AD 2002-05-03
final rule
Applicability
| Type | Manufacturer | Model | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| engine | General Electric Company | CF6-45A | Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company CF6-6, CF6-45, and CF6-50 Series Turbofan Engines |
| engine | General Electric Company | CF6-45A2 | Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company CF6-6, CF6-45, and CF6-50 Series Turbofan Engines |
| engine | General Electric Company | CF6-50A | Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company CF6-6, CF6-45, and CF6-50 Series Turbofan Engines |
| engine | General Electric Company | CF6-50C | Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company CF6-6, CF6-45, and CF6-50 Series Turbofan Engines |
| engine | General Electric Company | CF6-50C1 | Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company CF6-6, CF6-45, and CF6-50 Series Turbofan Engines |
| engine | General Electric Company | CF6-50C2 | Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company CF6-6, CF6-45, and CF6-50 Series Turbofan Engines |
| engine | General Electric Company | CF6-50C2B | Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company CF6-6, CF6-45, and CF6-50 Series Turbofan Engines |
| engine | General Electric Company | CF6-50C2D | Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company CF6-6, CF6-45, and CF6-50 Series Turbofan Engines |
| engine | General Electric Company | CF6-50CA | Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company CF6-6, CF6-45, and CF6-50 Series Turbofan Engines |
| engine | General Electric Company | CF6-50E | Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company CF6-6, CF6-45, and CF6-50 Series Turbofan Engines |
| engine | General Electric Company | CF6-50E1 | Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company CF6-6, CF6-45, and CF6-50 Series Turbofan Engines |
| engine | General Electric Company | CF6-50E2 | Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company CF6-6, CF6-45, and CF6-50 Series Turbofan Engines |
| engine | General Electric Company | CF6-50E2B | Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company CF6-6, CF6-45, and CF6-50 Series Turbofan Engines |
| engine | General Electric Company | CF6-6D | Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company CF6-6, CF6-45, and CF6-50 Series Turbofan Engines |
| engine | General Electric Company | CF6-6D1 | Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company CF6-6, CF6-45, and CF6-50 Series Turbofan Engines |
| engine | General Electric Company | CF6-6D1A | Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company CF6-6, CF6-45, and CF6-50 Series Turbofan Engines |
| engine | General Electric Company | CF6-6K | Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company CF6-6, CF6-45, and CF6-50 Series Turbofan Engines |
| engine | General Electric Company | CF6-6K2 | Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company CF6-6, CF6-45, and CF6-50 Series Turbofan Engines |
Unsafe Condition
Uncontained failures of critical rotating engine parts due to undetected conditions in life-limited parts.
AI-generated summary from the source AD text. Verify against the official source before acting.
Required Actions
Revise the Time Limits Section of the manufacturer's Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA) to include inspections of selected critical life-limited parts at each piece-part exposure. Modify the airworthiness limitations section of the manufacturer's manual and the air carrier's approved continuous airworthiness maintenance program to incorporate additional inspection requirements.
AI-generated summary from the source AD text. Verify against the official source before acting.
Compliance Time
Within 12 months of the effective date of the amendment.
AI-generated summary from the source AD text. Verify against the official source before acting.
Affected Aircraft
General Electric Company CF6-6, CF6-45, and CF6-50 series turbofan engines.
AI-generated summary from the source AD text. Verify against the official source before acting.
Federal Register Abstract
This amendment supersedes an existing airworthiness directive (AD), that is applicable to General Electric Company (GE) CF6-6, CF6- 45, and CF6-50 series turbofan engines, that currently requires revisions to the Time Limits Section of the manufacturer's Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA) to include required inspection of selected critical life-limited parts at each piece-part exposure. This amendment modifies the airworthiness limitations section of the manufacturer's manual and an air carrier's approved continuous airworthiness maintenance program to incorporate additional inspection requirements. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) study of in- service events involving uncontained failures of critical rotating engine parts has indicated the need for mandatory inspections. The mandatory inspections are needed to identify those critical rotating parts with conditions, which if allowed to continue in service, could result in uncontained failures. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent critical life-limited rotating engine part failure, which could result in an uncontained engine failure and damage to the airplane.
Document Text
Show stored source text (verify against official source)
[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 46 (Friday, March 8, 2002)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 10603-10606]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 02-5528]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. 98-ANE-41-AD; Amendment 39-12671; AD 2002-05-03]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company CF6-6, CF6-45,
and CF6-50 Series Turbofan Engines
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This amendment supersedes an existing airworthiness directive
(AD), that is applicable to General Electric Company (GE) CF6-6, CF6-
45, and CF6-50 series turbofan engines, that currently requires
revisions to the Time Limits Section of the manufacturer's Instructions
for Continued Airworthiness (ICA) to include required inspection of
selected critical life-limited parts at each piece-part exposure. This
amendment modifies the airworthiness limitations section of the
manufacturer's manual and an air carrier's approved continuous
airworthiness maintenance program to incorporate additional inspection
requirements. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) study of in-
service events involving uncontained failures of critical rotating
engine parts has indicated the need for mandatory inspections. The
mandatory inspections are needed to identify those critical rotating
parts with conditions, which if allowed to continue in service, could
result in uncontained failures. The actions specified by this AD are
intended to prevent critical life-limited rotating engine part failure,
which could result in an uncontained engine failure and damage to the
airplane.
DATES: Effective date April 12, 2002.
ADDRESSES: This information may be examined, by appointment, at the
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), New England Region, Office of
the Regional Counsel, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Curtis, Aerospace Engineer,
Engine Certification Office, FAA, Engine and Propeller Directorate, 12
New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803-5299; telephone (781)
238-7192, fax (781) 238-7199.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A proposal to amend part 39 of the Federal
Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) by superseding AD 2000-08-11,
Amendment 39-11697 (65 FR 21636, April 24, 2000), which is applicable
to GE CF6-6, CF6-45, and CF6-50 series turbofan engines was published
in the Federal Register on October 5, 2001 (66 FR 50912). That action
proposed to modify the airworthiness limitations section of the
manufacturer's manual and an air carrier's approved continuous
airworthiness maintenance program to incorporate additional inspection
requirements.
Comments
Interested persons have been afforded an opportunity to participate
in the making of this amendment. Due consideration has been given to
the comments received.
Typographical Error
One commenter states that a typographical error exists in the
referenced eddy current inspection (ECI) manual task number for HPT
Stage 1 disk rim boltholes. The commenter suggests the task number be
corrected from 72-53-03-250-052 to 72-53-03-100-053.
The FAA partially agrees. The task number in the proposal is
incorrect, however upon further review with the manufacturer, the
correct task number is identified as 72-53-03-250-001-053. The task
number suggested by the commenter refers to a preparatory cleaning task
and not the intended ECI of the disk rim bolthole. The manufacturer
will revise Chapter 05-21 of the manual by temporary revision (TR) to
include the correct ECI task number, and this final rule is revised
accordingly. The review with the manufacturer also found two other task
number errors, which have been addressed by TR's and corrections in
this final rule.
Time Limits Not Issued Yet
Four commenters approve of the proposal as-written. However, one of
those commenters notes that the manufacturer has not yet issued the
revisions to the Time Limits section of the engine manual to require
the additional inspections in the proposal. The commenter thinks the
revisions should already be issued.
The FAA partially agrees. The FAA is aware that the manufacturer
has not yet issued revisions to the Time Limits sections of the engine
manuals. However, the existing AD and this final rule allows the
manufacturer up to 30 days after the effective date of the AD to issue
the necessary revisions to the Time Limits sections. Therefore, no
action is necessary to address the commenter's observation.
After careful review of the available data, including the comments
noted above, the FAA has determined that air safety and the public
interest require the adoption of the rule with the changes described
previously. The FAA has determined that these changes will neither
increase the economic burden on any operator nor increase the scope of
the AD.
Economic Analysis
The FAA estimates that 730 engines installed on airplanes of U.S.
registry would be affected by this AD, that it would take approximately
10 work hours per engine to accomplish the new inspections, and that
the average labor rate is $60 per work hour for a total approximate
cost of $600 per engine. It is further estimated that there will be
about 299 shop visits per year that result in piece-part exposure of
the additional affected components. Based on these figures, the total
cost effect of the additional inspections on U.S. operators is
estimated to be $179,400.
[[Page 10604]]
Regulatory Analysis
This final rule does not have federalism implications, as defined
in Executive Order 13132, because it 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. Accordingly,
the FAA has not consulted with state authorities prior to publication
of this final rule.
For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this action (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); and (3) if promulgated,
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. A final evaluation has been prepared for
this action and it is contained in the Rules Docket. A copy of it may
be obtained by contacting the Rules Docket at the location provided
under the caption ADDRESSES.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Safety.
Adoption of the Amendment
Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the
Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration amends part 39 of
the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) as follows:
PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
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]
2. Section 39.13 is amended by removing Amendment 39-11697 (65 FR
21636, April 24, 2000) and by adding a new airworthiness directive,
Amendment 39-12671, to read as follows:
2002-05-03 General Electric Company: Amendment 39-12671. Docket No.
98-ANE-41-AD. Supersedes AD 2000-08-11, Amendment 39-11697.
Applicability
This airworthiness directive (AD) is applicable to General
Electric Company (GE) CF6-6, CF6-45, and CF6-50 series turbofan
engines, installed on but not limited to Airbus Industrie A300
series, Boeing 747 series, and McDonnell Douglas DC-10 series
airplanes.
Note 1: This AD applies to each engine identified in the
preceding applicability provision, regardless of whether it has been
modified, altered, or repaired in the area subject to the
requirements of this AD. For engines that have been modified,
altered, or repaired so that the performance of the requirements of
this AD is affected, the owner/operator must request approval for an
alternative method of compliance in accordance with paragraph (c) of
this AD. The request should include an assessment of the effect of
the modification, alteration, or repair on the unsafe condition
addressed by this AD; and, if the unsafe condition has not been
eliminated, the request should include specific proposed actions to
address it.
Compliance
Required as indicated, unless already done.
To prevent critical life-limited rotating engine part failure,
which could result in an uncontained engine failure and damage to
the airplane, do the following:
Inspections
(a) Within the next 30 days after the effective date of this AD,
revise the manufacturer's Time Limits Section of the Instructions
for Continued Airworthiness (ICA), and for air carrier operations
revise the approved continuous airworthiness maintenance program, by
adding the following:
``MANDATORY INSPECTIONS
(1) Perform inspections of the following parts at each piece-
part opportunity in accordance with the instructions provided in the
applicable manual provisions:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inspect per engine
Part nomenclature Part No. (P/N) shop manual chapter
------------------------------------------------------------------------
For CF6-6 Engines:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disk, Fan Rotor, Stage One All.............. 72-21-03 Paragraph
2.F. or Paragraph
2.A.B. Flourescent-
Penetrant Inspect,
and
72-21-03 Paragraph 3
or 3.A. Eddy Current
Inspection.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fan Forward Shaft......... All.............. 72-21-05 Paragraph 1.
Magnetic Particle
Inspection.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fan Mid Shaft............. All.............. 72-24-01 Paragraph 1.
and Paragraph 2.
Magnetic Particle
Inspection.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disk, HPC Rotor, Stage 1.. All.............. 72-31-04 Paragraph 1.
Fluorescent
Penetrant
Inspection.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disk, HPC Rotor, Stage 2.. All.............. 72-31-05 Paragraph 1.
Fluorescent
Penetrant
Inspection.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spool, HPC Rotor, Stages All.............. 72-31-06 Paragraph 1.
Three thru Nine. Fluorescent
Penetrant
Inspection.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disk, HPC Rotor, Stage 10. All.............. 72-31-07 Paragraph 1.
Fluorescent
Penetrant
Inspection.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spool, HPC Rotor, Stages All.............. 72-31-08 Paragraph 1.
11-13. Fluorescent
Penetrant
Inspection.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spool, HPC Rotor, Stages All.............. 72-31-08 Paragraph 1.
14-16. Fluorescent
Penetrant
Inspection.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
HPC Rear Shaft............ All.............. 72-31-09 Paragraph 1.
and Paragraph 1.E.
Fluorescent
Penetrant
Inspection.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 4R Bearing Rotating All.............. 72-31-10 Fluorescent
(CDP) Air Seal. Penetrant
Inspection.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 4R Bearing Rotating All.............. 72-31-10 Fluorescent
(CDP) Air Seal Support. Penetrant
Inspection.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 10605]]
Disk, HPT Rotor, Stage One All.............. 72-53-03 Paragraph 1.
Flourescent-
Penetrant Inspect,
and
72-53-03 Paragraph 4.
Eddy Current
Inspection of the
HPTR Disk Rim
Boltholes, and
72-53-03 Paragraph 5.
Disk Bore Area Eddy
Current Inspection.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disk, HPT Rotor, Stage Two All.............. 72-53-04 Paragraph 1.
Flourescent-
Penetrant Inspect,
and
72-53-04 Paragraph 4.
Eddy Current
Inspection of the
Stage 2 HPTR Disk
Rim Boltholes, and
72-53-04 Paragraph 5.
Eddy Current
Inspection of the
Stage 2 Disk Inner
Boltholes and,
72-53-04 Paragraph 6.
Disk Bore Area Eddy
Current Inspection.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disk, LPT Rotor, Stages All.............. 72-57-02 Paragraph 1.
One thru Five. Fluorescent
Penetrant
Inspection.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
LPT Forward Shaft......... All.............. 72-57-03 Paragraph 1.
Fluorescent
Penetrant
Inspection.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
LPT Rear Shaft............ All.............. 72-57-04 Paragraph 1.
Fluorescent
Penetrant
Inspection.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
For CF6-45, CF6-50 Engines:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disk, Fan Rotor, Stage One All.............. Task 72-21-03-230-051
Fluorescent
Penetrant
Inspection, and
Task 72-21-03-250-002-
052 Manual Eddy
Current Inspection
or 72-21-03-250-003-
053 Automated Eddy
Current Inspection.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Forward Shaft, Fan........ All.............. Task 72-21-05-240-056
Magnetic Particle
Inspection.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mid Shaft, Fan............ All.............. Task 72-24-01-240-001-
051 Magnetic
Particle Inspection.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disk, HPC Rotor, Stage 1.. All.............. Task 72-31-04-230-001-
051 Fluorescent
Penetrant
Inspection.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disk, HPC Rotor, Stage 2.. All.............. Task 72-31-05-230-001-
051 Fluorescent
Penetrant
Inspection.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spool, HPC Rotor, Stages 3- All.............. Task 72-31-06-230-001-
9. 063 Fluorescent
Penetrant
Inspection.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disk, HPC Rotor, Stage 10. All.............. Task 72-31-07-230-001-
051 Fluorescent
Penetrant
Inspection.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spool, HPC Rotor, Stages All.............. Task 72-31-08-230-001-
11-13. 051 Fluorescent
Penetrant Inspection
1.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disk, HPC Rotor, Stage 14. All.............. Task 72-31-07-230-001-
055 Fluorescent
Penetrant
Inspection.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rear Shaft, HPC Rotor..... All.............. Task 72-31-09-230-001-
051 Fluorescent
Penetrant
Inspection.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spool/Shaft, HPC Rotor, All.............. Task 72-31-26-230-001-
Stages 11-14. 052 Fluorescent
Penetrant
Inspection.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rotating (CDP) Air Seal, All.............. Task 72-31-10-230-059
No. 4R Bearing. Fluorescent
Penetrant
Inspection.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rotating (CDP) Air Seal All.............. Task 72-31-10-230-059
Support, No. 4R Bearing. Fluorescent
Penetrant
Inspection.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disk, HPT Rotor, Stage One All.............. Task 72-53-03-230-001-
059 Fluorescent
Penetrant Inspect
Disk, and
Task 72-53-03-250-001-
053 Eddy Current
Inspection of the
HPTR Stage 1 Rim
Boltholes, and
Task 72-53-03-250-060
Disk Bore Area Eddy
Current Inspection.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 10606]]
Disk, HPT Rotor, Stage Two All.............. Task 72-53-04-230-001-
057 Fluorescent
Penetrant Inspect
Disk, and
Task 72-53-04-250-053
Eddy Current
Inspection of the
HPTR Stage 2 Rim and/
or Inner Boltholes,
and
Task 72-53-04-250-060
Disk Bore Area Eddy
Current Inspection.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disks, LPT Rotor, Stages 1- All.............. Task 72-57-02-230-001-
4. 051 Fluorescent
Penetrant
Inspection.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Forward Shaft, LPTR....... All.............. Task 72-57-03-230-001-
057 Fluorescent
Penetrant
Inspection.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rear Shaft, LPTR.......... All.............. Task 72-57-04-230-001-
051 Fluorescent
Penetrant
Inspection.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(2) For the purposes of these mandatory inspections, piece-part
opportunity means:
(i) The part is considered completely disassembled when
accomplished in accordance with the disassembly instructions in the
manufacturer's engine manual; and
(ii) The part has accumulated more than 100 cycles in service
since the last piece-part opportunity inspection, provided that the
part was not damaged or related to the cause for its removal from
the engine.''
(b) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this AD, and
notwithstanding contrary provisions in section 43.16 of the Federal
Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 43.16), these mandatory inspections
shall be performed only in accordance with the Time Limits Section
of the manufacturer's ICA.
Alternative Methods of Compliance
(c) An alternative method of compliance or adjustment of the
compliance time that provides an acceptable level of safety may be
used if approved by the Engine Certification Office (ECO). Operators
must submit their requests through an appropriate FAA Principal
Maintenance Inspector (PMI), who may add comments and then send it
to the ECO.
Note 2: Information concerning the existence of approved
alternative methods of compliance with this airworthiness directive,
if any, may be obtained from the ECO.
Continuous Airworthiness Maintenance Program
(d) FAA-certificated air carriers that have an approved
continuous airworthiness maintenance program in accordance with the
recordkeeping requirement of Sec. 121.369(c) of the Federal Aviation
Regulations (14 CFR 121.369(c)) must maintain records of the
mandatory inspections that result from revising the Time Limits
Section of the Instructions for Continuous Airworthiness (ICA) and
the air carrier's continuous airworthiness program. Alternatively,
certificated air carriers may establish an approved system of record
retention that provides a method for preservation and retrieval of
the maintenance records that include the inspections resulting from
this AD, and include the policy and procedures for implementing this
alternate method in the air carrier's maintenance manual required by
Sec. 121.369(c) of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR
121.369(c)); however, the alternate system must be accepted by the
appropriate PMI and require the maintenance records be maintained
either indefinitely or until the work is repeated. Records of the
piece-part inspections are not required under Sec. 121.380(a)(2)(vi)
of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 121.380 (a)(2)(vi)). All
other Operators must maintain the records of mandatory inspections
required by the applicable regulations governing their operations.
Note 3: The requirements of this AD have been met when the
engine shop manual changes are made and air carriers have modified
their continuous airworthiness maintenance plans to reflect the
requirements in the engine shop manuals.
(e) This amendment becomes effective on April 12, 2002.
Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on February 27, 2002.
Mark C. Fulmer,
Acting Manager, Engine and Propeller Directorate, Aircraft
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 02-5528 Filed 3-7-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
Source: Official FAA Source ↗
Retrieved: Apr 6, 2026
Rights: U.S. Government Public Domain
This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the FAA. Always verify with official sources.
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