[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 131 (Wednesday, July 9, 2003)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 40821-40823]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-17316]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 2003-NM-84-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


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

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: This document proposes the adoption of a new airworthiness 
directive (AD) that is applicable to certain Boeing Model 747-100, 747-
100B, 747-100B SUD, 747-200B, 747-200C, 747-200F, 747-300, 747SP, and 
747SR series airplanes. This proposal would require a one-time 
inspection of each emergency evacuation slide or slide/raft to 
determine if a certain discrepant hose assembly is installed, and 
replacement of the hose assembly with a new or serviceable assembly if 
necessary. This action is necessary to prevent the failure of an 
emergency evacuation slide or slide/raft to fully inflate during an 
emergency situation, which could impede an evacuation and result in 
injury to passengers or airplane crewmembers. This action is intended 
to address the identified unsafe condition.

DATES: Comments must be received by August 25, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA), Transport Airplane Directorate, ANM-114, 
Attention: Rules Docket No. 2003-NM-84-AD, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., 
Renton, Washington 98055-4056. Comments may be inspected at this 
location between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays. Comments may be submitted via fax to (425) 227-1232. 
Comments may also be sent via the Internet using the following address: 
[email protected]. Comments sent via fax or the Internet must 
contain ``Docket No. 2003-NM-84-AD'' in the subject line and need not 
be submitted in triplicate. Comments sent via the Internet as attached 
electronic files must be formatted in Microsoft Word 97 or 2000 or 
ASCII text.
    The service information referenced in the proposed rule may be 
obtained from BFGoodrich Aircraft Evacuation Systems, 3414 S. Fifth 
Street, Phoenix, Arizona 85040. This information may be examined at the 
FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, 
Washington.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patrick Gillespie, Aerospace Engineer, 
Airframe Branch, ANM-120S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office, 
1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98055-4056; telephone (425) 
917-6429; fax (425) 917-6590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    Interested persons are invited to participate in the making of the 
proposed 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 above. All 
communications received on or before the closing date for comments, 
specified above, will be considered before taking action on the 
proposed rule. The proposals contained in this action may be changed in 
light of the comments received.
    Submit comments using the following format:
    [sbull] Organize comments issue-by-issue. For example, discuss a 
request to change the compliance time and a request to change the 
service bulletin reference as two separate issues.
    [sbull] For each issue, state what specific change to the proposed 
AD is being requested.
    [sbull] Include justification (e.g., reasons or data) for each 
request.
    Comments are specifically invited on the overall regulatory, 
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the proposed 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 summarizing each FAA-public contact concerned with 
the substance of this proposal will be filed in the Rules Docket.
    Commenters wishing the FAA to acknowledge receipt of their comments 
submitted in response to this action must submit a self-addressed, 
stamped postcard on which the following

[[Page 40822]]

statement is made: ``Comments to Docket Number 2003-NM-84-AD.'' The 
postcard will be date stamped and returned to the commenter.

Availability of NPRMs

    Any person may obtain a copy of this NPRM by submitting a request 
to the FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, ANM-114, Attention: Rules 
Docket No. 2003-NM-84-AD, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 
98055-4056.

Discussion

    The FAA has received reports indicating that, during a recent 
emergency evacuation aboard a Boeing Model 747-200B series airplane, 
two of the airplane's emergency evacuation slides did not fully inflate 
and were unusable during the evacuation. Investigation revealed that 
one of the two slides failed to fully inflate because one of the two 
inflation hoses for the slide had fractured at the hose fitting. (The 
cause of the other slide's underinflation has not been identified.) 
Similar fractures of the slide inflation hose at the swivel (lock) wire 
groove have been reported on other Boeing Model 747-100, 747-100B, 747-
100B SUD, 747-200B, 747-200C, 747-200F, 747-300, 747SP, and 747SR 
series airplanes. Fracture of an inflation hose for an emergency 
evacuation slide could result in failure of the emergency evacuation 
slide or slide/raft to fully inflate during an emergency situation, 
which could impede an evacuation and result in injury to passengers or 
airplane crewmembers.
    The discrepant inflation hose assemblies were manufactured before 
May 30, 1983, and installed on Boeing Model 747-100, 747-100B, 747-100B 
SUD, 747-200B, 747-200C, 747-200F, 747-300, 747SP, and 747SR series 
airplanes. As of May 30, 1983, the manufacturer of the inflation hose 
assembly began manufacturing modified hose assemblies. As of that date, 
new evacuation slides or slide/rafts were shipped with the modified 
hose assemblies. Therefore, Boeing Model 747-100, 747-100B, 747-100B 
SUD, 747-200B, 747-200C, 747-200F, 747-300, 747SP, and 747SR series 
airplanes equipped with evacuation slides or slide/rafts that may have 
inflation hose assemblies manufactured before May 30, 1983, are subject 
to this proposed AD.

Explanation of Relevant Service Information

    We have reviewed and approved BFGoodrich Service Bulletin 25-241, 
dated September 30, 1991. That service bulletin describes procedures 
for inspecting the part number information label on each inflation hose 
assembly on each emergency evacuation slide or slide/raft to determine 
the manufacturing/test date of the inflation hose assembly. For any 
hose assembly with a manufacturing/test date before May 30, 1983, the 
service bulletin specifies to replace the inflation hose assembly with 
a new or serviceable (modified) hose assembly. Accomplishment of the 
actions specified in the service bulletin is intended to adequately 
address the identified unsafe condition.

Explanation of Requirements of Proposed Rule

    Since an unsafe condition has been identified that is likely to 
exist or develop on other products of this same type design, the 
proposed AD would require accomplishment of the actions specified in 
the service bulletin described previously, except as discussed below.

Difference Between Proposed AD and Service Bulletin

    The service bulletin recommends that the actions therein be 
accomplished ``at the next scheduled maintenance action.'' We find that 
such a non-specific compliance time may not ensure that the proposed 
actions are accomplished in a timely manner. In developing an 
appropriate compliance time for this action, we considered the safety 
implications, operators' normal maintenance schedules, and the 
compliance time recommended by the airplane manufacturer. In 
consideration of these items, we have determined that 36 months 
represents an appropriate interval of time wherein the proposed actions 
can be accomplished during scheduled maintenance intervals for the 
majority of affected operators, and an acceptable level of safety can 
be maintained. This compliance time is consistent with the 
recommendation of the airplane manufacturer.

Changes to 14 CFR Part 39/Effect on the Proposed AD

    On July 10, 2002, the FAA issued a new version of 14 CFR part 39 
(67 FR 47997, July 22, 2002), which governs the FAA's airworthiness 
directives system. The regulation now includes material that relates to 
altered products, special flight permits, and alternative methods of 
compliance (AMOCs). Because we have now included this material in part 
39, only the office authorized to approve AMOCs is identified in each 
individual AD.

Explanation of Cost Impact

    We have reviewed the figures we have used over the past several 
years to calculate AD costs to operators. To account for various 
inflationary costs in the airline industry, we find it necessary to 
increase the labor rate used in these calculations from $60 per work 
hour to $65 per work hour. The cost impact information, below, reflects 
this increase in the specified hourly labor rate.

Cost Impact

    There are approximately 333 airplanes of the affected design in the 
worldwide fleet. The FAA estimates that 88 airplanes of U.S. registry 
would be affected by this proposed AD.
    It would take approximately 1 work hour per airplane to accomplish 
the proposed inspection, at an average labor rate of $65 per work hour. 
Based on these figures, the cost impact of the proposed inspection on 
U.S. operators is estimated to be $5,720, or $65 per airplane.
    Should an operator be required to accomplish the replacement of a 
hose assembly, it would take approximately 12 work hours per hose 
assembly, at an average labor rate of $65 per work hour. Required parts 
would cost between $795 and $1,169 per hose assembly. Based on these 
figures, the cost impact of the proposed replacement is estimated to be 
between $1,575 and $1,949 per hose assembly.
    The cost impact figures discussed above are based on assumptions 
that no operator has yet accomplished any of the proposed requirements 
of this AD action, and that no operator would accomplish those actions 
in the future if this proposed AD were not adopted. The cost impact 
figures discussed in AD rulemaking actions represent only the time 
necessary to perform the specific actions actually required by the AD. 
These figures typically do not include incidental costs, such as the 
time required to gain access and close up, planning time, or time 
necessitated by other administrative actions.

Regulatory Impact

    The regulations proposed herein 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. Therefore, it 
is determined that this proposal would not have federalism implications 
under Executive Order 13132.
    For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this proposed 
regulation (1)

[[Page 40823]]

is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive Order 12866; 
(2) is not a ``significant rule'' under the DOT Regulatory Policies and 
Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979); and (3) if promulgated, 
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 copy of the draft regulatory evaluation 
prepared for this action is contained in the Rules Docket. A copy of it 
may be obtained by contacting the Rules Docket at the location provided 
under the caption ADDRESSES.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

    Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Safety.

The Proposed Amendment

    Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the 
Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration proposes to amend 
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. 106(g), 40113, 44701.


Sec.  39.13  [Amended]

    2. Section 39.13 is amended by adding the following new 
airworthiness directive:

Boeing: Docket 2003-NM-84-AD.

    Applicability: All Model 747-100, 747-100B, 747-100B SUD, 747-
200B, 747-200C, 747-200F, 747-300, 747SP, and 747SR series 
airplanes; certificated in any category; and equipped with 
BFGoodrich slides or slide/rafts having part number 7A1238-( )( ), 
7A1239-( )( ), 7A1248-( )( ), 7A1261-( )( ), 7A-1255-( )( ), 7A-
1256-( )( ), or 7A-1257-( )( ), where ``( )( )'' represents any dash 
number of those part numbers.
    Compliance: Required as indicated, unless accomplished 
previously.
    To prevent the failure of an emergency slide or slide/raft to 
fully inflate during an emergency situation, which could impede an 
evacuation and result in injury to passengers or airplane 
crewmembers, accomplish the following:

Inspection to Determine Manufacturing Date

    (a) Within 36 months after the effective date of this AD, 
perform a one-time inspection of the part number information label 
on each inflation hose assembly on each emergency evacuation slide 
or slide/raft to determine the manufacturing/test date of the 
inflation hose assembly. Do this inspection per BFGoodrich Service 
Bulletin 25-241, dated September 30, 1991. If the manufacturing/test 
date is May 30, 1983, or later, no further action is required for 
that inflation hose assembly.

Replacement of Inflation Hose Assembly

    (b) For any inflation hose assembly having a manufacturing/test 
date before May 30, 1983, or on which the manufacturing/test date 
cannot be determined: Before further flight, replace the subject 
inflation hose assembly with a new or serviceable hose assembly 
having a manufacturing/test date on or after May 30, 1983, per 
BFGoodrich Service Bulletin 25-241, dated September 30, 1991.

Parts Installation

    (c) As of the effective date of this AD, no person shall install 
an inflation hose assembly having a manufacturing/test date before 
May 30, 1983, or on which the manufacturing/test date cannot be 
determined, on an emergency evacuation slide or slide/raft on any 
airplane.

Alternative Methods of Compliance

    (d) In accordance with 14 CFR 39.19, the Manager, Seattle 
Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), FAA, is authorized to approve 
alternative methods of compliance for this AD.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on June 30, 2003.
Vi L. Lipski,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 03-17316 Filed 7-8-03; 8:45 am]
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