Airworthiness Directives; International Aero Engines, LLC Engines

<RULE> DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION <SUBAGY>Federal Aviation Administration</SUBAGY> <CFR>14 CFR Part 39</CFR> <DEPDOC>[Docket No. FAA-2023-2401; Project Identifier AD-2023-01278-E; Amendment 39-22703; AD 2024-05-11]</DEPDOC> <RIN>RIN 2120-AA64</RIN> <SUBJECT>Airworthiness Directives; International Aero Engines, LLC Engines</SUBJECT> <HD SOURCE="HED">AGENCY:</HD> Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. <HD SOURCE="HED">ACTION:</HD> Final rule. <SUM> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUMMARY:</HD> The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2022-19-15 for certain International Aero Engines, LLC (IAE LLC) Model PW1100G series engines; and AD 2023-16-07 for certain IAE LLC Model PW1100G series engines and PW1400G series engines. AD 2022-19-15 required an angled ultrasonic inspection (AUSI) of the high-pressure turbine (HPT) 1st-stage disk and HPT 2nd-stage disk, and replacement, if necessary. AD 2023-16-07 required an AUSI of the HPT 1st-stage hub (also known as the HPT 1st-stage disk) and HPT 2nd-stage hub (also known as the HPT 2nd-stage disk) for cracks, and replacement, if necessary, which is terminating action for AD 2022-19-15. This AD was prompted by an investigation that determined an increased risk of powdered metal anomalies for all powdered metal parts in certain powdered metal production campaigns, which are susceptible to failure significantly earlier than previously determined. This AD retains the AUSI requirement for certain HPT 1st-stage and HPT 2nd-stage hubs from AD 2023-16-07. This AD requires performing an AUSI of the HPT 1st-stage hub, HPT 2nd-stage hub, high-pressure compressor (HPC) 7th-stage integrally bladed rotor (IBR-7), and HPC 8th-stage integrally bladed rotor (IBR-8) for cracks, and replacing if necessary. This AD also requires accelerated replacement of the HPC IBR-7, HPC IBR-8, HPC rear hub, HPT 1st-stage hub, and HPT 2nd-stage hub. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products. </SUM> <EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">DATES:</HD> This AD is effective April 11, 2024. The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in this AD as of April 11, 2024. The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of a certain other publication listed in this AD as of August 28, 2023 (88 FR 56999, August 22, 2023). The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of a certain other publication listed in this AD as of November 7, 2022 (87 FR 59660, October 3, 2022; corrected October 24, 2022 (87 FR 64156)). </EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">ADDRESSES:</HD> <E T="03">AD Docket:</E> You may examine the AD docket at <E T="03">regulations.gov</E> under Docket No. FAA-2023-2401; 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 address for Docket Operations is U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590. <E T="03">Material Incorporated by Reference:</E> • For Pratt & Whitney (PW) service information that is incorporated by reference, contact International Aero Engines, LLC, 400 Main Street, East Hartford, CT 06118; phone: (860) 565-0140; email: <E T="03">help24@pw.utc.com;</E> website: <E T="03">connect.prattwhitney.com.</E> • You may view this service information that is incorporated by reference 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 <E T="03">regulations.gov</E> under Docket No. FAA-2023-2401. <FURINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:</HD> Carol Nguyen, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th Street, Des Moines, WA 98198; phone: (781) 238-7655; email: <E T="03">carol.nguyen@faa.gov.</E> </FURINF> <SUPLINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:</HD> <HD SOURCE="HD1">Background</HD> The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (referred to herein as the NPRM) to amend 14 CFR part 39 to supersede AD 2022-19-15, Amendment 39-22184 (87 FR 59660, October 3, 2022; corrected October 24, 2022 (87 FR 64156)) (AD 2022-19-15); and AD 2023-16-07, Amendment 39-22526 (88 FR 56999, August 22, 2023) (AD 2023-16-07). AD 2022-19-15 applied to certain IAE LLC Model PW1122G-JM, PW1124G1-JM, PW1124G-JM, PW1127G1-JM, PW1127GA-JM, PW1127G-JM, PW1129G-JM, PW1130G-JM, PW1133GA-JM, and PW1133G-JM engines. AD 2023-16-07 applied to certain IAE LLC Model PW1122G-JM, PW1124G1-JM, PW1124G-JM, PW1127G-JM, PW1127G1-JM, PW1127GA-JM, PW1129G-JM, PW1130G-JM, PW1133G-JM, PW1133GA-JM, PW1428G-JM, PW1428GA-JM, PW1428GH-JM, PW1431G-JM, PW1431GA-JM, and PW1431GH-JM engines. The NPRM published in the <E T="04">Federal Register</E> on December 28, 2023 (88 FR 89627). The NPRM was prompted by manufacturer analysis of an HPC IBR-7 failure that determined it was caused by a powdered metal anomaly that is similar in nature to the anomalies outlined in AD 2022-19-15. The analysis concluded that there is an increased risk of failure for additional powdered metal parts in certain powdered metal production campaigns, including the HPC IBR-7 and HPC IBR-8, and that all affected parts are susceptible to failure significantly earlier than previously determined. The condition, if not addressed, could result in uncontained hub failure, release of high-energy debris, damage to the engine, damage to the airplane, and loss of the airplane. To address the unsafe condition, the FAA issued an NPRM (Docket No. FAA-2023-2237; Project Identifier AD-2023-01057-E) (referred to herein as the previous NPRM) to supersede AD 2022-19-15 and AD 2023-16-07, which was published in the <E T="04">Federal Register</E> on December 12, 2023 (88 FR 86088). However, after the previous NPRM was issued, the FAA received information from PW that an error was inadvertently included in the previous NPRM's compliance times for some of the HPT 1st-stage and 2nd-stage hubs, which would have required removal significantly later than necessary. Due to the need to shorten the removal timeframe, the FAA determined it was necessary to withdraw the previous NPRM and issue the NPRM for the unsafe condition with the correct compliance times. In the NPRM, the FAA proposed to continue to require performing an AUSI of the HPT 1st-stage hub and HPT 2nd-stage hub and replacing as necessary. The NPRM proposed to require performing an AUSI of the HPC IBR-7 and HPC IBR-8 for cracks and replacing as necessary. The NPRM also proposed to require accelerated replacement of the HPC IBR-7, HPC IBR-8, HPC rear hub, HPT 1st-stage hub, HPT 1st-stage air seal, HPT 1st-stage blade retaining plate, HPT 2nd-stage hub, HPT 2nd-stage blade retaining plate, and HPT 2nd-stage rear seal. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products. <HD SOURCE="HD1">Discussion of Final Airworthiness Directive</HD> <HD SOURCE="HD1">Comments</HD> The FAA received comments from 14 commenters, including the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA); Air New Zealand; All Nippon Airways CO., LTD. (ANA); Delta Air Lines, Inc. (DAL); Hawaiian Airlines; Hong Kong Express Airways Limited (HK Express); InterGlobe Aviation Limited (IndiGo); JetBlue Airways (JetBlue); Lufthansa Group PW1100G-JM Operators: Lufthansa, SWISS International, Austrian, Lufthansa Cityline (Lufthansa Group); Lufthansa Technik AG; MTU Maintenance Hannover GmbH; PW; United Airlines; and Vietnam Airlines JSC. ALPA urged the manufacturer to develop measures to minimize the operational impact these inspections will have on operators but supported the proposed AD without change. Thirteen commenters requested changes to the proposed AD. The following presents the comments received on the NPRM and the FAA's response to each comment. <HD SOURCE="HD1">Request To Update Service Information</HD> Three commenters, Delta, JetBlue, and Lufthansa Technik AG requested that the FAA revise paragraphs (h)(2), (h)(6), and (m)(3)(ii) of the proposed AD to refer to PW ASB PW1000G-C-72-00-0225-00A-930A-D, Issue 002, dated December 12, 2023, rather than PW ASB PW1000G-C-72-00-0225-00A-930A-D, Issue 001, dated November 3, 2023. Lufthansa Technik AG noted that it would be beneficial to use the latest SB revision in sections (h), (i), and (j) of the proposed AD. The FAA agrees. PW Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) PW1000G-C-72-00-0225-00A-930A-D, Issue No: 002, dated December 12, 2023, adds alternative methods of AUSI compliance to the Compliance section, adds service information to the References section, and removes unnecessary steps from the Accomplishment Instructions. The FAA revised this AD to refer to PW ASB PW1000G-C-72-00-0225-00A-930A-D, Issue No: 002, dated December 12, 2023. The FAA also revised paragraph (j), Credit for Previous Actions, of this AD to allow credit for certain actions performed in accordance with PW ASB PW1000G-C-72-00-0225-00A-930A-D, Issue No: 001, dated November 3, 2023. <HD SOURCE="HD1">Request To Add Service Information</HD> One commenter, Lufthansa Technik AG, requested the addition of the following documents to the Related Service Information Under 1 CFR part 51 paragraph of the NPRM: • Special Instruction (SI) 46F-23A, dated April 4, 2023, which provides instructions to inspect IBR-7 parts; • SI 47F-23A, dated April 4, 2023, which provides instructions to inspect IBR-8 parts; and • SI 169F-23B, dated October 11, 2023, and previous, which provides a procedure to inspect all affected hardware in-shop. Lufthansa Technik AG noted that SI 169F-23B should be added to the proposed AD to ensure that credit can be taken fr ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Preview showing 10k of 65k characters. Full document text is stored and available for version comparison. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━