00-14441. Airworthiness Directives; Allison Engine Company AE 3007A and AE 3007C Series Turbofan Engines

AGENCY:

Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION:

Final rule.

SUMMARY:

This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to Allison Engine Company AE 3007A and AE 3007C series turbofan engines. This AD requires revisions to the Airworthiness Limitations Section of the Allison Engine Company AE 3007A and AE 3007C Engine Manuals to include required enhanced inspection of selected critical life-limited parts at each piece-part exposure. This AD also requires an air carrier's approved continuous airworthiness maintenance program to incorporate these inspection procedures. Air carriers with an approved continuous airworthiness maintenance program will be allowed to either maintain the records showing the current status of the inspections using the record keeping system specified in the air carrier's maintenance manual or establish an acceptable alternate method of record keeping. This amendment is prompted by an FAA study of in-service events involving uncontained failures of critical rotating engine parts that indicated the need for improved inspections. The improved inspections are needed to identify those critical rotating parts with conditions that, if allowed to continue in service, could result in uncontained failures. The actions specified by this 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:

Effective August 7, 2000.

ADDRESSES:

The Rules Docket may be examined at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), New England Region, Office of the Regional Counsel, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Chung-Der Young, Aerospace Engineer, Chicago Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 2300 East Devon Avenue, Des Plaines, IL 60018; telephone [phone], fax [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A proposal to amend part 39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) to include an airworthiness directive (AD) that is applicable to Allison Engine Company AE 3007A and AE 3007C series turbofan engines was published in the Federal Register on August 17, 1999 (64 FR 44667). That action proposed to require revisions to the Airworthiness Limitations Section in the Allison Engine Company AE 3007A and AE 3007C Engine Manuals to include required enhanced inspection of selected critical life-limited parts at each piece-part exposure. It also proposed to require an air carrier's approved continuous airworthiness maintenance program to incorporate these inspection procedures.

Editorial Change

The FAA has deleted the phrase “of this chapter” from the first sentence of paragraph (e) to eliminate confusion.

Conclusion

Interested persons have been afforded an opportunity to participate in the making of this amendment. One commenter supports the rule as written. No comments were received on the FAA's economic analysis. The FAA has determined that air safety and the public interest require the adoption of the rule with the change described previously.

Revised Economic Analysis

Since the FAA issued the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), the Allison AE3007A and AE3007C engine fleet has increased to 660 engines worldwide, but the U.S. fleet has decreased to 429 engines. The FAA continues to estimate that it will take approximately one work hour per engine to accomplish the required fan inspections and that the average labor rate is $60 per work hour. Assuming every engine underwent an inspection every year, based on these figures the total cost impact of this AD would be $60 per engine per year, for a total annual cost on U.S. operators of $25,740.

Regulatory Impact

This rule does not have federalism implications, as defined in Executive Order 13132, because it does 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. Accordingly, the FAA has not consulted with state authorities prior to publication of this rule.

For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this action (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. A final evaluation has been prepared for this action and is contained in the Rules Docket. A copy of it may be obtained from 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

Adoption of the Amendment

Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration amends 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.

§ 39.13

[Amended]

2. Section 39.13 is amended by adding the following new airworthiness directive:

2000-11-22 Allison Engine Company: Amendment 39-11771. Docket 99-NE-07-AD.

Applicability

Allison Engine Company AE 3007A, AE 3007A1/1, AE 3007A1/2, AE 3007A1/3, AE 3007A1, AE 3007A3, AE 3007A1P and AE 3007C series turbofan engines, installed on but not limited to EMBRAER EMB-135 and EMB-145 series and Cessna 750 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; if the unsafe condition has not been eliminated, the request should include specific proposed actions to address it.

Compliance

Required as indicated, unless previously accomplished.

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 Airworthiness Limitations Section of the Allison Engine Company AE 3007A and AE 3007C Engine Manuals, and for air carrier operations revise the approved continuous airworthiness maintenance program, by adding the following:

“MANDATORY INSPECTIONS

(1) Perform inspections of the following parts at each piece-part opportunity in accordance with the instructions provided in the applicable manual provisions:

Part nomenclature	Part No. (P/N)	Inspect per engine manual chapter
Wheel, Fan	All	72-21-21 (Task 72-21-21-200-801)

(2) For the purposes of these mandatory inspections, piece-part opportunity means:

(i) The part is completely disassembled when done in accordance with the disassembly instructions in the engine manufacturer's Heavy Maintenance Manual; and

(ii) The part has accumulated more than 100 cycles in service since the last piece-part opportunity inspection, provided that the part was not damaged or related to the cause for its removal from the engine.”

(b) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this AD, and notwithstanding contrary provisions in § 43.16 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 43.16), these mandatory inspections shall be performed only in accordance with the Airworthiness Limitations Section of the Allison Engine Company AE 3007A and AE 3007C Engine Manuals.

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 §§ 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 § 121.369 (c) of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 121.369 (c)) must maintain records of the mandatory inspections that result from revising the Airworthiness Limitations Section 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 § 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 § 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 engine manuals.

Effective Date

(f) This amendment becomes effective on August 7, 2000.

Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on June 2, 2000.

David A. Downey,

Assistant Manager, Engine and Propeller Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.