[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 219 (Monday, November 15, 2010)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 69612-69614]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-28605]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2010-1111; Directorate Identifier 2010-NM-129-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Model 747-200B, -
300, -400, -400D, and -400F Series Airplanes Powered by Pratt and
Whitney 4000 or General Electric CF6-80C2 Series Engines
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for
certain Model 747-200B, -300, -400, -400D, and -400F series airplanes.
This proposed AD would require an inspection to determine the part
number of the door and to determine if the correct mid-pivot access
door is installed, and the installation of a marker on the mid-pivot
access door, and if necessary, repetitive ultrasonic inspections for
cracking of the mid-pivot bolt assembly and eventual replacement of the
mid-pivot bolt assembly. This proposed AD results from a report that
the left and right spring beam mid-pivot bolt assembly access doors for
the No. 1 strut were inadvertently installed in the incorrect position
during strut modification. We are proposing this AD to detect and
correct incorrectly installed mid-pivot bolt assemblies on the spring
beam on the outboard struts. Incorrectly installed bolt assemblies
could lead to fatigue cracking and consequent fracturing of the mid-
pivot bolt assembly, which could lead to loss of the spring beam load
path and the possible separation of a strut and engine from the
airplane during flight.
DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by December 30,
2010.
ADDRESSES: You may send comments by any of the following methods:
[[Page 69613]]
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.
For service information identified in this proposed AD, contact
Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Attention: Data & Services Management,
P.O. Box 3707, MC 2H-65, Seattle, Washington 98124-2207; telephone 206-
544-5000, extension 1; fax 206-766-5680; e-mail, [email protected];
Internet https://www.myboeingfleet.com. You may review copies of the
referenced service information at the FAA, Transport Airplane
Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington. For information
on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 425-227-1221.
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: Kenneth Paoletti, Aerospace Engineer,
Airframe Branch, ANM-120S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office
(ACO), 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; telephone
(425) 917-6434; 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-2010-1111;
Directorate Identifier 2010-NM-129-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 a report that the mid-pivot access doors on the
No. 1 strut were inadvertently installed in the incorrect position
during strut modification. The design of the access doors can allow the
doors to be installed on either side of the strut. The mid-pivot access
door has machined tabs that fit the slots in the head of the mid-pivot
bolt assembly. The machined tabs correctly orient the mid-pivot bolt
assembly and prevent the mid-pivot bolt from rotating in the spring
beam. The correct orientation of the mid-pivot bolt reduces the fatigue
on the cross-drilled lubrication channel. If the lubrication channel is
not in the correct orientation, fatigue cracking could develop in the
mid-pivot bolt assembly. The fatigue cracking could lead to the
fracture of the mid-pivot bolt assembly. Fracture of the mid-pivot bolt
assembly could result in the loss of the spring beam load path. Loss of
the spring beam load path could result in the separation of a strut and
engine from the airplane during flight.
Relevant Service Information
We have reviewed Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-54A2232, dated
April 15, 2010. The service bulletin describes procedures for doing an
inspection to determine the part number of the door and to determine if
the correct mid-pivot access door is installed. For airplanes on which
the correct door is installed, the service bulletin describes
procedures for installing a marker on the mid-pivot access door. For
airplanes on which the correct access door is not installed, Boeing
Alert Service Bulletin 747-54A2232, dated April 15, 2010, describes
procedures for rotating the mid-pivot bolt assembly to the correct
orientation and replacing the access door, and installing the marker on
the mid-pivot access door. In addition, for those airplanes without the
correct door, the service bulletin describes procedures for doing one
of two options:
Doing repetitive ultrasonic inspections for cracks of the
mid-pivot bolt assembly, and if no cracking is found, eventually
replacing the assembly.
Replacing the mid-pivot bolt assembly before further
flight. Replacing the mid-pivot bolt assembly terminates the need for
repetitive inspections.
FAA's Determination and Requirements of This Proposed AD
We are proposing this AD because we evaluated all relevant
information and determined the unsafe condition described previously is
likely to exist or develop in other products of these same type
designs. This proposed AD would require accomplishing the actions
specified in the service information described previously.
Costs of Compliance
We estimate that this proposed AD would affect 95 airplanes of U.S.
registry. We also estimate that it would take about 3 work-hours per
product to comply with this proposed AD. The average labor rate is $85
per work-hour. Based on these figures, we estimate the cost of this
proposed AD to the U.S. operators to be $24,225, or $255 per product.
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 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 this proposed
regulation:
[[Page 69614]]
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.
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.
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 AD:
The Boeing Company: Docket No. FAA-2010-1111; Directorate Identifier
2010-NM-129-AD.
Comments Due Date
(a) We must receive comments by December 30, 2010.
Affected ADs
(b) None.
Applicability
(c) This AD applies to The Boeing Company Model 747-200B, -300,
-400, -400D, and -400F series airplanes, certificated in any
category; equipped with Pratt and Whitney 4000 or General Electric
CF6-80C2 series engines, as identified in Boeing Alert Service
Bulletin 747-54A2232, dated April 15, 2010.
Subject
(d) Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 54:
Nacelles/pylons.
Unsafe Condition
(e) This AD results from a report that the left and right spring
beam mid-pivot bolt assembly access doors for the no. 1 strut were
inadvertently installed in the incorrect position during strut
modification. The Federal Aviation Administration is issuing this AD
to detect and correct incorrectly installed mid-pivot bolt
assemblies on the spring beam on the outboard struts. Incorrectly
installed bolt assemblies could lead to fatigue cracking and
consequent fracturing of the mid-pivot bolt assembly, which could
lead to loss of the spring beam load path and the possible
separation of a strut and engine from the airplane during flight.
Compliance
(f) You are responsible for having the actions required by this
AD performed within the compliance times specified, unless the
actions have already been done.
Inspection To Determine if Correct Door Is Installed
(g) Within 24 months after the effective date of this AD, do an
inspection to determine if the correct mid-pivot access door is
installed, in accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions of
Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-54A2232, dated April 15, 2010.
(h) If, during the inspection required by paragraph (g) of this
AD, the correct mid-pivot door is found to be installed, before
further flight, install a marker on the mid-pivot access door, in
accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert
Service Bulletin 747-54A2232, dated April 15, 2010.
(i) If, during the inspection required by paragraph (g) of this
AD, the correct mid-pivot door is not found to be installed, before
further flight, do the actions required by paragraphs (i)(1),
(i)(2), and (i)(3) of this AD, in accordance with the Accomplishment
Instructions of Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-54A2232, dated
April 15, 2010.
(1) Rotate the mid-pivot bolt assembly to the correct
orientation and replace the mid-pivot access door with a new or
serviceable mid-pivot access door.
(2) Install a marker on the mid-pivot access door.
(3) Do the actions required by paragraph (i)(3)(i) or (i)(3)(ii)
of this AD.
(i) (Option 1) Do an ultrasonic inspection for cracking of the
mid-pivot bolt assembly.
(A) If no cracking is found, do the actions required by
paragraphs (i)(3)(i)(A)(1) and (i)(3)(i)(A)(2) of this AD.
(1) Repeat the ultrasonic inspection for cracking of the mid-
pivot bolt assembly thereafter at intervals not to exceed 24 months
until the action required by paragraph (i)(3)(i)(A)(2) of this AD is
done.
(2) Within 60 months after the effective date of this AD,
replace the mid-pivot bolt assembly with a new mid-pivot bolt
assembly. Replacement terminates the repetitive inspections required
by paragraph (i)(3)(i)(A)(1) of this AD.
(B) If any cracking is found, replace the mid-pivot bolt
assembly with a new mid-pivot bolt assembly, before further flight.
(ii) (Option 2) Replace the mid-pivot bolt assembly with a new
mid-pivot bolt assembly.
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
using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. Send information to
Attn: Kenneth Paoletti, Aerospace Engineer, Airframe Branch, ANM-
120S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), 1601 Lind
Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; telephone (425) 917-
6434; fax (425) 917-6590. Information may be e-mailed to: [email protected].
(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 principal maintenance inspector (PMI) or
principal avionics inspector (PAI), as appropriate, or lacking a
principal inspector, your local Flight Standards District Office.
The AMOC approval letter must specifically reference this AD.
(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 the
Boeing Commercial Airplanes Organization Designation Authorization
(ODA) that 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 November 2, 2010.
Jeffrey E. Duven,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-28605 Filed 11-12-10; 8:45 am]
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