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2001-15-12: High Pressure Compressors (HPC)

FAA order 2001-15-12 is an airworthiness directive in force since August 10, 2001. The FAA's subject line: High Pressure Compressors (HPC). It names the Pratt & Whitney PW4052, Pratt & Whitney PW4056, Pratt & Whitney PW4060, Pratt & Whitney PW4062, Pratt & Whitney PW4158, Pratt & Whitney PW4460, Pratt & Whitney PW4462 engines: about 129 aircraft on the U.S. register today across them, though an order usually covers particular versions or serial numbers rather than every one. System: engine.

What it applies to as the FAA lists it

Kind of product
Engine
Makes
Pratt & Whitney Division
Models
PW4050, PW4052, PW4056, PW4060, PW4060A, PW4060C, PW4062, PW4152, PW4156, PW4156A, PW4158, PW4160, PW4460, PW4462, PW4650
Engine series
Pratt & Whitney PW4052 1 aircraft
Pratt & Whitney PW4056 25 aircraft
Pratt & Whitney PW4060 14 aircraft
Pratt & Whitney PW4062 6 aircraft
Pratt & Whitney PW4158 65 aircraft
Pratt & Whitney PW4460 10 aircraft
Pratt & Whitney PW4462 8 aircraft

Dates and paperwork

In force since
August 10, 2001
Published
July 26, 2001 (signed July 17, 2001)
Docket
2000-NE-47-AD
Replaces
2001-09-07, 2000-22-01
Replaced by
2001-25-11
Status
Historical
The FAA's document
Read the order on the FAA's site

The FAA's summary their words, unchanged

This amendment supersedes two airworthiness directives (AD's), 2000-22-01 and 2001-09-07, that both apply to Pratt and Whitney (PW) model PW4000 series turbofan engines. AD 2000-22-01 requires that operators limit the number of PW4000 engines equipped with the high pressure compressors (HPC) in the cutback stator (CBS) configuration to no more than one engine on each airplane, and prohibits the installation of engines with HPC modules in the CBS configuration after the effective date of that AD. AD 2001-09-07 requires that operators limit the number of engines with potentially reduced stability to no more than one engine on each airplane, and remove those engines before exceeding certain cyclic limits. Reports of HPC surges in PW4000 engines that have the HPC in the CBS configuration prompted those AD's. This Amendment will limit the number of PW4000 engines with potentially reduced stability on each airplane by applying rules based on airplane and engine configuration, and require that engines that exceed HPC compressor cyclic limits based on cycles-since-overhaul (CSO) are removed from service. This AD will also limit the number of engines with HPC CBS configuration to one on each airplane, and will establish a minimum rebuild standard for engines that are returned to service. This Amendment is prompted by further analyses of compressor surges in PW4000 engines. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent multiple-engine power losses due to high pressure compressor (HPC) surge and to reduce the rate of single-engine surge events.

The order itself the regulatory text, as published

Show the full text (15,538 characters)
2001-15-12 Pratt and Whitney: Amendment 39-12346. Docket No. 2000-NE-47-AD. Supersedes Amendment 39-11947 (AD 2000-22-01), and Amendment 39-12212 (AD 2001-09-07). Applicability: This airworthiness directive (AD) is applicable to Pratt and Whitney (PW) model PW4050, PW4052, PW4056, PW4060, PW4060A, PW4060C, PW4062, PW4152, PW4156, PW4156A, PW4158, PW4160, PW4460, PW4462, and PW4650 turbofan engines. These engines are installed on, but not limited to, certain models of Airbus Industrie A300, Airbus Industrie A310, Boeing 747, Boeing 767, and McDonnell Douglas MD-11 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 methodof compliance in accordance with paragraph (l) 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: Compliance with this AD is required as indicated, unless already done. To prevent multiple-engine power losses due to high pressure compressor (HPC) surge and to reduce the rate of single-engine surge events, do the following: (a) When complying with this AD, use the following Table 1 of this AD to determine the configuration of each engine on each airplane: Table 1.--Engine Configuration Listing Configuration Configuration designator Description (1) Phase 1 without high pressure turbine (HPT) 1st turbine vane cut back (1TVCB). A Engines that did not incorporate the Phase 3 configuration at the time they were originally manufactured, or have not been converted to Phase 3 configuration; and have not incorporated HPT 1TVCB using any revision of SB PW4ENG 72-514. (2) Phase 1 with 1TVCB. B Same as configuration (1) except that HPT 1TVCB has been incorporated using any revision of SB PW4ENG 72-514. (3) Phase 3, 2nd Run. B Engines that incorporated the Phase 3 configuration at the time they were originally manufactured, or have been converted to the Phase 3 configuration during service; and that have had at least one HPC overhaul since new. (4) Phase 3, 1st Run. C Same as configuration (3) except that the engine has not had an HPC overhaul since new. (5) HPC Cutback Stator Configuration Engines. D Engines that incorporated any revision of SB's PW4ENG72-706, PW4ENG72-704, or PW4ENG72-711. (b) Within 50 cycles-in-service (CIS) after the effective date of this AD, and thereafter, remove engines from service that exceed the HPC cycles-since-new (CSN) or cycles-since-overhaul (CSO) limits in the following Table 2 of this AD: Table 2.--HPC Cyclic Limits by Engine Configuration Engine configuration (CSO or CSN) Engine model Engine serial number (SN) A B C D (1) PW4152 All 3,600 5,600 8,000 1,300 (2) PW4156, PW4156A, and PW4158. 717205, 717702, 717703, 717710, 717752, 717788, 717798, 717799, 724023, 724026, 724027, 724033, 724034, 724036, 724037, 724040, 724041, 724044, 724045, 724048, 724049, 724050, 724052, 724055, 724056, 724059, 724061, 724062, 724063, 724065, 724067, 724073, 724074, 724075, 724079, 724094, 724095, 724551, 724552, 724555, 724556, 724557, 724558, 724561, 724562, 724563, 724564, 724567, 724568, 724569, 724570, 724571, 724572, 724573, 724574, 724575, 724576, 724578, 724640, 724806, 724807, 724808, 724809, 724811, 724820, 724821, 724827, 724833, 724835, 724836, 724840, 724841, 724848, 724849, 724855, 724857, 724858, 724861, 724862, 724865, 724866, 724868, 724909, 724910, 724913, 724914, 724924, 724925, 724926, 724927, 727912, 728519, 728520, 728521, 728522, 728523, 728524, 728525, 728526, 728527, 728528, 728534, 728535, 728536, 728537, 728538, 728539, 728540, 728541, 728542, 728543, 728544, 728545, 728546, 728547, 728548, 728549, 728550, 728551, 728552, 728553, 728554, 728557, 728558, 728559, 728560, 728561, 728562, 728563, 728564 3,200 4,400 8,000 1,300 (3) PW4158. 717704, 724001, 724002, 724004, 724005, 724006, 724007, 724008, 724009, 724010, 724011, 724019, 724020, 724031, 724035, 724038, 724039, 724042, 724043, 724047, 724068, 724069, 724071, 724076, 724077, 724080, 724085, 724086, 724087, 724092, 724093, 724096, 724097, 724801, 724802, 724803, 724804, 724805, 724813, 724814, 724819, 724823, 724824, 724825, 724826, 724828, 724831, 724832, 724843, 724846, 724847, 724851, 724852, 724853, 724854, 724859, 724860, 724863, 724864, 724867, 724869, 724870, 724871, 724872, 724873, 724874, 724875, 724876, 724880, 724881, 724882, 724883, 724884, 724885, 724886, 724887, 724888, 724889, 724890, 724892, 724893, 724894, 724895, 724896, 724897, 724898, 724899, 724900, 724932, 727315, 727436, 728501, 728502, 728503, 728504, 728505, 728506, 728507, 728508, 728509, 728510, 728511, 728515, 728518, 728531, 728532, 728533 6,500 7,500 8,000 1,300 (4) PW4156, PW4156A, and PW4158. All others not listed by SN in this Table. 2,150 2,800 8,000 1,300 (5) PW4052 and 4056. All engines. 3,000 4,400 4,400 1,300 (6) PW4060, PW4060C, PW4062, PW4460, and PW4462. All engines. 2,150 3,600 4,400 1,300 Engines Installed on Boeing 747 Airplanes (c) Within 50 CIS after the effective date of this AD, and thereafter, for engines installed on Boeing 747 series aircraft, configure the airplane so that all of the following rules are met: (1) At least one engine must be below the cyclic limits listed under Rule 1a in the following Table 3 of this AD: Table 3.--HPC CSO or CSN Cyclic Limits by Engine Configuration for Boeing 747 Airplanes Number of engines in each Configuration on the Airplane Rule 1a Rule 1b Rule 1c Rule 1d (Quantity of engines in each configuration) A B or C D A B or C D A B or C D A B or C D A B or C D (i) 4 0 0 700 1300 1800 (1) --2400 (3) --400 (ii) 3 1 0 700 2300 1300 2600 1800 3000 (1) --2400 (2) --400 (1) --1800 (iii) 2 2 0 700 2300 1300 2600 1800 3000 (1) --2400 (1) --400 (2) --1800 (iv) 1 3 0 700 2300 1300 2600 1800 3000 (1) --2400 (3) --1800 (v) 0 4 0 2300 2600 3000 (1) --3300 (3) --1800 (vi) 3 0 1 700 750 1300 750 1800 750 (1) --2400 (2) --400 (1) --750. (vii) 2 1 1 700 2300 750 1300 2600 750 1800 3000 750 (1) --2400 (1) --400 (1)--1800 (1) --750. (viii) 1 2 1 700 2300 750 1300 2600 750 1800 3000 750 (1) --2400 (2) --1800 (1) --750. (ix) 0 3 1 2300 750 2600 750 3000 750 (1) --3300 (2) --1800 (1) --750. (2) At least two engines must be below the cyclic limits listed under Rule 1b in Table 3 of this AD. (3) At least three engines must be below the cyclic limits listed under Rule 1c in Table 3 of this AD. (4) At least one engine must be below the cyclic limits listed under Rule 1d in Table 3 of this AD. When applying Rule 1d of this AD, and two limits are shown for an engine configuration, the higher cyclic limit for that configuration must be applied only to the engine with the highest CSO or CSN of that configuration. The lower limit is then applied to the remaining engines of that configuration. Engines Installed on McDonnell Douglas MD-11 Airplanes (d) Within 50 CIS after the effective date of this AD, and thereafter, for engines installed on McDonnell Douglas MD-11 airplanes, configure the airplane so that all of the following rules are met: (1) At least one engine must be below the cyclic limits listed under Rule 2a in the following Table 4 of this AD: Table 4.--HPC CSO or CSN Cyclic Limits by Engine Configuration for McDonnell Douglas MD-11 Number of engines in each Configuration the Airplane Rule 2a Rule 2b Rule 2c (Quantity of Engines in each Configuration) A B C D A B C D A B C D A B C D (i) 3 0 0 0 850 1000 (1) --1600 (2) --600 (ii) 2 1 0 0 850 1700 1000 2300 (1) --1600 (1) --600 (1) --1400 (iii) 1 2 0 0 850 1700 1000 2300 (1) --1600 (2) --1400 (iv) 0 3 0 0 1700 2300 (1) --3000 (2) --1400 (v) 2 0 1 0 850 2650 1000 2900 (1) --1600 (1) --600 (1) --2800 (vi) 1 0 2 0 850 2650 1000 2900 (1) --1600 (2) --2800 (vii) 0 0 3 02650 2900 (1) --3200 (2) --2800 (viii) 2 0 0 1 850 750 1000 750 (1) --1600 (1) --600 (1) --750 (ix) 0 2 1 0 1700 2650 2300 2900 (1) --3000 (1) --1400 (1) --2800 (x) 0 1 2 0 1700 2650 2300 2900 (1) --3000 (2) --2800 (xi) 0 2 0 1 1700 750 2300 750 (1) --3000 (1) --1400 (1) --750 (xii) 0 0 2 1 2650 750 2900 750 (1) --3200 (1) --2800 (1) --750 (xiii) 1 1 1 0 850 1700 2650 1000 2300 2900 (1) --1600 (1) --1400 (1) --2800 (xiv) 1 1 0 1 850 1700 750 1000 2300 750 (1) --1600 (1) --1400 (1) --750 (xv) 1 0 1 1 850 2650 750 1000 2900 750 (1) --1600 (1) --2800 (1) --750 (xvi) 0 1 1 1 1700 2650 750 2300 2900 750 (1) --3000 (1) --2800 (1) --750 (2) At least two engines must be below the cyclic limits listed under Rule 2b in Table 4 of this AD. (3) At least one engine must be belowthe cyclic limits listed under Rule 2c in Table 4 of this AD. When applying Rule 2c of this AD, and two limits are shown for an engine configuration, the higher cyclic limit for that configuration must be applied only to the engine with the highest CSO or CSN of that configuration. The lower limit is then applied to the remaining engines of that configuration. Engines Installed on Boeing 767, Airbus A300, or Airbus A310 Airplanes (e) Within 50 CIS after the effective date of this AD, and thereafter, for engines installed on Boeing 767 Series, Airbus A300 series or Airbus A310 series airplanes, configure the airplane so that no more than one engine may exceed the cyclic limits listed in the following Table 5 of this AD: Table 5.--HPC CSO or CSN Cyclic Limits by Engine Configuration for Twin-Engine Airplane Engine configuration (CSO or CSN) Engine model Engine serial number (SN) A B C D (1) PW4152. All 2,500 4,000 6,600 750 (2) PW4156, PW4156A, and PW4158. 717205, 717702, 717703, 717710, 717752, 717788, 717798, 717799, 724023, 724026, 724027, 724033, 724034, 724036, 724037, 724040, 724041, 724044, 724045, 724048, 724049, 724050, 724052, 724055, 724056, 724059, 724061, 724062, 724063, 724065, 724067, 724073, 724074, 724075, 724079, 724094, 724095, 724551, 724552, 724555, 724556, 724557, 724558, 724561, 724562, 724563, 724564, 724567, 724568, 724569, 724570, 724571, 724572, 724573, 724574, 724575, 724576, 724578, 724640, 724806, 724807, 724808, 724809, 724811, 724820, 724821, 724827, 724833, 724835, 724836, 724840, 724841, 724848, 724849, 724855, 724857, 724858, 724861, 724862, 724865, 724866, 724868, 724909, 724910, 724913, 724914, 724924, 724925, 724926, 724927, 727912, 728519, 728520, 728521, 728522, 728523, 728524, 728525, 728526, 728527, 728528, 728534, 728535, 728536, 728537, 728538, 728539, 728540, 728541, 728542, 728543, 728544, 728545, 728546, 728547, 728548, 728549, 728550, 728551, 728552, 728553, 728554, 728557, 728558, 728559, 728560, 728561, 728562, 728563, 728564 2,000 3,200 6,600 750 (3) PW4158. 717704, 724001, 724002, 724004, 724005, 724006, 724007, 724008, 724009, 724010, 724011, 724019, 724020, 724031, 724035, 724038, 724039, 724042, 724043, 724047, 724068, 724069, 724071, 724076, 724077, 724080, 724085, 724086, 724087, 724092, 724093, 724096, 724097, 724801, 724802, 724803, 724804, 724805, 724813, 724814, 724819, 724823, 724824, 724825, 724826, 724828, 724831, 724832, 724843, 724846, 724847, 724851, 724852, 724853, 724854, 724859, 724860, 724863, 724864, 724867, 724869, 724870, 724871, 724872, 724873, 724874, 724875, 724876, 724880, 724881, 724882, 724883, 724884, 724885, 724886, 724887, 724888, 724889, 724890, 724892, 724893, 724894, 724895, 724896, 724897, 724898, 724899, 724900, 724932, 727315, 727436, 728501, 728502, 728503,728504, 728505, 728506, 728507, 728508, 728509, 728510, 728511, 728515, 728518, 728531, 728532, 728533 4,300 5,600 6,600 750 (4) PW4156, PW4156A, and PW4158. All others not listed by SN in this Table. 1,050 1,600 6,600 750 (5) PW4052. All engines. 3,000 4,400 4,400 750 (6) PW4056. All engines. 1,800 3,000 3,000 750 (7) PW4060, PW4060A, PW4060C, and PW4062. All engines. 1,100 2,300 3,000 750 Minimum Build Standard (f) After the effective date of this AD, do not install an engine with HPC and HPT modules where the CSO of the HPC is 1,500 cycles or more greater than the CSO of the HPT. (g) After the effective date of this AD, any engine that undergoes an HPC overhaul must meet the build standard of the following PW SB's: PW4ENG 72-484, PW4ENG 72-486, PW4ENG 72-514, and PW4ENG 72-575. Engines that incorporate the Phase 3 configuration meet the build standard defined by PW SB PW4ENG 72-514. (h) After the effective date of this AD, any engine that undergoes separation of the HPC and HPT modules after the effective date of this AD, must meet the build standard of PW SB PW4ENG 72-514. Engines that incorporate the Phase 3 configuration meet the build standard defined by PW SB PW4ENG 72-514. (i) Within 100 CIS after the effective date of this AD, and thereafter, limit the number of engines with configuration D from Table 1 of this AD to one on each airplane. (j) When a thrust rating change has been made by using the Electronic Engine Control (EEC) programming plug in the affected HPC overhaul period, the cyclic limits associated with the highest thrust rating must be utilized. Definitions (k) For the purposes of this AD, the following definitions apply: (1) HPC Overhaul--an HPC overhaul is defined as restoration of the HPC stages 5 through 15 blade tip clearances to the limits specified in the applicable fits and clearances section of the engine manual. (2) HPT Overhaul--an HPT overhaulis defined as restoration of the HPT module stage 1 and 2 HPT blade tip clearances to the applicable fits and clearances section of the engine manual. (3) A Phase 3 engine is identified by a (-3) suffix after the engine model number on the data plate if incorporated at original manufacture, or a (-3C) suffix after the engine model number if the engine was converted using PW SB's PW4ENG 72-490, PW4ENG 72-504, or PW4ENG 72-572 after original manufacture. Alternative Methods of Compliance (l) 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 Manager, Engine Certification Office (ECO). Operators shall submit their requests through an appropriate FAA Maintenance Inspector, who may add comments and then send it to the Manager, 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. Special Flight Permits (m) Special flight permits may be issued in accordance with Secs. 21.197 and 21.199 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 21.197 and 21.199) to operate the airplane to a location where the requirements of this AD can be accomplished. Effective Date (n) This amendment becomes effective August 10, 2001.

Source: FAA Dynamic Regulatory System, airworthiness directives. The FAA's document is the authority; the register counts are this site's, from the FAA register of November 2, 2026. Connections as data: /graph/directive/2001-15-12.json · aircraft systems.