Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 14 /Thursday, January 22, 1998 / Proposed Rules 3275

case of a locking arm failure, in accordance

with Accomplishment Instructions of

Eurocopter France SA 330 Service Bulletin

No. 54.20, Revision 1, dated February 27,

1996.

(c) Installation of an airworthy additional

safety stop, P/N 330A24–2119–21,

constitutes terminating action for the

requirements of this AD.

(d) An alternative method of compliance or

adjustment of the compliance time that

provides an acceptable level of safety may be

used if approved by the Manager, Rotorcraft

Standards Staff, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA.

Operators shall submit their requests through

an FAA Principal Maintenance Inspector,

who may concur or comment and then send

it to the Manager, Rotorcraft Standards Staff.

Note 2: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this AD, if any, may be

obtained from the Rotorcraft Standards Staff.

(e) Special flight permits may be issued in

accordance with sections 21.197 and 21.199

of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR

21.197 and 21.199) to operate the helicopter

to a location where the requirements of this

AD can be accomplished.

Note 3: The subject of this AD is addressed

in Direction Generale De L’Aviation Civile

(France) AD 96–095–076(B), dated April 24,

1996.

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on January 14,

1998.

Eric Bries,

Acting Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate,

Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 98–1428 Filed 1–21–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 97–ANE–46–AD]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; CFM

International CFM56–2, –2A, –2B, –3,

–3B, and –3C Series Turbofan Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking

(NPRM).

SUMMARY: This document proposes the

adoption of a new airworthiness

directive (AD) that is applicable to CFM

International (CFMI) CFM56–2, –2A,

–2B, –3, –3B, and –3C series turbofan

engines. This proposal would require a

one-time eddy current inspection (ECI)

for cracks or gouges in certain high

pressure turbine rotor (HPTR) disks.

This proposal is prompted by a report

of a HPTR disk found to have a crack

in a rim bolt hole during a routine shop

manual ECI. The actions specified by

the proposed AD are intended to

prevent the potential for an uncontained

failure of the HPTR disk, which could

result in an inflight engine shutdown,

aborted takeoff, or damage to the

aircraft.

DATES: Comments must be received by

March 23, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in

triplicate to the Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), New England

Region, Office of the Assistant Chief

Counsel, Attention: Rules Docket No.

97–ANE–46–AD, 12 New England

Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803–

5299. Comments may be inspected at

this location between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30

p.m., Monday through Friday, except

Federal holidays.

The service information referenced in

the proposed rule may be obtained from

CFM International, Technical

Publications Department, 1 Neumann

Way, Cincinnati, OH 45215; telephone

(513) 552–2981, fax (513) 552–2816.

This information may be examined at

the FAA, New England Region, Office of

the Assistant Chief Counsel, 12 New

England Executive Park, Burlington,

MA.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Glorianne Messemer, Aerospace

Engineer, Engine Certification Office,

FAA, Engine and Propeller Directorate,

12 New England Executive Park,

Burlington, MA 01803–5299; telephone

(781) 238–7132; fax (781) 238–7199.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

Interested persons are invited to

participate in the making of the

proposed rule by submitting such

written data, views, or arguments as

they may desire. Communications

should identify the Rules Docket

number and be submitted in triplicate to

the address specified above. All

communications received on or before

the closing date for comments, specified

above, will be considered before taking

action on the proposed rule. The

proposals contained in this notice may

be changed in light of the comments

received.

Comments are specifically invited on

the overall regulatory, economic,

environmental, and energy aspects of

the proposed rule. All comments

submitted will be available, both before

and after the closing date for comments,

in the Rules Docket for examination by

interested persons. A report

summarizing each FAA-public contact

concerned with the substance of this

proposal will be filed in the Rules

Docket.

Commenters wishing the FAA to

acknowledge receipt of their comments

submitted in response to this notice

must submit a self-addressed, stamped

postcard on which the following

statement is made: ‘‘Comments to

Docket Number 97–ANE–46–AD.’’ The

postcard will be date stamped and

returned to the commenter.

Availability of NPRMs

Any person may obtain a copy of this

NPRM by submitting a request to the

FAA, New England Region, Office of the

Assistant Chief Counsel, Attention:

Rules Docket No. 97–ANE–46–AD, 12

New England Executive Park,

Burlington, MA 01803–5299.

Discussion

This proposed airworthiness directive

(AD) is applicable to CFM International

(CFMI) CFM56–2, –2A, –2B, –3, –3B,

and –3C series turbofan engines. The

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

received a report of a high pressure

turbine rotor (HPTR) disk found to have

a crack in a rim bolt hole during a

routine shop manual eddy current

inspection (ECI). Investigation revealed

that the crack initiated from a gouge in

the bolt hole. The gouge is the result of

a drill break that occurred when the rim

bolt hole was being manufactured. A

review of manufacturing records

indicates that a total of 276 HPTR disks

have documented drill breaks that

occurred during manufacture of the

HPTR disk. This condition, if not

corrected, could result in an

uncontained failure of the HPTR disk,

which could result in an inflight engine

shutdown, aborted takeoff, or damage to

the aircraft.

The FAA has reviewed and approved

the technical contents of CFM56–2

Service Bulletin (SB) No. 72–817, dated

January 14, 1997, CFM56–2A SB No.

72–419, Revision 1, dated January 31,

1997, CFM56–2B SB No. 72–561,

Revision 1, dated January 31, 1997, and

CFM56–3/–3B/–3C SB No. 72–843,

dated January 14, 1997, that describe

procedures for ECI for cracks or gouges

in HPTR disks.

Since an unsafe condition has been

identified that is likely to exist or

develop on other products of this same

type design, the proposed AD would

require a one-time ECI for cracks or

gouges in certain HPTR disks. The

calendar end-dates listed in the

compliance section of this AD were

based upon risk analysis. The actions

would be required to be accomplished

in accordance with the SBs described

previously.

There are approximately 276 engines

of the affected design in the worldwide
3276 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 14 /Thursday, January 22, 1998 / Proposed Rules

fleet. The FAA estimates that 100

engines on aircraft of U.S. registry

would be affected by the proposed AD,

that it would take approximately 300

work hours per engine to accomplish

the proposed actions, and that the

average labor rate is $60 per work hour.

Replacement parts, if required, would

cost approximately $86,000 per engine.

Based on these figures, and assuming

that 16 of the inspected HPTR disks will

require replacement, the total cost

impact of the proposed AD on U.S.

operators is estimated to be $3,176,000.

The manufacturer has advised the FAA

that certain costs incurred from the

inspection and replacement of parts

affected by this AD may be borne by the

manufacturer, therefore, the total cost

impact of this AD to U.S. operators may

be less than estimated by the FAA.

The regulations proposed herein

would not have substantial direct effects

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. Therefore,

in accordance with Executive Order

12612, it is determined that this

proposal would not have sufficient

federalism implications to warrant the

preparation of a Federalism Assessment.

For the reasons discussed above, I

certify that 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); and (3) if

promulgated, 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. A copy of the draft

regulatory evaluation prepared for this

action is contained in the Rules Docket.

A copy of it may be obtained by

contacting the Rules Docket at the

location provided under the caption

ADDRESSES.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation

safety, Safety.

The Proposed Amendment

Accordingly, pursuant to the

authority delegated to me by the

Administrator, the Federal Aviation

Administration proposes to amend part

39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations

(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), 40101, 40113,

44701.

§ 39.13 [Amended]

2. Section 39.13 is amended by

adding the following new airworthiness

directive:

CFM International: Docket No. 97–ANE–

46–AD.

Applicability: CFM International (CFMI)

CFM56–2, –2A, –2B, –3, –3B, and –3C series

turbofan engines installed on, but not limited

to McDonnell Douglas DC–8 series, Boeing

737 series, as well as Boeing E–3, E–6, and

KC–135 (military) series aircraft.

Note 1: This airworthiness directive (AD)

applies to each engine identified in the

preceding applicability provision, regardless

of whether it has been modified, altered, or

repaired in the area subject to the

requirements of this AD. For engines that

have been modified, altered, or repaired so

that the performance of the requirements of

this AD is affected, the owner/operator must

request approval for an alternative method of

compliance in accordance with paragraph (c)

of this AD. The request should include an

assessment of the effect of the modification,

alteration, or repair on the unsafe condition

addressed by this AD; and, if the unsafe

condition has not been eliminated, the

request should include specific proposed

actions to address it.

Compliance: Required as indicated, unless

accomplished previously.

To prevent the potential for an

uncontained failure of the high pressure

turbine rotor (HPTR) disk, which could result

in an inflight engine shutdown, aborted

takeoff, or damage to the aircraft, accomplish

the following:

(a) Eddy current inspect for cracks or

gouges in HPTR disks, Part Numbers

1475M29P01, 1475M29P02, 9514M69P01,

9514M69P04, 9514M69P05, 9514M69P06,

and 9514M69P09, with Serial Numbers listed

in Table 1 of the applicable Service Bulletin

(SB), as follows:

(1) For CFM56–2 engines, in accordance

with CFM56–2 SB No. 72–817, dated January

14, 1997, prior to June 30, 1998.

(2) For CFM56–2A engines, in accordance

with CFM56–2A SB No. 72–419, Revision 1,

dated January 31, 1997, within 500 cycles in

service (CIS) after the effective date of this

AD, or by December 31, 1999, whichever

occurs first.

(3) For CFM56–2B engines, in accordance

with CFM56–2B SB No. 72–561, Revision 1,

dated January 31, 1997, within 500 CIS after

the effective date of this AD, or by December

31, 1999, whichever occurs first.

(4) For CFM56–3, –3B, and –3C engines, in

accordance with CFM56–3/–3B/–3C SB No.

72–843, dated January 14, 1997, prior to June

30, 1998.

(b) Remove from service HPTR disks found

cracked or gouged, and replace with

serviceable parts.

(c) An alternative method of compliance or

adjustment of the compliance time that

provides an acceptable level of safety may be

used if approved by the Manager, Engine

Certification Office. Operators shall submit

their request through an appropriate FAA

Principal Maintenance Inspector, who may

add comments and then send it to the

Manager, Engine Certification Office.

Note 2: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this airworthiness directive,

if any, may be obtained from the Engine

Certification Office.

(d) Special flight permits may be issued in

accordance with sections 21.197 and 21.199

of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR

21.197 and 21.199) to operate the aircraft to

a location where the inspection requirements

of this AD can be accomplished.

Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on

January 8, 1998.

James C. Jones,

Assistant Manager, Engine and Propeller

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 98–1484 Filed 1–21–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 97–CE–119–AD]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Pilatus

Aircraft Ltd. Models PC–12 and PC–12/

45 Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking

(NPRM).

SUMMARY: This document proposes to

adopt a new airworthiness directive

(AD) that would apply to certain Pilatus

Aircraft Ltd. (Pilatus) Models PC–12 and

PC–12/45 airplanes. The proposed AD

would require replacing certain

propeller de-icing controllers with ones

that are not susceptible to

electromagnetic interference (EMI). The

proposed AD is the result of mandatory

continuing airworthiness information

(MCAI) issued by the airworthiness

authority for Switzerland. The actions

specified by the proposed AD are

intended to prevent improper operation

of the propeller de-icing controller

caused by EMI, which could result in

ice build-up on the propeller with

possible airplane controllability

problems.

DATES: Comments must be received on

or before February 27, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in

triplicate to the Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), Central Region,

Office of the Regional Counsel,

Attention: Rules Docket No. 97–CE–

119–AD, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street,