[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 168 (Thursday, August 28, 2008)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 50714-50716]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-19367]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2008-0621; Directorate Identifier 2008-NM-015-AD;
Amendment 39-15653; AD 2008-17-15]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Boeing Model 737-600, -700, -800, and -
900 Series Airplanes
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain
Boeing Model 737-600, -700, -800, and -900 series airplanes. This AD
requires installing hot short protector (HSP) support brackets and
equipment for the fuel quantity indicating system (FQIS) fuel
densitometer and other specified actions as applicable. This AD also
requires revising the Airworthiness Limitations (AWLs) section of the
Instructions for Continued Airworthiness to incorporate AWL No. 28-AWL-
07. This AD results from fuel system reviews conducted by the
manufacturer. We are issuing this AD to prevent the center tank fuel
densitometer from overheating and becoming a potential ignition source
inside the center fuel tank, which, in combination with flammable fuel
vapors, could result in a center fuel tank explosion and consequent
loss of the airplane.
DATES: This AD is effective October 2, 2008.
The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by
reference of certain publications listed in this AD as of October 2,
2008.
ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this AD, contact
Boeing Commercial Airplanes, P.O. Box 3707, Seattle, Washington 98124-
2207.
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 AD, the regulatory evaluation,
any comments received, and other information. The address for the
Docket Office (telephone 800-647-5527) is the Document Management
Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30,
West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE.,
Washington, DC 20590.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Georgios Roussos, Aerospace Engineer,
Systems and Equipment Branch, ANM-130S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft
Certification Office, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98057-
3356; telephone (425) 917-6482; fax (425) 917-6590.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Discussion
We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR
part 39 to include an airworthiness directive (AD) that would apply to
certain Boeing Model 737-600, -700, -800, and -900 series airplanes.
That NPRM was published in the Federal Register on June 9, 2008 (73 FR
32491). That NPRM proposed to require installing hot short protector
(HSP) support brackets and equipment for the fuel quantity indicating
system (FQIS) fuel densitometer and other specified actions as
applicable. That NPRM proposed to also require revising the
Airworthiness Limitations (AWLs) section of the Instructions for
Continued Airworthiness to incorporate AWL No. 28-AWL-07.
Comments
We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing
this AD. We considered the single comment received. Boeing concurs with
the NPRM.
Change to Final Rule Regarding Later Revisions of Service Information
We removed all references to the use of ``later revisions'' of the
applicable service information from this AD to be consistent with FAA
and Office of the Federal Register policies. We may consider approving
the use of later revisions of the service information as an alternative
method of compliance with this AD, as provided by paragraph (k) of this
AD.
Conclusion
We reviewed the relevant data, considered the comment received, and
determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting the
AD with the change described previously. We also determined that this
change will not increase the economic burden
[[Page 50715]]
on any operator or increase the scope of the AD.
Costs of Compliance
We estimate that this AD affects 13 airplanes of U.S. registry. The
following table provides the estimated costs, at an average labor rate
of $80 per work hour, for U.S. operators to comply with this AD.
Estimated Costs
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Number of
Cost per U.S.-
Action Work hours Parts airplane registered Fleet cost
airplanes
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Installation of HSP support Up to 16........ Up to $14,698... Up to $15,978.. 13 Up to $207,714
brackets and equipment.
AWLs revision................ 1............... None............ $80............ 13 $1,040
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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
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:
(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.
You can find our regulatory evaluation and the estimated costs of
compliance in the AD Docket.
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 AD:
2008-17-15 Boeing: Amendment 39-15653. Docket No. FAA-2008-0621;
Directorate Identifier 2008-NM-015-AD.
Effective Date
(a) This airworthiness directive (AD) is effective October 2,
2008.
Affected ADs
(b) None.
Applicability
(c) This AD applies to Boeing Model 737-600, -700, -800, and -
900 series airplanes, certificated in any category; as identified in
Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 737-28A1221, Revision 1, dated
November 9, 2007.
Note 1: This AD requires revisions to certain operator
maintenance documents to include new inspections. Compliance with
these inspections is required by 14 CFR 91.403(c). For airplanes
that have been previously modified, altered, or repaired in the
areas addressed by these inspections, the operator may not be able
to accomplish the inspections described in the revisions. In this
situation, to comply with 14 CFR 91.403(c), the operator must
request approval for an alternative method of compliance (AMOC)
according to paragraph (k) of this AD. The request should include a
description of changes to the required inspections that will ensure
the continued operational safety of the airplane.
Unsafe Condition
(d) This AD results from fuel system reviews conducted by the
manufacturer. We are issuing this AD to prevent the center tank fuel
densitometer from overheating and becoming a potential ignition
source inside the center fuel tank, which, in combination with
flammable fuel vapors, could result in a center fuel tank explosion
and consequent loss of the airplane.
Compliance
(e) Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified,
unless already done.
Installation of the Hot Short Protector (HSP)
(f) Within 60 months after the effective date of this AD,
install the HSP support brackets and equipment for the fuel quantity
indicating system (FQIS) fuel densitometer and do all the other
specified actions as applicable, by accomplishing all of the
applicable actions specified in the Accomplishment Instructions of
Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 737-28A1221, Revision 1, dated
November 9, 2007.
Airworthiness Limitations (AWLs) Revision for AWL No. 28-AWL-07
(g) Concurrently with accomplishing the actions required by
paragraph (f) of this AD, revise the AWLs section of the
Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA) by incorporating AWL
No. 28-AWL-07 of Subsection F, ``AIRWORTHINESS LIMITATIONS--FUEL
SYSTEM AWLs,'' of Section 9 of the Boeing 737-600/700/800/900
Maintenance Planning Data (MPD) Document, D626A001-CMR, Revision
March 2007 R2 (hereafter referred to as ``the MPD'').
No Alternative Critical Design Configuration Control Limitations
(CDCCLs)
(h) After accomplishing the action specified in paragraph (g) of
this AD, no alternative CDCCLs may be used unless the CDCCLs are
approved as an alternative methods of compliance (AMOC) in
accordance with the procedures specified in paragraph (k) of this
AD.
Credit for Actions Done According to Previous Issue of Service Bulletin
(i) Actions done before the effective date of this AD in
accordance with Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 737-28A1221, dated
January 14, 2007, are acceptable for compliance with the
requirements of paragraph (f) of this AD.
[[Page 50716]]
Terminating Action for AWLs Revision
(j) Incorporating AWL No. 28-AWL-07 into the AWLs section of the
ICA in accordance with paragraph (g)(3) of AD 2008-10-10, amendment
39-15516, terminates the action required by paragraph (g) of this
AD.
AMOCs
(k)(1) The Manager, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office, FAA,
ATTN: Georgios Roussos, Aerospace Engineer, Systems and Equipment
Branch, ANM-130S, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 98057-
3356; telephone (425) 917-6482; fax (425) 917-6590; has the
authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested using 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.
Material Incorporated by Reference
(l) You must use Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 737-28A1221,
Revision 1, dated November 9, 2007; and Airworthiness Limitation 28-
AWL-07 of Section 9 of the Boeing 737-600/700/800/900 Maintenance
Planning Data (MPD) Document, D626A001-CMR, Revision March 2007 R2;
to do the actions required by this AD, unless the AD specifies
otherwise.
(1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the
incorporation by reference of this service information under 5
U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
(2) For service information identified in this AD, contact
Boeing Commercial Airplanes, P.O. Box 3707, Seattle, Washington
98124-2207.
(3) You may review copies of the service information
incorporated by reference at the FAA, Transport Airplane
Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington; or at the
National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information
on the availability of this material at 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 August 12, 2008.
Michael J Kaszycki,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. E8-19367 Filed 8-27-08; 8:45 am]
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