[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 194 (Thursday, October 7, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 54598-54600]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-26214]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. 98-ANE-43-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney JT8D-200 Series
Turbofan Engines
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: This document proposes the supersedure of an existing
airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to Pratt & Whitney JT8D-200
series turbofan engines, that currently requires revisions to the Time
Limits Section (TLS) of the JT8D-200 Turbofan Engine Manual to include
required enhanced inspection of selected critical life-limited parts at
each piece-part exposure. This action would add additional critical
life-limited parts for enhanced inspection. This proposal is prompted
by additional focused inspection procedures that have been developed by
the manufacturer. The actions specified by this proposed AD are
intended to prevent critical life-limited rotating engine part failure,
which could result in an uncontained engine failure and damage to the
airplane.
DATES: Comments must be received by December 6, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments to the Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA), New England Region, Office of the Regional Counsel, Attention:
Rules Docket No. 98-ANE-43-AD,12 New England Executive Park,
Burlington, MA 01803-5299. Comments may also be sent via the Internet
using the following address: 9-ane-adcomment@faa.gov''. Comments sent
via the Internet must contain the docket number in the subject line.
Comments may be inspected at this location between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher Spinney,Aerospace
Engineer, Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine and Propeller
Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803-5299;
telephone (781) 238-7175, fax (781) 238-7199.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
Interested persons are invited to participate in the making of the
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proposed rule by submitting such written data, views, or arguments as
they may desire. Communications should identify the Rules Docket number
and be submitted 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 98-ANE-43-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 Regional Counsel,
Attention: Rules Docket No. 98-ANE-43-AD,12 New England Executive Park,
Burlington, MA 01803-5299.
Discussion
On June 1, 1999, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued
airworthiness directive (AD) 99-12-04, Amendment 39-11188 (64 FR 30382,
June 8, 1999), to require revisions to the Time Limits Section (TLS) of
the Pratt & Whitney (PW) JT8D-200 Turbofan Engine Manual to include
required enhanced inspection of selected critical life-limited parts at
each piece-part exposure. That AD was prompted by a Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) study of in-service events involving uncontained
failures of critical rotating engine parts that indicated the need for
improved inspections. That condition, if not corrected, could result in
critical life-limited rotating engine part failure, which could result
in an uncontained engine failure and damage to the airplane.
New Inspection Procedures
Since the issuance of that AD, PW has developed additional focused
inspection procedures. This proposal would add first stage high
pressure (HP) turbine disks that would require enhanced inspection at
each piece-part exposure.
Proposed Actions
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 supersede AD 99-12-04 to add additional critical
life-limited parts for enhanced inspection at each piece-part
opportunity.
Economic Analysis
The FAA estimates that 1,279 engines installed on airplanes of US
registry would be affected by this proposed AD, that it would take
approximately 8 work hours per engine to perform the enhanced
inspection for the first stage HP turbine disks. The average labor rate
is $60 per work hour. The cost impact of the added inspections per
engine is approximately $480 per year, with the approximate total cost
for the US fleet of $613,920 per year.
Regulatory Impact
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), 40113, 44701.
Sec. 39.13 [Amended]
2. Section 39.13 is amended by removing Amendment 39-11188 (64 FR
30382, June 8, 1999), and by adding a new airworthiness directive, to
read as follows:
Pratt & Whitney: Docket No. 98-ANE-43-AD. Supersedes AD 99-12-04,
Amendment 39-11188.
Applicability: Pratt & Whitney (PW) JT8D-209, -217, -217A, -
217C, and -219 series turbofan engines, installed on but not limited
to McDonnell Douglas MD80 series airplanes.
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 critical life-limited rotating engine part failure,
which could result in an uncontained engine failure and damage to
the airplane, accomplish the following:
Inspections
(a) Within the next 30 days after the effective date of this AD,
revise the Time Limits Section (TLS) of the JT8D-200 Turbofan Engine
Manual, and for air carrier operations revise the approved
continuous airworthiness maintenance program, by adding the
following:
``Critical Life Limited Part Inspection
A. Inspection Requirements
(1) This section has the definitions for individual engine
piece-parts and the inspection procedures, which are necessary, when
these parts are removed from the engine.
(2) It is necessary to do the inspection procedures of the
piece-parts in Paragraph B when:
(a) The part is removed from the engine and disassembled to the
level specified in paragraph B and
(b) The part has accumulated more than 100 cycles since the last
piece part
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inspection, provided that the part is not damaged or related to the
cause of its removal from the engine.
(3) The inspections specified in this section do not replace or
make unnecessary other recommended inspections for these parts or
other parts.
B. Parts Requiring Inspection
Note: Piece part is defined as any of the listed parts with all
the blades removed.
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Engine manual
Description -------------------------
Section Inspection
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Hub (Disk), 1st Stage Compressor:
5000501-01 (Hub detail)..................... 72-33-31 -02, -03
5000421-01 (Hub assembly)................... 72-33-31 -02, -03
HP Turbine Disk, First Stage:
804301...................................... 72-52-02 -03
5004501-01.................................. 72-52-02 -03
856701...................................... 72-52-02 -03
5004301-01.................................. 72-52-02 -03
x832201..................................... 72-52-02 -03
855701...................................... 72-52-02 -03
856601...................................... 72-52-02 -03''
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(b) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this AD, and
notwithstanding contrary provisions in section 43.16 of the Federal
Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 43.16), these mandatory inspections
shall be performed only in accordance with the TLS of the PW JT8D-
200 Turbofan Engine Manual.
Alternative Methods of Compliance
(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 Engine Certification Office (ECO). Operators
shall submit their requests through an appropriate FAA Principal
Maintenance Inspector (PMI), who may add comments and then send it
to the ECO.
Note 2: Information concerning the existence of approved
alternative methods of compliance with this airworthiness directive,
if any, may be obtained from the ECO.
Ferry Flights
(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 airplane to a location where
the requirements of this AD can be accomplished.
Continuous Airworthiness Maintenance Program
(e) FAA-certificated air carriers that have an approved
continuous airworthiness maintenance program in accordance with the
record keeping requirement of Sec. 121.369(c) of the Federal
Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 121.369(c)) of this chapter must
maintain records of the mandatory inspections that result from
revising the TLS of the PW JT8D-200 Turbofan Engine Manual, and the
air carrier's continuous airworthiness program. Alternately,
certificated air carriers may establish an approved system of record
retention that provides a method for preservation and retrieval of
the maintenance records that include the inspections resulting from
this AD, and include the policy and procedures for implementing this
alternate method in the air carrier's maintenance manual required by
Sec. 121.369(c) of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR
121.369(c)); however, the alternate system must be accepted by the
appropriate PMI and require the maintenance records be maintained
either indefinitely or until the work is repeated. Records of the
piece-part inspections are not required under Sec. 121.380(a)(2)(vi)
of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 121.380(a)(2)(vi)). All
other operators must maintain the records of mandatory inspections
required by the applicable regulations governing their operations.
Note 3: The requirements of this AD have been met when the
engine manual changes are made and air carriers have modified their
continuous airworthiness maintenance plans to reflect the
requirements in the PW JT8D-200 Turbofan Engine Manual.
Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on September 30, 1999.
David A. Downey,
Assistant Manager, Engine and Propeller Directorate, Aircraft
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 99-26214 Filed 10-6-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-U
