Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. Turboshaft Engines

Citation85 FR 28888
Record Number2020-09944
Published date14 May 2020
CourtFederal Aviation Administration
Federal Register, Volume 85 Issue 94 (Thursday, May 14, 2020)
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 94 (Thursday, May 14, 2020)]
                [Proposed Rules]
                [Pages 28888-28890]
                From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
                [FR Doc No: 2020-09944]
                ========================================================================
                Proposed Rules
                 Federal Register
                ________________________________________________________________________
                This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of
                the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these
                notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in
                the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
                ========================================================================
                Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 94 / Thursday, May 14, 2020 /
                Proposed Rules
                [[Page 28888]]
                DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
                Federal Aviation Administration
                14 CFR Part 39
                [Docket No. FAA-2020-0471; Project Identifier MCAI-2019-00126-E]
                RIN 2120-AA64
                Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. Turboshaft
                Engines
                AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
                ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
                -----------------------------------------------------------------------
                SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD)
                for all Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. (P&WC) PT6B-37A model turboshaft
                engines with engine serial number PCE-PU0289 and earlier. This proposed
                AD was prompted by a report of contamination from galvanic corrosion
                between the fuel control unit (FCU) aluminum body and the steel union
                fitting causing the loss of engine control, resulting in an engine
                over-speed condition and subsequent in-flight shutdown (IFSD). This
                proposed AD would require replacing the FCU with a part eligible for
                installation. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe
                condition on these products.
                DATES: The FAA must receive comments on this proposed AD by June 29,
                2020.
                ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR
                11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods:
                 Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
                 Fax: 202-493-2251.
                 Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket
                Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12 140, 1200 New
                Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
                 Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail address above between 9
                a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
                 For service information identified in this NPRM, contact Pratt &
                Whitney Canada Corp., 1000 Marie-Victorin, Longueuil, Quebec, Canada,
                J4G 1A1; phone: 800-268-8000; fax: 450-647-2888; website: https://www.pwc.ca/en/. You may view this service information at the FAA,
                Airworthiness Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 1200
                District Avenue, Burlington, MA, 01803. For information on the
                availability of this material at the FAA, call 781-238-7759.
                Examining the AD Docket
                 You may examine the AD docket on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2020-
                0471; or in person at Docket Operations between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.,
                Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD docket contains
                this NPRM, the mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI),
                any comments received, and other information. The street address for
                Docket Operations is listed above. Comments will be available in the AD
                docket shortly after receipt.
                FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mehdi Lamnyi, Aerospace Engineer, ECO
                Branch, FAA, 1200 District Avenue, Burlington, MA, 01803; phone: 781-
                238-7743; fax: 781-238-7199; email: [email protected].
                SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                Comments Invited
                 The FAA invites you to send any written relevant data, views, or
                arguments about this proposal. Send your comments to an address listed
                under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2020-0471;
                Project Identifier MCAI-2019-00126-E'' at the beginning of your
                comments. The FAA specifically invites comments on the overall
                regulatory, economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this NPRM.
                The FAA will consider all comments received by the closing date and may
                amend this NPRM because of those comments.
                 Except for Confidential Business Information as described in the
                following paragraph, and other information as described in 14 CFR
                11.35, the FAA will post all comments received, without change, to
                https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you
                provide. The FAA will also post a report summarizing each substantive
                verbal contact received about this NPRM.
                Confidential Business Information
                 Confidential Business Information (CBI) is commercial or financial
                information that is both customarily and actually treated as private by
                its owner. Under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552),
                CBI is exempt from public disclosure. If your comments responsive to
                this NPRM contain commercial or financial information that is
                customarily treated as private, that you actually treat as private, and
                that is relevant or responsive to this NPRM, it is important that you
                clearly designate the submitted comments as CBI. Please mark each page
                of your submission containing CBI as ``PROPIN.'' The FAA will treat
                such marked submissions as confidential under the FOIA, and they will
                not be placed in the public docket of this NPRM. Submissions containing
                CBI should be sent to Mehdi Lamnyi, Aerospace Engineer, ECO Branch,
                FAA, 1200 District Avenue, Burlington, MA, 01803. Any commentary that
                the FAA receives which is not specifically designated as CBI will be
                placed in the public docket for this rulemaking.
                Discussion
                 Transport Canada Civil Aviation (Transport Canada), which is the
                aviation authority for Canada, has issued Transport Canada AD CF-2019-
                05, dated February 19, 2019 (referred to after this as ``the MCAI''),
                to address the unsafe condition on these products. The MCAI states:
                 There has been one reported incident on a PT6B-37A engine, where
                the contamination from galvanic corrosion between the FCU aluminum
                body and the steel union fitting has caused the loss of engine
                control, resulting in an engine over-speed condition and
                subsequently leading to an engine inflight shutdown (IFSD). This
                condition, if not corrected, could lead to additional cases of
                IFSDs, which on a single engine helicopter may result in an
                emergency autorotation landing. To address the subject galvanic
                corrosion problem in the FCU, P&WC has issued Service Bulletin (SB)
                39107 to replace the affected FCUs with a modified FCU that is not
                susceptible to the subject galvanic corrosion problem. This
                [Transport Canada] AD mandates compliance with P&WC SB 39107,
                requiring the replacement of the
                [[Page 28889]]
                affected FCUs to mitigate the potential unsafe condition.
                 You may obtain further information by examining the MCAI in the AD
                docket on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for
                and locating Docket No. FAA-2020-0471.
                Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51
                 The FAA reviewed P&WC Service Bulletin (SB) No. PT6B-72-39107,
                Revision No. 1, dated December 13, 2017. The SB describes procedures
                for replacing the FCU. 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.
                FAA's Determination
                 This product has been approved by the aviation authority of Canada
                and is approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant to our
                bilateral agreement with Canada, Transport Canada, its technical
                representative has notified us of the unsafe condition described in the
                MCAI and service information referenced above. The FAA is proposing
                this AD because it evaluated all the relevant information provided by
                Transport Canada and determined the unsafe condition described
                previously is likely to exist or develop in other products of the same
                type design.
                Proposed AD Requirements
                 This proposed AD would require replacing the FCU with a part
                eligible for installation.
                Differences Between This Proposed AD and the Service Information
                 P&WC SB No. PT6B-72-39107, Revision No. 1, dated December 13, 2017,
                directs the replacement of both the FCU and the bypass valve cover.
                This proposed AD requires only the replacement of the FCU.
                Costs of Compliance
                 The FAA estimates that this proposed AD affects 75 engines
                installed on helicopters of U.S. registry.
                 The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this proposed
                AD:
                 Estimated Costs
                ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Cost per Cost on U.S.
                 Action Labor cost Parts cost product operators
                ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Replace the FCU.................... 1 work-hour x $85 per hour $37,000 $37,085 $2,781,375
                 = $85.
                ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Authority for This Rulemaking
                 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.
                 The FAA is 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.
                Regulatory Findings
                 The FAA determined that this proposed AD would not have federalism
                implications under Executive Order 13132. This proposed AD would 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 proposed
                regulation:
                 (1) Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive
                Order 12866,
                 (2) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
                 (3) 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.
                List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
                 Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by
                reference, Safety.
                The Proposed Amendment
                 Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the
                Administrator, the FAA proposes to amend 14 CFR part 39 as follows:
                PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
                0
                1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:
                 Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.
                Sec. 39.13 [Amended]
                0
                2. The FAA amends Sec. 39.13 by adding the following new airworthiness
                directive (AD):
                Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp: Docket No. FAA-2020-0471; Project
                Identifier MCAI-2019-00126-E.
                (a) Comments Due Date
                 The FAA must receive comments by June 29, 2020.
                (b) Affected ADs
                 None.
                (c) Applicability
                 This AD applies to Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. (P&WC) PT6B-37A
                model turboshaft engines with engine serial number PCE-PU0289 and
                earlier, which do not have an installed fuel control unit (FCU) that
                incorporates a stainless steel air adapter using P&WC Service
                Bulletin (SB) No. PT6B-72-39107, Revision No. 1, dated December 13,
                2017.
                (d) Subject
                 Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC) Code 7321, Fuel Control/
                Turbine Engines.
                (e) Unsafe Condition
                 This AD was prompted by a report of contamination from galvanic
                corrosion between the FCU aluminum body and the steel union fitting
                causing the loss of engine control, resulting in an engine over-
                speed condition and subsequent in-flight shutdown (IFSD). The FAA is
                issuing this AD to prevent failure of the FCU due to contamination
                from galvanic corrosion. The unsafe condition, if not addressed,
                could result in loss of engine control, failure of the engine, IFSD,
                and loss of the helicopter.
                (f) Compliance
                 Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified,
                unless already done.
                (g) Required Actions
                 Within the compliance time identified in Table 1 to paragraph
                (g) of this AD, replace the FCU with an FCU that incorporates the
                stainless steel air adapter using the Accomplishment Instruments,
                paragraphs 3.A. and 3.C., of P&WC SB No. PT6B-72-
                [[Page 28890]]
                39107, Revision No. 1, dated December 13, 2017.
                 Table 1 to Paragraph (g)--Compliance Time Requirements
                ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Compliance time [A or B,
                 whichever occurs later after the
                 effective date of this AD]
                ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                A.................................... Before the FCU accumulates 1,500
                 flight hours, or before the FCU
                 accumulates six years since new
                 or last overhaul, whichever
                 occurs first.
                B.................................... Within six months.
                ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                (h) Credit for Previous Actions
                 You may take credit for the replacement of the FCU that is
                required by paragraph (g) of this AD if you replaced the FCU with an
                FCU that incorporates a stainless steel air adapter before the
                effective date of this AD using P&WC SB No. PT6B-72-39107, Original
                Issue, dated December 15, 2016.
                (i) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)
                 (1) The Manager, ECO Branch, FAA, has the authority to approve
                AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the procedures found in 14 CFR
                39.19. In accordance with 14 CFR 39.19, send your request to your
                principal inspector or local Flight Standards District Office, as
                appropriate. If sending information directly to the manager of the
                ECO Branch, send it to the attention of the person identified in
                paragraph (j)(1) of this AD. You may email your request to: [email protected].
                 (2) Before using any approved AMOC, notify your appropriate
                principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the manager
                of the local flight standards district office/certificate holding
                district office.
                (j) Related Information
                 (1) For more information about this AD, contact Mehdi Lamnyi,
                Aerospace Engineer, ECO Branch, FAA, 1200 District Avenue,
                Burlington, MA, 01803; phone: 781-238-7743; fax: 781-238-7199;
                email: [email protected].
                 (2) Refer to Transport Canada Civil Aviation (Transport Canada)
                AD CF-2019-05, dated February 19, 2019, for more information. You
                may examine the Transport Canada AD in the AD docket on the internet
                at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating it in
                Docket No. FAA-2020-0471.
                 (3) 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; website:
                https://www.pwc.ca/en/. You may view this referenced service
                information at the FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, Operational
                Safety Branch, 1200 District Avenue, Burlington, MA 01803. For
                information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call
                781-238-7759.
                 Issued on May 5, 2020.
                Lance T. Gant,
                Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft Certification
                Service.
                [FR Doc. 2020-09944 Filed 5-13-20; 8:45 am]
                 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
                

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