[Federal Register: September 15, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 178)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 54484-54486]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr15se05-11]
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Proposed Rules
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2005-22437; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-082-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Boeing Model 747-400, 747-400D, and
747-400F Series Airplanes
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD)
for certain Boeing Model 747-400, 747-400D, and 747-400F series
airplanes. This proposed AD would require repetitive detailed
inspections for damage (degraded finish; missing, lifted, peeling, or
blistering paint; or signs of corrosion) of the interior skin in the
forward and aft cargo compartments, and corrective actions if
necessary. This proposed AD is prompted by reports of skin corrosion on
four Boeing Model 747 series airplanes that were delivered between 1995
and 1999. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct corrosion,
which can penetrate the thickness of the skin and cause cracking, and
result in rapid decompression of the airplane.
DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by October 31,
2005.
ADDRESSES: Use one of the following addresses to submit comments on
this proposed AD.
DOT Docket Web site: Go to http://dms.dot.gov and follow
the instructions for sending your comments electronically.
Government-wide rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov
and follow the instructions for sending your
comments electronically.
Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, Room PL-401,
Washington, DC 20590.
By fax: (202) 493-2251.
Hand Delivery: Room PL-401 on the plaza level of the
Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, between 9
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
For service information identified in this proposed AD, contact
Boeing Commercial Airplanes, P.O. Box 3707, Seattle, Washington 98124-
2207.
You can examine the contents of this AD docket on the Internet at
http://dms.dot.gov, or in person at the Docket Management Facility,
U.S. Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., room PL-
401, on the plaza level of the Nassif Building, Washington, DC. This
docket number is FAA-2005-22437; the directorate identifier for this
docket is 2005-NM-082-AD.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nicholas Kusz, Aerospace Engineer,
Airframe Branch, ANM-120S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office,
1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98055-4056; telephone (425)
917-6432; fax (425) 917-6590.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
We invite you to submit any relevant written data, views, or
arguments regarding this proposed AD. Send your comments to an address
listed under ADDRESSES. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2005-22437;
Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-082-AD'' in the subject line of your
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory,
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the proposed AD. We will
consider all comments submitted by the closing date and may amend the
proposed AD in light of those comments.
We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://dms.dot.gov
, including any personal information you provide. We will
also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact with FAA
personnel concerning this proposed AD. Using the search function of
that Web site, anyone can find and read the comments in any of our
dockets, including the name of the individual who sent the comment (or
signed the comment on behalf of an association, business, labor union,
etc.). You can review DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the
Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78), or you
can visit http://dms.dot.gov.
Examining the Docket
You can examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov
, or in person at the Docket Management Facility office
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal
holidays. The Docket Management Facility office (telephone (800) 647-
5227) is located on the plaza level of the Nassif Building at the DOT
street address stated in the ADDRESSES section. Comments will be
available in the AD docket shortly after the Docket Management System
(DMS) receives them.
Discussion
In April 1988, a high-cycle transport category airplane
(specifically, a Boeing Model 737) was involved in an accident in which
the airplane suffered major structural damage during flight.
Investigation of this accident revealed that the airplane had numerous
fatigue cracks and a great deal of corrosion. Subsequent inspections
conducted by the operator on other high-cycle transport category
airplanes in its fleet revealed that other airplanes had extensive
fatigue cracking and corrosion.
Prompted by the data gained from this accident, we sponsored a
conference on aging airplanes in June 1988, which was attended by
representatives from the aviation industry and airworthiness
authorities from around the world. It became obvious that, because of
the tremendous increase in air travel, the relatively slow pace of new
airplane production, and the apparent economic feasibility of operating
older technology airplanes rather than retiring them, increased
attention needed to be focused on the aging airplane fleet and
maintaining its continued operational safety.
The Air Transport Association (ATA) of America and the Aerospace
Industries Association (AIA) of America agreed to undertake the task of
identifying and implementing procedures to ensure the continued
structural airworthiness of aging transport category airplanes. An
Airworthiness Assurance Working Group (AAWG) was established in August
1988, with members
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representing aircraft manufacturers, operators, regulatory authorities,
and other aviation industry representatives worldwide. The objective of
the AAWG was to sponsor ``Task Groups'' to:
1. Select service bulletins, applicable to each airplane model in
the transport fleet, to be recommended for mandatory modification of
aging airplanes;
2. Develop corrosion-directed inspections and prevention programs;
3. Review the adequacy of each operator's structural maintenance
program;
4. Review and update the Supplemental Inspection Documents (SID);
and
5. Assess repair quality.
The Working Group assigned to review Boeing Model 747 series
airplanes completed its work on Item (2) in 1989 and developed a
baseline program for controlling corrosion problems that may jeopardize
the continued airworthiness of the Boeing Model 747 fleet. This program
is contained in Boeing Document Number D6-36022, ``Aging Airplane
Corrosion Prevention and Control Program--Model 747,'' Revision A,
dated July 28, 1989. On November 5, 1990, we issued AD 90-25-05,
amendment 39-6790 (55 FR 49268, November 27, 1990). That AD mandates
Boeing Document Number D6-36022, and requires that operators of Boeing
Model 747 series airplanes implement a Corrosion Prevention and Control
Program (CPCP).
Since we issued AD 90-25-05, two operators found skin corrosion on
four Boeing Model 747 series airplanes that were delivered between 1995
and 1999. The corrosion happened when primer peeled off in some areas
of the skin and left the aluminum unprotected against moisture and
corrosive elements. The operators repaired three of the airplanes by
trimming-out the damaged skin, and one of the airplanes by blending to
remove the damage. One other operator reported finding peeling primer,
but no corrosion, on the interior skin surface of one airplane, below
the cargo bay. The manufacturer investigated these incidents and found
that the manufacturing process for the skins resulted in inadequate
adhesion of the primer to the skin. The interior surface of the skin
below the cargo bay is susceptible to corrosion because of the presence
of moisture. If areas of corrosion are not repaired, the corrosion can
penetrate the thickness of the skin and cause cracking. This condition,
if not corrected, could result in rapid decompression of the airplane.
Relevant Service Information
We have reviewed Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2505, dated
March 17, 2005. The service bulletin describes procedures for doing a
detailed inspection for damage of the interior skin in the forward and
aft cargo compartments. Damage includes a degraded finish; missing,
lifted, peeling, or blistering paint; or signs of corrosion. If any
damage is found, the service bulletin describes procedures for
corrective actions. The corrective actions are restoring the finish if
only damage to the finish is found; or repairing the affected area and
restoring the protective finish if the finish is damaged and any
corrosion is found. If any corrosion damage exceeds limits in the
structural repair manual (SRM), the service bulletin states that
operators should contact Boeing for repair instructions. If no damage
or corrosion is found, the service bulletin states that no further
action is necessary until the next inspection. The service bulletin
recommends repeating the detailed inspection every four years until the
initial inspection threshold for the applicable CPCP task in Boeing
Document Number D6-36022 is reached. The service bulletin also requests
that operators send reports of the inspection program and details of
any corrosion damage and peeling primer to the manufacturer.
Accomplishing the actions specified in the service bulletin is intended
to adequately address the unsafe condition.
FAA's Determination and Requirements of the Proposed AD
We have evaluated all pertinent information and identified an
unsafe condition that is likely to exist or develop on other airplanes
of this same type design. Therefore, we are proposing this AD, which
would require accomplishing the actions specified in the service
information described previously, except as discussed under
``Differences Between the Proposed AD and the Service Bulletin.''
Differences Between the Proposed AD and the Service Bulletin
Although the service bulletin referenced in this proposed AD
specifies to submit to the manufacturer a report of the inspection
program and details of any corrosion damage and peeling paint primer,
this proposed AD does not include those actions.
The service bulletin specifies that you may contact the
manufacturer for instructions on how to repair corrosion damage that
exceeds limits in the SRM, but this proposed AD would require you to
repair those conditions in one of the following ways:
Using a method that we approve; or
Using data that meet the certification basis of the
airplane, and that have been approved by an Authorized Representative
for the Boeing Commercial Airplanes Delegation Option Authorization
Organization whom we have authorized to make those findings.
Costs of Compliance
There are about 260 airplanes of the affected design in the
worldwide fleet. The following table provides the estimated costs for
U.S. operators to comply with this proposed AD.
Estimated Costs
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Number of U.S.-
Action Work hours Average labor Parts Cost per airplane registered Fleet cost
rate per hour airplanes
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Detailed inspection, per inspection 10 $65 N/A $650, per inspection 36 $23,400, per inspection
cycle. cycle. cycle.
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Authority for This Rulemaking
Title 49 of the United States Code specifies the FAA's authority to
issue rules on aviation safety. Subtitle I, Section 106, describes the
authority of the FAA Administrator. Subtitle VII, Aviation Programs,
describes in more detail the scope of the Agency's authority.
We are issuing this rulemaking under the authority described in
Subtitle VII, Part A, Subpart III, Section 44701, ``General
requirements.'' Under that section, Congress charges the FAA with
promoting safe flight of civil aircraft in air commerce by prescribing
regulations for practices, methods, and procedures the Administrator
finds necessary for safety in air commerce. This regulation is within
the scope of that authority
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because it addresses an unsafe condition that is likely to exist or
develop on products identified in this rulemaking action.
Regulatory Findings
We have determined that this proposed AD would not have federalism
implications under Executive Order 13132. This proposed AD would not
have a substantial direct effect on the States, on the relationship
between the National Government and the States, or on the distribution
of power and responsibilities among the various levels of government.
For the reasons discussed above, I certify that the proposed
regulation:
1. Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive Order
12866;
2. Is not a ``significant rule'' under the DOT Regulatory Policies
and Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979); and
3. Will not have a significant economic impact, positive or
negative, on a substantial number of small entities under the criteria
of the Regulatory Flexibility Act.
We prepared a regulatory evaluation of the estimated costs to
comply with this proposed AD. See the ADDRESSES section for a location
to examine the regulatory evaluation.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Safety.
The Proposed Amendment
Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the
Administrator, the FAA proposes to amend 14 CFR part 39 as follows:
PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.
Sec. 39.13 [Amended]
2. The FAA amends Sec. 39.13 by adding the following new
airworthiness directive (AD):
Boeing: Docket No. FAA-2005-22437; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-
082-AD.
Comments Due Date
(a) The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) must receive
comments on this AD action by October 31, 2005.
Affected ADs
(b) None.
Applicability
(c) This AD applies to Boeing Model 747-400, 747-400D, and 747-
400F series airplanes, certificated in any category; as identified
in Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2505, dated March 17, 2005.
Unsafe Condition
(d) This AD was prompted by reports of skin corrosion on four
Boeing Model 747 series airplanes that were delivered between 1995
and 1999. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct corrosion,
which can penetrate the thickness of the skin and cause cracking,
and result in rapid decompression of the airplane.
Compliance
(e) You are responsible for having the actions required by this
AD performed within the compliance times specified, unless the
actions have already been done.
Repetitive Inspections and Corrective Actions
(f) Within 12 months after the effective date of this AD, do a
detailed inspection for damage (degraded finish; missing, lifted,
peeling, or blistering paint; or signs of corrosion) of the interior
skin in the forward and aft cargo compartments. Do any applicable
corrective actions before further flight. Except as required by
paragraphs (g) and (h) of this AD, do all actions in accordance with
the Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert Service Bulletin
747-53A2505, dated March 17, 2005. Repeat the inspection thereafter
at intervals not to exceed 48 months until accomplishing task number
C53-125-01 of Boeing Document Number D6-36022, ``Aging Airplane
Corrosion Prevention and Control Program--Model 747,'' Revision A,
dated July 28, 1989, or until accomplishing tasks S53-520 and S53-
550 of Boeing Document Number D621U400-MRB, ``B747-400 Maintenance
Review Board Report,'' Revision E, dated May 2003.
Note 1: For the purposes of this AD, a detailed inspection is:
``An intensive examination of a specific item, installation, or
assembly to detect damage, failure, or irregularity. Available
lighting is normally supplemented with a direct source of good
lighting at an intensity deemed appropriate. Inspection aids such as
mirror, magnifying lenses, etc., may be necessary. Surface cleaning
and elaborate procedures may be required.''
Damage that Exceeds Structural Repair Manual Limits
(g) If any corrosion damage that exceeds the limits specified in
the structural repair manual is found during any action required by
this AD, and Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2505, dated March
17, 2005 specifies to contact Boeing for repair instructions: Before
further flight, repair the damage using a method approved in
accordance with paragraph (i) of this AD.
No Reporting Requirement
(h) Although Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2505, dated
March 17, 2005, specifies to submit to the manufacturer a report of
the inspection program and details of any corrosion damage and
peeling paint primer, this AD does not include those actions.
Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)
(i)(1) The Manager, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office (ACO),
FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested in
accordance with the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19.
(2) An AMOC that provides an acceptable level of safety may be
used for any repair required by this AD, if it is approved by an
Authorized Representative for the Boeing Commercial Airplanes
Delegation Option Authorization Organization who has been authorized
by the Manager, Seattle ACO, to make those findings. For a repair
method to be approved, the repair must meet the certification basis
of the airplane, and the approval must specifically refer to this
AD.
Issued in Renton, Washington, on September 8, 2005.
Kalene C. Yanamura,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 05-18319 Filed 9-14-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P