E7-687. Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG Dart 528, 529, 532, 535, 542, and 555 Series Turboprop Engines

AGENCY:

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION:

Final rule.

SUMMARY:

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG (RRD) Dart 528, 529, 532, 535, 542, and 555 series turboprop engines. This AD requires a dimensional inspection of the intermediate pressure turbine (IPT) disk or an ultrasonic inspection of the seal arm contact between the high pressure turbine (HPT) and the IPT disk seal arm and rework or replacement of the IPT disk if wear outside acceptable limits is found. This AD results from reports of a number of HPT disk failures, some of which resulted in portions of the HPT disk being released. We are issuing this AD to prevent HPT disk failure, which can result in an uncontained engine failure and damage to the airplane.

DATES:

This AD becomes effective February 26, 2007. The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in the regulations as of February 26, 2007.

ADDRESSES:

You can get the service information identified in this AD from Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG, Eschenweg 11, D-15827 Dahlewitz, Germany; Telephone [phone]; FAX [phone].

You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov or in Room PL-401 on the plaza level of the Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jason Yang, Aerospace Engineer, Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine and Propeller Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; telephone [phone]; fax [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The FAA proposed to amend 14 CFR part 39 with a proposed AD. The proposed AD applies to RRD Dart 528, 529, 532, 535, 542, and 555 series turboprop engines. We published the proposed AD in the Federal Register on July 11, 2006 (71 FR 39023). That action proposed to require a dimensional inspection of the IPT disk or an ultrasonic inspection of the seal arm contact between the HPT and the IPT disk seal arm and rework or replacement of the IPT disk if wear outside acceptable limits is found.

Examining the AD Docket

You may examine the docket that contains the AD, any comments received, and any final disposition in person at the Docket Management Facility Docket Office between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The Docket Office (telephone [phone]) is located on the plaza level of the Department of Transportation Nassif Building at the street address stated in ADDRESSES. Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly after the DMS receives them.

Comments

We provided the public the opportunity to participate in the development of this AD. We have considered the comment received.

Request To Incorporate by Reference and Publish the SBs

One commenter, the Modification and Replacement Parts Association (MARPA), requests that we incorporate by reference (IBR) the SBs referenced in the proposed AD. We agree. This final rule AD IBRs the documents necessary for accomplishing the requirements mandated by this AD. We did not change the AD.

MARPA also requests that we publish those SBs that we IBR, in Docket File FAA-2006-24825 of the Docket Management System (DMS). We are reviewing issues surrounding posting of service bulletins on the DMS as part of an AD docket. Once we have thoroughly examined all aspects of this issue and have made a final determination, we will consider whether our current practice needs to be revised. No change to the final rule is necessary in response to this comment.

Change in Compliance Date

We found it necessary to change the compliance date in paragraph (f)(2)(i), which requires performing a dimensional inspection and repairing or replacing the IPT disk, if necessary. We changed the date from December 30, 2006, to June 30, 2007.

Conclusion

We have carefully reviewed the available data, including the comment received, and determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting the AD with the changes described previously.

Costs of Compliance

We estimate that this AD will affect 30 RRD Dart 528, 529, 532, 535, 542, and 555 series turboprop engines installed on airplanes of U.S. registry. We also estimate that it will take about 50 work-hours per engine to perform the actions, and that the average labor rate is $80 per work-hour. Required parts will cost about $50,000 per IPT disk. We estimate that 25 percent, or eight engines, will require IPT disk replacement. Based on these figures, we estimate the total cost of the AD to U.S. operators to be $500,000.

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 have 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 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); 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 summary of the costs to comply with this AD and placed it in the AD Docket. You may get a copy of this summary at the address listed under ADDRESSES.

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 Federal Aviation Administration 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 airworthiness directive:

2007-02-07 Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG (formerly Rolls-Royce plc): Amendment 39-14894. Docket No. FAA-2006-24825; Directorate Identifier 2006-NE-17-AD.

Effective Date

(a) This airworthiness directive (AD) becomes effective February 26, 2007.

Affected ADs

(b) None.

Applicability

(c) This AD applies to Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG (RRD) Dart 528, 529, 532, 535, 542, and 555 series turboprop engines. These engines are installed on, but not limited to, Hawker Siddeley, Argosy AW.650, Fairchild Hiller F-27, F-27A, F-27B, F-27F, F-27G, F-27J, FH-227, FH-227B, FH-227C, FH-227D, FH-227E, Fokker F.27 all marks; British Aircraft Corporation Viscount 744, 745D and 810; and Gulfstream G-159 airplanes.

Unsafe Condition

(d) This AD results from reports of a number of high pressure turbine (HPT) disk failures, some of which resulted in portions of the HPT disk being released. We are issuing this AD to prevent HPT disk failure, which can result in an uncontained engine failure and damage to the airplane.

Compliance

(e) You are responsible for having the actions required by this AD performed within the compliance times specified unless the actions have already been done.

IPT Disk and HPT/IPT Disk Seal Arm Inspections

(f) Within 60 days after the effective date of the AD, do either of the following:

(1) Perform a dimensional inspection of the IPT disk and repair or replace the IPT disk, if necessary using paragraph 3 of the Accomplishment Instructions of RRD service bulletin (SB) Da72-538, dated June 10, 2005; or

(2) Perform an ultrasonic inspection of the disk seal arm contact between the HPT and the IPT using paragraph 3 of the Accomplishment Instructions of RRD SB Da72-536, Revision 1, dated August 25, 2003.

(i) If wear is outside allowable limits, before June 30, 2007, perform a dimensional inspection and repair or replace the IPT disk, if necessary. Use paragraph 3 of the Accomplishment Instructions of RRD SB Da72-538, dated June 10, 2005.

(ii) If wear is within allowable limits, perform a dimensional inspection of the IPT disk at the next engine shop visit or at next overhaul, whichever occurs first and repair or replace the IPT disk, if necessary. Use paragraph 3 of the Accomplishment Instructions of RRD SB Da72-538, dated June 10, 2005.

Alternative Methods of Compliance

(g) The Manager, Engine Certification Office, has the authority to approve alternative methods of compliance for this AD if requested using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19.

Related Information

(h) LBA airworthiness directive D-2005-197, dated June 30, 2005, also addresses the subject of this AD.

(i) Contact Jason Yang, Aerospace Engineer, Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine and Propeller Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; telephone [phone], fax [phone]; e-mail: [e-mail] for more information about this AD.

Material Incorporated by Reference

(j) You must use the Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG service information specified in Table 1 to perform the actions required by this AD. The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of the documents listed in Table 1 of this AD in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. Contact Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG, Eschenweg 11, D-15827 Dahlewitz, Germany; telephone [phone]; fax [phone] for a copy of this service information. You may review copies 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/​ibr-locations.html.

Table 1.—Incorporation by Reference

Service Bulletin No.	Page	Revision	Date
Da72-536 Total Pages: 23	All	1	August 25, 2003.
Da72-538 Total Pages: 21	All	Original	June 10, 2005.

Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on January 12, 2007.

Francis A. Favara,

Manager, Engine and Propeller Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.