DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2022-1302; Project Identifier MCAI-2022-00062-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) H75-100, H75-200, H80, H80-100,
H80-200, H85-100, and H85-200 model turboprop engines. This proposed AD
was prompted by the manufacturer revising the airworthiness limitations
section (ALS) of the existing engine maintenance manual (EMM) to
introduce updated coefficients for the calculation of the cyclic life
and safe life for the main shaft. This proposed AD would require
revising the ALS of the existing EMM and the operator's existing
approved maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to
incorporate the updated coefficients and recalculate the cycles
accumulated on critical parts. The FAA is proposing this AD to address
the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: The FAA must receive comments on this NPRM by December 8, 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 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.
AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at regulations.gov under
Docket No. FAA-2022-1302; 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-2022-1302; Project Identifier
MCAI-2022-00062-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
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 2022-0008, dated January 19, 2022 (referred to after this as
``the MCAI''), to address an unsafe condition on all GEAC H75-100, H75-
200, H80, H80-100, H80-200, H85-100, and H85-200 engines, all build
configurations, all serial numbers. The MCAI states that the
airworthiness limitations for H series engine models, which are
approved by EASA, are currently defined and published in the ALS of the
GEAC EMM. 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 the MCAI, introducing updated coefficients for the
calculation of the cyclic life and safe life for the main shaft. For
the reason described above, the MCAI specifies accomplishment of the
actions specified in the ALS.
You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at regulations.gov under
Docket No. FAA-2022-1302.

Related Service Information

The FAA reviewed the ALS of the GEAC EMM, Part No: 0983402 Rev. 22,
dated December 18, 2020. This service information provides updated
coefficients for the calculation of the cyclic life and safe life for
the main shaft.

FAA's Determination

These products have been approved by the aviation authority of
another country and are approved for operation in the United States.
Pursuant to the FAA's bilateral agreement with this State of Design
Authority, it has notified the FAA of the unsafe condition described in
the MCAI and service information described above. The FAA is issuing
this NPRM after determining that the unsafe condition described
previously is likely to exist or develop on other products of these
same type designs.

Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM

This proposed AD would require revising the ALS of the existing EMM
and the operator's existing approved maintenance or inspection program,
as applicable, to incorporate the updated coefficients and recalculate
the cycles accumulated on critical parts. An owner/operator (pilot)
holding 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 showing
compliance with this AD in accordance with 14 CFR 43.9(a) and 14 CFR
91.417(a)(2)(v). The record must be maintained as required by 14 CFR
91.417, 121.380, or 135.439. This is an exception to the FAA's standard
maintenance regulations.

Differences Between This Proposed AD and the MCAI

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, from
its effective date. The MCAI specifies that in case of finding
discrepancies during accomplishment of any task required by paragraph
(1) of the MCAI, before the next flight, accomplish the applicable
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
instructions. 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 and
the operator's existing approved maintenance or inspection program, as
applicable, to incorporate the updated coefficients and recalculate the
cycles accumulated on critical parts within 90 days after the effective
date of the proposed AD.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would
affect 33 engines installed on aircraft 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: