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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2024-0774; Project Identifier AD-2024-00197-E,R;
Amendment 39-22723; AD 2024-06-51]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company Engines, and
Various Restricted Category Rotorcraft
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The FAA is superseding airworthiness directive (AD) 2024-05-
51, which applied to certain General Electric Company (GE) Model CT7-
2E1, CT7-2F1, CT7-8A, CT7-8E, and CT7-8F5 engines, and various
restricted category helicopters with GE Model T700-GE-700, -701A, -
701C, -701D/CC, -701D, -401, -401C, CT7-2D, or CT7-2D1 engines
installed. AD 2024-05-51 required a phase array ultrasonic inspection
of the torque reference tube magnetic insert braze joint of the power
turbine (PT) drive shaft assembly for inadequate braze coverage, and
repair or replacement of the PT drive shaft assembly if necessary. This
AD was prompted by at least four reports of failures of the torque
reference tube magnetic insert braze joint of the PT drive shaft
assembly within the last several months. This AD retains the
requirements of AD 2024-05-51 and expands the applicability to include
a PT drive shaft assembly part number that was inadvertently omitted.
The FAA previously sent an emergency AD to all known U.S. owners and
operators of these engines and helicopters and is now issuing this AD
to address the unsafe condition on these products.
DATES: This AD is effective April 23, 2024. Emergency AD 2024-06-51,
issued on March 22, 2024, which contained the requirements of this
amendment, was effective with actual notice.
The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by
reference of a certain publication identified in this AD as of April
23, 2024.
The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by
reference of certain other publications listed in this AD as of April
1, 2024 (89 FR 18771, March 15, 2024).
The FAA must receive comments on this AD by May 23, 2024.
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-2024-0774; 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 final rule, any comments received, and other
information. The street address for Docket Operations is listed above.
Material Incorporated by Reference:
For GE service information, contact General Electric
Company, 1 Neumann Way, Cincinnati, OH 45215; phone: (513) 552-3272;
email: ge.com">aviation.fleetsupport@ge.com; website: ge.com.
For Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation service information,
contact Sikorsky Field Representative or Sikorsky's Service Engineering
Group at Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, Mailstop K100, 124 Quarry Road,
Trumbull, CT 06611; phone: 1 (800) 946-4337 (1-800-Winged-S); email:
wcs_cust_service_eng.gr-sik@lmco.com; website: sikorsky360.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. It is
also available at regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2024-0774.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara Caufield, Aviation Safety
Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th Street, Des Moines, WA 98198; phone:
(781) 238-7146; email: barbara.caufield@faa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
The FAA invites you to send any written data, views, or arguments
about this final rule. Send your comments to an address listed under
ADDRESSES. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2024-0774; Project Identifier AD-
2024-00197-E,R'' at the beginning of your comments. The most helpful
comments reference a specific portion of the final rule, 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 final rule 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 final rule.
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 AD 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 AD, 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 AD. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to Barbara
Caufield, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th Street, Des
Moines, WA 98198. 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 FAA issued AD 2024-05-51, Amendment 39-22702 (89 FR 18771,
March 15, 2024) (AD 2024-05-51), for certain GE Model CT7-2E1, CT7-2F1,
CT7-8A, CT7-8E, and CT7-8F5 engines, and various restricted category
helicopters with GE Model T700-GE-700, -701A, -701C, -701D/CC, -701D,
-
401, -401C, CT7-2D, or CT7-2D1 engines installed. That AD was issued as
Emergency AD 2024-05-51 on February 28, 2024, and distributed to all
known U.S. owners and operators of these engines and helicopters. AD
2024-05-51 required a phase array ultrasonic
inspection of the torque reference tube magnetic insert braze joint of
the PT drive shaft assembly for inadequate braze coverage, and repair
or replacement of the PT drive shaft assembly if necessary. AD 2024-05-
51 was prompted by at least four reports of failures of the torque
reference tube magnetic insert braze joint of the PT drive shaft
assembly within the last several months. This condition, if not
addressed, could result in improper torque and engine speed
indications, which, in combination with specific phases of flight,
could create an unacceptably high flight crew workload in maintaining
control of the aircraft, and result in consequent loss of control of
the aircraft.
Actions Since Issuance of AD 2024-05-51
Since the issuance of AD 2024-05-51, the FAA determined that PT
drive shaft assembly part number (P/N) 5125T92G01 was inadvertently
omitted from the applicability. Therefore, the FAA is superseding AD
2024-05-51 to revise the applicability to include engines with PT drive
shaft assembly P/N 5125T92G01 installed. The FAA also revised the
applicability of this AD to consolidate paragraphs (c)(2)(iii) through
(viii) into paragraph (c)(2)(iii) of this AD and revised the required
actions of this AD to reference service information that was published
since Emergency AD 2024-05-51 was issued.
This AD was sent previously to all known U.S. owners and operators
of these engines and helicopters as Emergency AD 2024-06-51, dated
March 22, 2024, which superseded AD 2024-05-51.
FAA's Determination
The FAA is issuing this AD because the agency has determined the
unsafe condition described previously is likely to exist or develop in
other products of these same type designs.
Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51
The FAA reviewed Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation S-70/H-60 Helicopter
Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) 70-04-17, dated February 28, 2024, which
specifies procedures for a phase array ultrasonic inspection of the
torque reference tube magnetic insert braze joint of the PT drive shaft
assembly for inadequate braze coverage.
This AD also requires the following service information, which the
Director of the Federal Register approved for incorporation by
reference as of April 1, 2024 (89 FR 18771, March 15, 2024).
GE ASB CT7-2E1 S/B 72-A0034, dated February 26, 2024.
GE ASB CT7-8 S/B 72-A0118, Revision 01, dated February 26,
2024.
This service information is reasonably available because the
interested parties have access to it through their normal course of
business or by the means identified in the ADDRESSES section.
AD Requirements
This AD requires a phase array ultrasonic inspection of the torque
reference tube magnetic insert braze joint of the PT drive shaft
assembly for inadequate braze coverage, and repair or replacement of
the PT drive shaft assembly if necessary.
Interim Action
The FAA considers this AD to be an interim action. The manufacturer
is currently investigating the root cause of the unsafe condition
identified in this AD. If final action is later identified, the FAA
might consider further rulemaking.
Justification for Immediate Adoption and Determination of the Effective
Date
Section 553(b)(3)(B) of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) (5
U.S.C. 551 et seq.) authorizes agencies to dispense with notice and
comment procedures for rules when the agency, for ``good cause,'' finds
that those procedures are ``impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to
the public interest.'' Under this section, an agency, upon finding good
cause, may issue a final rule without providing notice and seeking
comment prior to issuance. Further, section 553(d) of the APA
authorizes agencies to make rules effective in less than thirty days,
upon a finding of good cause.
An unsafe condition exists that required the immediate adoption of
Emergency AD 2024-06-51, issued on March 22, 2024, to all known U.S.
owners and operators of these engines. The FAA found that the risk to
the flying public justified forgoing notice and comment prior to
adoption of this rule because failure of the torque reference tube
magnetic insert braze joint of the PT drive shaft assembly could result
in improper torque and engine speed indications, which, in combination
with specific phases of flight, could create an unacceptably high
flight crew workload in maintaining control of the aircraft, and result
in consequent loss of control of the aircraft. Since this condition
happens rapidly and without warning, the inspection and any necessary
repair or replacement must be accomplished before further flight. Thus,
the FAA has determined that the affected torque reference tube magnetic
insert braze joint of the PT drive shaft assembly must be inspected,
and repaired or replaced if necessary, before further flight. This
condition still exists; therefore, notice and opportunity for prior
public comment are impracticable and contrary to the public interest
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B).
In addition, the FAA finds that good cause exists pursuant to 5
U.S.C. 553(d) for making this amendment effective in less than 30 days,
for the same reasons the FAA found good cause to forgo notice and
comment.
Regulatory Flexibility Act
The requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) do not
apply when an agency finds good cause pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553 to adopt
a rule without prior notice and comment. Because FAA has determined
that it has good cause to adopt this rule without prior notice and
comment, RFA analysis is not required.
Costs of Compliance
The FAA estimates that this AD affects 100 engines installed on
aircraft of U.S. registry.
The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this AD:
Estimated Costs
|
Action
|
Labor cost
|
Parts cost
|
Cost per
product
|
Cost on
U.S. operators
|
| Phase array ultrasonic inspection |
1 work-hour x $85 per hour =
$85 |
$0
|
$85
|
$8,500
|
The FAA estimates the following costs
to do any necessary repairs
or replacements that would be required based on the results of the
inspection. The agency has no way of determining the number of engines
that might need these repairs or replacements:
On-Condition Costs
|
Action
|
Labor cost
|
Parts cost
|
Cost per
product
|
| Repair or replacement of the
PT drive shaft assembly |
8 work-hours x $85 per hour =
$680 |
$50,000
|
$50,680
|
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
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 that this AD:
(1) Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive
Order 12866, and
(2) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by
reference, Safety.
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:
a. Removing Airworthiness Directive 2024-05-51, Amendment 39-22702 (89
FR 18771, March 15, 2024); and
b. Adding the following new airworthiness directive:
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