ADs Seek To Tame Engine, APU Problems
The FAA has adopted and/or proposed a series of Airworthiness Directives (ADs) that will affect operators of Honeywell ALF502/507 and TFE731 engines and Su

The FAA has adopted and/or proposed a series of Airworthiness Directives (ADs) that will affect operators of Honeywell ALF502/507 and TFE731 engines and Sundstrand APUs. ALF502L-2 and L-2C engine compressor discs may have had too much disc balance material removed, which could cause premature fracturing of the disc. The FAA has already issued this AD as a final rule (AD2009-08-07) effective May 18. ALF502/507s would be subject to a proposed AD offering replacement of affected cracked fuel manifolds as a terminating action to replace repetitive inspection intervals. Honeywell TFE731 turbofans with certain low-pressure compressor rotor discs may be subject to an AD. The proposed AD stems from reports of cracked disc bores, β€œwhich could result in an uncontained failure.” Sundstrand Power Systems T62T-46C12 APUs would require updated Fadec software under a proposed AD resulting from two APU-compartment explosions. These occurred during the start sequence and were caused by over-fueling of the APU at low rpm. Comments on all three proposed ADs are due by June 12.