromserviceanyHPCstage8-10spoolthatfailstheinspectionrequiredbyparagraph(e)(!)ofthisADandreplacethespoolwithaspooleligibleforinstallation.(I)AlternativeMethodsofCompliance(AMOCs)TheManager,EngineCertificationOffice,FAA,mayapproveAMOCsforthisAD.Usetheproceduresfoundin14CFR39.19tomakeyourrequest.Youmayemailyourrequestto:ANE-AD-AMOC@faa.gov.(g)RelatedInformationFormoreinformationaboutthisAD,contactJohnFrost,AerospaceEngineer,EngineCertificationOffice,FAA,Engine&PropellerDirectorate,12NewEnglandExecutivePark,Burlington,MA01803;phone:781-238-7756;fax:781-238-7199;email:john.frost@faa.gov.(h)MaterialIncorporatedbyReferenceNone.IssuedinBurlington,Massachusetts,onDecember21,2015.ColleenM;D'Alessandro,DirectorateManager,Engine&PropellerDirectorate,AircraftCertificationService.7