[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 220 (Friday, November 13, 2020)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 72608-72610]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-25014]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2020-1025; Project Identifier MCAI-2020-00757-E]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd. & Co KG 
(Type Certificate Previously Held by BMW Rolls-Royce GmbH and BMW 
Rolls-Royce Aero Engines) Turbofan Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) 
for certain Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd. & Co KG (RRD) BR700-715A1-30, 
BR700-715B1-30, and BR700-715C1-30 model turbofan engines. This 
proposed AD was prompted by reports of HPT stage 1 blades failing in 
service due to sulphidation and subsequent crack initiation. This 
proposed AD would require removal and replacement of the HPT stage 1 
blade and HPT stage 1 blade damper. The FAA is proposing this AD to 
address the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: The FAA must receive comments on this proposed AD by December 
28, 2020.

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 https://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 Rolls-
Royce Deutschland Ltd. & Co KG, Eschenweg 11, 15827 Blankenfelde-
Mahlow, Germany; phone: +49 (0) 33 708 6 0; website: https://www.rolls-royce.com/contact-us.aspx. You may view this service information at the 
FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, Operational Safety 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 at https://www.regulations.gov by 
searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2020-1025; 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 
mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI), any comments 
received, and other information. The street address for Docket 
Operations is listed above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara Caufield, Aviation Safety 
Engineer, ECO Branch, FAA, 1200 District Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803; 
phone: (781) 238-7146; fax: (781) 238-7199; email: 
barbara.caufield@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    The FAA invites you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments about this proposal AD. Send your comments to an address 
listed under ADDRESSES. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2020-1025; Project 
Identifier MCAI-2020-00757-E'' at the beginning of your comments. The 
most helpful comments reference a specific portion of the proposal, 
explain the reason for any recommended change, and include supporting 
data. The FAA will consider all comments received by the closing date 
and may amend this NPRM because of those comments.
    Except for Confidential Business Information (CBI) as described in 
the following paragraph, and other information as described in 14 CFR 
11.35, the FAA will post all comments received, without change, to 
https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you 
provide. The agency will also post a report summarizing each 
substantive verbal contact received about this proposal.

Confidential Business Information

    CBI is commercial or financial information that is both customarily 
and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the Freedom of 
Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public 
disclosure. If your comments responsive to this NPRM contain commercial 
or financial information that is customarily treated as private, that 
you actually treat as private, and that is relevant or responsive to 
this NPRM, it is important that you clearly designate the submitted 
comments as CBI. Please mark each page of your submission containing 
CBI as ``PROPIN.'' The FAA will treat such marked submissions as 
confidential under the FOIA, and they will not be placed in the public 
docket of this NPRM. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to 
Barbara Caufield, Aviation Safety Engineer, ECO Branch, FAA, 1200 
District Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803. Any commentary that the FAA 
receives which is not specifically designated as CBI will be placed in 
the public docket for this rulemaking.

Background

    The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical 
Agent for the Member States of the European Community, has issued EASA 
AD 2018-0194, dated September 4, 2018 (referred to after this as ``the 
MCAI''), to address the unsafe condition on these products. The MCAI 
states:

    Occurrences have been reported on RRD BR700-715 engines where 
certain HP turbine stage 1 blades failed in service. Investigation 
of these events showed that these were caused by sulphidation and 
subsequent crack initiation, due to contamination of the blade shank 
passing by the blade damper.
    This condition, if not corrected, could lead to further HP 
turbine stage 1 blade failures, possibly resulting in engine in-
flight shut-down and consequent reduced control of the aeroplane.
    To address this potential unsafe condition, RRD published the 
NMSB to provide instructions to replace the affected assembly.
For the reasons described above, this [EASA] AD requires 
determination of the engine configuration and, depending on 
findings, removal of the engine from service to replace the affected 
assembly.

    You may obtain further information by examining the MCAI in the AD 
docket at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating 
Docket No. FAA-2020-1025.

FAA's Determination

    This product has been approved by EASA and is approved for 
operation in the United States. Pursuant to our bilateral agreement 
with the European Community, EASA has notified us of the unsafe 
condition described in the MCAI. The FAA is issuing this NPRM because 
the agency evaluated all the relevant information provided by EASA and 
has determined that the unsafe condition described previously is likely 
to exist or develop in other products of the same type design.

[[Page 72609]]

Related Service Information under 1 CFR Part 51

    The FAA reviewed RRD BR700 Series Alert Non-Modification Service 
Bulletin (NMSB) SB-BR700-72-A900640, dated August 31, 2018. The Alert 
NMSB describes procedures for removing and replacing the HPT stage 1 
blade and HPT stage 1 blade damper. 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 
ADDRESSES.

Other Related Service Information

    The FAA reviewed RRD Service Bulletin (SB) SB-BR700-72-102005, 
dated March 20, 2018; RRD NMSB SB-BR700-72-900118, dated June 6, 2017; 
and RRD SB SB-BR700-72-101671, dated January 29, 2010. RRD SB SB-BR700-
72-102005, dated March 20, 2018, introduces a new HPT stage 1 blade 
damper with a front restrictor that reduces the average airflow into 
the blade shank cavity, thereby reducing deposition of particles in the 
cavity. RRD NMSB SB-BR700-72-900118, dated June 6, 2017, describes 
procedures for recording of the serial numbers of the cleaned, crack 
tested, and examined HPT stage 1 blades. RRD SB SB-BR700-72-101671, 
dated January 29, 2010, introduces a redesigned HPT stage 1 blade that 
improves robustness and stress characteristics.

Proposed AD Requirements in this NPRM

    This proposed AD would require removal and replacement of the HPT 
stage 1 blade and HPT stage 1 blade damper.

Costs of Compliance

    The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would 
affect 222 engines installed on airplanes of U.S. registry. The agency 
estimates that the service life of both the HPT stage 1 blade and HPT 
stage 1 blade damper are 5.5 years. Based on this life estimate, the 
agency is providing an estimated annual cost to replace these parts.
    The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this proposed 
AD:

                                                 Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                 Annualized cost
               Action                        Labor cost           Parts cost        Cost per         on U.S.
                                                                                    product         operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Replace HPT stage 1 blade and HPT     20 work-hours x $85 per        $692,000         $693,700      $28,000,524
 stage 1 blade damper.                 hour = $1,700.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The FAA has included all known costs in its cost estimate. 
According to the manufacturer, however, all of the costs of this 
proposed AD may be covered under warranty, thereby reducing the cost 
impact on affected operators.

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.
    The FAA is 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

    The FAA 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) Would not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
    (3) Would 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:
    Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd. & Co KG (Type Certificate 
previously held by BMW Rolls-Royce GmbH and BMW Rolls-Royce Aero 
Engines): Docket No. FAA-2020-1025; Project Identifier MCAI-2020-
00757-E.

(a) Comments Due Date

    The FAA must receive comments on this airworthiness directive 
(AD) by December 28, 2020.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to all Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd. & Co KG 
(Type Certificate previously held by BMW Rolls-Royce GmbH and BMW 
Rolls-Royce Aero Engines) BR700-715A1-30, BR700-715B1-30, and BR700-
715C1-30 model turbofan engines with high-pressure turbine (HPT) 
stage 1 blade, part number (P/N) BRH17133, BRH19984, BRH20011, 
BRH20237, BRH20351, FW35594, FW45914, FW64379, or FW75735, and with 
HPT stage 1 blade damper, P/N BRH10943, BRH20353, or FW45770, 
installed.

(d) Subject

    Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) Code 7250, Turbine 
Section.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by reports of HPT stage 1 blades failing in 
service due to sulphidation and subsequent crack initiation. The FAA 
is issuing this AD to prevent failure of the HPT stage 1 blade. The 
unsafe condition, if not addressed, could result in the release of 
the HPT stage 1 blade, failure of the engine, in-flight shutdown, 
and loss of the airplane.

[[Page 72610]]

(f) Compliance

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

(g) Required Actions

    (1) For affected engines that have not operated exclusively 
under the Hawaiian Flight Mission:
    (i) Before exceeding 10,000 flight cycles (FCs) since the first 
installation of an affected HPT stage 1 blade, or within 50 FCs 
after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later, remove 
the affected HPT stage 1 blade and the affected HPT stage 1 blade 
damper from service and replace with parts eligible for installation 
using the Accomplishment Instructions, paragraph 3.R. to T., of RRD 
Alert Non-Modification Service Bulletin (NMSB) SB-BR700-72-A900640, 
dated August 31, 2018 (``NMSB SB-BR700-72-A900640'').
    (ii) If an HPT stage 1 blade has been cleaned and examined 
before the effective date of this AD using RRD NMSB SB-BR700-72-
900118, dated June 6, 2017, within 1,500 FCs from the last cleaning 
and examination, or within 10 FCs after the effective date of this 
AD, whichever occurs later, remove the affected HPT stage 1 blade 
and affected HPT stage 1 blade damper from service and replace with 
parts eligible for installation using Accomplishment Instructions, 
paragraph 3.R. to T., of RRD NMSB SB-BR700-72-A900640.
    (2) For affected engines operated exclusively under the Hawaiian 
Flight Mission:
    (i) At the next change of the flight mission after the effective 
date of this AD, replace the affected HPT stage 1 blade and affected 
HPT stage 1 blade damper in accordance with paragraphs (g)(1)(i) and 
(ii) of this AD.
    (ii) [Reserved]

(h) Installation Prohibition

    After the effective date of this AD, do not install any HPT 
stage 1 blade, P/N BRH17133, BRH19984, BRH20011, BRH20237, BRH20351, 
FW35594, FW45914, FW64379, or FW75735, with any HPT stage 1 blade 
damper, P/N BRH10943, BRH20353, or FW45770, in any engine.

(i) Definitions

    (1) For the purpose of this AD, ``parts eligible for 
installation'' are an HPT stage 1 blade, P/N FW75735, installed with 
HPT stage 1 blade damper, P/N KH82098.
    (2) For the purpose of this AD, the ``Hawaiian Flight Mission'' 
are flights operated by Hawaiian Airlines.

(j) 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 Related Information. You may email your request to: 
ANE-AD-AMOC@faa.gov.
    (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.

(k) Related Information

    (1) For more information about this AD, contact Barbara 
Caufield, Aviation Safety Engineer, ECO Branch, FAA, 1200 District 
Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803; phone: (781) 238-7146; fax: (781) 238-
7199; email: barbara.caufield@faa.gov.
    (2) Refer to European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 2018-
0194, dated September 4, 2018, for more information. You may examine 
the EASA AD in the AD docket at https://www.regulations.gov by 
searching for and locating it in Docket No. FAA-2020-1025.
    (3) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd. & Co KG, Eschenweg 11, 15827 
Blankenfelde-Mahlow, Germany; phone: +49 (0) 33 708 6 0; website: 
https://www.rolls-royce.com/contact-us.aspx. You may view this 
referenced service information at the FAA, Airworthiness Products 
Section, Operational Safety Branch, 1200 District Avenue, 
Burlington, MA 01803. For information on the availability of this 
material at the FAA, call (781) 238-7759.

    Issued on November 6, 2020.
Lance T. Gant,
Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-25014 Filed 11-12-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P


