[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 223 (Monday, November 19, 2018)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 58199-58201]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-24944]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2018-0924; Product Identifier 2018-NE-34-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Division (PW) Turbofan 
Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
certain Pratt & Whitney Division (PW) PW4158 turbofan engines. This 
proposed AD was prompted by several reports of high cycle fatigue (HCF) 
cracks found in the fuel nozzle supply manifold. This proposed AD would 
require replacement of the affected fuel nozzles and fuel nozzle 
manifold supply assemblies with parts eligible for installation. This 
proposed AD would also require installation of new brackets and clamps 
on the fuel supply manifold assemblies. We are proposing this AD to 
address the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by January 3, 2019.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR 
11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
     Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket 
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
     Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail address above between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    For service information identified in this NPRM, contact Pratt & 
Whitney, 400 Main Street, East Hartford, CT 06108; phone: 860-565-8770; 
fax: 860-565-4503. You may view this service information at the FAA, 
Engine and Propeller Standards Branch, 1200 District Avenue, 
Burlington, MA 01803. For information on the availability of this 
material at the FAA, call 781-238-7759.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2018-
0924; or in person at Docket Operations between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD docket contains 
this NPRM, the regulatory evaluation, any comments received, and other 
information. The address for Docket Operations (phone: 800-647-5527) is 
listed above. Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly after 
receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Hopper, Aerospace Engineer, ECO 
Branch, FAA, 1200 District Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803; phone: 781-
238-7154; fax: 781-238-7199; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited

    We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments about this proposal. Send your comments to an address listed 
under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2018-0924; 
Product Identifier 2018-NE-34-AD'' at the beginning of your comments. 
We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, economic, 
environmental, and energy aspects of this NPRM. We will consider all 
comments received by the closing date and may amend this NPRM because 
of 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 we 
receive about this NPRM.

Discussion

    We received several reports of HCF cracks found in the fuel nozzle 
supply manifold tube at the braze joint interface on PW PW4158 turbofan 
engines identified with suffix-3 on the Engine Data Plate, and equipped 
with the Talon IIB combustor chamber. The root cause of the cracks in 
the braze joint was attributed to thermal mechanical fatigue due to 
high thermal gradients on engines equipped with the Talon IIB combustor 
chamber. This condition, if not addressed, could result in engine fire, 
damage to the engine, and damage to the airplane.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    We reviewed PW Service Bulletin (SB) PW4ENG 73-224, dated November 
8, 2017. The SB describes procedures for replacing the fuel nozzle 
supply manifold assemblies with parts eligible for installation, and 
installing new brackets and clamps on the fuel nozzle supply manifolds. 
This service information is reasonably available because the interested 
parties have access to it through their normal course of business or by 
the means identified in the ADDRESSES section.

Other Related Service Information

    We reviewed PW SB PW4ENG 73-223, dated February 5, 2018. This SB 
describes procedures for replacing the fuel nozzles and fuel nozzle 
support assemblies with parts eligible for installation.

FAA's Determination

    We are proposing this AD because we evaluated all the relevant 
information and determined the unsafe condition described previously is 
likely to exist or develop in other products of the same type design.

Proposed AD Requirements

    This proposed AD would require replacing the affected fuel nozzles 
and fuel nozzle manifold supply assemblies with parts eligible for 
installation. This proposed AD would also require installation of new 
brackets and clamps on the fuel supply manifold assemblies.

[[Page 58200]]

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this proposed AD affects 114 engines installed on 
airplanes of U.S. registry.
    We estimate the following costs to comply with this proposed AD:

                                                 Estimated Costs
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                                                                                   Cost per       Cost on U.S.
              Action                        Labor cost            Parts cost        product         operators
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Remove and replace (24) fuel        48 work-hours x $85 per        $423,471.12     $427,551.12    $48,740,827.68
 nozzles.                            hour = $4,080.
Replace fuel supply manifold tubes  16 work-hours x $85 per          77,158.97       78,518.97      8,951,162.58
 and install new clamps and          hour = $1,360.
 brackets.
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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.
    This AD is issued in accordance with authority delegated by the 
Executive Director, Aircraft Certification Service, as authorized by 
FAA Order 8000.51C. In accordance with that order, issuance of ADs is 
normally a function of the Compliance and Airworthiness Division, but 
during this transition period, the Executive Director has delegated the 
authority to issue ADs applicable to engines, propellers, and 
associated appliances to the Manager, Engine and Propeller Standards 
Branch, Policy and Innovation Division.

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),
    (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.

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

0
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]

0
2. The FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by adding the following new airworthiness 
directive (AD):

Pratt & Whitney Division: Docket No. FAA-2018-0924; Product 
Identifier 2018-NE-34-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

    We must receive comments by January 3, 2019.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Pratt & Whitney Division (PW) PW4158 turbofan 
engines designated by a -3 on the Engine Data Plate and with Talon 
II outer combustion chamber assembly, part number (P/N) 51J228, 
installed.

(d) Subject

    Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) Code 7310, Engine Fuel 
Distribution.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by several reports of high cycle fatigue 
(HCF) cracks found in the fuel nozzle supply manifold tube at the 
braze joint interface. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of 
the fuel nozzles. The unsafe condition, if not addressed, could 
result in engine fire, damage to the engine, and damage to the 
airplane.

(f) Compliance

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

(g) Required Actions

    No later than, the next engine shop visit after the effective 
date of this AD, do the following:
    (1) Remove the 24 fuel nozzles, part number (P/N) 51J344, and 
replace with P/N 51J397.
    (2) Replace the fuel nozzle manifold supply assemblies and 
install new brackets and clamps on the fuel supply manifolds in 
accordance with the ``For Engines Installed on Aircraft'' or ``For 
Engines Not Installed on Aircraft'' sections, as applicable, of the 
Accomplishment Instructions in PW Service Bulletin (SB) PW4ENG 73-
224, dated November 8, 2017.

(h) Definitions

    For the purpose of this AD, an ``engine shop visit'' is the 
induction of an engine into the shop for maintenance involving the 
separation of pairs of major mating engine case flanges, except for 
the following situations, which do not constitute an engine shop 
visit:
    (1) Separation of engine flanges solely for the purposes of 
transportation of the engine without subsequent maintenance.
    (2) Separation of engine flanges solely for the purposes of 
replacing the fan or propulsor without subsequent maintenance.

(i) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (1) The Manager, ECO Branch, 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 
certification office, send it to the attention of the person 
identified in paragraph (j)(1) of this AD.

[[Page 58201]]

Information may be emailed to: [email protected].
    (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.

(j) Related Information

    (1) For more information about this AD, contact Scott Hopper, 
Aerospace Engineer, ECO Branch, FAA, Engine and Propeller Standards 
Branch, 1200 District Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803; phone: 781-238-
7154; fax: 781-238-7199; email: [email protected].
    (2) For PW service information identified in this AD, contact 
Pratt & Whitney, 400 Main St., East Hartford, CT 06108; phone: 860-
565-8770; fax: 860-565-4503. You may view this service information 
at the FAA, Engine and Propeller Standards Branch, 1200 District 
Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803. For information on the availability of 
this material at the FAA, call 781-238-7759.

    Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on November 9, 2018.
Karen M. Grant,
Acting Manager, Engine and Propeller Standards Branch, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-24944 Filed 11-16-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P


