[Federal Register: December 17, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 241)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 71277-71279]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr17de07-19]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2007-0270; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-211-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Boeing Model 757-200, -200PF, and -
200CB 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 757-200, -200PF, and -200CB series airplanes.
This proposed AD would require doing an ultrasound inspection for
disbonded tear straps not mechanically fastened to the skin, and
related investigative and corrective actions, if necessary. This
proposed AD results from reports indicating that bonded skin panels may
not have been correctly anodized in phosphoric acid before the tear
strap doubler was bonded to the skin. We are proposing this AD to
detect and correct a weak bond between the skin and tear strap. Such
disbonding could reduce the ability of the skin to resist cracks and
could adversely affect the structural integrity of the airplane.
DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by January 31,
2008.
ADDRESSES: You may send comments by any of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
Fax: 202-493-2251.
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.
Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
[[Page 71278]]
For service information identified in this AD, contact Boeing
Commercial Airplanes, P.O. Box 3707, Seattle, Washington 98124-2207,
for the service information identified in this proposed AD.
Examining the AD Docket
You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov
; or in person at the Docket Management Facility
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal
holidays. The AD docket contains this proposed AD, the regulatory
evaluation, any comments received, and other information. The street
address for the Docket Office (telephone 800-647-5527) is in the
ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly
after receipt.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jason Deutschman, Aerospace Engineer,
Airframe Branch, ANM-120S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office,
1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; telephone (425)
917-6449; fax (425) 917-6590.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or
arguments about this proposed AD. Send your comments to an address
listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2007-0270;
Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-211-AD'' at the beginning of your
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory,
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this proposed AD. We
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend
this proposed AD because of those comments.
We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://www.regulations.gov
, including any personal information you provide. We
will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact we
receive about this proposed AD.
Discussion
We have received reports indicating that bonded skin panels may not
have been correctly anodized in phosphoric acid before the tear strap
doubler was bonded to the skin between stations 439 to 900, and 1180 to
1621, and between stringers 10 left and 10 right, on Boeing Model 757-
200, -200PF, and -200CB series airplanes. The cause of the disbonded
tear straps has been attributed to a manufacturing process error. A
weak bond between the skin and tear strap, if not corrected, could
reduce the ability of the skin to resist cracks and could adversely
affect the structural integrity of the airplane.
Relevant Service Information
We have reviewed Boeing Special Attention Service Bulletin 757-53-
0077, Revision 1, dated August 6, 2007. The service bulletin describes
procedures for doing an ultrasound inspection for disbonded tear straps
not mechanically fastened to the skin between stations 439 to 900, and
1180 to 1621, and between stringers 10 left and 10 right, and doing
applicable related investigative and corrective actions. The related
investigative actions include doing a high frequency eddy current
inspection to detect cracks around the fasteners, and doing a low
frequency eddy current inspection to detect corrosion on the surface,
as applicable. The corrective actions include installing rivets to
repair disbonding, and contacting Boeing for crack and/or corrosion
repair, as applicable.
The service bulletin also specifies the following compliance times
for:
Related investigative actions: Before further flight.
Corrective actions: Before further flight or within 3,000
flight cycles after the disbonding is found, depending on the location
of the disbond.
Accomplishing the actions specified in the service information 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. For this reason, we are proposing this AD,
which would require accomplishing the actions specified in the service
information described previously.
Costs of Compliance
There are about 744 airplanes of the affected design in the
worldwide fleet. This proposed AD would affect about 487 airplanes of
U.S. registry. The proposed actions would take about 16 work hours per
airplane, at an average labor rate of $80 per work hour. Based on these
figures, the estimated cost of the proposed AD for U.S. operators is
$623,360, or $1,280 per airplane.
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
[[Page 71279]]
by adding the following new airworthiness directive (AD):
Boeing: Docket No. FAA-2007-0270; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-
211-AD.
Comments Due Date
(a) The FAA must receive comments on this AD action by January
31, 2008.
Affected ADs
(b) None.
Applicability
(c) This AD applies to Boeing Model 757-200, -200PF, and -200CB
series airplanes, certificated in any category; as identified in
Boeing Special Attention Service Bulletin 757-53-0077, Revision 1,
dated August 6, 2007.
Unsafe Condition
(d) This AD results from reports indicating that bonded skin
panels may not have been correctly anodized in phosphoric acid
before the tear strap doubler was bonded to the skin. We are issuing
this AD to detect and correct a weak bond between the skin and tear
strap. Such disbonding could reduce the ability of the skin to
resist cracks and could adversely affect the structural integrity 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.
Initial Inspection
(f) At the applicable initial compliance time in paragraph
(f)(1) or (f)(2) of this AD, do an external ultrasound inspection
for disbonded tear straps not mechanically fastened to the skin
between stations 439 to 900, and 1180 to 1621, and between stringers
10 left and 10 right, in accordance with the Accomplishment
Instructions of Boeing Special Attention Service Bulletin 757-53-
0077, Revision 1, dated August 6, 2007.
(1) For airplanes with less than or equal to 21,000 total flight
cycles: Before the accumulation of 24,000 total flight cycles, but
no earlier than 18,000 total flight cycles.
(2) For airplanes with more than 21,000 total flight cycles:
Within 3,000 flight cycles after the effective date of this AD.
Repetitive Inspection
(g) If no disbonding is found during the ultrasound inspection
required by paragraph (f) of this AD, repeat the inspection once
before 36,000 total flight cycles, but no earlier than 30,000 total
flight cycles.
Related Investigative and Corrective Actions
(h) If any disbonding is found during the ultrasound inspection
required by paragraph (f) or (g) of this AD, do the applicable
related investigative and corrective actions by accomplishing all
the actions specified in the Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing
Special Attention Service Bulletin 757-53-0077, Revision 1, dated
August 6, 2007, at the applicable compliance time specified in 1.E.,
``Compliance,'' of the service bulletin; except as provided by
paragraph (i) of this AD.
(i) If any crack and/or corrosion is found during any inspection
required by this AD, and Boeing Special Attention Service Bulletin
757-53-0077, Revision 1, dated August 6, 2007, specifies to contact
Boeing for appropriate action: Before further flight, repair the
crack and/or corrosion using a method approved in accordance with
the procedures specified in paragraph (j) of this AD.
Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)
(j)(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) 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.
(3) 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 December 7, 2007.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. E7-24383 Filed 12-14-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P