AD 2013-19-21

This AD is effective November 6, 2013.

The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of November 6, 2013.

The Docket Operations office is located at Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.

For service information identified in this AD, contact Rolls-Royce plc, Corporate Communications, P.O. Box 31, Derby, England, DE248BJ; phone: 011-44-1332-242424; fax: 011-44-1332-245418; email: http://www.rolls-royce.com/contact/civil_team.jsp. You may view this 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.

Frederick Zink, Aerospace Engineer, Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; phone: 781-238-7779; fax: 781-238-7199; email: frederick.zink@faa.gov.

We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR part 39 to supersede AD 2012-04-13, Amendment 39-16969 (77 FR 13483, March 7, 2012), (“AD 2012-04-13”). AD 2012-04-13 applied to the specified products. The NPRM published in the Federal Register on May 14, 2013 (78 FR 28161). The NPRM proposed to continue to require repetitive inspections of the axial dovetail slots and follow-on corrective action depending on findings. The NPRM also proposed to expand the population of affected parts, and to change, for the purposes of this AD, the definition of “engine shop visit.

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

The Boeing Company supports the NPRM (78 FR 28161, May 14, 2013) as written.

We made no change to this AD.

American Airlines (AAL) and RR requested that we change the definition of engine shop visit. The commenters noted that the definition of engine shop visit in the NPRM (78 FR 28161, May 14, 2013) differs from that in RR Alert Non-Modification Service Bulletin No. RB.211-72-AF964, Revision 3, dated January 11, 2013. AAL also indicated that the definition of engine shop visit in the NPRM, if adopted, would dramatically increase turn time and costs and affect availability of spare engines.

We agree. We revised this AD by changing the definition of engine shop visit to read: “For the purpose of this AD, an “engine shop visit” is whenever the HP compressor rotor is accessible and the compressor blades have been removed.”

AAL requested that we correct references in the compliance section of the NPRM (78 FR 28161, May 14, 2013) that did not refer to the correct paragraph designation.

We agree. The references should be to “paragraph (f)” or “paragraph (f)(2),” as applicable, rather than to “paragraph (e).” We changed this AD by revising several references in the compliance section and the Credit for Previous Action paragraph from “paragraph (e)” to “paragraph (f)” or to “paragraph (f)(2),” as applicable.

We reviewed the relevant data, considered the comments received, and determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting this AD with the changes described. We determined that these changes will not increase the economic burden on any operator or increase the scope of this AD.

We estimate that this AD affects about 432 engines installed on airplanes of U.S. registry. We also estimate that it will take about 20 hours per product to comply with this AD. The average labor rate is $85 per hour. No parts are required. Based on these figures, we estimate the cost of the AD on U.S. operators to be $734,400.

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 to the extent that it justifies making a regulatory distinction, 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) 2012-04-13, Amendment 39-16969 (77 FR 13483, March 7, 2012) and adding the following new AD: