Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company CF34-3A1 and -3B1 Series Turbofan Engines

This amendment supersedes an existing airworthiness directive (AD), that is applicable to General Electric Company (GE) CF34-3A1 and -3B1 series turbofan engines, that currently requires revisions to the Engine Maintenance Program specified in the manufacturer's Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA) for GE CF34-3A1 and -3B1 series turbofan engines. Those revisions require enhanced inspection of selected critical life-limited parts at each piece-part exposure. The existing AD also requires that an air carrier's approved continuous airworthiness maintenance program incorporate these inspection procedures. 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. An 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.