Airworthiness Directives; Boeing Model 747-100, 747-100B, 747-100B SUD, 747-200B, 747-200C, 747-200F, 747-300, 747-400, 747-400D, 747-400F, 747SR, and 747SP Series Airplanes

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 133 (Thursday, July 10, 2008)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 39579-39580]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-14972]



[[Page 39579]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2008-0166; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-329-AD; 
Amendment 39-15603; AD 2008-14-08]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Boeing Model 747-100, 747-100B, 747-
100B SUD, 747-200B, 747-200C, 747-200F, 747-300, 747-400, 747-400D, 
747-400F, 747SR, and 747SP Series Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all 
Boeing Model 747 airplanes listed above. This AD requires repetitive 
inspections for broken or missing fasteners in the single-row hinge 
fasteners of the forward and aft cargo doors, and related 
investigative/corrective actions. This AD results from reports of 
broken and missing fasteners in the hinges of the forward and aft cargo 
doors in both the body hinge segments and the door hinge segments. We 
are issuing this AD to detect and correct broken or missing fasteners 
in the hinge segments with a single fastener row, which could lead to 
opening of the cargo door during flight and result in rapid 
decompression of the airplane.

DATES: This AD is effective August 14, 2008.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of August 14, 
2008.

ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Boeing Commercial Airplanes, P.O. Box 3707, Seattle, Washington 98124-
2207.

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 (telephone 800-647-5527) is the 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: Ivan Li, Aerospace Engineer, Airframe 
Branch, ANM-120S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office, 1601 Lind 
Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; telephone (425) 917-6437; 
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 
all Boeing Model 747-100, 747-100B, 747-100B SUD, 747-200B, 747-200C, 
747-200F, 747-300, 747-400, 747-400D, 747-400F, 747SR, and 747SP series 
airplanes. That NPRM was published in the Federal Register on February 
13, 2008 (73 FR 8248). That NPRM proposed to require repetitive 
inspections for broken or missing fasteners in the single-row hinge 
fasteners of the forward and aft cargo doors, and related 
investigative/corrective actions.

Comments

    We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD. We considered the comments received.

Request To Cite Corrected Service Bulletin

    Japan Airlines (JAL) states that it informed Boeing of an error in 
Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-52A2287, dated October 25, 2007, 
which we referred to as the appropriate source of service information 
for doing the actions proposed in the NPRM. JAL found an error in 
torque values and fastener quantities in Figures 9, 25, and 26 of that 
service bulletin. Therefore, JAL requests that we delay issuance of the 
AD until Boeing revises its service information with the corrected 
values and quantities. Boeing states that it has revised the service 
bulletin and recommends that the AD refer to Revision 1.
    We agree with the commenter. Boeing has issued Service Bulletin 
747-52A2287, Revision 1, dated April 17, 2008, which contains the 
corrected torque values and fastener quantities. Revision 1 of the 
service bulletin also corrects errors in certain part numbers and 
station locations. We have revised paragraph (f) of the AD to refer to 
Revision 1 and to remove the actions to take if there is one or more 
fasteners missing from a hinge segment. That information is included in 
Revision 1 of the service bulletin. We have also added a new paragraph 
(g) to the AD to give credit to operators who accomplished the required 
actions in accordance with the original issue of the service bulletin. 
We have re-identified subsequent paragraphs 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. 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 165 airplanes of U.S. registry. 
The ``Estimated Costs'' table provides the estimated costs for U.S. 
operators to comply with this AD.

                                                 Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                             Number of U.S.-
            Action                Work    Average labor   Cost per product      registered         Fleet cost
                                 hours    rate per hour                         airplanes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Detailed inspection...........        3             $80  $240, per          165..............  $39,600, per
                                                          inspection cycle.                     inspection
                                                                                                cycle.
Torque application (for any           7             $80  $560, per          Up to 165........  Up to $92,400,
 hinge segment with no broken                             inspection cycle.                     per inspection
 or missing fastener).                                                                          cycle.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 39580]]

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), and
    (3) 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.
    You can find our regulatory evaluation and the estimated costs of 
compliance in the AD Docket.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

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

Adoption of the Amendment

0
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:

2008-14-08 Boeing: Amendment 39-15603. Docket No. FAA-2008-0166; 
Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-329-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This airworthiness directive (AD) is effective August 14, 
2008.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to all Boeing Model 747-100, 747-100B, 747-
100B SUD, 747-200B, 747-200C, 747-200F, 747-300, 747-400, 747-400D, 
747-400F, 747SR, and 747SP series airplanes, certificated in any 
category.

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from reports of broken and missing fasteners 
in the hinges of the forward and aft cargo doors in both the body 
hinge segments and the door hinge segments. We are issuing this AD 
to detect and correct broken or missing fasteners in the hinge 
segments with a single fastener row, which could lead to opening of 
the cargo door during flight and result in rapid decompression of 
the airplane.

Compliance

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

Repetitive Inspection and Related Investigative/Corrective Actions

    (f) Before the accumulation of 7,200 total flight cycles or 
within 3,000 flight cycles after the effective date of this AD, 
whichever occurs later: Do a detailed inspection for broken or 
missing fasteners of the single-row hinge fasteners of the forward 
and aft cargo door hinge segments, and do all applicable related 
investigative (torque application) and corrective actions by 
accomplishing all the actions specified in the Accomplishment 
Instructions of Boeing Service Bulletin 747-52A2287, Revision 1, 
dated April 17, 2008. Do all applicable related investigative and 
corrective actions before further flight. Repeat the inspection 
thereafter at intervals not to exceed 6,000 flight cycles.

Actions Accomplished According to Earlier Revision of Service Bulletin

    (g) Actions accomplished before the effective date of this AD in 
accordance with Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-52A2287, dated 
October 25, 2007, are acceptable for compliance with the 
corresponding actions of this AD.

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (h)(1) The Manager, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), 
FAA, ATTN: Ivan Li, Aerospace Engineer, Airframe Branch, ANM-120S, 
1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; telephone 
(425) 917-6437; fax (425) 917-6590; has the authority to approve 
AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the procedures found in 14 CFR 
39.19.
    (2) To request a different method of compliance or a different 
compliance time for this AD, follow the procedures in 14 CFR 39.19. 
Before using any approved AMOC on any airplane to which the AMOC 
applies, notify your appropriate principal inspector (PI) in the FAA 
Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), or lacking a PI, your local 
FSDO.
    (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 an 
Authorized Representative for the Boeing Commercial Airplanes 
Delegation Option Authorization Organization who 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.

Material Incorporated by Reference

    (i) You must use Boeing Service Bulletin 747-52A2287, Revision 
1, dated April 17, 2008, 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 this service information under 5 
U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
    (2) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Boeing Commercial Airplanes, P.O. Box 3707, Seattle, Washington 
98124-2207.
    (3) You may review copies of the service information 
incorporated by reference at the FAA, Transport Airplane 
Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington; or 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/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on June 24, 2008.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. E8-14972 Filed 7-9-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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