AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain

Rolls-Royce Deutschland (RRD) Models Tay 611-8 and Tay 611-8C turbofan
engines. This AD requires replacement of the high-pressure (HP) turbine
spanner retaining nut. This AD was prompted by the discovery that
certain HP turbine spanner retaining nuts were improperly heat treated
after application of silver plating. We are issuing this AD to prevent
failure of the HP turbine stage 2 disc, uncontained engine failure, and
damage to the airplane.

DATES: This AD becomes effective March 23, 2012.
We must receive comments on this AD by May 7, 2012.

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: 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.
For service information identified in this AD, contact Rolls-Royce
Deutschland Ltd & Co KG, Eschenweg 11, Dahlewitz, 15827 Blankenfelde-
Mahlow, Germany; phone: 49 0 33-7086-1883; fax: 49 0 33-7086-3276. You
may review copies of the referenced service information at the FAA,
Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park,
Burlington, MA 01803. For information on the availability of this
material at the FAA, call 781-238-7125.

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 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: Mark Riley, Aerospace Engineer, Engine
Certification Office, FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 New
England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; email:
mark.riley@faa.gov; phone: 781-238-7758; fax: 781-238-7199.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical
Agent for the Member States of the European Community, has issued EASA
Emergency Airworthiness Directive 2012-0039-E, dated March 9, 2012, and
EASA AD 2012-0039R1, dated March 14, 2012 (referred to after this as
``the MCAI''), to correct an unsafe condition for the specified
products. The MCAI states:

A recent quality investigation by Rolls-Royce Deutschland has
identified that certain stage 2 high-pressure turbine (HPT) disc
spanner retaining nuts did not receive the proper heat treatment
after application of silver plating. This condition, if not
corrected, could result in a stage 2 HPT disc failure, possibly
leading to release of high energy debris, resulting in damage to the
aeroplane and/or injury to occupants.

We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of the HP turbine stage 2
disc, uncontained engine failure, and damage to the airplane.
You may obtain further information by examining the MCAI in the AD
docket.

Relevant Service Information

RRD has issued Alert Service Bulletin No. TAY-72-A1769, dated March
9, 2012. The actions described in this service information are intended
to correct the unsafe condition identified in the MCAI.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of This AD

This product has been approved by EASA and is approved for
operation in the United States. Pursuant to our bilateral agreement
with EASA, 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 replacement of the
HP turbine spanner retaining nut on certain serial number engines,
within 20 flight cycles after the effective date of the AD or within
200 flight cycles since the last engine shop visit, whichever occurs
first.

FAA's Determination of the Effective Date

An unsafe condition exists that requires the immediate adoption of
this AD. The FAA has found that the risk to the flying public justifies
waiving notice and comment prior to adoption of this rule because of
the short compliance time required to remove the unsafe condition.
Therefore, we determined that notice and opportunity for public comment
before issuing this AD are impracticable and that good cause exists for
making this amendment effective in fewer than 30 days.

Comments Invited

This AD is a final rule that involves requirements affecting flight
safety, and we did not precede it by notice and opportunity for public
comment. We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or
arguments about this AD. Send your comments to an address listed under
the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2012-0288; Directorate
Identifier 2012-NE-10-AD'' at the beginning of your comments. We
specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, economic,
environmental, and energy aspects of this AD. We will consider all
comments received by the closing date and may amend this AD 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
with FAA personnel concerning this 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).

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 AD will not have federalism implications
under Executive Order 13132. This AD will 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 AD:
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 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.

Adoption of the Amendment

Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the
Administrator, the FAA amends 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 airworthiness
directive (AD):