AD 2015-20-03

This AD is effective November 18, 2015.

The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of November 18, 2015.

For service information identified in this AD, contact Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp., 1000 Marie-Victorin, Longueuil, Quebec, Canada, J4G 1A1; phone: 800-268-8000; fax: 450-647-2888; Web site: www.pwc.ca. 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. It is also available on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2013-1059.

Barbara Caufield, Aerospace Engineer, Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; phone: 781-238-7146; fax: 781-238-7199; email: barbara.caufield@faa.gov.

We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR part 39 to supersede AD 2014-14-02, Amendment 39-17896 (79 FR 39958, July 11, 2014), (“AD 2014-14-02”). AD 2014-14-02 applied to certain P&WC PW120, PW121, PW121A, PW124B, PW127, PW127E, PW127F, PW127G, and PW127M turboprop engines. The NPRM published in the Federal Register on June 2, 2015 (80 FR 31325). The NPRM proposed to require replacement of the fuel nozzle and the fuel manifold flow adapter.

We reviewed P&WC SB No. PW100-72-21861, dated November 21, 2014, which identifies the final fuel nozzle configuration. This service information is reasonably available because the interested parties have access to it through their normal course of business or by the means identified in the ADDRESSES section of this AD.

We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing this AD. We received no comments on the NPRM (80 FR 31325, June 2, 2015) or on the determination of the cost to the public.

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 affects 150 engines installed on airplanes of U.S. registry. We also estimate that it will take about 2.5 hours per engine to comply with this AD. The average labor rate is $85 per hour. Required parts cost about $146,594 per engine. Based on these figures, we estimate the cost of this AD on U.S. operators to be $22,020,975.

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.

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 part 39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (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) 2014-14-02], Amendment 39-17896 (79 FR 39958, July 11, 2014), and adding the following new AD: