Airworthiness Directives; Boeing Model 747-200F, 747-200C, 747-400, 747-400D, and 747-400F Series Airplanes

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 41 (Thursday, March 2, 2006)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 10605-10607]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-1828]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2005-22526; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-008-AD; 
Amendment 39-14499; AD 2006-05-02]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Boeing Model 747-200F, 747-200C, 747-
400, 747-400D, and 747-400F 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 747-200F, 747-200C, 747-400, 747-400D, and 747-400F series 
airplanes. This AD requires repetitive inspections for cracking of 
certain fuselage internal structure, and repair if necessary. This AD 
results from fatigue tests and analysis that identified areas of the 
fuselage where fatigue cracks can occur. We are issuing this AD to 
prevent loss of the structural integrity of the fuselage, which could 
result in rapid depressurization of the airplane.

DATES: This AD becomes effective April 6, 2006.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain publication listed in the AD as of April 6, 
2006.

ADDRESSES: You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov or in person at the Docket Management Facility, U.S. 
Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street SW., Nassif Building, 
Room PL-401, Washington, DC.
    Contact Boeing Commercial Airplanes, P.O. Box 3707, Seattle, 
Washington 98124-2207, for service information identified in this 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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Examining the Docket

    You may examine the airworthiness directive (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 street address stated in the ADDRESSES section.

Discussion

    The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 
CFR part 39 to include an AD that would apply to all Boeing Model 747-
200F, 747-200C, 747-400, 747-400D, and 747-400F series airplanes. That 
NPRM was published in the Federal Register on September 29, 2005 (70 FR 
56860). That NPRM proposed to require repetitive inspections for 
cracking of

[[Page 10606]]

certain fuselage internal structure, and repair if necessary.

Comments

    We provided the public the opportunity to participate in the 
development of this AD. We have considered the comments received.

Support for the Proposed AD

    One commenter concurs with the contents of the proposed AD and has 
no additional comments.

Request To Revise Compliance Time

    One commenter, on behalf of an airline, requests that we adjust the 
proposed grace period for the initial inspection to ``greater than 
1,000 cycles, but less than or equal to the required SSID [Supplemental 
Structural Inspection Document] program repetitive inspection 
interval'' if no cracks were found during the SSID inspection. He 
provides no further justification for the request.
    We disagree with the request to revise the grace period. The SSID 
program is an exploratory program intended for revealing cracks in 
structure with no prior history of fatigue cracking. The SSID program 
was substantiated by analysis, whereas this AD was prompted by cracks 
found during full-scale fatigue tests, and substantiated by updated 
analysis by Boeing. The inspections and compliance times appropriate 
for this AD are shorter than those of the SSID program. Because fatigue 
cracking has been found at the affected structure on the Boeing fatigue 
test airplanes, we have concluded that the SSID program alone will not 
adequately prevent undetected cracking of the structure, and that the 
more stringent inspections and repetitive intervals required by this AD 
are necessary. We have not changed the final rule regarding this issue.

Request To Revise Cost Estimate

    The same commenter requests that we revise the cost estimate in the 
proposed AD to reflect the work-hour estimate specified in Boeing Alert 
Service Bulletin 747-53A2500, dated December 21, 2004 (the source of 
service information cited in the proposed AD). He states that 1,984 
work hours would be an appropriate estimate as this figure includes 
time for access and close. Because these work hours are not normally 
provided during scheduled heavy maintenance checks, however, he 
considers the 260-work-hour estimate, as provided in the proposed AD, 
misleading.
    We recognize that the work hours required for an individual 
operator to complete all actions associated with an AD may exceed the 
work hours specified in the proposed cost estimate. However, an AD 
cannot account for fleetwide variability. Further, the costs of 
compliance discussed in a proposed AD represent only the time necessary 
to perform the specific actions actually proposed. The cost estimate 
typically does not include incidental costs such as access and close. 
Therefore, we don't consider it appropriate to attribute those 
associated costs to the AD. We have not changed the final rule 
regarding this issue.

Explanation of Change Made to This AD

    We have simplified paragraph (g) of this AD by referring to the 
``Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)'' paragraph of this AD for 
repair methods.

Conclusion

    We have carefully reviewed the available data, including the 
comments received, and determined that air safety and the public 
interest require adopting the AD with the change described previously. 
We have determined that this change will neither increase the economic 
burden on any operator nor increase the scope of the AD.

Costs of Compliance

    There are about 706 airplanes of the affected design in the 
worldwide fleet. The following table provides the estimated costs for 
U.S. operators to comply with this AD.

                                                                     Estimated Costs
                                                                 [Per inspection cycle]
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                                                                                                                        Number of U.S.-
                Action                    Work hours     Average labor               Parts                 Cost per        registered       Fleet cost
                                                         rate per hour                                     airplane        airplanes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inspections..........................             260              $65   None required...............         $16,900              107       $1,808,300
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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

    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 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, 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:

[[Page 10607]]

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 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) amends Sec.  39.13 by 
adding the following new airworthiness directive (AD):

2006-05-02 Boeing: Amendment 39-14499. Docket No. FAA-2005-22526; 
Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-008-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This AD becomes effective April 6, 2006.

Affected ADs

    (b) Inspections specified in this AD may be considered an 
alternative method of compliance (AMOC) for certain requirements of 
AD 2004-07-22, amendment 39-13566, as specified in paragraph (i)(2) 
of this AD.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to all Boeing Model 747-200F, 747-200C, 747-
400, 747-400D, and 747-400F series airplanes; certificated in any 
category.

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD was prompted by fatigue tests and analysis that 
identified areas of the fuselage where fatigue cracks can occur. We 
are issuing this AD to prevent loss of the structural integrity of 
the fuselage, which could 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.

Inspections

    (f) Do initial and repetitive inspections for fuselage cracks 
using applicable internal and external detailed inspection methods, 
and repair all cracks, by doing all the actions specified in the 
Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-
53A2500, dated December 21, 2004, except as required by paragraph 
(g) of this AD. Do the initial and repetitive inspections at the 
times specified in paragraph 1.E. of the service bulletin, except as 
required by paragraph (h) of this AD. Repair any crack before 
further flight after detection.

Exceptions to Service Bulletin Procedures

    (g) If any crack is found during any inspection required by this 
AD, and the bulletin specifies to contact Boeing for appropriate 
action: Before further flight, repair the crack using a method 
approved in accordance with the procedures specified in paragraph 
(i) of this AD.
    (h) Where the service bulletin specifies a compliance time after 
the issuance of the service bulletin, this AD requires compliance 
within the specified compliance time after the effective date of 
this AD.

AMOCs

    (i)(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) Accomplishment of the inspections specified in this AD is 
considered an AMOC for the applicable requirements of paragraphs (c) 
and (d) of AD 2004-07-22 under the following conditions:
    (i) The inspections specified in this AD must be done within the 
compliance times specified in AD 2004-07-22. The initial inspection 
specified in this AD must be done at the times specified in 
paragraph (d) of AD 2004-07-22, and the inspections specified in 
this AD must be repeated within the intervals specified in paragraph 
(f) of this AD.
    (ii) The AMOC applies only to the areas of Supplemental 
Structural Inspection Document for Model 747 Airplanes, Document D6-
35022, Revision G, dated December 2000, that are specified in Boeing 
Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2500, dated December 21, 2004.
    (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 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.
    (4) Before using any AMOC approved in accordance with Sec.  
39.19 on any airplane to which the AMOC applies, notify the 
appropriate principal inspector in the FAA Flight Standards 
Certificate Holding District Office.

Material Incorporated by Reference

    (j) You must use Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2500, 
dated December 21, 2004, to perform the actions that are required by 
this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise. The Director of the 
Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of this 
document in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. 
Contact Boeing Commercial Airplanes, P.O. Box 3707, Seattle, 
Washington 98124-2207, for a copy of this service information. You 
may review copies at the Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department 
of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street SW., Room PL-401, Nassif 
Building, Washington, DC; on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov; or 
at 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 February 16, 2006.
Michael Zielinski,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 06-1828 Filed 3-1-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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