[Federal Register: August 16, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 158)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 45973-45976]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16au07-27]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2007-28989; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-070-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Boeing Model 747 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 supersede an existing airworthiness
directive (AD) that applies to certain Boeing Model 747-200B, 747-200C,
747-200F, 747-300, 747-400, and 747SP series airplanes. The existing AD
currently requires doing a detailed inspection of the left and right
longeron extension fittings, and corrective action if necessary. This
proposed AD would add airplanes to the applicability of the existing
AD. This proposed AD results from reports that accidental drilling
damage to the longeron extension fittings was found on airplanes not
subject to the existing AD. We are proposing this AD to detect and
correct accidental drilling damage of the
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longeron extension fittings, which could lead to cracking of the
longeron extension fittings and result in rapid decompression of the
airplane.
DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by October 1, 2007.
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: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590.
Fax: (202) 493-2251.
Hand Delivery: Room W12-140 on the ground floor of the
West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC, between 9
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
Contact Boeing Commercial Airplanes, P.O. Box 3707, Seattle,
Washington 98124-2207, for service information identified in this
proposed AD.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ivan Li, Aerospace Engineer, Airframe
Branch, ANM-120S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office, 1601 Lind
Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; telephone (425) 917-6437;
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 in the ADDRESSES section. Include the docket number ``Docket No.
FAA-2007-28989; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-070-AD'' at the
beginning 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 received 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 may review the DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the
Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78), or may
can visit http://dms.dot.gov.
Examining the Docket
You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov
, or in person at the Docket Operations office between 9
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The
Docket Operations office (telephone (800) 647-5527) is located on the
ground floor of the West 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 receives them.
Discussion
On April 28, 2006, we issued AD 2006-10-04, amendment 39-14588 (71
FR 27592, May 12, 2006), for certain Boeing Model 747-200B, 747-200C,
747-200F, 747-300, 747-400, and 747SP series airplanes. That AD
requires doing a detailed inspection of the left and right longeron
extension fittings, and corrective action if necessary. That AD
resulted from cracking found in the longeron extension fitting at body
station 1480 due to accidental damage during production. We issued that
AD to detect and correct cracking in the longeron extension fitting,
which could result in rapid decompression of the airplane.
Actions Since Existing AD Was Issued
Since we issued AD 2006-10-04, we received reports that accidental
drill damage was discovered during inspections of the longeron
extension fittings of five airplanes not subject to that AD, including
one airplane manufactured before the airplanes specified in the
effectivity of Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2515, dated October
20, 2005 (cited in AD 2006-10-04 as the appropriate source of service
information). Boeing therefore concluded that additional airplanes
which might be subject to the unsafe condition should be added to the
effectivity of a revision of that service bulletin.
Relevant Service Information
We have reviewed Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2515,
Revision 1, dated March 1, 2007. Revision 1 of the alert service
bulletin is essentially the same as the original issue, except that
airplanes have been added to its effectivity.
FAA's Determination and Requirements of the Proposed AD
We have evaluated all pertinent information and identified an
unsafe condition that is likely to develop on other airplanes of the
same type design. For this reason, we are proposing this AD, which
would supersede AD 2006-10-04 and would retain certain requirements of
the existing AD. The proposed AD would also add airplanes to the
applicability of the existing AD. The proposed AD would remove the
reporting requirement of the existing AD. The proposed AD would also
require accomplishing the actions specified in the service information
described previously, except as discussed under ``Difference Between
the Proposed AD and the Service Bulletin.''
Difference Between the Proposed AD and the Service Bulletin
The service bulletin specifies to contact the manufacturer for
instructions on how to repair certain conditions, but this proposed AD
would require repairing 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.
Interim Action
We consider this proposed AD interim action. If final action is
later identified, we may consider further rulemaking then.
Costs of Compliance
There are about 876 airplanes of the affected design in the
worldwide fleet. This proposed AD would affect about 156 airplanes of
U.S. registry.
The actions specified by this proposed AD were previously required
by AD 2006-10-04, which was applicable to approximately 25 airplanes of
U.S. registry. The actions required by that AD take about 1 work hour
per airplane. We estimated the cost of the current requirements of that
AD on U.S. operators to be $2,000, or $80 per airplane. Some operators
of the 25 airplanes subject to AD 2006-10-04 may have already initiated
the required actions. This proposed AD would add
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no new costs associated with those airplanes.
This proposed AD would be applicable to approximately 131
additional airplanes of U.S. registry. New actions required by this
proposed AD would take about 1 work hour per airplane. Based on the
current labor rate of $80 per work hour, we estimate the new costs
imposed by this proposed AD on U.S. operators to be $10,480, or $80 per
airplane. This figure is based on assumptions that no operator of these
additional airplanes has yet done any of the proposed requirements of
this AD, and that no operator would do those actions in the future if
this AD were not adopted.
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 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 and placed it in the AD docket. 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 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) amends Sec. 39.13 by
removing amendment 39-14588 (71 FR 27592, May 12, 2006) and adding the
following new airworthiness directive (AD):
BOEING: Docket No. FAA-2007-28989; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-
070-AD.
Comments Due Date
(a) The FAA must receive comments on this AD action by October
1, 2007.
Affected ADs
(b) This AD supersedes AD 2006-10-04.
Applicability
(c) This AD applies to Boeing Model 747-100, 747-100B, 747-100B
SUD, 747-200B, 747-200C, 747-200F, 747-300, 747-400, 747-400D, 747-
400F, 747SR, and 747SP series airplanes, certificated in any
category; as identified in Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-
53A2515, Revision 1, dated March 1, 2007.
Unsafe Condition
(d) This AD results from reports that accidental drilling damage
to the longeron extension fittings was found on airplanes not
subject to the existing AD. We are issuing this AD to detect and
correct accidental drilling damage of the longeron extension
fittings, which could lead to cracking of the longeron extension
fittings 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.
Restatement of Certain Requirements of AD 2006-10-04
Detailed Inspection
(f) For Group 1 airplanes identified in Boeing Alert Service
Bulletin 747-53A2515, Revision 1, dated March 1, 2007: At the
applicable compliance time specified in paragraph (f)(1) or (f)(2)
of this AD, do a detailed inspection of the left and right longeron
extension fittings for damage, and, before further flight, do the
corrective action if applicable, by accomplishing all the applicable
actions specified in the Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert
Service Bulletin 747-53A2515, dated October 20, 2005; or Revision 1,
dated March 1, 2007.
Note 1: Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2515, dated October
20, 2005; and Revision 1, dated March 1, 2007; refer to Boeing Alert
Service Bulletin 747-53A2390, Revision 1, dated July 6, 2000, as an
additional source of service information for replacing a damaged
longeron fitting with a new longeron extension fitting.
(1) For airplanes that have accomplished the inspection of the
splice area for cracking as specified in Boeing Alert Service
Bulletin 747-53A2390, dated July 31, 1997; or Revision 1, dated July
6, 2000: Inspect in accordance with paragraph (f) of this AD before
the airplane has accumulated 10,000 total flight cycles, or within
1,000 flight cycles after June 16, 2006 (the effective date of AD
2006-10-04), whichever is later.
(2) For airplanes that have not accomplished the inspection of
the splice area for cracking as specified in Boeing Alert Service
Bulletin 747-53A2390, dated July 31, 1997; or Revision 1, dated July
6, 2000: Inspect in accordance with paragraph (f) of this AD before
the airplane has accumulated 10,000 total flight cycles, or within
250 flight cycles after June 16, 2006, whichever is later.
New Requirements of This AD
Detailed Inspection of Additional Airplanes
(g) For Group 2 and Group 3 airplanes identified in Boeing Alert
Service Bulletin 747-53A2515, Revision 1, dated March 1, 2007:
Except as provided by paragraphs (h) and (i) of this AD, at the
applicable time specified in paragraph 1.E of Boeing Alert Service
Bulletin 747-53A2515, Revision 1, dated March 1, 2007, do a detailed
inspection of the left and right longeron extension fittings for
damage and, before further flight, do the corrective action, as
applicable; by accomplishing all the applicable actions specified in
the Accomplishment Instructions of the alert service bulletin.
Compliance Times
(h) Where the alert service bulletin specifies compliance times
relative to the release date of the alert service bulletin, this AD
requires compliance at compliance times relative to the effective
date of this AD.
Repair of Certain Conditions
(i) If any damage is found during any inspection required by
this AD and the service bulletin specifies to contact Boeing for
appropriate action: Before further flight, repair the damage using a
method approved in accordance with the procedures specified in
paragraph (k) of this AD.
Credit for Actions Done Using Previous Service Information
(j) Actions done before the effective date of this AD in
accordance with Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2515, dated
October 20, 2005, are considered acceptable for
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compliance with the corresponding actions of this AD.
Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)
(k)(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) AMOCs approved previously in accordance with AD 2006-10-04,
are approved as AMOCs for the corresponding provisions of this AD.
(3) To request a different method of compliance or a different
compliance time for this AD, follow the procedures in 14 CFR 39.19.
Before using any approved AMOC on any airplane to which the AMOC
applies, notify your appropriate principal inspector (PI) in the FAA
Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), or lacking a PI, your local
FSDO.
(4) 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 July 30, 2007.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. E7-16121 Filed 8-15-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P