Proposed Rule2024-16061
Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company Engines
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
July 24, 2024
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain General Electric Company (GE) Model CF34-10E2A1, CF34-10E6, CF34-10E6A1, CF34-10E7, and CF34-10E7-B engines having certain high- pressure turbine (HPT) front rotating air seals installed. This proposed AD was prompted by a report of cracks found in the HPT front rotating air seal. This proposed AD would require performing repetitive fluorescent penetrant inspections (FPIs) to detect indications or linear indications (any indication which is four times longer than the width of that same indication) in the HPT front rotating air seal and, if necessary, replacement of the HPT front rotating air seal or HPT rotor disk with parts eligible for installation as applicable. This proposed AD also includes an optional terminating action to the repetitive FPIs. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 142 (Wednesday, July 24, 2024)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 142 (Wednesday, July 24, 2024)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 59860-59862]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-16061]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2024-1885; Project Identifier AD-2023-00995-E]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company 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 General Electric Company (GE) Model CF34-10E2A1, CF34-10E6,
CF34-10E6A1, CF34-10E7, and CF34-10E7-B engines having certain high-
pressure turbine (HPT) front rotating air seals installed. This
proposed AD was prompted by a report of cracks found in the HPT front
rotating air seal. This proposed AD would require performing repetitive
fluorescent penetrant inspections (FPIs) to detect indications or
linear indications (any indication which is four times longer than the
width of that same indication) in the HPT front rotating air seal and,
if necessary, replacement of the HPT front rotating air seal or HPT
rotor disk with parts eligible for installation as applicable. This
proposed AD also includes an optional terminating action to the
repetitive FPIs. 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 September
9, 2024.
ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR
11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods:
<bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a>. Follow
the instructions for submitting comments.
<bullet> Fax: (202) 493-2251.
<bullet> 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.
<bullet> Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail address above between 9
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> under
Docket No. FAA-2024-1885; 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, any comments received, and other
information. The street address for Docket Operations is listed above.
Material Incorporated by Reference:
<bullet> For material identified in this NPRM, contact General
Electric Company, 1 Neumann Way, Cincinnati, OH 45215; phone: (513)
552-3272; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c6a7b0afa7b2afa9a8e8a0aaa3a3b2b5b3b6b6a9b4b286faa7e6aeb4a3a0fb" http: ge.com">ge.com</a>">aviation.fleetsupport@<a href="http://ge.com">ge.com</a></a>; website: <a href="http://ge.com">ge.com</a>.
<bullet> You may view this material 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 (817) 222-5110.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alexei Marqueen, Aviation Safety
Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th Street, Des Moines, WA 98198; phone:
(781) 238-7178; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ccada0a9b4a9a5e2b8e2a1adbebdb9a9a9a28caaadade2aba3ba"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a1c0cdc4d9c4c88fd58fccc0d3d0d4c4c4cfe1c7c0c08fc6ced7">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
The FAA invites you to send any written relevant data, views, or
arguments about this proposal. Send your comments to an address listed
under ADDRESSES. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2024-1885; Project Identifier
AD-2023-00995-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 proposal 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
<a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a>, including any personal information you provide. The
agency will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal
contact received about this NPRM.
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
Alexei Marqueen, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th
Street, Des Moines, WA 98198. 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 FAA received a report of indications found in certain HPT front
rotating air seals at the rabbet surface where the affected part
interacts with the HPT rotor disk tabs. The manufacturer investigated
and determined that the indications were caused by a high edge of
contact stress between the HPT rotor disk and the rabbet surface of the
HPT front rotating air seal. This condition, if not addressed, could
result in uncontained release of the HPT front rotating air seal
[[Page 59861]]
or HPT rotor disk, damage to the engine, and damage to the airplane.
FAA's Determination
The FAA is issuing this NPRM after determining that the unsafe
condition described previously is likely to exist or develop on other
products of the same type design.
Related Material Under 1 CFR Part 51
The FAA reviewed GE CF34-10E Service Bulletin 72-0341 R02, dated
September 24, 2021. This material provides procedures for repetitive
FPIs and eddy current inspections of certain HPT front rotating air
seals for indications or linear indications and, if necessary,
replacing the affected HPT front rotating air seals or the HPT rotor
disk with parts eligible for installation. This material is reasonably
available because the interested parties have access to it through
their normal course of business or by the means identified in
ADDRESSES.
Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM
This proposed AD would require, at the next piece-part exposure,
repetitive FPIs to detect indications (indications) or linear
indications (any indication which is four times longer than the width
of that same indication) in the HPT front rotating air seal and, if
necessary, replacement of the HPT front rotating air seal or HPT rotor
disk with parts eligible for installation as applicable. Additionally,
replacing the HPT front rotating air seal with an updated design part
constitutes optional terminating action for the repetitive FPI.
Costs of Compliance
The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would
affect 300 engines, installed on airplanes of U.S. registry.
The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this proposed
AD:
Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cost per Cost on U.S.
Action Labor cost Parts cost product operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FPI of the HPT front rotating air 8 work-hours x $85 $0 $680 $204,000
seal.. per hour = $680.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The FAA estimates the following costs to do any necessary
replacements that would be required based on the results of the
proposed inspections. The agency has no way of determining the number
of engines that might need these replacements:
On-Condition Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cost per
Action Labor cost Parts cost product
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Replace HPT front rotating air seal........... 8 work-hours x $85 per hour = $332,000 $332,680
$680.
Replace HPT rotor disk........................ 8 work-hours x $85 per hour = $341,800 $342,480
$680.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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:
General Electric Company: Docket No. FAA-2024-1885; Project
Identifier AD-2023-00995-E.
(a) Comments Due Date
The FAA must receive comments on this airworthiness directive
(AD) by September 9, 2024.
(b) Affected ADs
None.
(c) Applicability
This AD applies to General Electric Company (GE) Model CF34-
10E2A1, CF34-10E6, CF34-10E6A1, CF34-10E7, CF34-10E7-B engines with
an installed high-pressure turbine (HPT) front rotating air seal
having a part number (P/N) 1865M49P04, 2448M30P02, or 2448M30P03.
[[Page 59862]]
(d) Subject
Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) Code 7250, Turbine
Section.
(e) Unsafe Condition
This AD was prompted by a report of cracks found in the HPT
rotating air front seal. The FAA is issuing this AD to detect
indications and linear indications (any indication which is four
times longer than the width of that same indication) of the HPT
front rotating air seal. The FAA is issuing this AD to prevent
failure of the HPT front rotating air seal or HPT rotor disk. The
unsafe condition, if not addressed, could result in uncontained
release of the HPT front rotating air seal or HPT rotor disk, 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
(1) At the next piece-part exposure of the HPT rotor assembly
and each piece-part exposure thereafter, after the effective date of
this AD, perform a fluorescent penetrant inspection (FPI) of the HPT
front rotating air seal for indications or linear indications in
accordance with paragraphs 3.B.(1)(a) through (f), of GE CF34-10E
Service Bulletin (SB) 72-0341 R02, dated September 24, 2021 (CF34-
10E SB 72-0341 R02).
(2) If during any FPI required by paragraph (g)(1) of this AD,
there are any indications greater than 0.015 in. (0.38mm) or any
linear indications, before further flight, remove the HPT front
rotating air seal from service and replace with a part eligible for
installation, in accordance with paragraphs 3.B.(1)(g) and (h) of
CF34-10E SB 72-0341 R02.
(3) If during any FPI required by paragraph (g)(1) of this AD,
there are any indications that extends beyond the rabbet diameter M,
as specified in paragraph 3.B.(1)(i), Figure 1, and Figure 4 (Sheet
2) of CF34-10E SB 72-0341 R02, before further flight remove the HPT
rotor disk from service and replace with a part eligible for
installation, in accordance with paragraph 3.B.(1)(i)2 of CF34-10E
SB 72-0341 R02.
(h) Optional Terminating Action
Replacing the HPT front rotating air seal with an HPT front
rotating air seal having P/N 2929M57P01 constitutes terminating
action for the inspections required by paragraph (g)(1) of this AD.
(i) Definitions
(1) For the purpose of this AD, a ``piece-part exposure'' is
when the HPT front rotating air seal is disassembled from the HPT
rotor assembly.
(2) For the purpose of this AD, a ``linear indication'' is any
indication whose length is at least four times greater than its
width.
(3) For the purpose of this AD, a ``part eligible for
installation'' is defined as the following, as applicable:
(i) An HPT front rotating air seal that is eligible for
installation is an HPT front rotating air seal having P/N
1865M49P04, P/N 2448M30P02, or P/N 2448M30P03 that has passed the
inspection required by paragraph (g)(1) of this AD, or an HPT front
rotating air seal having P/N 2929M57P01.
(ii) An HPT rotor disk that is eligible for installation is an
HPT rotor disk having P/N 1865M51P03 or P/N 1865M51P04 that has not
been removed from service as a result of the actions required by
paragraph (g)(3) of this AD.
(j) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)
(1) The Manager, AIR-520 Continued Operational Safety 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 AIR-520 Continued
Operational Safety Branch, send it to the attention of the person
identified in paragraph (k) of this AD and email to: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#21606c6e62614740400f464e57"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="8ecfc3c1cdcee8efefa0e9e1f8">[email protected]</span></a>.
(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
For more information about this AD, contact Alexei Marqueen,
Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th Street, Des Moines,
WA 98198; phone: (781) 238-7178; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e1808d84998488cf95cf8c8093909484848fa1878080cf868e97"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1e7f727b667b77306a30737f6c6f6b7b7b705e787f7f30797168">[email protected]</span></a>.
(l) Material Incorporated by Reference
(1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the
incorporation by reference (IBR) of the material listed in this
paragraph under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
(2) You must use this material as applicable to do the actions
required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise.
(i) General Electric Company CF34-10E Service Bulletin 72-0341
R02, dated September 24, 2021.
(ii) [Reserved]
(3) For material identified in this AD, contact General Electric
Company, 1 Neumann Way, Cincinnati, OH 45215; phone: (513) 552-3272;
email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#0f6e79666e7b6660612169636a6a7b7c7a7f7f607d7b4f336e2f677d6a6932" http: ge.com">ge.com</a>">aviation.fleetsupport@<a href="http://ge.com">ge.com</a></a>; website: <a href="http://ge.com">ge.com</a>.
(4) You may view this material at 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 (817) 222-5110.
(5) You may view this material at the National Archives and
Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability
of this material at NARA, visit <a href="http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations">www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations</a> or email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#8fe9fda1e6e1fcffeaecfbe6e0e1cfe1eefdeea1e8e0f9"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b2d4c09cdbdcc1c2d7d1c6dbdddcf2dcd3c0d39cd5ddc4">[email protected]</span></a>.
Issued on July 8, 2024.
Peter A. White,
Deputy Director, Integrated Certificate Management Division, Aircraft
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-16061 Filed 7-23-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on July 24, 2024.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.