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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2022-1477; Project Identifier MCAI-2022-00632-E]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. 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 certain Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. (P&WC) PT6E-67XP model
turboprop engines with serial number HP0194 and earlier. This proposed
AD was prompted by multiple reports of engines failing to achieve
required power (torque) during high power applications due to internal
leaks in the bleed-off valves (BOVs). This proposed AD would require
replacement of the compressor BOV assembly, replacement of the BOV
orifice feed air tube assembly, and installation of a redesigned P3
probe snorkel, as specified in a Transport Canada AD, which is proposed
for incorporation by reference (IBR). The FAA is proposing this AD to
address the unsafe condition on these products.
DATES: The FAA must receive comments on this NPRM by January 3,
2023.
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-2022-1477; 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.
Material Incorporated by Reference:
For material that is proposed for IBR in this AD, contact
Transport Canada, Transport Canada National Aircraft Certification, 159
Cleopatra Drive, Nepean, Ontario K1A 0N5, Canada; phone: (888) 663-
3639; email: AD-CN@tc.gc.ca. You may find this material on the
Transport Canada website at tc.canada.ca/en/aviation.
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.
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-2022-1477; Project Identifier
MCAI-2022-00632-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
Transport Canada, which is the aviation authority for Canada, has
issued Transport Canada AD CF-2022-26, dated May 26, 2022 (Transport
Canada AD CF-2022-26) (referred to after this as ``the MCAI''), to
address an unsafe condition for P&WC PT6E-67XP model turboprop engines
with serial number HP0194 and earlier. The MCAI states that there have
been reports of multiple incidents in which engines were unable to
achieve the required power (torque) during high power applications. A
manufacturer investigation found that contamination from the glass beads
used
in the manufacturing process during the gas generator casing (GGC) production
caused internal leaks in the BOVs, preventing the BOVs from fully
closing at high power settings. The FAA is issuing this AD to prevent
internal leaks in the BOVs, and to prevent the failure of the engine to
achieve the required power (torque) during high power applications.
You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at regulations.gov under
Docket No. FAA-2022-1477.
Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51
The FAA reviewed Transport Canada AD CF-2022-26, which specifies
procedures for the replacement of the compressor BOV assembly,
replacement of the BOV orifice feed air tube assembly, and installation
of a redesigned P3 probe snorkel.
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.
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 Transport Canada AD above. The FAA is issuing this NPRM after
determining that the unsafe condition described previously is likely to
exist or develop in other products of the same type design
Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM
This proposed AD would require accomplishing the actions specified
in Transport Canada AD CF-2022-26, described previously, except for any
differences identified as exceptions in the regulatory text of this
proposed AD and except as discussed under ``Differences Between This
Proposed AD and the MCAI.
Explanation of Required Compliance Information
In the FAA's ongoing efforts to improve the efficiency of the AD
process, the FAA developed a process to use some civil aviation
authority (CAA) ADs as the primary source of information for compliance
with requirements for corresponding FAA ADs. The FAA has since
coordinated with other manufacturers and CAAs to use this process. As
a
result, the FAA proposes to incorporate by reference Transport Canada
AD CF-2022-26 in the FAA final rule. This proposed AD would, therefore,
require compliance with Transport Canada AD CF-2022-26 in its entirety
through that incorporation, except for any differences identified as
exceptions in the regulatory text of this proposed AD. Using common
terms that are the same as the heading of a particular section in the
Transport Canada AD does not mean that operators need comply only with
that section. For example, where the AD requirement refers to
``Compliance,'' compliance with this AD requirement is not limited to
the section titled ``Corrective Actions'' in Transport Canada AD CF-
2022-26. Service information required by the Transport Canada AD for
compliance will be available at regulations.gov by searching for and
locating Docket No. FAA-2022-1477 after the FAA final rule is
published.
Differences Between This Proposed AD and the Transport Canada AD
Where Transport Canada AD CF-2022-26 refers to hours air time, this
proposed AD requires using flight hours.
Where Transport Canada AD CF-2022-26 specifies compliance from its
effective date, this proposed AD would require using the effective date
of this proposed AD.
Costs of Compliance
The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would
affect 100 engines installed on airplanes of U.S. registry.
The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this proposed
AD:
Estimated Costs
|
Action
|
Labor cost
|
Parts cost
|
Cost per
product
|
Cost on
U.S. operators
|
| Replace compressor BOV assembly |
5 work-hours x $85 per hour =
$425 |
$13,102
|
$13,527
|
$1,352,700
|
| Replace BOV orifice feed air
tube assembly with P3 probe snorkel and BOV orifice feed air tube
assembly |
6 work-hours x $85 per
hour = $510 |
22,000
|
22,510
|
2,251,000
|
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:
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