56760 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 179 / Friday, September 14, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2012–0848; Directorate 

Identifier 2012–NE–20–AD; Amendment 39– 

17167; AD 2012–17–04] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce 

plc Turbofan Engines 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule; request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for all 

Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-Trent 800 

series turbofan engines. This AD 

requires removing from service certain 

intermediate pressure (IP) turbine discs 

that have a serial number listed in this 

AD. This AD was prompted by RR 

performing an evaluation that 

determined that the current lives for 

certain IP turbine discs with a steel 

inclusion may fail before they reach 

their current mandatory life limits. We 

are issuing this AD to prevent failure of 

the IP turbine disc, which could result 

in uncontained failure of the engine and 

damage to the airplane. 

DATES: This AD becomes effective 

October 1, 2012. 

We must receive comments on this 

AD by October 29, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by 

any of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov and follow 

the instructions for sending your 

comments electronically. 

• Mail: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE., West Building Ground 

Floor, Room W12–140, Washington, DC 

20590–0001. 

• Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail 

address above between 9 a.m. and 5 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

• Fax: (202) 493–2251. 

For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Rolls-Royce plc, 

Corporate Communications, P.O. Box 

31, Derby, England, DE248BJ; phone: 

011–44–1332–242424; fax: 011–44– 

1332–245418 or email from http:// 

www.rolls-royce.com/contact/ 

civil_team.jsp, or download the 

publication from https:// 

www.aeromanager.com. You may 

review copies of the referenced service 

information at the FAA, Engine & 

Propeller Directorate, 12 New England 

Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803. 

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; 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 the same as the Mail 

address provided in the ADDRESSES

section. Comments will be available in 

the AD docket shortly after receipt. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Alan Strom, Aerospace Engineer, Engine 

Certification Office, FAA, Engine & 

Propeller Directorate, 12 New England 

Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; 

phone: 781–238–7143; fax: 781–238– 

7199; email: alan.strom@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

The European Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA), which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Community, has issued EASA AD 2012– 

0120, dated July 4, 2012 (referred to 

after this as ‘‘the MCAI’’), to correct an 

unsafe condition for the specified 

products. The MCAI states: 

The inspection of several IP turbine discs 

at past engine overhauls identified the 

presence of steel inclusions in these parts. 

Further investigation concluded that all 

affected parts were manufactured from 

Waspalloy billets produced before 1997 at a 

certain supplier who also melted steel in the 

same furnaces. Initial engineering evaluation 

concluded that the lives of the parts would 

not be affected by the presence of the said 

steel inclusions. This evaluation has been 

recently repeated, utilising improved 

structural analysis, and it is now concluded 

that the currently published lives of the 

components cannot be supported for some 

discs with a steel inclusion. 

This condition, if not corrected, could lead 

to an uncontained IP turbine disc failure, 

possibly resulting in damage to, and reduced 

control of, the aeroplane. 

The current life limit of the Trent 800 

IP turbine disc is 11,610 standard duty 

cycles. Analysis shows that discs that 

could have steel inclusions in them 

must be removed earlier than the 

current life to prevent uncontained disc 

failure. We are issuing this AD to 

prevent failure of the IP turbine disc, 

which could result in uncontained 

failure of the engine and damage to the 

airplane. You may obtain further 

information by examining the MCAI in 

the AD docket. 

FAA’s Determination and Requirements 

of This AD 

This product has been approved by 

the United Kingdom and is approved for 

operation in the United States. Pursuant 

to our bilateral agreement with the 

European Community, EASA has 

notified us of the unsafe condition 

described in the MCAI and service 

information referenced above. We are 

issuing this AD because we evaluated 

all information provided by EASA and 

determined the unsafe condition exists 

and is likely to exist or develop on other 

products of the same type design. 

FAA’s Determination of the Effective 

Date 

An unsafe condition exists that 

requires the immediate adoption of this 

AD. The FAA has found that the risk to 

the flying public justifies waiving notice 

and comment prior to adoption of this 

rule because no affected IP turbine discs 

are installed in engines that are used on 

U.S.-registered airplanes. Therefore, we 

determined that notice and opportunity 

for public comment before issuing this 

AD are unnecessary and that good cause 

exists for making this amendment 

effective in fewer than 30 days. 

Comments Invited 

This AD is a final rule that involves 

requirements affecting flight safety, and 

we did not precede it by notice and 

opportunity for public comment. We 

invite you to send any written relevant 

data, views, or arguments about this AD. 

Send your comments to an address 

listed under the ADDRESSES section. 

Include ‘‘Docket No. FAA–2012–0848; 

Directorate Identifier 2012–NE–20–AD’’ 

at the beginning of your comments. We 

specifically invite comments on the 

overall regulatory, economic, 

environmental, and energy aspects of 

this AD. We will consider all comments 

received by the closing date and may 

amend this AD 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 with FAA 

personnel concerning this AD. Using the 

search function of the Web site, anyone 

can find and read the comments in any 

of our dockets, including, if provided, 

the name of the individual who sent the 

comment (or signed the comment on 

behalf of an association, business, labor 

union, etc.). You may review the DOT’s 

complete Privacy Act Statement in the 


wreier-aviles on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with RULES
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 179 / Friday, September 14, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 56761 

Federal Register published on April 11, 

2000 (65 FR 19477–78). 

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. 

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: 

2012–17–04 Rolls-Royce plc: Amendment 

39–17167; Docket No. FAA–2012–0848; 

Directorate Identifier 2012–NE–20–AD. 

(a) Effective Date 

This airworthiness directive (AD) becomes 

effective October 1, 2012. 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to Rolls-Royce plc (RR) 

RB211-Trent 875–17, 877–17, 884–17, 884B– 

17, 892–17, 892B–17, and 895–17 turbofan 

engines that have an intermediate pressure 

(IP) turbine disc with a serial number listed 

in Table 1 to paragraph (e) of this AD, 

installed. 

(d) Reason 

This AD was prompted by RR performing 

an evaluation that determined that the 

current lives for certain IP turbine discs with 

a steel inclusion may fail before they reach 

their current mandatory life limits. We are 

issuing this AD to prevent failure of the IP 

turbine disc, which could result in 

uncontained failure of the engine and 

damage to the airplane. 

(e) Actions and Compliance 

Unless already done, do the following. 

Remove disc serial numbers (S/Ns) listed in 

Table 1 to paragraph (e) of this AD within 

9,700 standard duty cycles since new. 

TABLE 1 TO PARAGRAPH (E)— 

AFFECTED IP TURBINE DISCS

IP Turbine Disc S/N 

ADREB 73 

ADREB 79 

ADREB 80 

ADREB 81 

ADREB 82 

ADREB 83 

ADREB 84 

ADREB 85 

ADREB 86 

ADREB 87 

ADREB 88 

ADREB 89 

ADREB 90 

ADREB 91 

ADREB 92 

ADREB 94 

ADREB 96 

ADREB 102 

ADREB 103 

ADREB 104 

(f) Installation Prohibition 

After the effective date of this AD, do not 

install any IP and Low Pressure (LP) turbine 

module on any engine with an IP turbine disc 

with an S/N listed in Table 1 to paragraph 

(e) of this AD if the life of the disc is equal 

to or greater than 9,700 standard duty cycles 

since new. After the effective date of this AD, 

do not install any IP turbine disk listed in 

Table 1 to paragraph (e) of this AD if the life 

of the disk is equal to or greater than 9,700 

standard duty cycles since new. 

(g) Definitions 

For the purposes of this AD, a shop visit 

is one where the IP and LP turbine module 

has been removed from the engine. 

(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) You may find additional information on 

replacing the IP turbine disc, in RB211 Trent 

800 Propulsion Systems Non-Modification 

Service Bulletin No. RB.211–72–AG795, 

dated October 28, 2011. 

(2) For more information about this AD, 

contact Alan Strom, Aerospace Engineer, 

Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine & 

Propeller Directorate, 12 New England 

Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; 

phone: 781–238–7143; fax: 781–238–7199; 

email: alan.strom@faa.gov. 

(3) Refer to European Aviation Safety 

Agency Airworthiness Directive 2012–0120, 

dated July 4, 2012, for related information. 

(4) For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Rolls-Royce plc, Corporate 

Communications, P.O. Box 31, Derby, 

England, DE248BJ; phone: 011–44–1332– 

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

from http://www.rolls-royce.com/contact/ 

civil_team.jsp. 

(j) Material Incorporated by Reference 

None. 

Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on 

August 15, 2012. 

Colleen M. D’Alessandro, 

Assistant Manager, Engine & Propeller 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–21286 Filed 9–13–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 71 

[Docket No. FAA–2011–1399; Airspace 

Docket No. 11–ASW–14] 

Amendment of Class E Airspace; 

Kerrville, TX 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: This action amends Class E 

airspace at Kerrville, TX. Additional 

controlled airspace is necessary to 

accommodate new Area Navigation 

(RNAV) Standard Instrument Approach 

Procedures at Kerrville Municipal 


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