[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 34 (Friday, February 18, 2011)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 9515-9517]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-3684]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2011-0115; Directorate Identifier 2010-NE-40-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Turbomeca S.A. ARRIEL 2B and 2B1
Turboshaft Engines
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the
products listed above. This proposed AD results from mandatory
continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by an aviation
authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe
condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe
condition as:
Several cases of Gas Generator (GG) Turbine Blade rupture
occurred in service on ARRIEL 2 twin engine applications and
recently one on a single engine helicopter. For the case occurring
in flight on a single engine helicopter (ARRIEL 2B1 engine), the
pilot performed an emergency autorotation, landing the helicopter
without further incident.
We are proposing this AD to prevent rupture of a GG turbine blade,
which could result in an uncommanded in-flight shutdown and an
emergency autorotation landing or accident.
DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by April 4, 2011.
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: Docket Management Facility, 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.
Contact Turbomeca S.A., 40220 Tarnos, France; e-mail: [email protected]; telephone 33 05 59 74 40 00, fax 33 05 59 74 45
15, or go to: http://www.turbomeca-support.com for the service
information identified in this proposed AD.
[[Page 9516]]
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 proposed 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: James Gray, Aerospace Engineer, Engine
Certification Office, FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 New
England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803-5299; e-mail:
[email protected]; telephone (781) 238-7742; fax (781) 238-7199.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or
arguments about this proposed AD. Send your comments to an address
listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2011-0115;
Directorate Identifier 2010-NE-40-AD'' at the beginning of your
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory,
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this proposed AD. We
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend
this proposed AD based on 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 proposed 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).
Discussion
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical
Agent for the Member States of the European Community, has issued EASA
Airworthiness Directive 2010-0198, dated October 1, 2010 (referred to
after this as ``the MCAI''), to correct an unsafe condition for the
specified products. The MCAI states:
Several cases of Gas Generator (GG) Turbine Blade rupture
occurred in service on ARRIEL 2 twin engine applications and
recently one on a single engine helicopter. For the case occurring
in flight on a single engine helicopter (ARRIEL 2B1 engine), the
pilot performed an emergency autorotation, landing the helicopter
without further incident.
The design of ARRIEL 2 engines (containment shield around the GG
turbine) allows debris from a blade or the disc inter-blade area to
be contained in the event of rupture. However, the rupture of a GG
Turbine Blade may lead to an uncommanded In Flight Shut-Down which,
on a single-engine helicopter, could ultimately lead to an emergency
autorotation landing.
The most probable root cause of the ruptures is an excitation of
one of the vibration modes of the GG Turbine Blade in conjunction
with several secondary contributing factors which are deemed
sufficient to reduce the stress margin of the blade to a level
consistent with the rate of occurrences of ruptures encountered.
Turbomeca has released TU166 modification which consists of
inserting Blade dampers between the GG Turbine Disc and the GG
Turbine Blade platform. Introduction of these dampers minimizes the
effects of HP blade vibratory excitation and increases the blade
tolerance for this type of stress.
You may obtain further information by examining the MCAI in the AD
docket.
Relevant Service Information
Turbomeca S.A. has issued Mandatory Service Bulletin A292 72 3166,
Version B, dated September 20, 2010. 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 Proposed AD
This product has been approved by the aviation authority of France,
and is approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant to our
bilateral agreement with France, they have notified us of the unsafe
condition described in the MCAI and service information referenced
above. We are proposing 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.
Costs of Compliance
Based on the service information, we estimate that this proposed AD
would affect about 537 products of U.S. registry. We also estimate that
it would take about 60 work-hours per product to comply with this
proposed AD. The average labor rate is $85 per work-hour. Required
parts would cost about $3,900 per product. Based on these figures, we
estimate the cost of the proposed AD on U.S. operators to be
$4,833,000.
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.
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 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. 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 proposed 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.
The Proposed Amendment
Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the
Administrator, the FAA proposes to amend 14 CFR part 39 as follows:
[[Page 9517]]
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 AD:
Turbomeca S.A.: Docket No. FAA-2011-0115; Directorate Identifier
2010-NE-40-AD.
Comments Due Date
(a) We must receive comments by April 4, 2011.
Affected Airworthiness Directives (ADs)
(b) None.
Applicability
(c) This AD applies to Turbomeca S.A. ARRIEL 2B and 2B1
turboshaft engines not modified by TU166 modification. These engines
are installed on, but not limited to, Eurocopter AS 350 B3 and EC
130 B4 helicopters.
Reason
(d) This AD results from:
Several cases of Gas Generator (GG) Turbine Blade rupture
occurred in service on ARRIEL 2 twin engine applications and
recently one on a single engine helicopter. For the case occurring
in flight on a single engine helicopter (ARRIEL 2B1 engine), the
pilot performed an emergency autorotation, landing the helicopter
without further incident.
We are issuing this AD to prevent rupture of a GG turbine blade,
which could result in an uncommanded in-flight shutdown and an
emergency autorotation landing or accident.
Actions and Compliance
(e) Unless already done, do the following actions.
(1) Accomplish TU166 modification in accordance with the
instructions specified within Turbomeca Mandatory Service Bulletin
(MSB) A292 72 3166 Version B, dated September 20, 2010, when the GG
Turbine is replaced or when the engine or Module M03 is going
through overhaul or repair, or within 1,300 cycles-in-service after
the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs first.
(2) Accomplishment, before the effective date of this AD, of
TU166 modification in accordance with the instructions of Turbomeca
MSB A292 72 3166 Version A, dated August 17, 2010, satisfies the
requirement of paragraph (e)(1) of this AD.
FAA AD Differences
(f) This AD differs from the Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness
Information (MCAI) and or service information by the following:
(1) European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD No. 2010-0198,
dated October 1, 2010, applies to the ARRIEL 2B1A engine. This AD
does not apply to that model because it has no U.S. type
certificate.
(2) EASA AD No. 2010-198 has a compliance date of ``but no later
than 25 months after the effective date of this AD. This AD has a
compliance time of ``1,300 cycles-in-service,'' based on average
fleet usage data supplied by Turbomeca.
Other FAA AD Provisions
(g) The following provisions also apply to this AD:
Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)
(h) The Manager, Engine Certification Office, FAA, has the
authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the
procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19.
Related Information
(i) Refer to MCAI EASA Airworthiness Directive 2010-0198, dated
October 1, 2010, and Turbomeca S.A. Mandatory Service Bulletins A292
72 3166, Version A, dated August 17, 2010, and A292 72 3166 Version
B, dated September 20, 2010, for related information. Contact
Turbomeca S.A., 40220 Tarnos, France; e-mail: [email protected]; telephone 33 05 59 74 40 00, fax 33 05 59 74
45 15, or go to: http://www.turbomeca-support.com, for a copy of
this service information.
(j) Contact James Gray, Aerospace Engineer, Engine Certification
Office, FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 New England
Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803-5299; e-mail:
[email protected]; telephone (781) 238-7742; fax (781) 238-7199,
for more information about this AD.
Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on February 14, 2011.
Peter A. White,
Acting Manager, Engine and Propeller Directorate, Aircraft
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-3684 Filed 2-17-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P