Federal Aviation Administration October 28, 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain General Electric Company (GE) GEnx-1B and GEnx-2B model turbofan engines. This proposed AD was prompted by the manufacturer's report of two findings of sheared compressor discharge pressure (CDP) bolts during engine shop visits. This proposed AD would require initial and repetitive inspections of the CDP bolted joint and, depending on the findings, a piece part inspection of the stages 6-10 compressor rotor spool, CDP seal, and high-pressure turbine (HPT) rotor stage 1 disk. As a terminating action, this proposed AD would require operators to reassemble the CDP bolted joint using a specific torque wrench. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus Helicopters Model EC120B helicopters. This proposed AD was prompted by a report of corrosion found on the external tail boom skin, under the Very High Frequency (VHF) antenna. This proposed AD would require inspecting the tail boom at the VHF antenna attachments and depending on the results, repairing or modifying the tail boom skin, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is proposed for incorporation by reference (IBR). The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This action proposes to modify the Class D and Class E surface airspace at Southwest Oregon Regional Airport, North Bend, OR. It also proposes to modify the Class E airspace by establishing an area that is designated as an extension to a Class D or Class E surface area, and to modify the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface. Lastly, this action proposes to remove navigational aids (NAVAID) from the legal description of the Class E2 and Class E5 text headers, and to update the Class D, Class E2, and Class E5 airspace legal descriptions and establish Class E4 airspace. This action would ensure the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations at the airport.

The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2021-11-15, which applies to certain International Aero Engines AG (IAE) V2500 model turbofan engines. AD 2021-11-15 requires performance of an ultrasonic inspection (USI) of the high-pressure turbine (HPT) 1st-stage disk and HPT 2nd-stage disk and, depending on the results of the inspections, replacement of the HPT 1st-stage disk or HPT 2nd-stage disk. Since the FAA issued AD 2021-11-15, the FAA determined the need to clarify the compliance time for inspection of any HPT 1st-stage disk or HPT 2nd-stage disk that is installed on a low-thrust model engine but had been previously operated on a high-thrust model engine. This proposed AD would require performance of a USI of the HPT 1st-stage disk and HPT 2nd-stage disk and, depending on the results of the inspections, replacement of the HPT 1st-stage disk or HPT 2nd-stage disk. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.