Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 124 (Thursday, June 27, 2013)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 38550-38551]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-15179]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2013-0205; Directorate Identifier 2012-NM-226-AD; 
Amendment 39-17493; AD 2013-13-05]
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 all The 
Boeing Company Model 747SP series airplanes, and certain The Boeing 
Company Model 747-100B SUD and 747-300 series airplanes. This AD was 
prompted by an evaluation by the design approval holder indicating that 
the fuselage skin just above certain lap splice locations is subject to 
widespread fatigue damage. This AD requires repetitive inspections for 
cracking of the fuselage skin above certain lap splice locations, and 
repair if necessary. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct 
fatigue cracking of the fuselage skin, which could result in reduced 
structural integrity of the airplane and sudden loss of cabin pressure.

DATES: This AD is effective August 1, 2013.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain publication listed in the AD as of August 1, 
2013.

ADDRESSES: For 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. 
You may review copies of the 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.

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: Nathan Weigand, Aerospace Engineer, 
Airframe Branch, ANM-120S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office 
(ACO), 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98057-3356; phone: 425-917-
6428; 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 published in the Federal Register on March 7, 2013 (78 FR 
14719). That NPRM proposed to require repetitive inspections for 
cracking of the fuselage skin above certain lap splice locations, and 
repair if necessary.

Comments

    We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD. We have considered the comment received. Boeing supported the 
NPRM (78 FR 14719, March 7, 2013).

Conclusion

    We reviewed the relevant data, considered the comment received, and 
determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting the 
AD as proposed-except for minor editorial changes. We have determined 
that these minor changes:
    <bullet> Are consistent with the intent that was proposed in the 
NPRM (78 FR 14719, March 7, 2013) for correcting the unsafe condition; 
and
    <bullet> Do not add any additional burden upon the public than was 
already proposed in the NPRM (78 FR 14719, March 7, 2013).

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD affects 4 airplanes of U.S. registry.
    We estimate the following costs to comply with this AD:

                                                 Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             Parts                              Cost on U.S.
               Action                      Labor cost         cost     Cost per product          operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inspection.........................  Up to 57 work-hours x      $0  Up to $4,845, per      Up to $19,380, per
                                      $85 per hour =                 inspection cycle.      inspection cycle.
                                      $4,845, per
                                      inspection cycle.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We have received no definitive data that would enable us to provide 
coststimates for the on-condition actions specified in this AD.

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,

[[Page 38551]]

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):

2013-13-05 The Boeing Company: Amendment 39-17493; Docket No. FAA-
2013-0205; Directorate Identifier 2012-NM-226-AD.

(a) Effective Date

    This AD is effective August 1, 2013.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to The Boeing Company airplanes, certificated in 
any category, identified in paragraphs (c)(1), (c)(2), and (c)(3) of 
this AD.
    (1) All Model 747SP airplanes.
    (2) Model 747-100B SUD airplanes, line numbers 636 and 655.
    (3) Model 747-300 airplanes, line numbers 692 through 695 
inclusive.

(d) Subject

    Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC)/Air Transport Association 
(ATA) of America Code 53, Fuselage.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by an evaluation by the design approval 
holder indicating that the fuselage skin just above certain lap 
splice locations is subject to widespread fatigue damage. We are 
issuing this AD to detect and correct fatigue cracking of the 
fuselage skin, which could result in reduced structural integrity of 
the airplane and sudden loss of cabin pressure.

(f) Compliance

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

(g) Repetitive Inspections

    Perform external sliding probe eddy current inspections of the 
fuselage skin for cracking, in accordance with the Accomplishment 
Instructions of Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2854, dated 
September 17, 2012, except where this service bulletin specifies to 
contact Boeing for inspection instructions, this AD requires doing 
the inspection using a method approved in accordance with the 
procedures specified in paragraph (h) of this AD. Do the inspection 
at the applicable initial compliance time specified in paragraph 
1.E., ``Compliance,'' of Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2854, 
dated September 17, 2012, except that where this service bulletin 
specifies a compliance time after the ``original issue date of this 
service bulletin,'' this AD requires compliance within the specified 
compliance time after the effective date of this AD.
    (1) If no cracking is found during any inspection required by 
paragraph (g) of this AD, repeat the inspection thereafter at the 
applicable intervals specified in paragraph 1.E., ``Compliance,'' of 
Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2854, dated September 17, 2012.
    (2) If any cracking is found during any inspection required by 
paragraph (g) of this AD: Before further flight, repair the cracking 
using a method approved in accordance with the procedures specified 
in paragraph (h) of this AD.

 (h) 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.

(i) Related Information

    For more information about this AD, contact Nathan Weigand, 
Aerospace Engineer, Airframe Branch, ANM-120S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft 
Certification Office (ACO), 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98057-
3356; phone: 425-917-6428; fax: 425-917-6590; email: 
[email protected].

 (j) 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 Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2854, dated September 
17, 2012.
    (ii) Reserved.
    (3) For Boeing service information identified in this AD, 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 review this 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.
    (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 June 12, 2013.
Jeffrey E. Duven,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-15179 Filed 6-26-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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