Airworthiness Directives; Boeing Model 747-200C and 747-200F Series Airplanes

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 98 (Monday, May 23, 2005)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 29442-29444]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-9981]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2005-20024; Directorate Identifier 2004-NM-66-AD; 
Amendment 39-14100; AD 2005-10-22]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Boeing Model 747-200C and 747-200F 
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 747-200C and 747-200F series airplanes. This AD requires 
repetitive inspections for cracking of the left and right C-3 frame 
upper closure fittings of the nose cargo door, and

[[Page 29443]]

corrective actions if necessary. This AD also provides an optional 
modification that, if done, terminates inspections in certain areas. 
This AD is prompted by reports indicating that fatigue cracking was 
found in the inboard flange above the flight deck floor on the C-3 
frame upper closure fittings of the nose cargo door. We are issuing 
this AD to detect and correct cracking of the C-3 frame upper closure 
fittings, which could extend and result in rapid depressurization of 
the airplane.

DATES: This AD becomes effective June 27, 2005.
    The incorporation by reference of a certain publication listed in 
the AD is approved by the Director of the Federal Register as of June 
27, 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-2005-20024; the directorate 
identifier for this docket is 2004-NM-66-AD.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ivan Li, Aerospace Engineer, Airframe 
Branch, ANM-120S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office, 1601 Lind 
Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98055-4056; telephone (425) 917-6437; 
fax (425) 917-6590.

Examining the 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 DOT 
street address stated in the ADDRESSES section.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA proposed to amend 14 CFR Part 39 
with an AD for all Boeing Model 747-200C and 747-200F series airplanes. 
That action, published in the Federal Register on January 18, 2005 (70 
FR 2826), proposed to require repetitive inspections for cracking of 
the left and right C-3 frame upper closure fittings of the nose cargo 
door, and corrective actions if necessary. That action also provides an 
optional modification that, if done, would terminate inspections in 
certain areas.

Comments

    We provided the public the opportunity to participate in the 
development of this AD. We have considered the comments that have been 
submitted on the proposed AD.

Support for the Proposed AD

    One commenter concurs with the proposed AD.

Request for Credit for Actions Accomplished Previously

    Another commenter has no technical objection to the proposed AD, 
but requests that we recognize inspections accomplished before the 
effective date of the AD as acceptable for compliance with the initial 
inspection requirement. The commenter states that it has previously 
accomplished the proposed requirements on some of its airplanes during 
scheduled maintenance visits.
    We agree with the commenter that any applicable inspection 
accomplished before the effective date of this AD should be acceptable 
for compliance with the initial inspection requirement. However, we 
find that no change is necessary to meet the intent of the commenter's 
request. Credit is always given for actions accomplished before the 
effective date of an AD, as allowed by paragraph (e) of this AD: ``You 
are responsible for having the actions required by this AD performed 
within the compliance times specified, unless the actions have already 
been done.'' The phrase ``unless the actions have already been done,'' 
gives the credit that the commenter is seeking. We have not changed the 
AD in this regard.

Conclusion

    We have carefully reviewed the available data, including the 
comments that have been submitted, and determined that air safety and 
the public interest require adopting the AD as proposed.

Costs of Compliance

    This AD affects about 78 airplanes worldwide. The following table 
provides the estimated costs for U.S. operators to comply with this AD.

                                                                     Estimated Costs
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                   Number of U.S.-
               Action                  Work hours     Average labor          Parts            Cost per airplane      registered          Fleet cost
                                                      rate per hour                                                   airplanes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inspection.........................               2             $65  None.................  $130, per inspection               20  $2,600, per
                                                                                             cycle.                                 inspection cycle.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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:

[[Page 29444]]

    (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):

2005-10-22 Boeing: Amendment 39-14100. Docket No. FAA-2005-20024; 
Directorate Identifier 2004-NM-66-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This AD becomes effective June 27, 2005.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to all Boeing Model 747-200C and 747-200F 
series airplanes, certificated in any category.

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD was prompted by a report indicating that fatigue 
cracking was found in the inboard flange above the flight deck floor 
on the C-3 frame upper closure fittings of the nose cargo door. We 
are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracking of the C-3 frame 
upper closure fittings, which could extend and result in rapid 
depressurization 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.

Repetitive Inspections

    (f) Do a detailed inspection of the left and right C-3 frame 
upper closure fittings of the nose cargo door, including the flight 
deck floor tang, according to the Accomplishment Instructions of 
Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2495, dated December 18, 2003. 
Do the initial inspection at the applicable compliance time 
specified in Figure 1 (Group 1 and 2 airplanes) or 2 (Group 3 and 4 
airplanes) of the service bulletin, as applicable; except, where the 
service bulletin specifies a compliance time relative to the date of 
the initial release of the service bulletin, this AD requires 
compliance relative to the effective date of this AD. Repeat the 
inspection thereafter at intervals not to exceed 3,000 flight 
cycles, except as provided by paragraph (h) of this AD.

    Note 1: For the purposes of this AD, a detailed inspection is: 
``An intensive examination of a specific item, installation, or 
assembly to detect damage, failure, or irregularity. Available 
lighting is normally supplemented with a direct source of good 
lighting at an intensity deemed appropriate. Inspection aids such as 
mirror, magnifying lenses, etc., may be necessary. Surface cleaning 
and elaborate procedures may be required.''

Repair/Replacement

    (g) If any cracking is found during any inspection required by 
this AD: Before further flight, do applicable repairs or replace the 
fitting with a new fitting, according to the Accomplishment 
Instructions of Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2495, dated 
December 18, 2003; except, where the bulletin specifies to contact 
Boeing for appropriate action, before further flight, repair in 
accordance with a method approved by the Manager, Seattle Aircraft 
Certification Office (ACO), FAA; or in accordance with data meeting 
the certification basis of the airplane approved by an Authorized 
Representative for the Boeing Delegation Option Authorization 
Organization who the Manager, Seattle ACO, has authorized to make 
this finding. For a repair method to be approved by the Manager, 
Seattle ACO, as required by this paragraph, the Manager's approval 
letter must specifically reference this AD.

Optional Modification

    (h) Doing all actions associated with the modification of the 
upper closure fitting, including performing an open-hole high 
frequency eddy current inspection for cracking of certain fastener 
holes and all applicable corrective actions; according to Figure 4 
of the Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 
747-53A2495, dated December 18, 2003; terminates the repetitive 
inspections of the upper part of the upper closure fitting required 
by paragraph (f) of this AD. However, inspections of the flight deck 
floor tang must continue, as required by paragraph (f) of this AD.

    Note 2: There is no terminating action available at this time 
for the inspections of the flight deck floor tang required by 
paragraph (f) of this AD.

No Threshold Adjustment

    (i) While Note 4 of the Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing 
Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2495, dated December 18, 2003, 
provides for adjusting the flight cycle threshold specified in the 
service bulletin by not counting flight cycles with a cabin pressure 
differential of 2.0 pounds per square inch or less, this AD does not 
allow this adjustment.

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (j)(1) The Manager, Seattle ACO, has the authority to approve 
AMOCs for this AD, if requested in accordance with the procedures 
found in 14 CFR 39.19.
    (2) 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 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

    (k) You must use Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2495, 
dated December 18, 2003, to perform the actions that are required by 
this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise. 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, go to 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 May 12, 2005.
Jeffrey E. Duven,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 05-9981 Filed 5-20-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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