[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 136 (Monday, July 18, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-17327]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: July 18, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. 94-NM-22-AD]
Airworthiness Directives; McDonnell Douglas Model DC-10 Series
Airplanes
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 all McDonnell Douglas Model
DC-10-10, -10F, -30, and -30F series airplanes, that currently requires
inspections to detect ice or snow accumulation on top of the fuselage
and in the inlet of the number 2 engine, and removal of ice and snow
accumulation. This action would add certain airplanes to the
applicability of the rule and would limit the inspection requirement to
only a certain group of airplanes. This proposal is prompted by the
development of improved fan blades on certain engines and the
identification of additional airplanes that are subject to the unsafe
condition. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to
minimize damage to the number 2 engine due to ingestion of ice and
snow.
DATES: Comments must be received by September 7, 1994.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), Transport Airplane Directorate, ANM-103,
Attention: Rules Docket No. 94-NM-22-AD, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton,
Washington 98055-4056. Comments may be inspected at this location
between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal
holidays.
The service information referenced in the proposed rule may be
obtained from McDonnell Douglas Corporation, P.O. Box 1771, Long Beach,
California 90801-1771, Attention: Business Unit Manager, Technical
Administrative Support, Department L51, M.C. 2-98. This information may
be examined at the FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind
Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington; or at the FAA, Transport Airplane
Directorate, Los Angeles Aircraft Certification Office, 3229 East
Spring Street, Long Beach, California.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Raymond Vakili, Aerospace Engineer,
Propulsion Branch, ANM-141L, FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, Los
Angeles Aircraft Certification Office, 3229 East Spring Street, Long
Beach, California 90806-2425; telephone (310) 988-5262; fax (310) 988-
5210.
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 shall 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 rule must submit a self-addressed,
stamped postcard on which the following statement is made: ``Comments
to Docket Number 94-NM-22-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, Transport Airplane Directorate, ANM-103, Attention: Rules
Docket No. 94-NM-22-AD, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington
98055-4056.
Discussion
The FAA issued AD 75-04-11, amendment 39-2094, applicable to all
McDonnell Douglas Model DC-10-10, -10F, -30, and -30F series airplanes,
to require inspection to detect ice and snow accumulation on top of the
fuselage and in the inlet of the number 2 engine, and removal of ice
and snow. That action was prompted by reports from operators of Model
DC-10 series airplanes that ice was ingested into the number 2 engine.
In these incidents, the number 2 engine on airplanes that had been
parked during icing conditions ingested ice and sustained damage
shortly after the engine was started. The requirements of that AD are
intended to prevent damage to the number 2 engine due to ingestion of
ice and snow.
Since the issuance of that AD, the General Electric (GE) Company
has issued design changes to the GE Model CF6 series engines that
include replacement of the gundrilled fan blades (that is, blades
having radial lightening holes) with solid blades. The FAA has
determined that in the event of excessive ice ingestion, these solid
fan blades are less likely to result in an uncontained failure.
Therefore, the FAA finds that the applicability of the existing rule
must be revised to exclude airplanes equipped with these engines and
fan blades from the AD requirement to inspect to detect ice and snow on
top of the fuselage and in the inlet of the number 2 engine.
(Similarly, Model DC-10-40 series airplanes equipped with Pratt and
Whitney Model JT9D series engines having solid fan blades were excluded
from the requirements of AD 75-04-11 since they, too, are not subject
to the unsafe condition.)
Further, since the issuance of AD 75-04-11, the FAA has determined
that Model DC-10-15 series airplanes and Model KC-10A (military)
airplanes are subject to the addressed unsafe condition since they
utilize the same gundrilled blade engines as Model DC-10-10, -10F, -30,
and -30F series airplanes, which are subject to the requirements of AD
75-04-11 and are also susceptible to ice and snow ingestion into the
number 2 engine. Therefore, the FAA finds that the applicability of the
existing rule must be expanded to include Model DC-10-15 series
airplanes and Model KC-10A (military) airplanes.
Ingestion of ice and snow into the number 2 engine could result in
damage to that engine.
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 75-04-11 to require inspections to
detect ice and snow accumulation on top of the fuselage and in the
inlet of the number 2 engine, and removal of ice and snow. The
applicability of this proposal would be revised to include all Model
DC-10-10, -10F, -30, -30F, and -15 series airplanes and Model KC-10A
(military) airplanes, equipped with GE Model CF6 series turbofan
engines having gundrilled blades.
Additionally, paragraph (b) of AD 75-04-11, which relates to making
``appropriate maintenance record entries'' after accomplishing the
requirements of the AD, has not been reiterated in this proposed AD
since those requirements are redundant of the requirements contained in
sections 43.9 (``Content, form, and disposition of maintenance,
preventive maintenance, rebuilding, and alteration records'') and 43.11
(``Content, form, disposition of records for inspections . . .'') of
the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 43.9 and 43.11). As such,
operators are not relieved from the requirement to make appropriate
entries in their maintenance records.
There are approximately 379 McDonnell Douglas Model DC-10-10, -10F,
-30, -30F, and -15 series airplanes and Model KC-10A (military)
airplanes of the affected design in the worldwide fleet. The FAA
estimates that 226 airplanes of U.S. registry would be affected by this
proposed AD.
The inspections that were previously required by AD 75-04-11, and
retained in this AD, take approximately 1 work hour per airplane to
accomplish, at an average labor rate of $55 per work hour. Based on
these figures, the total cost impact of the inspection requirement on
U.S. operators is estimated to be $12,430, or $55 per airplane, per
inspection. This proposal would only add the cost of inspections for
the operators of Model KC-10A (military) airplanes. Currently, there
are no Model DC-10-15 series airplanes of U.S. registry that would be
affected by this proposal.
For operators of Model DC-10-10, -10F, -30, and -30F series
airplanes having all solid fan blades in the number 2 engine position,
the economic burden would be reduced since the previous requirement to
inspect these airplanes in accordance with the existing AD would be
eliminated by this proposal. However, this does not relieve operators
of the responsibility to comply with the requirements of sections
91.527 (``Operating in icing conditions'') and 121.629 (``Operation in
icing conditions''--air carriers) of the Federal Aviation Regulations
(14 CFR 91.527 and 121.629).
The total cost impact figure discussed above is based on
assumptions that no operator has yet accomplished any of the proposed
requirements of this AD action, and that no operator would accomplish
those actions in the future if this AD were not adopted.
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. App. 1354(a), 1421 and 1423; 49 U.S.C.
106(g); and 14 CFR 11.89.
Sec. 39.13 [Amended]
2. Section 39.13 is amended by removing amendment 39-2094, and by
adding a new airworthiness directive (AD), to read as follows:
McDonnell Douglas: Docket 94-NM-22-AD. Supersedes AD 75-04-11,
Amendment 39-2094.
Applicability: Model DC-10-10, -10F, -30, -30F, and -15 series
airplanes, and Model KC-10A (military) airplanes, on which the
number 2 engine is a General Electric Model CF6 series turbofan
engine having one or more gundrilled fan blades installed, including
but not limited to part numbers 9010M33 and 9137M39; certificated in
any category.
Compliance: Required as indicated, unless accomplished
previously. To prevent possible damage to the number 2 engine due to
ingestion of ice and snow, accomplish the following:
(a) As of the effective date of this AD, prior to starting the
number 2 engine on any airplane that has been parked during icing
conditions (freezing rain, snow, sleet) for any period of time
during which ice or snow may have accumulated on the airplane in the
area of the number 2 engine, inspect to detect ice and snow
accumulation on top of the fuselage and in the inlet of the number 2
engine. If ice or snow accumulation is found, prior to further
flight, remove the ice or snow accumulation.
Note 1: Guidelines for inspection and safeguarding the aircraft
are contained in these documents:
Douglas All Operators Letter (AOL) 10-546, dated January 11, 1974
Douglas AOL 10-673, dated August 7, 1974
DC-10 Airplane Maintenance Manual, Chapter 12-31-01
(b) 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, Los Angeles Aircraft Certification
Office (ACO), FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate. Operators shall
submit their requests through an appropriate FAA Principal
Maintenance Inspector, who may add comments and then send it to the
Manager, Los Angeles ACO.
Note 2: Information concerning the existence of approved
alternative methods of compliance with this AD, if any, may be
obtained from the Los Angeles ACO.
(c) 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.
Issued in Renton, Washington, on July 12, 1994.
S.R. Miller,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 94-17327 Filed 7-15-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-U
