Airworthiness Directives; Boeing Model 707-300B, -300C, and -400 Series Airplanes

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 132 (Tuesday, July 12, 2005)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 39912-39914]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-13435]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2005-20725; Directorate Identifier 2003-NM-250-AD; 
Amendment 39-14183; AD 2005-14-06]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Boeing Model 707-300B, -300C, and -400 
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 707-300B, -300C, and -400 series airplanes. This AD 
requires repetitive inspections to detect cracked or broken hinge 
fitting assemblies of the inboard leading edge slats, and corrective 
action if necessary. This AD also provides as an option a preventive 
modification, which defers the repetitive inspections. In addition, 
this AD provides an option of replacing all hinge fitting assemblies 
with new, improved parts, which terminates the repetitive inspection 
requirements. This AD is prompted by results of a review to identify 
and implement procedures to ensure the continued structural 
airworthiness of aging transport category airplanes. We are issuing 
this AD to detect and correct fatigue cracking of the hinge fitting 
assembly of the inboard leading edge slats, which could result in 
reduced structural integrity of the slat system. This condition could 
result in loss of the inboard leading edge slat and could cause the 
flightcrew to lose control of the airplane.

DATES: This AD becomes effective August 16, 2005.
    The incorporation by reference of a certain publication listed in 
the AD is approved by the Director of the Federal Register as of August 
16, 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-2005-20725; the directorate 
identifier for this docket is 2003-NM-250-AD.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Candice Gerretsen, Aerospace Engineer, 
Airframe Branch, ANM-120S, FAA Seattle Aircraft Certification Office, 
1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 98055-4056; telephone (425) 
917-6428; fax (425) 917-6590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA proposed to amend 14 CFR part 39 
with an AD for all Boeing Model 707-300B, -300C, and -400 series 
airplanes. That action, published in the Federal Register on March 30, 
2005 (70 FR 16177), proposed to require repetitive inspections to 
detect cracked or broken hinge fitting assemblies of the inboard 
leading edge slats, and corrective action if necessary. That action 
also proposed an optional preventive modification, which defers the 
repetitive inspections. In addition, that action proposed an option of 
replacing all hinge fitting assemblies with new, improved parts, which 
terminates the repetitive inspection requirements.

Comments

    We provided the public the opportunity to participate in the 
development of this AD. We have considered the comment that has been 
submitted on the proposed AD. The commenter supports the proposed AD.

Explanation of Change to Referenced Service Bulletin

    We have corrected the title of the service bulletin referred to in 
this AD to ``Boeing 707/720 Service Bulletin 2982.''

Clarification of Optional Preventative Modification

    We have revised the text of paragraph (i) of the AD to clarify that 
the optional preventative modification ``defers the repetitive 
inspections required by paragraph (g) of this AD.''

Conclusion

    We have carefully reviewed the available data, including the 
comment that has been submitted, and determined that air safety and the

[[Page 39913]]

public interest require adopting the AD with the changes described 
previously. We have determined that these changes will neither increase 
the economic burden on any operator nor increase the scope of the AD.

Costs of Compliance

    This AD affects about 189 Boeing Model 707-300B, -300C, and -400 
series airplanes worldwide. The following table provides the estimated 
costs for U.S. operators to comply with this AD.

                                                 Estimated Costs
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                                                                                                      Number of
                                                     Average                                            U.S.-
               Action                  Work hours   labor rate     Parts       Cost per  airplane     registered
                                                     per hour                                         airplanes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dye Penetrant Inspection............            3          $65        (\1\)  $195 (per inspection             16
                                                                              cycle).
Preventive Modification (Optional)..           10           65        (\1\)  650 (per inspection)..           16
Terminating Action (Optional).......           10           65       $8,220  8,870.................          16
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ None.

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:
    (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):

2005-14-06 Boeing: Amendment 39-14183. Docket No. FAA-2005-20725; 
Directorate Identifier 2003-NM-250-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This AD becomes effective August 16, 2005.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to all Boeing Model 707-300B, -300C, and -
400 series airplanes, certificated in any category.

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD was prompted by results of a review to identify and 
implement procedures to ensure the continued structural 
airworthiness of aging transport category airplanes. We are issuing 
this AD to detect and correct fatigue cracking of the hinge fitting 
assembly of the inboard leading edge slats, which could result in 
reduced structural integrity of the slat system. This condition 
could result in loss of the inboard leading edge slat and could 
cause the flightcrew to lose control 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.

Service Bulletin Reference

    (f) In this AD, the term ``service bulletin'' means the 
Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing 707/720 Service Bulletin 2982, 
Revision 2, dated October 7, 1977.

Repetitive Inspections

    (g) Before the accumulation of 10,000 total flight hours, or 
within 1,500 flight hours after the effective date of this AD, 
whichever occurs later, do a dye penetrant inspection to detect 
cracked or broken hinge fitting assemblies of the inboard leading 
edge slats in accordance with Part I, ``Inspection Data,'' of the 
service bulletin. Repeat the inspection at intervals not to exceed 
1,500 flight hours, except as provided by paragraph (i) or (k) of 
this AD.

Corrective Action

    (h) If any crack or broken assembly is found during any 
inspection required by paragraph (g) of this AD, before further 
flight, do the action specified in paragraph (h)(1), (h)(2), or 
(h)(3) of this AD.
    (1) Replace the hinge fitting assembly with a like serviceable 
part in accordance with Part I of the service bulletin.
    (2) Replace the hinge fitting assembly with a like serviceable 
part on which the preventative modification specified in paragraph 
(i) of this AD has been done, in accordance with Part II of the 
service bulletin. This replacement defers the repetitive inspection 
requirements of paragraph (g) of this AD for 15,000 flight hours for 
that hinge fitting assembly.
    (3) Replace the hinge fitting assembly with a new, improved part 
in accordance with Part III of the service bulletin. This 
replacement terminates the repetitive inspection requirements of 
paragraph (g) of this AD for that hinge fitting assembly.

    Note 1: For this AD, a ``like serviceable part'' is a 
serviceable part listed in the ``Existing'' part number column of 
Table II of the service bulletin that has been inspected

[[Page 39914]]

and found to be crack free in accordance with paragraph (g) of this 
AD before installation. A ``new part'' is a part listed in the 
``Replacement'' or ``Optional'' part number column of Table II of 
the service bulletin.

Optional Preventative Modification (Defers Repetitive Inspections)

    (i) Doing a preventative modification by accomplishing all the 
procedures in Part II of the service bulletin, except as required by 
paragraph (j) of this AD, defers the repetitive inspections required 
by paragraph (g) of this AD. Within 15,000 flight hours after the 
preventive modification, do the repetitive inspections in paragraph 
(g) of this AD at intervals not to exceed 1,500 flight hours.
    (j) If any crack is found during the preventative modification 
specified in paragraph (i) of this AD, before further flight, do the 
action specified in paragraph (h) of this AD.

Optional Terminating Action

    (k) Replacement of a hinge fitting assembly with a new, improved 
part terminates the repetitive inspection requirements of paragraph 
(g) of this AD for that assembly. Replacement of all hinge fitting 
assemblies with new, improved parts terminates the repetitive 
inspection requirements of this AD. The replacement must be done in 
accordance with Part III of the service bulletin.

Actions Accomplished Using a Previous Issue of the Service Bulletin

    (l) Actions accomplished before the effective date of this AD 
using Boeing 707/720 Service Bulletin 2982, Revision 1, dated June 
29, 1970, are considered acceptable for compliance with the 
corresponding action in this AD.

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (m)(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.
    (2) An AMOC that provides an acceptable level of safety may be 
used for a preventive modification of hinge fitting assemblies of 
the inboard leading edge slat 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

    (n) You must use Boeing 707/720 Service Bulletin 2982, Revision 
2, dated October 7, 1977, to perform the actions that are required 
by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise. Boeing 707/720 
Service Bulletin 2982, Revision 2, dated October 7, 1977, contains 
the following list of effective pages:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Revision
                                      level
             Page No.               shown on       Date shown on page
                                      page
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1-6, 8, 12.......................           2  Oct. 7, 1977.
7, 9-11, 13-27...................           1  June 29, 1970.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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, contact 
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 June 29, 2005.
Kevin M. Mullin,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 05-13435 Filed 7-11-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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