Airworthiness Directives; McDonnell Douglas Corporation Model MD-90-30 Airplanes

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 159 (Wednesday, August 18, 2010)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 50878-50880]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-19328]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2010-0433; Directorate Identifier 2009-NM-117-AD; 
Amendment 39-16388; AD 2010-16-11]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; McDonnell Douglas Corporation Model MD-
90-30 Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 
Model MD-90-30 airplanes. This AD requires inspecting for corrosion of 
the retract cylinder support fitting for the main landing gear (MLG) 
and the mating bore for the support fitting in the MLG trunnion 
fitting, performing corrective actions if necessary, and replacing 
cadmium-plated retract cylinder

[[Page 50879]]

support bushings and bearings. This AD results from reports of the 
retract cylinder support fitting for the MLG failing during gear 
extension and subsequently damaging the hydraulic system. We are 
issuing this AD to prevent corrosion and damage that could compromise 
the integrity of the retract cylinder support fitting for the MLG, 
which could adversely affect the airplane's safe landing.

DATES: This AD is effective September 22, 2010.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain publication listed in the AD as of September 22, 
2010.

ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Attention: Data & Services Management, 
3855 Lakewood Boulevard, MC D800-0019, Long Beach, California 90846-
0001; telephone 206-544-5000, extension 2; fax 206-766-5683; e-mail 
[email protected]; Internet https://www.myboeingfleet.com.

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 AD, the regulatory evaluation, 
any comments received, and other information. The address for the 
Docket Office (telephone 800-647-5527) is the Document Management 
Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, 
West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 
Washington, DC 20590.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roger Durbin, Aerospace Engineer, 
Airframe Branch, ANM-120L, FAA, Los Angeles Aircraft Certification 
Office, 3960 Paramount Boulevard, Lakewood, California 90712-4137; 
telephone (562) 627-5233; fax (562) 627-5210.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion

    We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 
part 39 to include an airworthiness directive (AD) that would apply to 
certain Model MD-90-30 airplanes. That NPRM was published in the 
Federal Register on April 26, 2010 (75 FR 21528). That NPRM proposed to 
require inspecting for corrosion of the retract cylinder support 
fitting for the main landing gear (MLG) and the mating bore for the 
support fitting in the MLG trunnion fitting, performing corrective 
actions if necessary, and replacing cadmium-plated retract cylinder 
support bushings and bearings.

Comments

    We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD. We received no comments on the NPRM or on the determination of 
the cost to the public.

Conclusion

    We reviewed the relevant data and determined that air safety and 
the public interest require adopting the AD as proposed.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD affects 16 airplanes of U.S. registry. The 
following table provides the estimated costs for U.S. operators to 
comply with this AD.

                                             Table--Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                         Number of
                                                   Average                   Cost per      U.S.-
              Action                 Work hours   labor rate     Parts       product     registered   Fleet cost
                                                   per hour                              airplanes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inspection........................            1          $85           $0          $85           16       $1,360
Replacement.......................            8           85       24,580       25,260           16      404,160
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

    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.
    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.

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 AD:

2010-16-11 McDonnell Douglas Corporation: Amendment 39-16388. Docket 
No. FAA-2010-0433; Directorate Identifier 2009-NM-117-AD.

[[Page 50880]]

Effective Date

    (a) This airworthiness directive (AD) is effective September 22, 
2010.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to McDonnell Douglas Corporation Model MD-
90-30 airplanes, certificated in any category, as identified in 
Boeing Service Bulletin MD90-57-016, Revision 2, dated April 28, 
2006.

Subject

    (d) Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 57: Wings.

Unsafe Condition

    (e) This AD results from reports of the retract cylinder support 
fitting for the main landing gear (MLG) failing during gear 
extension, and subsequently damaging the hydraulic system. The 
Federal Aviation Administration is issuing this AD to prevent 
corrosion and damage that could compromise the integrity of the 
retract cylinder support fitting for the MLG, which could adversely 
affect the airplane's safe landing.

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 and Corrective Actions

    (g) Before the accumulation of 30,000 total flight hours, or 
within 15,000 flight hours after the effective date of this AD, 
whichever occurs later, do a general visual inspection of the 
retract cylinder support fitting for the MLG and the mating bore in 
the MLG trunnion fitting for corrosion, install bushings and 
bearings without cadmium plating in the bore, and do all applicable 
corrective actions, in accordance with Configuration 1 of the 
Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Service Bulletin MD90-57-016, 
Revision 2, dated April 28, 2006. Do all applicable corrective 
actions before further flight.

    Note 1: For the purposes of this AD, a general visual inspection 
is: ``A visual examination of an interior or exterior area, 
installation, or assembly to detect obvious damage, failure, or 
irregularity. This level of inspection is made from within touching 
distance unless otherwise specified. A mirror may be necessary to 
ensure visual access to all surfaces in the inspection area. This 
level of inspection is made under normally available lighting 
conditions such as daylight, hangar lighting, flashlight, or 
droplight and may require removal or opening of access panels or 
doors. Stands, ladders, or platforms may be required to gain 
proximity to the area being checked.''

    (h) Doing a general visual inspection, installing bushings and 
bearings, and doing all applicable corrective actions is also 
acceptable for compliance with the requirements of paragraph (g) of 
this AD if done before the effective date of this AD in accordance 
with the Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Service Bulletin 
MD90-57-016, Revision 1, dated October 26, 2005.
    (i) Doing a general visual inspection, installing bushings and 
bearings, and doing all applicable corrective actions is also 
acceptable for compliance with the requirements of paragraph (g) of 
this AD if done before the effective date of this AD in accordance 
with the Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Service Bulletin 
MD90-57-016, dated September 18, 2002, provided that before the 
accumulation of 30,000 total flight hours, or within 15,000 flight 
hours after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later, 
electroless nickel fittings are installed, and bushings and bearings 
without cadmium plating in the bore are installed in accordance with 
the Accomplishment Instructions of any of the service bulletins 
listed in Table 1 of this AD.

                                          Table 1--Service Information
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Document                    Revision               Date              Incorporated by reference
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Boeing Service Bulletin MD90-57-016......            1  October 26, 2005...........  No.
Boeing Service Bulletin MD90-57-016......            2  April 28, 2006.............  Yes.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (j)(1) The Manager, Los Angeles 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: Roger Durbin, Aerospace Engineer, Airframe 
Branch, ANM-120L, FAA, Los Angeles Aircraft Certification Office, 
3960 Paramount Boulevard, Lakewood, California 90712-4137; telephone 
(562) 627-5233; fax (562) 627-5210.
    (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 Boeing 
Commercial Airplanes Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) 
who has been authorized by the Manager, Los Angeles ACO, to make 
those findings. For a repair method to be approved, the repair must 
meet the certification basis of the airplane and 14 CFR 25.571, 
Amendment 45, and the approval must specifically refer to this AD.

Material Incorporated by Reference

    (k) You must use Boeing Service Bulletin MD90-57-016, Revision 
2, dated April 28, 2006, to do the actions required by this AD, 
unless the AD specifies otherwise.
    (1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the 
incorporation by reference of this service information under 5 
U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
    (2) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Attention: Data & Services Management, 
3855 Lakewood Boulevard, MC D800-0019, Long Beach, California 90846-
0001; telephone 206-544-5000, extension 2; fax 206-766-5683; e-mail 
[email protected]; Internet https://www.myboeingfleet.com.
    (3) You may review copies of the 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.
    (4) You may also review copies of the service information that 
is incorporated by reference at the National Archives and Records 
Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this 
material at 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 July 28, 2010.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-19328 Filed 8-17-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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