Airworthiness Directive · Amendment 39-16855 · General Electric Company (GE) CF6 Turbofan Engines
General Electric Company (GE) CF6 Turbofan Engines
This AD applies to General Electric (GE) CF6-45A, CF6-45A2, CF6-50A, CF6-50C, CF6-50CA, CF6-50C1, CF6-50C2, CF6-50C2B, CF6-50C2D, CF6-50E, CF6-50E1, CF6-50E2, CF6-50E2B, CF6-80A, CF6-80A1, CF6-80A2, and CF6-80A3 turbofan engines, including engines marked on the engine data plate as CF6-50C2-F and CF6-50C2-R, with left-hand side links part numbers (P/Ns) 9204M94P01, 9204M94P03, 9346M99P01, and 9346M99P03, and right-hand side links, P/Ns 9204M94P02, 9204M94P04, 9346M99P02, and 9346M99P04, installed on the forward engine mount assembly (also known as Configuration 2).
We are superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for the engines identified above. That AD currently requires initial and repetitive visual inspections of the forward engine mount assembly side links for cracks, stripping and reapplying the Sermetel W coating on the side links at every exposure of the side link. This new AD requires those same inspections, stripping and reapplying the Sermetel W coating, and adds two part numbers to the applicability. This AD was prompted by a review of the inspection program, which revealed that GE had omitted two affected side link part numbers from the applicability. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of the side links and possible engine separation from the airplane.
You are responsible for having the actions required by this AD performed at every exposure of the side link.
Inspect, strip, and reapply the Sermetel W coating on each side link at every exposure of the side link. Use the following GE service bulletins (SBs):
(1) For CF6-45/-50 series engines, use paragraphs 3.A. through 3.E. of the Accomplishment Instructions of CF6-50 S/B 72-1255, Revision 1, dated June 17, 2009.
(2) For CF6-80A series engines, use paragraphs 3.A. through 3.E. of the Accomplishment Instructions of CF6-80A S/B72-0797, Revision 1, dated June 17, 2009.
A side link is exposed when one or more bolts that attach the side links to the fan frame-front high-pressure compressor case are removed or when the bolt attaching the side link to the mount platform is removed.
