DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2010-0829; Directorate Identifier 2010-NE-23-AD] RIN 2120
-AA64
AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES; Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. (P&WC) PW305A and
PW305B Turboprop 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 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: As a result of a
change in the low-cycle fatigue lifing methodology for the IMI 834
material, the recommended service life of certain PW305A and PW305B
Impellers has been reduced, as published in the Airworthiness Limitations
(AWL) section of Engine Maintenance Manual (EMM). The in-service life of
impellers P/N 30B2185, 30B2486 and 30B2858-01 has been reduced from 12,000
to 7,000 cycles; and of P/N 30B4565-01 from 8,500 to 7,000 cycles. We are
proposing this AD to prevent failure of the impeller, which could result
in an uncontained event and possible damage to the airplane.
DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by October 4, 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 Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp., 1000 Marie-Victorin, Longueuil,
Quebec, Canada, J4G 1A1; telephone 800-268-8000; fax 450-647-2888; Web
site: www.pwc.ca, 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 (phone (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: James Lawrence, Aerospace Engineer, Eng-
ine Certification Office, FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 New Eng-
land Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; e-mail: james.lawrence@faa.gov;
phone: (781) 238-7176; 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-2010-0829; Directorate
Identifier 2010-NE-23-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
Transport Canada, which is the aviation authority for Canada, has issued
Canada Airworthiness Directive CF-2010-09, dated March 17, 2010, (referred
to after this as "the MCAI"), to correct an unsafe condition for the
specified products. The MCAI states:
As a result of a change in the low-cycle fatigue lifing methodology for
the IMI 834 material, the recommended service life of certain PW305A and
PW305B Impellers has been reduced, as published in the Airworthiness
Limitations (AWL) section of Engine Maintenance Manual (EMM).
The in-service life of impellers P/N 30B2185, 30B2486 and 30B2858-01 has
been reduced from 12,000 to 7,000 cycles; and of P/N 30B4565-01 from 8,500
to 7,000 cycles.
This Airworthiness Directive (AD) is issued to mandate the incorporation
of the revised in-service life limits for the affected impellers, in the
AWL section of EMM, as introduced by Temporary Revision (TR) AL-8.
Within 30 days from the effective date of this AD, update AWL section of
your PW305 EMM P/N 30B1402, to incorporate TR AL-8 for compliance with the
revised in-service limits for the affected Impellers, installed on PW305A
and PW305B engine.
You may obtain further information by examining the MCAI in the AD docket.
RELEVANT SERVICE INFORMATION
Pratt & Whitney Canada has issued Maintenance Manual Part Number 30B1402
Temporary Revision No. AL-8, dated January 20, 2010. The reduced cycle
limits described in this service information are intended to correct the
unsafe condition identified in the MCAI.
FAA'S DETERMINATION AND REQUIREMENTS OF THIS PROPOSED AD
This product has been approved by the aviation authority of Canada, and is
approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant to our bilateral
agreement with Canada, they have notified us of the unsafe condition
described in the MCAI and service information referenced above. We are
proposing this AD because we evaluated all information provided by Canada
and determined the unsafe condition exists and is likely to exist or
develop on other products of the same type design.
COSTS OF COMPLIANCE
Based on the service information, we estimate that this proposed AD would
affect about 114 products of U.S. registry. We also estimate that it would
take about 0 work-hours per product to comply with this proposed AD. The
average labor rate is $85 per work-hour. Required parts would cost about
$54,288 per product. Based on these figures, we estimate the cost of the
proposed AD on U.S. operators to be $6,188,832. Our cost estimate is
exclusive of possible warranty coverage.
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 responsib-
ilities 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 Pro-
cedures (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.
SEC. 39.13 [AMENDED]
2. The FAA amends Sec. 39.13 by adding the following new AD: