Airworthiness Directives; Turboméca ARRIEL 1B, 1D, 1D1, 2B, and 2B1 Turboshaft Engines

AGENCY:

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION:

Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

SUMMARY:

We propose to revise an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This proposed AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as:

During production of Arriel 1 and Arriel 2 Power Turbine (PT) wheels, geometric non-conformances on blade fir tree roots have been detected by Turboméca. Potentially non-conforming PT blades have been traced as having been installed on Module M04 (PT) listed in Mandatory Service Bulletin (MSB) A292 72 0827 for Arriel 1 engines and A292 72 2833 for Arriel 2 engines.

The geometric non-conformities of the blades may potentially lead to a reduction in the fatigue resistance of PT blades to a lower level than their authorized in service use limit. This reduction of fatigue resistance can potentially result in blade release, which could cause an uncommanded in-flight shutdown.

We are proposing this AD to prevent release of PT blades, which could result in an uncommanded in-flight shutdown and emergency autorotation landing.

DATES:

We must receive comments on this proposed AD by January 22, 2010.

ADDRESSES:

You may send comments by any of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the instructions for sending your comments electronically.
• Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
• Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail address above between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
• Fax: (202) 493-2251.

Contact Turboméca, 40220 Tarnos, France; telephone 33 05 59 74 40 00, fax 33 05 59 74 45 15, for the service information identified in this proposed AD.

Examining the AD Docket

You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov;; or in person at the Docket Operations office between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD docket contains this proposed AD, the regulatory evaluation, any comments received, and other information. The street address for the Docket Operations office (telephone (800) 647-5527) is the same as the Mail address provided in the ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Kevin Dickert, Aerospace Engineer, Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine and Propeller Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; e-mail: kevin.dickert@faa.gov; telephone (781) 238-7117, fax (781) 238-7199.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or arguments about this proposed AD. Send your comments to an address listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include “Docket No. FAA-2009-0302; Directorate Identifier 2009-NE-09-AD” at the beginning of your comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this proposed AD. We will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend this proposed AD based on those comments.

We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://www.regulations.gov,, including any personal information you provide. We will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact with FAA personnel concerning this proposed AD. Using the search function of the Web site, anyone can find and read the comments in any of our dockets, including, if provided, the name of the individual who sent the comment (or signed the comment on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review the DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78).

Discussion

On April 6, 2009, the FAA issued AD 2009-08-08, Amendment 39-15881 (74 FR 17075, April 14, 2009). That AD requires:

• For engines with an affected Module M04 (PT module) which has accumulated 1,000 total PT cycles or more on the effective date of that AD, remove the PT blades from service before further flight.
• For engines with an affected Module M04 (PT module) which has accumulated fewer than 1,000 total PT cycles on the effective date of that AD, remove the PT blades from service before accumulating 1,000 total PT cycles.
• After the effective date of that AD, do not install any PT blades removed as specified in paragraph (e)(1) or (e)(2) of that AD, into any engine.

Actions Since AD 2009-08-08 Was Issued

Since that AD was issued, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Community, has issued EASA Airworthiness Directive 2009-0112R1, dated July 30, 2009 (referred to after this as “the MCAI”), to correct an unsafe condition for the specified products. The MCAI states:

Since issuance of initial version of AD 2009-0112 additional information is available:

—The list of Modules M04 concerned by the restriction of the cycle use limit of these PT blades has been updated again: The serial numbers of Modules M04 which have been retrofitted are crossed out. However no new affected Modules M04 have been identified. See figure 1 of the referenced Turboméca MSB.

—Additional testing and analysis had been carried out by Turboméca which allows increasing the cyclic use limit of these PT blades to 5 000 flight cycles.

Therefore this AD revises AD 2009-0112 and requires establishing the cyclic use limit of these PT blades to 5 000 flight cycles.

For PT blades having reached a number of flight cycles superior or equal to 5 000, removal of Module M04, or PT wheel assembly, or PT blades is required prior to next flight.

You may obtain further information by examining the MCAI in the AD docket.

Relevant Service Information

Turboméca has issued Alert MSB No. A292 72 0827, Version C, dated July 15, 2009, for Arriel 1 series turboshaft engines, and issued Alert MSB No. A292 72 2833, Version C, dated July 15, 2009, for Arriel 2 series turboshaft engines. The power turbine modules M04 having the affected PT blades are listed by serial number (S/N) in Figure 1 of these MSBs, as applicable. We have incorporated by reference these MSBs to identify the affected parts.

Differences Between This AD and the MCAI or Service Information

We have reviewed the MCAI and related service information and, in general, agree with their substance. But we required different actions in this AD from those in the MCAI in order to follow FAA policies. Any such differences are described in a separate paragraph of the AD. These requirements take precedence over the actions copied from the MCAI.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of This Proposed AD

This product has been approved by the aviation authority of France and is approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant to our bilateral agreement with France, they have notified us of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI and service information referenced above. We are issuing this AD because we evaluated all information provided by EASA and determined the unsafe condition exists and is likely to exist or develop on other products of the same type design. This AD requires removing the affected PT blades from service before exceeding 5,000 flight cycles.

Costs of Compliance

Based on the service information, we estimate that this proposed AD would affect about 10 products of U.S. registry. We also estimate that it would take about 8 work-hours per product to comply with this proposed AD. The average labor rate is $80 per work-hour. Required parts would cost about $43,000 per product. Based on these figures, we estimate the cost of the proposed AD on U.S. operators to be $436,400.

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 determined that this proposed AD would not have federalism implications under Executive Order 13132. This proposed AD would 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 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. 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 regulatory evaluation of the estimated costs to comply with this proposed AD and placed it in the AD docket.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

• Air transportation
• Aircraft
• Aviation safety
• Incorporation by reference
• Safety

The Proposed Amendment

Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the FAA proposes to amend 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.