Airworthiness Directives; Boeing Model 747-200B, 747-200C, 747-200F, 747-300, 747-400, and 747SP Series Airplanes

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 92 (Friday, May 12, 2006)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 27592-27593]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-4310]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2006-23819; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-223-AD; 
Amendment 39-14588; AD 2006-10-04]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Boeing Model 747-200B, 747-200C, 747-
200F, 747-300, 747-400, and 747SP 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 
certain Boeing Model 747-200B, 747-200C, 747-200F, 747-300, 747-400, 
and 747SP series airplanes. This AD requires doing a detailed 
inspection of the left and right longeron extension fittings, and 
corrective action if necessary. This AD results from cracking found in 
the longeron extension fitting at body station 1480 due to accidental 
damage during production. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct 
cracking in the longeron extension fitting, which could result in rapid 
decompression of the airplane and possible in-flight breakup of the 
airplane fuselage.

DATES: This AD becomes effective June 16, 2006.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain publication listed in the AD as of June 16, 
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: Nicholas Kusz, Aerospace Engineer, 
Airframe Branch, ANM-120S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office, 
1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98055-4056; telephone (425) 
917-6432; 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 certain Boeing Model 
747-200B, 747-200C, 747-200F, 747-300, 747-400, and 747SP series 
airplanes. That NPRM was published in the Federal Register on February 
8, 2006 (71 FR 6400). That NPRM proposed to require doing a detailed 
inspection of the left and right longeron extension fittings, and 
corrective action if necessary.

Comments

    We provided the public the opportunity to participate in the 
development of this AD. We have considered the single comment received. 
The commenter, Boeing, supports the NPRM.

Conclusion

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

Interim Action

    This AD is considered to be interim action. The inspection reports 
that are required by this AD will enable the FAA to obtain better 
insight into the nature, cause, and extent of the cracking. Once we 
have received the inspection reports, we may consider further 
rulemaking to include additional airplanes.

Costs of Compliance

    There are about 126 airplanes of the affected design in the 
worldwide fleet. This AD affects about 25 airplanes of U.S. registry. 
The required inspection will take about 1 work hour per airplane, at an 
average labor rate of $65 per work hour. Based on these figures, the 
estimated cost of the AD for U.S. operators is $1,625, or $65 per 
airplane.

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.

[[Page 27593]]

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

2006-10-04 Boeing: Amendment 39-14588. Docket No. FAA-2006-23819; 
Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-223-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This AD becomes effective June 16, 2006.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to Boeing Model 747-200B, 747-200C, 747-
200F, 747-300, 747-400, and 747SP series airplanes, certificated in 
any category; as identified in Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-
53A2515, dated October 20, 2005.

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from cracking found in the longeron 
extension fitting at body station 1480 due to accidental damage 
during production. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct 
cracking in the longeron extension fitting, which could result in 
rapid decompression of the airplane and possible in-flight breakup 
of the airplane fuselage.

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.

Detailed Inspection

    (f) At the applicable compliance time specified in paragraph 
(f)(1) or (f)(2) of this AD, do a detailed inspection of the left 
and right longeron extension fittings for damage, and before further 
flight do the corrective action if applicable, by accomplishing all 
the applicable actions specified in the Accomplishment Instructions 
of Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2515, dated October 20, 
2005.

    Note 1: Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2515, dated October 
20, 2005, refers to Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2390, dated 
July 31, 1997; or Revision 1, dated July 6, 2000, as an additional 
source of service information for replacing a damaged longeron 
fitting with a new longeron extension fitting.

    (1) For airplanes that have accomplished the inspection of the 
splice area for cracking as specified in Boeing Alert Service 
Bulletin 747-53A2390, dated July 31, 1997; or Revision 1, dated July 
6, 2000: Inspect in accordance with paragraph (f) of this AD before 
the airplane has accumulated 10,000 total flight cycles, or within 
1,000 flight cycles after the effective date of this AD, whichever 
is later.
    (2) For airplanes that have not accomplished the inspection of 
the splice area for cracking as specified in Boeing Alert Service 
Bulletin 747-53A2390, dated July 31, 1997; or Revision 1, dated July 
6, 2000: Inspect in accordance with paragraph (f) of this AD before 
the airplane has accumulated 10,000 total flight cycles, or within 
250 flight cycles after the effective date of this AD, whichever is 
later.

Reporting Requirement

    (g) If any damage is found to any longeron extension fitting 
during the inspection required by paragraph (f) of this AD: Submit a 
report of the findings of the inspection required by paragraph (f) 
of this AD to the Manager, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office 
(ACO), FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., 
Renton, Washington 98055-4056; fax (425) 917-6590, at the applicable 
time specified in paragraph (g)(1) or (g)(2) of this AD. The report 
must include the airplane serial number and line number, identify 
the operator of the affected airplane, specify whether the cracking 
is within the limits given in the service bulletin, and specify if 
the cracking was found on the left or right or both longeron 
extension fittings. Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1980 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) has approved the information collection requirements 
contained in this AD and has assigned OMB Control Number 2120-0056.
    (1) If the inspection was done on or after the effective date of 
this AD: Submit the report within 20 days after the inspection.
    (2) If the inspection was done prior to the effective date of 
this AD: Submit the report within 20 days after the effective date 
of this AD.

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (h)(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) 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.
    (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 Commercial Airplanes 
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

    (i) You must use Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2515, 
dated October 20, 2005, 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 April 28, 2006.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 06-4310 Filed 5-11-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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