FR Doc 05-9981

[Federal Register: May 23, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 98)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 29442-29444]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23my05-3]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2005-20024; Directorate Identifier 2004-NM-66-AD;
Amendment 39-14100; AD 2005-10-22]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Boeing Model 747-200C and 747-200F
Series Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all
Boeing Model 747-200C and 747-200F series airplanes. This AD requires
repetitive inspections for cracking of the left and right C-3 frame
upper closure fittings of the nose cargo door, and

[[Page 29443]]

corrective actions if necessary. This AD also provides an optional
modification that, if done, terminates inspections in certain areas.
This AD is prompted by reports indicating that fatigue cracking was
found in the inboard flange above the flight deck floor on the C-3
frame upper closure fittings of the nose cargo door. We are issuing
this AD to detect and correct cracking of the C-3 frame upper closure
fittings, which could extend and result in rapid depressurization of
the airplane.

DATES: This AD becomes effective June 27, 2005.
The incorporation by reference of a certain publication listed in
the AD is approved by the Director of the Federal Register as of June
27, 2005.

ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this AD, contact
Boeing Commercial Airplanes, P.O. Box 3707, Seattle, Washington 98124-
2207.
Docket: The AD docket contains the proposed AD, comments, and any
final disposition. 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 U.S.
Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., room PL-401,
Washington, DC. This docket number is FAA-2005-20024; the directorate
identifier for this docket is 2004-NM-66-AD.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ivan Li, Aerospace Engineer, Airframe
Branch, ANM-120S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office, 1601 Lind
Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98055-4056; telephone (425) 917-6437;
fax (425) 917-6590.

Examining the Docket

The AD docket contains the proposed AD, comments, and any final
disposition. 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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA proposed to amend 14 CFR Part 39
with an AD for all Boeing Model 747-200C and 747-200F series airplanes.
That action, published in the Federal Register on January 18, 2005 (70
FR 2826), proposed to require repetitive inspections for cracking of
the left and right C-3 frame upper closure fittings of the nose cargo
door, and corrective actions if necessary. That action also provides an
optional modification that, if done, would terminate inspections in
certain areas.

Comments

We provided the public the opportunity to participate in the
development of this AD. We have considered the comments that have been
submitted on the proposed AD.

Support for the Proposed AD

One commenter concurs with the proposed AD.

Request for Credit for Actions Accomplished Previously

Another commenter has no technical objection to the proposed AD,
but requests that we recognize inspections accomplished before the
effective date of the AD as acceptable for compliance with the initial
inspection requirement. The commenter states that it has previously
accomplished the proposed requirements on some of its airplanes during
scheduled maintenance visits.
We agree with the commenter that any applicable inspection
accomplished before the effective date of this AD should be acceptable
for compliance with the initial inspection requirement. However, we
find that no change is necessary to meet the intent of the commenter's
request. Credit is always given for actions accomplished before the
effective date of an AD, as allowed by paragraph (e) of this AD: ``You
are responsible for having the actions required by this AD performed
within the compliance times specified, unless the actions have already
been done.'' The phrase ``unless the actions have already been done,''
gives the credit that the commenter is seeking. We have not changed the
AD in this regard.

Conclusion

We have carefully reviewed the available data, including the
comments that have been submitted, and determined that air safety and
the public interest require adopting the AD as proposed.

Costs of Compliance

This AD affects about 78 airplanes worldwide. The following table
provides the estimated costs for U.S. operators to comply with this AD.

Estimated Costs
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of U.S.-
Action Work hours Average labor Parts Cost per airplane registered Fleet cost
rate per hour airplanes
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Inspection......................... 2 $65 None................. $130, per inspection 20 $2,600, per
cycle. inspection 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 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 AD will not have federalism
implications under Executive Order 13132. This AD will 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 this AD:

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(1) Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive
Order 12866;
(2) Is not a ``significant rule'' under 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 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, Incorporation by
reference, Safety.

Adoption of the Amendment

0
Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator,
the FAA amends 14 CFR part 39 as follows:

PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

0
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]

0
2. The FAA amends Sec. 39.13 by adding the following new airworthiness
directive (AD):

2005-10-22 Boeing: Amendment 39-14100. Docket No. FAA-2005-20024;
Directorate Identifier 2004-NM-66-AD.

Effective Date

(a) This AD becomes effective June 27, 2005.

Affected ADs

(b) None.

Applicability

Unsafe Condition

(d) This AD was prompted by a report indicating that fatigue
cracking was found in the inboard flange above the flight deck floor
on the C-3 frame upper closure fittings of the nose cargo door. We
are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracking of the C-3 frame
upper closure fittings, which could extend and result in rapid
depressurization 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

(f) Do a detailed inspection of the left and right C-3 frame
upper closure fittings of the nose cargo door, including the flight
deck floor tang, according to the Accomplishment Instructions of
Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2495, dated December 18, 2003.
Do the initial inspection at the applicable compliance time
specified in Figure 1 (Group 1 and 2 airplanes) or 2 (Group 3 and 4
airplanes) of the service bulletin, as applicable; except, where the
service bulletin specifies a compliance time relative to the date of
the initial release of the service bulletin, this AD requires
compliance relative to the effective date of this AD. Repeat the
inspection thereafter at intervals not to exceed 3,000 flight
cycles, except as provided by paragraph (h) of this AD.

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.''

Repair/Replacement

(g) If any cracking is found during any inspection required by
this AD: Before further flight, do applicable repairs or replace the
fitting with a new fitting, according to the Accomplishment
Instructions of Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2495, dated
December 18, 2003; except, where the bulletin specifies to contact
Boeing for appropriate action, before further flight, repair in
accordance with a method approved by the Manager, Seattle Aircraft
Certification Office (ACO), FAA; or in accordance with data meeting
the certification basis of the airplane approved by an Authorized
Representative for the Boeing Delegation Option Authorization
Organization who the Manager, Seattle ACO, has authorized to make
this finding. For a repair method to be approved by the Manager,
Seattle ACO, as required by this paragraph, the Manager's approval
letter must specifically reference this AD.

Optional Modification

(h) Doing all actions associated with the modification of the
upper closure fitting, including performing an open-hole high
frequency eddy current inspection for cracking of certain fastener
holes and all applicable corrective actions; according to Figure 4
of the Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert Service Bulletin
747-53A2495, dated December 18, 2003; terminates the repetitive
inspections of the upper part of the upper closure fitting required
by paragraph (f) of this AD. However, inspections of the flight deck
floor tang must continue, as required by paragraph (f) of this AD.

Note 2: There is no terminating action available at this time
for the inspections of the flight deck floor tang required by
paragraph (f) of this AD.

No Threshold Adjustment

(i) While Note 4 of the Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing
Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2495, dated December 18, 2003,
provides for adjusting the flight cycle threshold specified in the
service bulletin by not counting flight cycles with a cabin pressure
differential of 2.0 pounds per square inch or less, this AD does not
allow this adjustment.

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

(j)(1) The Manager, Seattle ACO, 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 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.

Material Incorporated by Reference

(k) You must use Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2495,
dated December 18, 2003, to perform the actions that are required by
this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise. The Director of the
Federal Register approves the incorporation by reference of this
document in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. To
get copies of the service information, go to Boeing Commercial
Airplanes, P.O. Box 3707, Seattle, Washington 98124-2207. To view
the AD docket, go to the Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department
of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street SW., room PL-401, Nassif
Building, Washington, DC. To review copies of the service
information, go to the National Archives and Records Administration
(NARA). For information on the availability of this material at the
NARA, call (202) 741-6030, or go to http://www.archives.gov/

federal--register/code--of-- federal--regulations/ibr--
locations.html.

Issued in Renton, Washington, on May 12, 2005.
Jeffrey E. Duven,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 05-9981 Filed 5-20-05; 8:45 am]

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