SAIB NE-13-33

FAA Aviation Safety

SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS

INFORMATION BULLETIN SUBJ: Turbine Engine Air Inlet Section - LP Turbine, Stage 1 Nozzle Vanes SAIB: NE-13-33 Date: May 13, 2013 This is information only. Recommendations aren’t mandatory.

Introduction

This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin alerts, owners, operators, and certificated repair facilities of all CFM International CFM56-5, -5A1, -5A1/F, 5A3, 5A4, 5A4/F, 5A5, 5A5/F turbofan engines that non-type certificate holder repaired Low Presure Turbine (LPT), Stage 1 Nozzle Guide Vanes (NGV), supplied by Chromalloy Gas Turbine, LLC (Chromalloy), are being removed from service due to dimensional anomalies that can affect the cooling airflow to the turbine. These engines are installed on, but not limited to, Airbus Industries A319 and A320 airplanes. The airworthiness concern is not an unsafe condition that would warrant airworthiness directive action under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 39.

Background

The Chromalloy NGV repair increases the dimensional variation in the features that provide the primary cooling air to the turbine. The potential effects of reduced cooling on the turbine include shortfalls in the service life of turbine engine parts. Chromalloy has issued Service Bulletin (SB) CGT SB 72-047, dated March 18, 2013, to replace the Chromalloy repaired CFM56-5A stage 1 LPT NGV segments. The Chromalloy repaired NGV removal program is based on the likelihood of an unsafe condition developing in affected CFM56-5A engines.

Recommendations

The FAA recommends that all owners, operators, and certificated repair facilities of affected engines follow the instructions in SB CGT SB 72-047, dated March 18, 2013, to remove the affected parts. Incorporating the SB into your shop procedures soon will decrease the likelihood of shortfalls in the service life of turbine parts.

For Further Information Contact

Paul Craig, Aerospace Engineer, Los Angeles Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, 3960 Paramount Blvd., Suite 100, Lakewood, CA 90712; phone: (562) 627-5252; fax: (562) 627-5210; email:

paul.craig@faa.gov

For Related Service Information Contact

CFM International, Inc., Aviation Operations Center, One Neumann Way, M/D Room 285, Cincinnati, Ohio 45125; International Phone 1-513-552-3272; USA Phone: 877-432-3272;

International Fax: 1-513-552-3329; USA Fax: 877-432-3329; email: geae.aoc@ge.com; or CFM International SA, Customer Support Center, International Phone: 33 1 64 14 88 66; Fax: 33 1 64 79 85 55; email: snecma.csc@snecma.fr