DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2022-0459; Project Identifier MCAI-2021-00266-E]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; GE Aviation Czech s.r.o. (Type
Certificate Previously Held by WALTER Engines a.s., Walter a.s., and
MOTORLET a.s.) Turboprop Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD)
for all GE Aviation Czech s.r.o. (GEAC) M601D-11 model turboprop
engines. This proposed AD was prompted by the manufacturer revising the
airworthiness limitation section (ALS) of the existing engine
maintenance manual (EMM) to include a visual inspection of the
centrifugal compressor case for cracks. This proposed AD would require
revising the ALS of the existing EMM to incorporate a visual inspection
of the centrifugal compressor case. 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 May 31,
2022.

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 GE
Aviation Czech, Beranov[yacute]ch 65, 199 02 Praha 9--Let[ncaron]any,
Czech Republic; phone: +420 222 538 999; email: tp.ops@ge.com. 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 (817) 222-5110.

Examining the AD Docket

You may examine the AD docket at https://www.regulations.gov by
searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2022-0459; 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; 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. Send your comments to an address listed
under ADDRESSES. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2022-0459; Project Identifier
MCAI-2021-00266-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 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
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 Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the
Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Union, has issued
EASA AD 2021-0060, dated March 3, 2021 (referred to after this as ``the
MCAI''), to address the unsafe condition on these products. The MCAI
states:

The airworthiness limitations for certain M601 engine models,
which are approved by EASA, are currently defined and published in the ALS.
These instructions have been identified as mandatory for continued
airworthiness.
Failure to accomplish these instructions could result in an
unsafe condition.
Recently, GEAC published the ALS, as defined in this [EASA] AD,
introducing a visual inspection of the Centrifugal Compressor Case.
For the reason described above, this [EASA] AD requires
accomplishment of the actions specified in the ALS.

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-2022-0459.

FAA's Determination

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

Related Service Information

The FAA reviewed GE Aviation Czech Airworthiness Limitations R18,
Section 5. Mandatory Inspections, of the GE Aviation Czech EMM, Part
No. 0982309, Revision No. 18, dated December 18, 2020 (Airworthiness
Limitations R18, Section 5. Mandatory Inspections). Airworthiness
Limitations R18, Section 5. Mandatory Inspections, of the EMM specifies
procedures for performing a visual inspection of the centrifugal
compressor case for cracks.

Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM

This proposed AD would require revising the ALS of the existing EMM
to incorporate a visual inspection of the centrifugal compressor case
for cracks. An owner/operator (pilot) holding at least at least a
private pilot certificate may revise the ALS of the existing EMM, and
the owner/operator must enter compliance with the applicable paragraphs
of the AD into the aircraft records in accordance with 14 CFR
43.9(a)(1) through (4) and 14 CFR 91.417(a)(2)(v). This is an exception
to the FAA's standard maintenance regulations.

Differences Between This Proposed AD and the MCAI or Service
Information

The MCAI specifies replacing each component before exceeding the
applicable life limit and accomplishing all the applicable maintenance
tasks within the thresholds and intervals, as defined in the ALS. This
proposed AD would require revising the ALS of the existing EMM to
incorporate a visual inspection of the centrifugal compressor case. The
MCAI specifies that if discrepancies are found during the
accomplishment of the EASA AD, to accomplish corrective actions in
accordance with existing GEAC instructions. The MCAI also specifies to
contact GEAC for approved instructions if a detected discrepancy cannot
be corrected using existing GEAC instruction. This proposed AD would
not require performing corrective actions in accordance with existing
GEAC instructions or contacting GEAC for approved instructions. The
MCAI specifies revising the aircraft maintenance program within 12
months from its effective date. This proposed AD would require revising
the ALS of the existing EMM to incorporate a visual inspection of the
centrifugal compressor case within 90 days after the effective date of
this proposed AD.
The MCAI and GE Aviation Czech Airworthiness Limitations R18,
Section 5. Mandatory Inspections, apply to GEAC M601D-1, M601D-2,
M601D-11, M601D-11NZ, and M601Z model turboprop engines. This proposed
AD would not apply to GEAC M601D-1, M601D-2, M601D-11NZ, and M601Z
model turboprop engines because these model turboprop engines do not
have an FAA type certificate.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would
affect 7 engines installed on airplanes of U.S. registry.
The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this proposed
AD:

Estimated Costs

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

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: