AD 2006-25-12

This AD becomes effective January 23, 2007. The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in the regulations as of January 23, 2007.

You can get the service information identified in this AD from Rolls-Royce Corporation, P.O. Box 420, 2001 South Tibbs Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46206-0420; telephone (317) 230-2000; fax (317) 230-4020 for the service information identified in this AD.

You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov or in Room PL-401 on the plaza level of the Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC.

Michael Downs, Aerospace Engineer, Chicago Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, 2300 East Devon Avenue, Des Plaines, IL 60018; telephone (847) 294-7870; fax (847) 294-7834.

The FAA proposed to amend 14 CFR part 39 with a proposed AD. The proposed AD applies to RRC 501-D series turboprop engines. We published the proposed AD in the Federal Register on February 22, 2006 (71 FR 9048). That action proposed to require removal from service of certain turbine rotor components at reduced life limits, the same as AD 2003-07-02, but would add two new life limits.

You may examine the docket that contains the AD, any comments received, and any final disposition in person at the Docket Management Facility Docket Offices between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The Docket Office (telephone (800) 647-5227) is located on the plaza level of the Department of Transportation Nassif Building at the street address stated in ADDRESSES. Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly after the DMS receives them.

We provided the public the opportunity to participate in the development of this AD. We received no comments on the proposal or on the determination of the cost to the public.

Since we issued the proposed AD, we became aware that the STC number SE1161EA, referenced in paragraph (c), is incorrect. We corrected the number to STC SA4-1100 in the AD.

We have carefully reviewed the available data and determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting the AD with the change described previously.

We estimate that this AD will affect 684 engines installed on aircraft of U.S. registry. The action does not impose any additional labor costs if performed at the time of scheduled engine overhaul. Required parts will cost about $45,000 per engine. Based on these figures, we estimate the total cost of the AD to U.S. operators to be $30,780,000.

Paragraph (f) of the current AD, AD 2003-07-02, contains a paragraph pertaining to special flight permits. Even though this AD does not contain a similar paragraph, we have made no changes with regard to the use of special flight permits to operate the airplane to a repair facility to do the work required by this AD. In July 2002, we published a new Part 39 that contains a general authority regarding special flight permits and airworthiness directives; see Docket No. FAA 2004-8460, Amendment 39-9474 (69 FR 47998, July 22, 2002). Thus, when we now supersede ADs we will not include a specific paragraph on special flight permits unless we want to limit the use of that general authority granted in section 39.23.

We are transferring the docket for this AD to the Docket Management System as part of our on-going docket management consolidation efforts. The new Docket No. is FAA-2006-26193. The old Docket No. became the Directorate Identifier, which is 2001-NE-01-AD. This AD might get logged into the DMS docket, ahead of the previously collected documents from the old docket file, as we are in the process of sending those items to the DMS.

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.

We have determined that 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;

(2) Is not a “significant rule” under 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 summary of the costs to comply with this AD and placed it in the AD Docket. You may get a copy of this summary at the address listed under ADDRESSES.

Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration amends 14 CFR part 39 as follows:

1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:

2. The FAA amends § 39.13 by removing Amendment 39-13098 (68 FR 15937, April 2, 2003), and by adding a new airworthiness directive, Amendment 39-14853, to read as follows: