Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 79 (Tuesday, April 24, 2012)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 24355-24357]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-9398]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2011-0644; Directorate Identifier 2010-NM-265-AD; 
Amendment 39-17026; AD 2012-08-09]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company 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 
The Boeing Company Model 777-200, -200LR, -300, -300ER, and 777F series 
airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of cracks found in the Web 
pockets of the wing center section (WCS) spanwise beams. This AD 
requires repetitive detailed inspections and high frequency eddy 
current inspections for cracks of the WCS spanwise beams, and repair if 
necessary. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracking in the 
WCS spanwise beams, which could result in reduced structural integrity 
of the wings.

DATES: This AD is effective May 29, 2012.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain publication listed in the AD as of May 29, 2012.

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; email [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: James Sutherland, Aerospace Engineer, 
Airframe Branch, ANM-120S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office 
(ACO), 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; phone: 425-
917-6533; fax: 425-917-6590; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion

    We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 
part 39 to include an AD that would apply to the specified products. 
That NPRM was published in the Federal Register on June 29, 2011 (76 FR 
38072). That NPRM proposed to require repetitive detailed inspections 
and high frequency eddy current (HFEC) inspections for cracks of the 
WCS spanwise beams, and repair if necessary.

Comments

    We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD. The following presents the comments received on the proposal 
(76 FR 38072, June 29, 2011) and the FAA's response to each comment.

Requests to Reference Service Bulletin Information Notice (IN) and 
Revised Service Bulletin

    American Airlines (AAL) requested that we revise the NPRM (76 FR 
38072, June 29, 2011) to refer to Boeing Service Bulletin Information 
Notice 777-57A0087 IN 01, dated March 24, 2011. AAL stated that this IN 
addresses information that is critical to the correct design and 
installation of repairs. If this IN is not incorporated, AAL asserted 
that the repairs could be designed and installed improperly.
    Boeing and Continental Airlines requested that we revise the NPRM 
(76 FR 38072, June 29, 2011) to refer to Boeing Service Bulletin 777-
57A0087, Revision 1, dated August 24, 2011. They stated that without 
incorporating the latest issue of this service bulletin, the repairs 
provided in the original issue of this service bulletin could be 
installed

[[Page 24356]]

improperly because the original issue of this service bulletin contains 
minor deficiencies.
    Since we issued the NPRM (76 FR 38072, June 29, 2011), Boeing has 
issued Service Bulletin 777-57A0087, Revision 1, dated August 24, 2011, 
which incorporates the changes outlined in Boeing Service Bulletin 
Information Notice 777-57A0087 IN 01, dated March 24, 2011. Therefore, 
we agree to refer to Boeing Service Bulletin 777-57A0087, Revision 1, 
dated August 24, 2011, not the earlier Boeing Service Bulletin 
Information Notice 777-57A0087 IN 01, dated March 24, 2011.
    Boeing Service Bulletin 777-57A0087, Revision 1, dated August 24, 
2011, was revised to, among other things, clarify and provide 
additional repair information. We have changed paragraphs (c), (g), and 
(h) of this AD to refer to Boeing Service Bulletin 777-57A0087, 
Revision 1, dated August 24, 2011. We have also added new paragraph (i) 
to this AD to give credit to operators for actions done before the 
effective date of this AD in accordance with Boeing Alert Service 
Bulletin 777-57A0087, dated November 11, 2010, since accomplishment of 
that service bulletin adequately addresses the unsafe condition. We 
have re-identified subsequent paragraphs accordingly.

Request To Clarify Inspection Terminology

    FedEx requested that we revise the NPRM (76 FR 38072, June 29, 
2011) to refer to a detailed visual inspection, rather than a detailed 
inspection. The Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Service Bulletin 
777-57A0087, Revision 1, dated August 24, 2011, calls out a ``detailed 
inspection.'' FedEx indicated that, while it is clear that the 
inspection is meant to be a visual inspection, the term ``visual'' is 
not used anywhere in the definition in either Boeing Service Bulletin 
777-57A0087, Revision 1, dated August 24, 2011, or in the NPRM.
    We disagree. The term ``intensive'' in the definition of a detailed 
inspection indicates that the inspection demands a higher level of 
scrutiny than using only visual means to find unsatisfactory conditions 
that are more difficult to detect. The mention of ``elaborate 
procedures'' used in the definition of a detailed inspection raises the 
awareness that extraordinary means of gaining access by removing 
adjacent items, de-fueling tanks, etc., are necessary to perform the 
inspection, and hence, the inspection cannot be performed by visual 
means only. We have not changed the final rule in this regard.

Request To Provide Boeing With AMOC Authoring Authority

    FedEx suggested that the FAA provide Boeing with AMOC authoring 
authority for the proposed rule NPRM (76 FR 38072, June 29, 2011) on an 
aircraft-by-aircraft basis.
    We agree to clarify. Boeing Commercial Airplanes has received an 
Organization Designation Authorization (ODA), which provides Boeing 
with AMOC authoring authority. We included paragraph (j)(3) in the NPRM 
to reflect Boeing's authorization. We have not changed the final rule 
in regard to this issue.

Additional Change Made to This AD

    We have revised the wording of paragraph (i) of this AD; this 
change has not changed the intent of that paragraph.

Conclusion

    We reviewed the relevant data, considered the comments received, 
and determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting 
the AD with the changes described previously, and minor editorial 
changes. We have determined that these minor changes:
    <bullet> Are consistent with the intent that was proposed in the 
NPRM (76 FR 38072, June 29, 2011) for correcting the unsafe condition; 
and
    <bullet> Do not add any additional burden upon the public than was 
already proposed in the NPRM (76 FR 38072, June 29, 2011).
    We also determined that these changes will not increase the 
economic burden on any operator or increase the scope of the AD.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD affects 160 airplanes of U.S. registry.
    We estimate the following costs to comply with this AD:

                                                 Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                  Cost on U.S.
             Action                     Labor cost           Parts cost     Cost per product       operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Detailed inspection and high     50 work-hours x $85 per              $0   $4,250 per          $680,000 per
 frequency eddy current           hour = $4,250 per                         inspection cycle.   inspection
 inspection of spanwise beam.     inspection cycle.                                             cycle.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We have received no definitive data that would enable us to provide 
cost estimates for the on-condition repair actions specified in this 
AD. We have no way of determining the number of aircraft that might 
need these repairs.

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 the 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.

[[Page 24357]]

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 AD:

2012-08-09 The Boeing Company: Amendment 39-17026; Docket No. FAA-
2011-0644; Directorate Identifier 2010-NM-265-AD.

(a) Effective Date

    This AD is effective May 29, 2012.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to The Boeing Company Model 777-200, -200LR, -
300, -300ER, and 777F series airplanes, certificated in any 
category, as identified in Boeing Service Bulletin 777-57A0087, 
Revision 1, dated August 24, 2011.

(d) Subject

    Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC)/Air Transport Association 
(ATA) of America Code 57: Wings.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by reports of cracks found in the web 
pockets of the wing center section (WCS) spanwise beams. We are 
issuing this AD to detect and correct cracking in the WCS spanwise 
beams, which could result in reduced structural integrity of the 
wings.

(f) Compliance

    Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified, 
unless already done.

(g) Repetitive Inspections

    At the later of the times specified in paragraphs (g)(1) and 
(g)(2) of this AD, do a detailed inspection and a high frequency 
eddy current inspection for cracks of the web pockets of the WCS 
spanwise beams numbers 1, 2, and 3; and a detailed inspection for 
cracks of any previously installed repairs; in accordance with the 
Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Service Bulletin 777-57A0087, 
Revision 1, dated August 24, 2011. Repeat the inspections thereafter 
at intervals not to exceed 8,000 flight cycles.
    (1) Before the accumulation of 8,000 total flight cycles.
    (2) Within 6,000 flight cycles, or 1,125 days, after the 
effective date of this AD, whichever occurs first.

(h) Corrective Actions

    If any cracking is found during any inspection required by 
paragraph (g) of this AD, before further flight, repair the crack, 
including related investigative actions and all applicable 
corrective actions, in accordance with the Accomplishment 
Instructions of Boeing Service Bulletin 777-57A0087, Revision 1, 
dated August 24, 2011; except where Boeing Service Bulletin 777-
57A0087, Revision 1, dated August 24, 2011, specifies to contact 
Boeing for repair instructions, before further flight, repair the 
cracking using a method approved in accordance with the procedures 
specified in paragraph (j) of this AD.

(i) Credit for Actions Previous Actions

    This paragraph provides credit for actions required by 
paragraphs (g) and (h) of this AD if those actions were performed 
before the effective date of this AD using Boeing Alert Service 
Bulletin 777-57A0087, dated November 11, 2010.

(j) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (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 emailed 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.
    (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 the 
Boeing Commercial Airplanes Organization Designation Authorization 
(ODA) that 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.

(k) Related Information

    For more information about this AD, contact James Sutherland, 
Aerospace Engineer, Airframe Branch, ANM-120S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft 
Certification Office
    (ACO), 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; 
phone: 425-917-6533; fax: 425-917-6590; email: 
[email protected].

(l) Material Incorporated by Reference

    (1) You must use the following service information to do the 
actions required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise. The 
Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference (IBR) of the following service information under 5 U.S.C. 
552(a) and 1 CFR part 51:
    (i) Boeing Service Bulletin 777-57A0087, Revision 1, dated 
August 24, 2011.
    (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; email 
[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 April 11, 2012.
John P. Piccola,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-9398 Filed 4-23-12; 8:45 am]
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