AD 2016-05-13

This AD becomes effective April 22, 2016.

The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in this AD as of April 22, 2016.

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; Internet: www.pwc.ca. You may view this service information at the FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 1200 District Avenue, 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-2015-3732.

Besian Luga, Aerospace Engineer, Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine & Propeller Directorate, 1200 District Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803; phone: 781-238-7750; fax: 781-238-7199; email: besian.luga@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 November 10, 2015 (80 FR 69623). The NPRM proposed to correct an unsafe condition for the specified products. The MCAI states:

There have been in-service incidents involving corrosion and perforation of the two-ply Cu-Be bellows in Woodward Fuel Control Units (FCU) fitted to PT6A-60, -65 and -67 series engines. In certain instances, associated bellows leakage has resulted in loss of engine power, in-flight shutdowns (IFSD) and even accidents. Engines installed on the aeroplanes that are used for crop dusting, due to the operational environment, are more susceptible to corrosion damage to the subject bellows.

Loss of engine power or shut down in flight by itself usually is not considered a catastrophic event. However, on an aeroplane with single engine installation, an engine power loss or IFSD at a critical phase of flight could adversely affect the safe operation of the aeroplane.

We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing this AD. We received no comments on the NPRM (80 FR 69623, November 10, 2015).

We updated the revision number and date of P&WC Service Bulletin No. PT6A-72-14389.

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

P&WC has issued Service Bulletin (S.B.) No. PT6A-72-14389, Revision No. 4, dated February 3, 2016 (P&WC S.B. No. 14389R4) and S.B. No. PT6A-72-13473, Revision No. 1, dated May 26, 2015 (P&WC S.B. No. 13473R1). The service information describes procedures for replacing Woodward FCUs. 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 final rule.

We estimate that this AD affects 341 engines installed on airplanes of U.S. registry. We also estimate that it will take about 1.5 hours per engine to comply with this AD. The average labor rate is $85 per hour. Required parts cost about $1,000 per engine. Based on these figures, we estimate the cost of this AD on U.S. operators to be $384,478.

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.

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):