[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 142 (Tuesday, July 26, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-17857]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: July 26, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 94-NM-68-AD; Amendment 39-8983; AD 94-15-12]

 

Airworthiness Directives; Boeing Model 747-100SR Series Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: This amendment supersedes an existing airworthiness directive 
(AD), applicable to certain Boeing Model 747-100SR series airplanes, 
that currently requires that the FAA-approved maintenance inspection 
program include inspections which will give no less than the required 
damage tolerance rating (DTR) for each Structural Significant Item 
(SSI). That AD was prompted by a structural re-evaluation of this 
airplane model by the FAA. The actions specified in that AD are 
intended to ensure the continued structural integrity of the total 
Boeing Model 747-100SR fleet. This amendment revises the applicability 
of the rule by removing airplanes and adding others.

DATES: Effective August 10, 1994.
    The incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in 
the regulations is approved by the Director of the Federal Register as 
of August 10, 1994.
    Comments for inclusion in the Rules Docket must be received on or 
before September 26, 1994.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA), Transport Airplane Directorate, ANM-103, 
Attention: Rules Docket No. 94-NM-68-AD, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, 
Washington 98055-4056.
    The service information referenced in this AD may be obtained from 
Boeing Commercial Airplane Group, P.O. Box 3707, Seattle, Washington 
98124-2207.
    This information may be examined at the FAA, Transport Airplane 
Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington; or at the Office 
of the Federal Register, 800 North Capitol Street NW., suite 700, 
Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steven C. Fox, Aerospace Engineer, 
Airframe Branch, ANM-120S, FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate , 
Seattle Aircraft Certification Office, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, 
Washington 98055-4056; telephone (206) 227-2777; fax (206) 227-1181.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 8, 1986, the FAA issued AD 86-19-
01, amendment 39-5394 (51 FR 29212, August 15, 1986), which is 
applicable to certain Boeing Model 747-100SR (short range operation) 
series airplanes. That AD requires that the FAA-approved maintenance 
inspection program of affected operators be revised to include 
inspections that will give no less than the required damage tolerance 
rating (DTR) for each Structural Significant Item (SSI) listed in 
Boeing Document No. D6-35655, ``Supplemental Structural Inspection 
Document'' (SSID), approved March 22, 1986. That action was prompted by 
a structural re-evaluation of this airplane model by the FAA. The 
requirements of that AD are intended to ensure the continued structural 
integrity of the total Boeing Model 747-100SR fleet.
    AD 86-19-01 is applicable only to Model 747-100SR series airplanes 
that are listed in the referenced Boeing Document No. D6-35655. These 
airplanes represented the ``candidate fleet'' of airplanes selected to 
participate in the SSID program. Since the issuance of that AD, 
however, the FAA has been advised that the airplanes applicable to AD 
86-19-01 are no longer operated as short range airplanes, but have been 
converted to long range, high gross weight freighters. Therefore, these 
airplanes are no longer representative of the Model 747-100SR candidate 
fleet. The FAA has now identified other airplanes to replace the 
original airplanes as the candidate fleet.
    Further, on December 28, 1993, the FAA issued a notice of proposed 
rulemaking, Airworthiness Directive Rules Docket 93-NM-174-AD (59 FR 
265, January 4, 1994), applicable to certain Boeing Model 747 series 
airplanes (not including Model 747- 100SR's), which would require that 
affected operators' revise their FAA-approved maintenance inspection 
programs to include inspections that will give no less than the 
required DTR for each SSI, as specified in Boeing Document No. D6-
35022, ``Supplemental Structural Inspection Document (SSID) for Model 
747 Airplanes,'' Revision E, dated June 17, 1993. The applicability of 
that proposed AD includes Model 747 series airplanes that were formerly 
operated as Model 747-100SR series airplanes. Consequently, the 
airplanes that are currently subject to the requirements of AD 86-19-01 
are included in the applicability of Rules Docket 93-NM-174-AD and will 
be subject to its requirements. To avoid redundant requirements for 
these airplanes, the FAA has determined that AD 86-19-01 must be 
revised to remove those airplanes that are currently listed both in its 
applicability as well as the applicability of Rules Docket 93-NM-174-
AD.
    The FAA has reviewed and approved Boeing Document No. D6-35655, 
``Supplemental Structural Inspection Document for 747-100SR,'' dated 
April 2, 1986, which specifies supplemental inspections of Boeing Model 
747-100SR series airplanes that give no less than the required DTR for 
each SSI. This Document is essentially identical to Boeing Document No. 
D6-35655, approved March 22, 1986, which was called out in AD 86-19-01 
as the appropriate source of service information. Incorporating the 
inspections described in this Document will ensure the continuing 
structural integrity of the total Model 747-100SR fleet. (It should be 
noted, however, that the airplanes listed in this document as the 
``candidate fleet'' are no longer operated as short-range airplanes.)
    Since the failure of an SSI can compromise the structural integrity 
of these airplanes, and since such conditions are likely to exist or 
develop on other Model 747-100SR airplanes, this AD is being issued to 
supersede AD 86-19-01 with a new AD to require that affected operators 
revise their maintenance inspection programs to include inspections 
that provide no less than the required DTR for each SSI listed in the 
Boeing Document No. D6-35655, dated April 2, 1986. The applicability of 
this AD lists six specific airplanes as the candidate fleet.
    Additionally, this new AD differs from the superseded AD in certain 
other ways:
    1. All references to the use of ``later FAA-approved revisions'' of 
the applicable Boeing Document have been deleted in order to be 
consistent with FAA policy in that regard. Later revisions of the 
Document may be approved for use as an alternative method of 
compliance, as provided by paragraph (c) of this AD.
    2. This AD does not include a specific paragraph similar to 
paragraph E. of AD 86-19-01, which stated that, if an operator's 
maintenance program has been revised to incorporate the inspections 
specified in the Boeing Document, that operator is exempt from the 
requirements of the AD. Since the Compliance section of this new AD 
indicates that compliance is required ``unless accomplished 
previously,'' any additional paragraph, such as one similar to 
paragraph E. of AD 86-19-01, would be redundant.
    3. The new AD has been reformatted to be in compliance with Federal 
Register style.
    There currently are no Model 747-100SR series airplanes affected by 
this AD on the U.S. Register. All airplanes included in the 
applicability of this rule currently are operated by non-U.S. operators 
under foreign registry; therefore, they are not directly affected by 
this AD action. However, the FAA considers that this rule is necessary 
to ensure that the unsafe condition is addressed in the event that any 
of these subject airplanes are imported and placed on the U.S. Register 
in the future.
    Should an affected airplane be imported and placed on the U.S. 
Register in the future, it would require approximately 36.25 work hours 
to accomplish the required actions, at an average labor charge of $55 
per work hour. Based on these figures, the total cost impact of this AD 
would be $1,993.75 per airplane.
    Since this AD action does not affect any airplane that is currently 
on the U.S. register, it has no adverse economic impact and imposes no 
additional burden on any person. Therefore, notice and public 
procedures hereon are unnecessary and the amendment may be made 
effective in less than 30 days after publication in the Federal 
Register.

Comments Invited

    Although this action is in the form of a final rule and was not 
preceded by notice and opportunity for public comment, comments are 
invited on this rule. Interested persons are invited to comment on this 
rule by submitting such written data, views, or arguments as they may 
desire. Communications shall identify the Rules Docket number and be 
submitted in triplicate to the address specified under the caption 
ADDRESSES. All communications received on or before the closing date 
for comments will be considered, and this rule may be amended in light 
of the comments received. Factual information that supports the 
commenter's ideas and suggestions is extremely helpful in evaluating 
the effectiveness of the AD action and determining whether additional 
rulemaking action would be needed.
    Comments are specifically invited on the overall regulatory, 
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the rule that might 
suggest a need to modify the rule. All comments submitted will be 
available, both before and after the closing date for comments, in the 
Rules Docket for examination by interested persons. A report that 
summarizes each FAA-public contact concerned with the substance of this 
AD will be filed in the Rules Docket.
    Commenters wishing the FAA to acknowledge receipt of their comments 
submitted in response to this rule must submit a self-addressed, 
stamped postcard on which the following statement is made: ``Comments 
to Docket Number 94-NM-68-AD.'' The postcard will be date stamped and 
returned to the commenter.
    The regulations adopted herein will not have substantial direct 
effects 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. Therefore, in 
accordance with Executive Order 12612, it is determined that this final 
rule does not have sufficient federalism implications to warrant the 
preparation of a Federalism Assessment.
    For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this action (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. A final evaluation has been prepared for this action 
and it is contained in the Rules Docket. A copy of it may be obtained 
from the Rules Docket at the location provided under the caption 
ADDRESSES.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

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

Adoption of the Amendment

    Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the 
Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration amends part 39 of 
the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) as follows:

PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

    1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. App. 1354(a), 1421 and 1423; 49 U.S.C. 
106(g); and 14 CFR 11.89.


Sec. 39.13  [Amended]

    2. Section 39.13 is amended by removing amendment 39-5394 (51 FR 
29212, August 15, 1986) and by adding a new airworthiness directive 
(AD), amendment 39- , to read as follows:

94-15-12 Boeing: Amendment 39-8983. Docket 94-NM-68-AD. Supersedes 
AD 86-19-01, amendment 39-5394.

    Applicability: Model 747-100SR series airplanes having line 
numbers 346, 351, 420, 426, 427, and 601; certificated in any 
category.

    Note: The airplanes listed as the ``747-100SR Candidate 
Airplanes'' on page 2 of Section 3.0 of Boeing Document D6-35655, 
``Supplemental Structural Inspection Document for 747-100SR,'' dated 
April 2, 1986, are not subject to the requirements of this AD.

    Compliance: Required as indicated, unless accomplished 
previously.
    To ensure continued structural integrity of the total fleet of 
these airplanes, accomplish the following:
    (a) Within one year after the effective date of this AD, 
incorporate a revision into the FAA-approved maintenance inspection 
program which provides no less than the required damage tolerance 
rating (DTR) for each Structural Significant Item (SSI) as listed in 
Boeing Document D6-35655, ``Supplemental Structural Inspection 
Document for 747-100SR,'' dated April 2, 1986. The revision to the 
maintenance program must include and be implemented in accordance 
with the procedures specified in sections 5.0 and 6.0 of the 
Document.
    (b) Cracked structure must be repaired prior to further flight, 
in accordance with an FAA-approved method.
    (c) An alternative method of compliance or adjustment of the 
compliance time that provides an acceptable level of safety may be 
used if approved by the Manager, Seattle Aircraft Certification 
Office (ACO), FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate. Operators shall 
submit their requests through an appropriate FAA Principal 
Maintenance Inspector, who may add comments and then send it to the 
Manager, Seattle ACO.

    Note: Information concerning the existence of approved 
alternative methods of compliance with this AD, if any, may be 
obtained from the Seattle ACO.

    (d) Special flight permits may be issued in accordance with 
sections 21.197 and 21.199 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 
CFR 21.197 and 21.199) to operate the airplane to a location where 
the requirements of this AD can be accomplished.
    (e) The incorporation of the revision to the maintenance program 
shall be done in accordance with Boeing Document No. D6-35655, 
Supplemental Structural Inspection Document for 747-100SR,'' dated 
April 2, 1986, which contains the following list of effective pages: 


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                         Page No.                           letter shown
                                                               on page  
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List of Active Pages:                                                   
  Section A, Pages 1-11...................................  (None)      
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    This incorporation by reference was approved by the Director of 
the Federal Register in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR 
part 51. Copies may be obtained from Boeing Commercial Airplane 
Group, P.O. Box 3707, Seattle, Washington 98124-2207. Copies may be 
inspected at the FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind 
Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington; or at the Office of the Federal 
Register, 800 North Capitol Street, NW., suite 700, Washington, DC.
    (g) This amendment becomes effective on August 10, 1994.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on July 18, 1994.
S.R. Miller,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 94-17857 Filed 7-25-94; 8:45 am]
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