AD 2011-07-01

This AD is effective April 22, 2011.

For service information identified in this AD, contact GE-Aviation M/D Rm. 285, One Neumann Way, Cincinnati, OH 45215, telephone 513-552-3272; e-mail: geae.aoc@ge.com. You may review copies of the referenced service information at the FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA. For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 781-238-7125.

Tomasz Rakowski, Aerospace Engineer, Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate; phone: 781-238-7735; fax: 781-238-7199; e-mail: tomasz.rakowski@faa.gov.

We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR part 39 to supersede airworthiness directive (AD) 2009-04-17, Amendment 39-15823 (74 FR 8735, February 26, 2009). That AD applies to the specified products. The NPRM published in the Federal Register on January 4, 2011 (76 FR 292). That NPRM proposed to add forward centerbody P/Ns 9076M28G05, G06, and G08, P/Ns 9076M82G01 and G03, and aft centerbody P/Ns 9076M46G02 and G04 to the P/Ns in AD 2009-04-17 that are required to be removed from service.

We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing this AD. The following presents the comment received on the proposal and the FAA's response to the comment.

One commenter, Boeing Commercial Airplanes, pointed out that the McDonnell Douglas airplanes affected by the proposed AD should be listed out as DC-10-15, DC-10-30, DC-10-30F, KC-10, KDC-10, and MD-10-30F. The commenter stated that the proposed AD only listed these airplanes as a series.

We agree. We revised this AD as requested, except we listed KC-10 as KC-10A as it appears in the Type Certificate Data Sheet.

We reviewed the relevant data, considered the comment received, 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 383 GE CF6-45 and CF6-50 series turbofan engines installed on airplanes of U.S. registry. We also estimate that it will take about 44 work hours per engine to perform the actions required by this AD, and that the average labor rate is $85 per work-hour. Required parts will cost about $11,000 per engine. Based on these figures, we estimate the total cost of this AD to U.S. operators to be $5,645,420.

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),

(3) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and

(4) 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.

Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the FAA 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 airworthiness directive (AD) 2009-04-17, Amendment 39-15823 (74 FR 8735; February 26, 2009), and adding the following new AD: