Airworthiness Directive · Amendment 39-21881 · Turbine section
General Electric Company Turbofan Engines
This AD applies to General Electric Company (GE) CF6-80A, CF6-80A1, CF6-80A2, CF6-80A3, CF6-80C2A1, CF6-80C2A2, CF6-80C2A3, CF6-80C2A5, CF6-80C2A5F, CF6-80C2A8, CF6-80C2B1, CF6-80C2B1F, CF6-80C2B2, CF6-80C2B2F, CF6-80C2B4, CF6-80C2B4F, CF6-80C2B5F, CF6-80C2B6, CF6-80C2B6F, CF6-80C2B6FA, CF6-80C2B7F, CF6-80C2D1F, CF6-80C2L1F, and CF6-80C2K1F model turbofan engines with an installed high-pressure turbine (HPT) disk with a serial number (S/N) listed in Table 1 or 2 of Appendix A, paragraph 4., in GE CF6-80C2 Service Bulletin (SB) 72-1562 R05, dated March 19, 2021 (GE SB 72-1562), and Table 1 of Appendix—A, paragraph 4., in GE CF6-80A SB 72-0869 R03, dated March 19, 2021 (GE SB 72-0869).
The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2020-20-13 for certain General Electric Company (GE) CF6-80A and CF6-80C model turbofan engines. AD 2020-20-13 required ultrasonic inspection (UI) of high-pressure turbine (HPT) stage 1 and stage 2 disks and replacement of any HPT stage 1 or stage 2 disk that fails the inspection. This AD was prompted by an uncontained failure of an HPT stage 2 disk and the manufacturer's subsequent determination to expand the population of affected HPT disks requiring UI inspection. This AD requires UI of HPT stage 1 and stage 2 disks and replacement of any HPT stage 1 or stage 2 disk that fails the inspection. This AD also expands the applicability to include an additional population of affected HPT stage 1 and 2 disks requiring UI inspection. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
(1) For CF6-80C2 model turbofan engines, at each piece-part exposure after the effective date of this AD, perform a UI of affected HPT stage 1 and stage 2 disks using the Accomplishment Instructions, paragraph 3.A.(2), of GE SB 72-1562.
(2) For CF6-80A model turbofan engines, at each piece-part exposure after the effective date of this AD, perform a UI of affected HPT stage 2 disks using the Accomplishment Instructions, paragraph 3.A.(2), of GE SB 72-0869.
(3) If any disk fails the inspection required by paragraph (g)(1) or (2) of this AD, replace the disk with a part eligible for installation before further flight.
The reporting requirements specified in the Accomplishment Instructions, paragraphs 3.A.(2)(c) and 3.A.(2)(f), of GE SB 72-1562, and paragraph 3.A.(3), of GE SB 72-0869, are not required by this AD.
(1) For the purpose of this AD, a “part eligible for installation” is an HPT stage 1 or stage 2 disk:
(i) That has been inspected in accordance with paragraph (g)(1) or (2) of this AD and a rejectable indication was not found; or
(ii) With an S/N not listed in Table 1 or 2 of Appendix A, paragraph 4., in GE SB 72-1562, or Table 1 of Appendix—A, paragraph 4., in GE SB 72-0869.
(2) For the purpose of this AD, “piece-part exposure” of the HPT stage 1 or stage 2 disk is the separation of that HPT disk from its mating rotor parts within the HPT rotor module (thermal shield and HPT stage 1 and stage 2 disk, respectively).
