Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 61 (Friday, March 29, 2013)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 19093-19096]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-05871]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2011-1417; Directorate Identifier 2011-NM-159-AD; 
Amendment 39-17382; AD 2013-05-10]
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 airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports 
that escape slides/rafts did not deploy due to galvanic corrosion of 
the door-mounted slide/raft packboard release mechanisms. This AD 
requires doing a general visual inspection of the housing assembly of 
the packboard release mechanism to determine if its surface treatment 
has been sealed, and if the surface of the housing assembly is 
unsealed, replacing the housing assembly with a new or serviceable 
housing assembly. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct 
corrosion of the packboard release mechanisms, which could interfere 
with escape slide/raft deployment, prohibit doors from opening in the 
armed mode, and cause consequent delay and injury during evacuation of 
passengers and crew from the cabin in the event of an emergency.

DATES: This AD is effective May 3, 2013.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain publication listed in the AD as of May 3, 2013.

ADDRESSES: For Boeing service information identified in this AD, 
contact Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Attention: Data & Services 
Management, P.O. Box 3707, MC 2H-65, Seattle, WA 98124-2207; telephone 
206-544-5000, extension 1; fax 206-766-5680; Internet https://www.myboeingfleet.com. For Air Cruisers service information identified 
in this AD, contact Air Cruisers Company, 1747 State Route 34, Wall, NJ 
07727-3935; telephone: 732-681-3527; fax: 732-681-9163; email: 
[email protected]. 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: Ana Martinez Hueto, Aerospace 
Engineer, Cabin Safety and Environmental Systems Branch, ANM-150S, FAA, 
Seattle Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), 1601 Lind Avenue SW., 
Renton, WA 98057-3356; phone: 425-917-6592; fax: 425-917-6591; 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 published in the Federal Register on January 19, 2012 (77 FR 
2666). That NPRM proposed to require doing a general visual inspection 
of the housing assembly of the packboard release mechanism to determine 
if its surface treatment has been sealed, and if unsealed, replacing 
the housing assembly with a new or serviceable housing assembly.

[[Page 19094]]

Comments

    We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD. The following presents the comments received on the proposal 
(77 FR 2666, January 19, 2012), and the FAA's response to each comment. 
Boeing supported the NPRM. American Airlines stated that it has 
incorporated the requirements of the NPRM into its maintenance program 
and will continue to do so. United Airlines (United) did not object to 
the proposed compliance time.

Request To Allow Verification of Stencil

    United requested that we revise the NPRM (77 FR 2666, January 19, 
2012) to provide instructions for inspecting for the accomplishment of 
Air Cruisers Service Bulletin 777 107-25-30, dated September 30, 2010, 
by verifying the stencil of the ``Inspected and/or Mod per S.B. 777 
107-25-30'' on the girt assembly and upper lacing cover. United also 
requested that we revise the NPRM to permit operators to demonstrate 
compliance by means of a technical records review for the 
accomplishment of Air Cruisers Service Bulletin 777 107-25-30, dated 
September 30, 2010.
    We agree because, if the modification has been accomplished before 
the issuance of the AD, there is no need to duplicate it. We have 
revised paragraph (g) of this final rule to specify only slides/rafts 
that have not been modified using Air Cruisers Service Bulletin 777 
107-25-30, dated September 30, 2010, require the replacement of the 
housing assembly. We also have added a new paragraph (h) to this final 
rule (and re-identified subsequent paragraphs accordingly) to state 
that verifying the stencil or a review of technical or maintenance 
records is acceptable for determining if the modification has been 
accomplished.

Request To Revise Service Information

    Delta Airlines (Delta) requested that we revise the NPRM (77 FR 
2666, January 19, 2012) to provide instructions stating how to inspect 
for discrepant unsealed components. Delta stated that the instructions 
are referenced within a note in Air Cruisers Service Bulletin 777 107-
25-30, dated September 30, 2010. (Boeing Special Attention Service 
Bulletin 777-25-0507, dated June 30, 2011, references Air Cruisers 
Service Bulletin 777 107-25-30, dated September 30, 2010, as an 
additional source of guidance for inspecting and installing a new 
housing assembly of the door-mounted slide/raft packboard release 
mechanism.) Delta stated that it is not recommended to have important 
instructions listed only within a note.
    We disagree with the commenter's request to revise the AD to 
provide inspection instructions. We reference the Air Cruisers Service 
Bulletin as an additional source of guidance for accomplishing the 
actions. To delay this AD so manufacturer service information could be 
revised would be inappropriate, in light of the identified unsafe 
condition. We have not changed the AD in this regard.

Request To Extend Compliance Time

    Delta expressed concern that the 42-month compliance time would be 
difficult to meet if replacement part kits were not available upon the 
issuance of the AD. We infer from this comment that Delta is requesting 
that the 42-month compliance time be extended to allow the part 
supplier adequate time to make part kits available.
    We disagree with the request to extend the compliance time because 
we have confirmed that the supplier has prepared to have parts 
available and also to support the compliance time of the AD. If 
adequate parts are not available as planned approaching the end of the 
compliance period, paragraph (j) of this AD provides operators the 
opportunity to request approval of an alternative compliance time if 
data are presented that prove that the alternative compliance time will 
provide an acceptable level of safety. We have not changed this AD 
regarding this issue.

Request To Provide Credit for Previous Actions

    United requested that we allow credit for work done prior to the 
effective date of the AD using Air Cruisers Service Bulletin 777 107-
25-30, dated September 30, 2010, since Air Cruisers Service Bulletin 
777 107-25-30 is now at Revision 1.
    We find that no change is necessary because this AD requires that 
actions be done in accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions of 
Boeing Special Attention Service Bulletin 777-25-0507, dated June 30, 
2011, which references Air Cruisers Service Bulletin 777 107-25-30, 
dated September 30, 2010, as an additional source of guidance for 
inspecting and installing a new housing assembly of the door-mounted 
slide/raft packboard release mechanism. Boeing has not revised its 
service bulletin and, therefore, this AD references the original issue 
of Air Cruisers Service Bulletin 777 107-25-30, dated September 30, 
2010. We have not changed this AD in this regard.

Explanation of Change Made to This Final Rule

    We have changed Note 1 to paragraph (g) of the NPRM (77 FR 2666, 
January 19, 2012), which defined a general visual inspection, to new 
paragraph (i) in the regulatory text of this AD, and re-identified 
subsequent paragraphs and notes accordingly.

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 (77 FR 2666, January 19, 2012) for correcting the unsafe 
condition; and
    <bullet> Do not add any additional burden upon the public than was 
already proposed in the NPRM (77 FR 2666, January 19, 2012).
    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 161 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
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inspection......................  Between 4 and 16 work-           $0   Between $340 and     Between $54,740 and
                                   hours x $85 per hour =                $1,360.              $218,960.
                                   Between $340 and $1,360.
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[[Page 19095]]

    We estimate the following costs to do any necessary replacements 
that would be required based on the results of the inspection. We have 
no way of determining the number of aircraft that might need these 
replacements:

                                               On-condition Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                      Cost per
                    Action                                   Labor cost                Parts cost      product
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Replacement..................................  1 work-hour x $85 per hour = $85.....         $137          $222
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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):

2013-05-10 The Boeing Company: Amendment 39-17382; Docket No. FAA-
2011-1417; Directorate Identifier 2011-NM-159-AD.

(a) Effective Date

    This AD is effective May 3, 2013.

(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 Special Attention Service Bulletin 
777-25-0507, dated June 30, 2011.

(d) Subject

    Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC)/Air Transport Association 
(ATA) of America Code 25, Equipment/Furnishings.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by reports that escape slides/rafts did not 
deploy due to galvanic corrosion of the door-mounted slide/raft 
packboard release mechanisms. We are issuing this AD to detect and 
correct corrosion in the packboard release mechanisms, which could 
interfere with escape slide/raft deployment, prohibit doors from 
opening in the armed mode, and cause consequent delay and injury 
during evacuation of passengers and crew from the cabin in the event 
of an emergency.

(f) Compliance

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

(g) Inspection and Replacement

    Within 42 months after the effective date of this AD, at the 
applicable passenger/crew entry doors identified in Boeing Special 
Attention Service Bulletin 777-25-0507, dated June 30, 2011, that 
have not been modified as specified in Air Cruisers Service Bulletin 
777 107-25-30, dated September 30, 2010 (which is not incorporated 
by reference in this AD): Do a general visual inspection of the 
housing assembly of the packboard release mechanism to determine if 
its surface treatment has been sealed; and if unsealed, before 
further flight, replace the housing assembly with a new or 
serviceable housing assembly; in accordance with the Accomplishment 
Instructions of Boeing Special Attention Service Bulletin 777-25-
0507, dated June 30, 2011.

    Note 1 to paragraph (g) of this AD: Boeing Special Attention 
Service Bulletin 777-25-0507, dated June 30, 2011, refers to Air 
Cruisers Service Bulletin 777 107-25-30, dated September 30, 2010 
(which is not incorporated by reference in this AD), as an 
additional source of guidance for inspecting and installing a new 
housing assembly of the door-mounted slide/raft packboard release 
mechanism.

(h) Optional Terminating Action

    Verifying the housing assembly has been replaced with a new or 
serviceable housing assembly by inspecting for a stencil to verify 
that there is a stencil marked ``Inspected and/or Mod per S.B. 777 
107-25-30'' on the girt assembly and upper lacing cover on the 
housing assembly of the packboard release mechanism; or by reviewing 
technical or maintenance records, if it can be conclusively 
determined that the modification specified in Air Cruisers Service 
Bulletin 777 107-25-30, dated September 30, 2010, (which is not 
incorporated by reference in this AD), as specified in Boeing 
Special Attention Service Bulletin 777-25-0507, dated June 30, 2011, 
has been accomplished; terminates the requirements of paragraph (g) 
of this AD.

(i) Definition of a General Visual Inspection

    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.

[[Page 19096]]

(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.

(k) Related Information

    (1) For more information about this AD, contact Ana Martinez 
Hueto, Aerospace Engineer, Cabin Safety and Environmental Systems 
Branch, ANM-150S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), 
1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98057-3356; phone: 425-917-6592; 
fax: 425-917-6591; email: [email protected].
    (2) For Air Cruisers service information identified in this AD, 
contact Air Cruisers Company, 1747 State Route 34, Wall, NJ 07727-
3935; telephone: 732 681-3527; fax: 732 681-9163; email: 
[email protected]. You may review copies of the 
referenced service information at the FAA, Transport Airplane 
Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA. For information on 
the availability of this material at the FAA, call 425-227-1221.

(l) Material Incorporated by Reference

    (1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the 
incorporation by reference (IBR) of the service information listed 
in this paragraph under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
    (2) You must use this service information as applicable to do 
the actions required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise.
    (i) Boeing Special Attention Service Bulletin 777-25-0507, dated 
June 30, 2011.
    (ii) Reserved.
    (3) For Boeing service information identified in this AD, 
contact Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Attention: Data & Services 
Management, P. O. Box 3707, MC 2H-65, Seattle, WA 98124-2207; 
telephone 206-544-5000, extension 1; fax 206-766-5680; Internet 
https://www.myboeingfleet.com.
    (4) You may view this service information at 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.
    (5) You may view this 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/cfr/ibr-locations.html.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on March 5, 2013.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-05871 Filed 3-28-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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