2011-31795. Airworthiness Directives; Eclipse Aerospace, Inc. Airplanes Equipped With Pratt & Whitney Canada, Corp. PW610F-A Engines

AGENCY:

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION:

Final rule.

SUMMARY:

We are revising an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to all Eclipse Aerospace, Inc. Model EA500 airplanes equipped with Pratt & Whitney Canada, Corp. (P&WC) Model PW610F-A engines. The existing AD currently requires incorporating an operating limitation of a maximum operating altitude of 30,000 feet into Section 2, Limitations, of the airplane flight manual (AFM). Since we issued that AD, P&WC has developed a design change for the combustion chamber liner assembly. This new AD retains the requirements of the current AD, clarifies the engine applicability, and allows the option of incorporating the design change to terminate the current operating limitation and restore the original certificated maximum operating altitude of 41,000 feet. We are issuing this AD to correct the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES:

This AD is effective January 23, 2012.

The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of a certain publication listed in the AD as of January 23, 2012.

ADDRESSES:

For service information identified in this AD, contact Pratt & Whitney Canada, 1000 Marie-Victorin Blvd., Longueuil, Quebec, J4G 1A1 Canada; telephone: [phone]; Internet: www.P&​WC.ca. You may review copies of the referenced service information at the FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call (816) 329-4148.

Examining the AD Docket

You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov;​; or in person at the Docket Management Facility 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 address for the Docket Office (phone: [phone]) is Document Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Eric Kinney, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, Fort Worth Aircraft Certification Office, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 76137; telephone: [phone]; fax: [phone]; email: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR part 39 to revise AD 2011-06-06, Amendment 39-16631 (76 FR 13078, March 10, 2011). That AD applies to the specified products. The NPRM published in the Federal Register on October 13, 2011 (76 FR 63571). That NPRM proposed to retain all requirements of AD 2011-06-06, clarify the engine applicability, and allow the option of incorporating Pratt & Whitney Canada Service Bulletin P&WC S.B. No. 60077, dated June 1, 2011, to terminate the operating limitations set in AD 2011-06-06 and restore the original certificated altitude of 41,000 feet.

Comments

We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing this AD. We received no comments on the NPRM (76 FR 63571, October 13, 2011) or on the determination of the cost to the public.

Conclusion

We reviewed the relevant data and determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting the AD as proposed except for minor editorial changes. We have determined that these minor changes:

• Are consistent with the intent that was proposed in the NPRM (76 FR 63571, October 13, 2011) for correcting the unsafe condition; and
• Do not add any additional burden upon the public than was already proposed in the NPRM.

Costs of Compliance

We estimate that this AD affects 259 airplanes of U.S. registry.

We estimate the following costs to comply with this AD:

Estimated Costs

[Retained from AD 2011-06-06, Amendment 39-16631 (76 FR 13078, March 10, 2011)]

Action	Labor cost	Parts cost	Cost per product	Cost on U.S. operators
Incorporate operating limitations of maximum operating altitude of 30,000 feet into Section 2, Limitations, of the AFM	1 work-hour × $85 per hour = $85	Not Applicable	$85	$22,015

The cost presented above is a cost estimate only. A person holding at least a private pilot certificate as authorized by section 43.7 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 43.7) may insert the AFM change.

Estimated Costs

[Optional action]

Action	Labor cost	Parts cost	Cost per product	Cost on U.S. operators
Incorporation of Pratt & Whitney Canada Service Bulletin P&WC S.B. No. 60077, dated June 1, 2011, on both engines	20 work-hours × $85 per hour = $1,700 for both engines	$236,610 for both engines	$238,310 for both engines	$61,722,290 for both engines

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

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),

(3) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and

(4) 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.

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 removing airworthiness directive (AD) 2011-06-06, Amendment 39-16631 ( 76 FR 13078, March 10, 2011), and adding the following new AD:

2011-06-06 R1 Eclipse Aerospace, Inc.: Amendment 39-16890; Docket No. FAA-2011-0199; Directorate Identifier 2011-CE-005-AD.

(a) Effective Date

This AD is effective January 23, 2012.

(b) Affected ADs

This AD revises AD 2011-06-06, Amendment 39-16631 (76 FR 13078, March 10, 2011).

(c) Applicability

This AD applies to Eclipse Aerospace, Inc. Model EA500 airplanes, all serial numbers, that are:

(1) Equipped with Pratt & Whitney Canada, Corp. Model PW610F-A engines, all serial numbers up to and including serial number PCE-LA0583; and

(2) Certificated in any category.

(d) Subject

Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC)/Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 72, Engine.

(e) Unsafe Condition

This AD was prompted by several incidents of engine surge. We are issuing this AD to prevent hard carbon buildup on the static vane, which could result in engine surges. Engine surges may result in a necessary reduction in thrust and decreased power for the affected engine. In some cases, this could result in flight and landing under single-engine conditions. It is also possible this could affect both engines at the same time, requiring dual-engine shutdown.

(f) Compliance

Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified, unless already done.

(g) Action Retained from AD 2011-06-06, Amendment 39-16631 (76 FR 13078, March 10, 2011)

(1) Before further flight after March 21, 2011 (the effective date retained from AD 2011-06-06), incorporate the following language into Section 2, Limitations, of your airplane flight manual (AFM): “Per AD 2011-06-06, LIMIT THE MAXIMUM OPERATING ALTITUDE TO 30,000 FEET (9144M) PRESSURE ALTITUDE.”

(2) A person holding at least a private pilot certificate as authorized by section 43.7 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 43.7) may insert the operating limitations into Section 2, Limitations, of the AFM. Make an entry into the aircraft logbook showing compliance with this portion of the AD in accordance with section 43.9 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 43.9).

(3) You may incorporate paragraph (g) of this AD into Section 2, Limitations, of your AFM to comply with this AD.

(h) Optional Action To Restore Original Certificated Maximum Operating Altitude

(1) You may, at any time after compliance with paragraph (g) of this AD, on both engines replace the turbofan engine combustion chamber liner assembly with one that has inner and outer liner assemblies that include heat shields. Do the replacements in accordance with Pratt & Whitney Canada Service Bulletin P&WC S.B. No. 60077, dated June 1, 2011. This includes the change to the weight and balance in paragraph 1.H. in the service bulletin.

(2) Before further flight after doing the replacement specified in paragraph (h)(1) of this AD, remove the limitation required in paragraph (g)(1) of this AD.

(3) Within 30 days after doing the replacement specified in paragraph (h)(1) of this AD or within 30 days after January 23, 2012 (the effective date of this AD), whichever occurs later, send a memo or email to Eric Kinney at the address specified in paragraph (k) of this AD notifying him of the completion of the replacement. In this notification, include the airplane serial number, engine serial numbers, and time-in-service (TIS) hours at the time of replacement.

(i) Paperwork Reduction Act Burden Statement

A federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with a collection of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act unless that collection of information displays a current valid OMB Control Number. The OMB Control Number for this information collection is 2120-0056. Public reporting for this collection of information is estimated to be approximately 5 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, completing and reviewing the collection of information. All responses to this collection of information are mandatory. Comments concerning the accuracy of this burden and suggestions for reducing the burden should be directed to the FAA at: 800 Independence Ave. SW., Washington, DC 20591, Attn: Information Collection Clearance Officer, AES-200.

(j) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

(1) The Manager, Fort Worth Airplane Certification Office (ACO), FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. In accordance with 14 CFR 39.19, send your request to your principal inspector or local Flight Standards District Office, as appropriate. If sending information directly to the manager of the ACO, send it to the attention of the person identified in the Related Information section of this AD.

(2) Before using any approved AMOC, notify your appropriate principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the manager of the local flight standards district office/certificate holding district office.

(3) AMOCs approved for AD 2011-06-06, Amendment 39-16631 (76 FR 13078, March 10, 2011) are approved as AMOCs for this AD.

(k) Related Information

For more information about this AD, contact Eric Kinney, Aerospace Engineer, Fort Worth ACO, FAA, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 76137; telephone: [phone]; fax: [phone]; email: [e-mail].

(l) Material Incorporated by Reference

(1) You must use Pratt & Whitney Canada Service Bulletin P&WC S.B. No. 60077, dated June 1, 2011, to do the actions required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise. The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference (IBR) under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51 on January 23, 2012.

(2) For service information identified in this AD, contact Pratt & Whitney Canada, 1000 Marie-Victorin Blvd., Longueuil, Quebec, J4G 1A1 Canada; telephone: [phone]; Internet: http://www.P&​WC.ca.

(3) You may review copies of the service information at the FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call [phone].

(4) You may also review copies of the service information that is incorporated by reference at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this material at an NARA facility, call [phone], or go to http://www.archives.gov/​federal_​register/​code_​of_​federal_​regulations/​ibr_​locations.html.

Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on December 6, 2011.

John Colomy,

Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.