Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Model 737-600, -700, -700C, -800, -900, and -900ER Series Airplanes

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 193 (Wednesday, October 5, 2011)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 61561-61563]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-25313]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2010-1313; Directorate Identifier 2010-NM-158-AD; 
Amendment 39-16823; AD 2011-20-10]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Model 737-600, -700, 
-700C, -800, -900, and -900ER Series Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the 
products listed above. This AD requires inspecting to determine the 
clearance and any wire bundle damage between wire bundle W443 and the 
left forward rudder quadrant, followed by adjusting the minimum 
clearance between the wire bundle and the left forward rudder quadrant, 
and repairing any wire bundle damage. This AD was prompted by reports 
of contact between wire bundle W443 and the left forward rudder 
quadrant. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct contact between 
the wire bundle and the left forward rudder quadrant. Damage to the 
wire bundle from contact between the wire bundle and the left forward 
rudder quadrant could result in uncommanded stabilizer trim and 
autopilot disconnects due to shorted wires, potentially affecting the 
capability of the flightcrew during high work load and consequently 
reducing control of the airplane. Restricted movement of the rudder 
quadrant at full right rudder travel would reduce controllability of 
the airplane.

DATES: This AD is effective November 9, 2011.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain publication listed in the AD as of November 9, 
2011.

ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Attention: Data & Services Management, 
P.O. Box 3707, MC 2H-65, Seattle, Washington 98124-2207; telephone 206-
544-5000, extension 1; fax 206-766-5680; e-mail [email protected]; 
Internet https://www.myboeingfleet.com. You may review copies of the 
referenced 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.

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 (phone: 800-647-5527) is 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: Dean Thompson, Aerospace Engineer, 
Systems and Equipment Branch, ANM-130S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft 
Certification Office, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98057-
3356; telephone (425) 917-6409; fax (425) 917-6590.

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 
the specified products. That NPRM was published in the Federal Register 
on January 18, 2011 (76 FR 2840). That NPRM proposed to require 
inspecting to determine the clearance and any wire bundle damage 
between wire bundle W443 and the left forward rudder quadrant, followed 
by adjusting the minimum clearance between the wire bundle and the left 
forward rudder quadrant, and repairing any wire bundle damage.

Comments

    We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD. We have considered the comments received. The following 
presents the comments received on the proposal and the FAA's response 
to each comment.

Support for the NPRM

    American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and Continental Airlines (CAL) 
support the NPRM (76 FR 2840, January 18, 2011), and stated that they 
have been inspecting the affected airplanes in accordance with the 
original issue and revision 1 of the service information cited in the 
NPRM.

Request for Boeing To Add Instructions for Continued Airworthiness 
(ICAs)

    CAL requested that the FAA ask Boeing to add the appropriate ICAs 
to

[[Page 61562]]

the Boeing 737NG Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM), because CAL is 
concerned about inadvertently undoing the corrective actions proposed 
in the NPRM (76 FR 2840, January 18, 2011) during future maintenance.
    We disagree with the request to ask Boeing for ICAs. Current 
maintenance procedures and inspections ensure that the unsafe condition 
corrected in accordance with the AD will not be undone during future 
maintenance. A maintenance task exists to do a general visual 
inspection (GVI) of the area above the outboard nose wheel well, an 
inspection derived from the enhanced zonal analysis procedure (EZAP). 
This GVI of the area includes inspecting the wire bundles for damage 
and ensures no interference (riding) condition exists. Also, the rudder 
travel test provided in the AMM already includes steps to verify that 
wire bundle W443 has a minimum clearance of 0.5 inch from the left 
forward rudder quadrant at full travel motion while someone operates 
the rudder pedals, which captures the intent of this AD action. Boeing 
has updated the 737NG AMM to Revision 45, dated June 15, 2011, to 
include minimum clearance of 0.5 inch for the rudder travel test. We 
have not changed the AD in this regard.

Conclusion

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

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD will affect 870 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 U.S.-
                               Action                                   Work-hours     Average labor       Cost per        registered       Fleet cost
                                                                                       rate per hour       product         airplanes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inspection.........................................................               2              $85             $170              870         $147,900
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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),
    (3) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
    (4) 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.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

    Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by 
reference, Safety.

Adoption of the Amendment

    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):

2011-20-10 The Boeing Company: Amendment 39-16823; Docket No. FAA-
2010-1313; Directorate Identifier 2010-NM-158-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This AD is effective November 9, 2011.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to The Boeing Company Model 737-600, -700, -
700C, -800, -900, and -900ER series airplanes, certificated in any 
category, as identified in Boeing Special Attention Service Bulletin 
737-27-1282, Revision 1, dated June 14, 2010.

Subject

    (d) Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 27: Flight 
controls.

Unsafe Condition

    (e) This AD was prompted by reports of contact between wire 
bundle W443 and the left forward rudder quadrant. We are issuing 
this AD to detect and correct contact between the wire bundle and 
the left forward rudder quadrant. Damage to the wire bundle from 
contact between the wire bundle and the left forward rudder quadrant 
could result in uncommanded stabilizer trim and autopilot 
disconnects due to shorted wires, potentially affecting the 
capability of the flightcrew during high work load and consequently 
reducing control of the airplane. Restricted movement of the rudder 
quadrant at full right rudder travel would reduce controllability of 
the airplane.

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.

Wire Bundle W443 Inspection and Clearance Measurement

    (g) Within 60 months after the effective date of this AD: Do a 
detailed inspection of wire bundle W443 for damage and measure for 
sufficient clearance, in accordance with Part 1 of the Work 
Instructions of Boeing Special Attention Service Bulletin 737-27-
1282, Revision 1, dated June 14, 2010. If the wire bundle is 
undamaged, and sufficient clearance exists, no further action is 
required by this AD.

[[Page 61563]]

Wire Bundle W443 Undamaged: Clearance Adjustment

    (h) If the clearance of wire bundle W443 in the inspection 
required by paragraph (g) of this AD is found to be insufficient, 
before further flight, adjust the wire bundle clearance, in 
accordance with Part 2 of the Work Instructions of Boeing Special 
Attention Service Bulletin 737-27-1282, Revision 1, dated June 14, 
2010.

Wire Bundle W443 Damaged: Repair, and Clearance Adjustment

    (i) If wire bundle W443 is found to be damaged in the inspection 
required by paragraph (g) of this AD, before further flight, repair 
the damaged wire bundle and adjust the wire bundle clearance, in 
accordance with Part 3 of the Work Instructions of Boeing Special 
Attention Service Bulletin 737-27-1282, Revision 1, dated June 14, 
2010.

Credit for Actions Accomplished in Accordance With Previous Service 
Information

    (j) Actions accomplished before the effective date of this AD in 
accordance with Boeing Special Attention Service Bulletin 737-27-
1282, dated March 15, 2007, are considered acceptable for compliance 
with the corresponding action specified in this AD.

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (k)(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. In accordance with 14 
CFR 39.19, send your request to your principal inspector or local 
Flight Standards District Office, as appropriate. If sending 
information directly to the manager of the ACO, send it to the 
attention of the person identified in the Related Information 
section of this AD. Information may be e-mailed to: [email protected].
    (2) Before using any approved AMOC, notify your appropriate 
principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the manager 
of the local flight standards district office/certificate holding 
district office.

Related Information

    (l) For more information about this AD, contact Dean Thompson, 
Aerospace Engineer, Systems and Equipment Branch, ANM-130S, FAA, 
Seattle ACO, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; 
telephone: (425) 917-6409; fax: (425) 917-6590; e-mail: 
[email protected].

Material Incorporated by Reference

    (m) You must use Boeing Special Attention Service Bulletin 737-
27-1282, Revision 1, dated June 14, 2010, 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 Boeing Special Attention Service 
Bulletin 737-27-1282, Revision 1, dated June 14, 2010, 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, 
P.O. Box 3707, MC 2H-65, Seattle, Washington 98124-2207; telephone 
206-544-5000, extension 1; fax 206-766-5680; 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 an NARA facility, 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 September 22, 2011.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-25313 Filed 10-4-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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