Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes
| Published date | 30 June 2020 |
| Record Number | 2020-13973 |
| Section | Proposed rules |
| Court | Federal Aviation Administration |
Federal Register, Volume 85 Issue 126 (Tuesday, June 30, 2020)
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 126 (Tuesday, June 30, 2020)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 39108-39110]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-13973]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2020-0573; Product Identifier 2020-NM-078-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD)
for all The Boeing Company 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. This proposed AD was prompted by a
determination that the upper wing skin at engine nacelle points may be
subject to undetected cracking. This proposed AD would require
repetitive ultrasonic inspections of the upper wing skin at certain
engine strut positions for cracking; repetitive detailed and ultrasonic
inspections of the strut lower spar fitting, diagonal brace strut end
clevis, and diagonal brace wing attach end clevis for cracking;
repetitive detailed inspections of lower link fitting at certain engine
strut positions for cracking; and applicable on-condition actions. The
FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these
products.
DATES: The FAA must receive comments on this proposed AD by August 14,
2020.
ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR
11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
Fax: 202-493-2251.
Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail address above between 9
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
For service information identified in this NPRM, contact Boeing
Commercial Airplanes, Attention: Contractual & Data Services (C&DS),
2600 Westminster Blvd., MC 110-SK57, Seal Beach, CA 90740-5600;
telephone 562-797-1717; internet https://www.myboeingfleet.com. You may
view this referenced service information at the FAA, Airworthiness
Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des
Moines, WA. For information on the availability of this material at the
FAA, call 206-231-3195. It is also available on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2020-
0573.
Examining the AD Docket
You may examine the AD docket on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2020-
0573; or in person at Docket Operations between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD docket contains
this NPRM, any comments received, and other information. The street
address for Docket Operations is listed above. Comments will be
available in the AD docket shortly after receipt.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eric Lin, Aerospace Engineer, Airframe
Section, FAA, Seattle ACO Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA
98198; phone and fax: 206-231-3523; email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
The FAA invites you to send any written relevant data, views, or
arguments about this proposal. Send your comments to an address listed
under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2020-0573;
Product Identifier 2020-NM-078-AD'' at the beginning of your comments.
The FAA specifically invites comments on the overall regulatory,
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this NPRM. The FAA will
consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend this
NPRM because of those comments.
The FAA will post all comments received, without change, to https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide.
The FAA will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal
contact received about this proposed AD.
Discussion
The FAA has received a report indicating that the upper wing skin
at engine nacelle points may be subject to undetected cracking. Safety
service related problems found on a Model 757 airplane led to a cross-
model review of the upper wing skin at engine nacelle attach points and
a revision to analysis criteria. The FAA has not received any reports
of cracking on Model 747 airplanes, but existing inspections do not
provide opportunities for crack detection prior to loss of residual
strength in the fail-safe load path. Based on the findings for Model
757 airplanes, Boeing identified that loss of clamp-up due to shim
migration, cracked fastener heads, or loss of torque causes cracking of
the fasteners and fastener holes and may lead to cracking of the upper
wing skin. Undetected cracks in the upper wing skin, strut lower spar
fitting, or clevis lugs at either end of the diagonal brace and lower
link fitting, if not addressed, could adversely affect the structural
integrity of the engine strut and may lead to the separation of the
strut to wing box assembly.
Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51
The FAA reviewed Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 747-57A2363 RB,
dated December 23, 2019. The service information describes procedures
for ultrasonic inspections of the upper wing skin at engine strut
positions 1 through 4 for cracking; detailed and ultrasonic inspections
of the strut lower spar fitting, diagonal brace strut end clevis, and
diagonal brace wing attach end clevis for cracking; detail inspections
of lower link fitting at engine strut positions 1 through 4 for
cracking; and applicable on-condition actions. On-condition actions
include repair.
This service information is reasonably available because the
interested parties have access to it through their normal course of
business or by the means identified in the ADDRESSES section.
FAA's Determination
The FAA is proposing this AD because the agency evaluated all the
relevant information and determined the unsafe condition described
previously is likely to exist or develop in other products of the same
type design.
Proposed AD Requirements
This proposed AD would require accomplishment of the actions
identified in Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 747-57A2363 RB,
Original issue, dated December 23, 2019,
[[Page 39109]]
described previously, except for any differences identified as
exceptions in the regulatory text of this proposed AD.
For information on the procedures and compliance times, see this
service information at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and
locating Docket No. FAA-2020-0573.
Explanation of Requirements Bulletin
The FAA worked in conjunction with industry, under the
Airworthiness Directive Implementation Aviation Rulemaking Committee
(AD ARC), to enhance the AD system. One enhancement is a process for
annotating which steps in the service information are ``required for
compliance'' (RC) with an AD. Boeing has implemented this RC concept
into Boeing service bulletins.
In an effort to further improve the quality of ADs and AD-related
Boeing service information, a joint process improvement initiative was
worked between the FAA and Boeing. The initiative resulted in the
development of a new process in which the service information more
clearly identifies the actions needed to address the unsafe condition
in the ``Accomplishment Instructions.'' The new process results in a
Boeing Requirements Bulletin, which contains only the actions needed to
address the unsafe condition (i.e., only the RC actions).
Costs of Compliance
The FAA estimates that this proposed AD affects 125 airplanes of
U.S. registry. The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with
this proposed AD:
Estimated Costs for Required Actions
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Action Labor cost Parts cost Cost per product Cost on U.S. operators
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Inspections................. 9 work-hours x $85 per hour $0................................ $765 per inspection cycle...................... $95,625 per inspection cycle.
= $765 per inspection cycle.
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The FAA has received no definitive data that would enable the
agency to provide cost estimates for the on-condition actions specified
in this proposed 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.
The FAA is 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
The FAA determined that this proposed AD would not have federalism
implications under Executive Order 13132. This proposed AD would 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 this proposed
regulation:
(1) Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive
Order 12866,
(2) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, 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.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by
reference, Safety.
The Proposed Amendment
Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the
Administrator, the FAA proposes to amend 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):
The Boeing Company: Docket No. FAA-2020-0573; Product Identifier
2020-NM-078-AD.
(a) Comments Due Date
The FAA must receive comments by August 14, 2020.
(b) Affected ADs
None.
(c) Applicability
This AD applies to all The Boeing Company 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.
(d) Subject
Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 57, Wings.
(e) Unsafe Condition
This AD was prompted by a determination that the upper wing skin
at engine nacelle attachment points may be subject to undetected
cracking. The FAA is issuing this AD to address undetected cracking
in the upper wing skin, strut lower spar fitting, or clevis lugs at
either end of the diagonal brace and lower link fitting. This
condition, if not addressed, could adversely affect the structural
integrity of the engine strut and may lead to the separation of the
strut to wing box assembly.
(f) Compliance
Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified,
unless already done.
(g) Required Actions
Except as specified by paragraph (h) of this AD: At the
applicable times specified in the ``Compliance'' paragraph of Boeing
Alert Requirements Bulletin 747-57A2363 RB, dated December 23, 2019,
do all applicable actions identified in, and in accordance with, the
Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin
747-57A2363 RB, dated December 23, 2019.
Note 1 to paragraph (g): Guidance for accomplishing the actions
required by this AD can be found in Boeing Alert Service Bulletin
747-57A2363, dated December 23, 2019, which is referred to in Boeing
Alert Requirements Bulletin 747-57A2363 RB, dated December 23, 2019.
(h) Exceptions to Service Information Specifications
(1) Where Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 747-57A2363 RB,
dated December 23, 2019, uses the phrase ``the original issue
[[Page 39110]]
date of Requirements Bulletin 747-57A2363 RB,'' this AD requires
using ``the effective date of this AD.''
(2) Where Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 747-57A2363 RB,
dated December 23, 2019, specifies contacting Boeing for repair
instructions: This AD requires doing the repair before further
flight using a method approved in accordance with the procedures
specified in paragraph (i) of this AD.
(i) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)
(1) The Manager, Seattle ACO Branch, 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 certification office, send it to the attention of the
person identified in paragraph (j)(1) 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, modification, or alteration required by this AD
if it is approved by The Boeing Company Organization Designation
Authorization (ODA) that has been authorized by the Manager, Seattle
ACO Branch, FAA, to make those findings. To be approved, the repair
method, modification deviation, or alteration deviation must meet
the certification basis of the airplane, and the approval must
specifically refer to this AD.
(j) Related Information
(1) For more information about this AD, contact Eric Lin,
Aerospace Engineer, Airframe Section, FAA, Seattle ACO Branch, 2200
South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; phone and fax: 206-231-3523;
email: [email protected].
(2) For service information identified in this AD, contact
Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Attention: Contractual & Data Services
(C&DS), 2600 Westminster Blvd., MC 110-SK57, Seal Beach, CA 90740-
5600; telephone 562-797-1717; internet https://www.myboeingfleet.com. You may view this referenced service
information at the FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, Operational
Safety Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA. For information
on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 206-231-3195.
Issued on June 15, 2020.
Lance T. Gant,
Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-13973 Filed 6-29-20; 8:45 am]
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