AD 2013-24-05

This AD becomes effective January 28, 2014.

The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in this AD as of January 28, 2014.

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.

Robert Morlath, Aerospace Engineer, Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; phone: 781-238-7154; fax: 781-238-7199; email: robert.c.morlath@faa.gov.

We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR part 39 by adding an AD that would apply to the specified products. The NPRM was published in the Federal Register on August 12, 2013 (78 FR 48824). The NPRM proposed to correct an unsafe condition for the specified products. The MCAI states:

A “chip light illumination” event in flight on an ARRIEL 1C2 engine was reported to Turbomeca. Following the event, which resulted from Free Turbine front bearing deterioration, the investigation revealed that the loss of the Free Turbine (FT) bearing module has led to a major disruption in the lubrication of the FT module (M04) bearings. The root cause of the event has been attributed to incorrect bonding of the Free Turbine Bearing Plug, accomplished during the repair process in an identified Repair Center. Consequently, it was possible to identify a batch of Modules M04 which are potentially affected.

You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=FAA-2013-0557-0002.

We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing this AD. We received no comments on the NPRM (78 FR 48824, August 12, 2013).

We reviewed the available data and determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting this AD as proposed.

We estimate that this AD will affect about 5 engines of U.S. registry. We also estimate that it will take about 1 hour per product to comply with this AD. The average labor rate is $85 per hour. Required parts will cost about $13 per engine. Based on these figures, we estimate the cost of this AD on U.S. operators to be $1,765.

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 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 this AD:

(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),

(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.

We prepared a regulatory evaluation of the estimated costs to comply with this AD and placed it in the AD docket.

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 adding the following new airworthiness directive (AD):