Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 159 (Friday, August 16, 2013)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 49913-49915]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-18122]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2013-0362; Directorate Identifier 2013-NM-030-AD; 
Amendment 39-17531; AD 2013-15-15]
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 727 airplanes. This AD was prompted by an 
evaluation by the design approval holder indicating that the frame-to-
floor beam attachment is subject to widespread fatigue damage. This AD 
requires repetitive high frequency eddy current inspections for any 
crack of the frames at body station (STA) 188 through STA 344, and 
repair if necessary. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct 
fatigue cracking at the frame-to-floor beam attachment, on both the 
left- and right-sides, which could result in reduced structural 
integrity of the airplane, and decompression of the cabin.

DATES: This AD is effective September 20, 2013.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain publication listed in the AD as of September 20, 
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 referenced service 
information at the FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind 
Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356. 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: Berhane Alazar, Aerospace Engineer, 
Airframe Branch, ANM-120S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office 
(ACO), 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; phone: 425-
917-6577; 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. 
The NPRM published in the Federal Register on May 3, 2013 (78 FR 
25905). The NPRM proposed to require repetitive high frequency eddy 
current inspections for any crack of the frames at body STA 188 through 
STA 344, and repair if necessary.

Comments

    We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD. We have considered the comments received.
    Boeing stated that it supports the NPRM (78 FR 25905, May 3, 2013).
    Fedex stated that the NPRM (78 FR 25905, May 3, 2013) will be 
effective for twenty of its Model 727-200 airplanes, the inspection 
threshold and intervals will fit within its planned scheduled 
maintenance checks and therefore will be no impact to available lift, 
the number of man-hours and elapsed time to accomplish the inspections 
will not impact the overall span-time of its planned scheduled 
maintenance check, and the inspections do not require any special 
inspection techniques, training, or tooling.

Conclusion

    We reviewed the relevant data, considered the comments received, 
and determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting 
thisAD 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 25905, May 3, 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 25905, May 3, 2013).

[[Page 49914]]

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD affects 106 airplanes of U.S. registry.
    We estimate the following costs to comply with this AD:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                Cost on U.S.
          Action                  Labor cost          Parts cost       Cost per product          operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inspection................  118 work-hours x $85               $0   $10,030 per            $1,063,180 per
                             per hour = $10,030                      inspection cycle.      inspection cycle.
                             per inspection cycle.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We have received no definitive data that would enable us to provide 
cost estimates 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, 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):

2013-15-15 The Boeing Company: Amendment 39-17531; Docket No. FAA-
2013-0362; Directorate Identifier 2013-NM-030-AD.

(a) Effective Date

    This AD is effective September 20, 2013.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to The Boeing Company Model 727, 727C, 727-100, 
727-100C, 727-200, and 727-200F series airplanes, certificated in 
any category, as identified in Boeing Special Attention Service 
Bulletin 727-53-0234, dated January 17, 2013.

(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 frame-to-floor beam attachment is subject 
to widespread fatigue damage. We are issuing this AD to detect and 
correct fatigue cracking at the frame-to-floor beam attachment, on 
both the left- and right-sides, which could result in reduced 
structural integrity of the airplane, and decompression of the 
cabin.

(f) Compliance

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

(g) Inspection and Repair

    Before the accumulation of 61,000 total flight cycles, or within 
24 months after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs 
later, do a high frequency eddy current inspection for cracking of 
the frames (for certain stations), in the area of the floor beam 
attachments on both the left- and right-sides of the airplane, in 
accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Special 
Attention Service Bulletin 727-53-0234, dated January 17, 2013. 
Repeat this inspection thereafter at intervals not to exceed 20,000 
flight cycles. If any crack is found during any inspection required 
by this AD, before further flight, repair the crack 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 Berhane Alazar, 
Aerospace Engineer, Airframe Branch, ANM-120S, FAA, Seattle ACO, 
1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; phone: 425-917-
6577; 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 Special Attention Service Bulletin 727-53-0234, dated 
January 17, 2013.

[[Page 49915]]

    (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 
98057-3356. 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 July 21, 2013.
Stephen P. Boyd,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-18122 Filed 8-15-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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