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[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 236 (Wednesday, December 9, 2015)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 76400-76402]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-30948]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2015-4474; Directorate Identifier 2015-NE-34-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Division Turbofan 
Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
certain Pratt & Whitney Division (PW) PW4000-94 inch and PW4000-100 
inch model turbofan engines. This proposed AD was prompted by a report 
of a crack find in the high-pressure compressor (HPC) disk. This 
proposed AD would require performing an ultrasonic inspection (USI) or 
an eddy current inspection (ECI) of the HPC 10th stage disk. We are 
proposing this AD to prevent failure of the HPC 10th stage disk, an 
uncontained disk release, damage to the engine, and damage to the 
airplane.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by February 8, 
2016.

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 proposed AD, contact 
Pratt & Whitney Division, 400 Main St., East Hartford, CT 06108; phone: 
(860) 565-8770; fax: (860) 565-4503. 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.

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-2015-
4474; 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 proposed AD, the regulatory evaluation, any comments 
received, and other information. The street address for the Docket 
Office (phone: 800-647-5527) is in the ADDRESSES section. Comments will 
be available in the AD docket shortly after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Katheryn Malatek, Aerospace Engineer, 
Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 
New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; phone: 781-238-7747; 
fax: 781-238-7199; email: katheryn.malatek@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments about this NPRM. Send your comments to an address listed 
under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2015-4474; 
Directorate Identifier 2015-NE-34-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

    We propose to adopt a new AD for certain PW PW4000-94 inch turbofan 
engines with HPC 10th stage disk, part number (P/N) 51H710 or 53H976-
06, installed and certain PW4000-100 inch turbofan engines with HPC 
10th stage disk, P/N 53H976-06, installed. This proposed AD was 
prompted by a report of a crack find in the HPC 10th stage disk. The 
root cause of the crack was a manual polishing procedure, previously 
used during manufacture, that caused surface scratches on the disk. 
This proposed AD would require a USI or ECI of the HPC 10th stage disk. 
We are proposing this AD to prevent failure of the HPC 10th stage disk, 
which could lead to an uncontained disk release, damage to the engine, 
and damage to the airplane.

[[Page 76401]]

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    We reviewed PW Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) No. PW4G-100-A72-255, 
dated August 31, 2015 and PW ASB No. PW4ENG A72-833, dated August 20, 
2015. The ASBs provide lists of affected HPC disks and describe 
procedures for USI and ECI of the HPC 10th stage disk. 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 of this NPRM.

FAA's Determination

    We are proposing this NPRM because we evaluated all the relevant 
information and determined the unsafe condition described previously is 
likely to exist or develop in other products of the same type design.

Proposed AD Requirements

    This NPRM would require performing a USI or ECI of the HPC 10th 
stage disk.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this proposed AD affects 763 engines installed on 
airplanes of U.S. registry. We also estimate that it would take about 
12 hours per engine to do the inspection. The average labor rate is $85 
per hour. Based on these figures, we estimate the cost of this proposed 
AD on U.S. operators to be $778,260.

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 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 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.

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

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 airworthiness 
directive (AD):

Pratt & Whitney Division: Docket No. FAA-2015-4474; Directorate 
Identifier 2015-NE-34-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

    We must receive comments by February 8, 2016.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    (1) This AD applies to all Pratt & Whitney Division (PW) PW4050, 
PW4052, PW4056, PW4060, PW4060A, PW4060C, PW4062, PW4062A, PW4152, 
PW4156, PW4156A, PW4158, PW4160, PW4460, PW4462, and PW4650 turbofan 
engines, including models with a ``-3'' suffix, with one of the 
following installed:
    (i) High-pressure compressor (HPC) 10th stage disk, part number 
(P/N) 51H710, with a serial number (S/N) listed in Table 1 of PW 
Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) No. PW4ENG A72-833, dated August 20, 
2015; or
    (ii) HPC 10th stage disk, P/N 53H976-06, with an S/N listed in 
Table 2 of PW ASB No. PW4ENG A72-833, dated August 20, 2015.
    (2) This AD also applies to all PW PW4164, PW4168, PW4168A, 
PW4164C, PW4164C/B, PW4170, PW4168A-1D, PW4168-1D, PW4164-1D, 
PW4164C-1D, and PW4164C/B-1D turbofan engines with an HPC 10th stage 
disk, P/N 53H976-06, with an S/N listed Table 1 of PW ASB No. PW4G-
100-A72-255, dated August 31, 2015, installed.

(d) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by a report of a crack find in the HPC 10th 
stage disk. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of the HPC 
10th stage disk, an uncontained disk release, damage to the engine, 
and damage to the airplane.

(e) Compliance

    Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified, 
unless already done.
    (1) Whenever the high-pressure turbine (HPT) or low-pressure 
turbine (LPT) is removed from the engine, perform an ultrasonic 
inspection (USI) of the HPC 10th stage disk for cracks. Remove from 
service any HPC 10th stage disk that fails inspection and replace 
with a part eligible for installation.
    (2) Whenever the HPC front drum rotor disk assembly is removed 
from the engine, perform an eddy current inspection (ECI) of the HPC 
10th stage disk for cracks. Remove from service any HPC 10th stage 
disk that fails inspection and replace with a part eligible for 
installation. A USI as required by paragraph (e)(1) of this AD is 
not required if an ECI is performed.

(f) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    The Manager, Engine Certification Office, FAA, may approve AMOCs 
for this AD. Use the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19 to make your 
request. You may email your request to: ANE-AD-AMOC@faa.gov.

(g) Related Information

    (1) For more information about this AD, contact Katheryn 
Malatek, Aerospace Engineer, Engine Certification Office, FAA, 
Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park, 
Burlington, MA 01803; phone: 781-238-7747; fax: 781-238-7199; email: 
katheryn.malatek@faa.gov.
    (2) PW ASB No. PW4G-100-A72-255, dated August 31, 2015 and PW 
ASB No. PW4ENG A72-833, dated August 20, 2015, can be obtained from 
PW using the contact information in paragraph (g)(3) of this AD.
    (3) For service information identified in this AD, contact Pratt 
& Whitney Division, 400 Main St., East Hartford, CT 06108; phone: 
(860) 565-8770; fax: (860) 565-4503.
    (4) 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.

[[Page 76402]]

    Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on December 3, 2015.
Colleen M. D'Alessandro,
Directorate Manager, Engine & Propeller Directorate, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-30948 Filed 12-8-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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