[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 227 (Tuesday, November 25, 2003)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 66030-66032]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-29342]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 2003-NM-50-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Boeing Model 777-200 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 777-200 
series airplanes. This proposal would require a one-time general visual 
inspection of wire bundles routed aft of electrical disconnect panel 
AC2162 to determine their installation and separation, and corrective 
actions, if necessary. This action is necessary to prevent damage to 
the stabilizer cutout circuit wires in the bundles due to contact 
between the bundles and the adjacent galley water drain tube and 
hydraulic tubes, which if followed by active fault in stabilizer 
command circuit, could result in undesired stabilizer motion that 
cannot be stopped, and could lead to loss of pitch control and loss of 
control of the airplane. This action is intended to address the 
identified unsafe condition.

DATES: Comments must be received by January 9, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA), Transport Airplane Directorate, ANM-114, 
Attention: Rules Docket No. 2003-NM-50-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-50-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 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Binh Tran, Aerospace Engineer, Systems 
and Equipment Branch, ANM-130S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification 
Office, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98055-4056; telephone 
(425) 917-6485; 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

[[Page 66031]]

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 statement is made: ``Comments 
to Docket Number 2003-NM-50-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-50-AD, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 
98055-4056.

Discussion

    The FAA has received a report of a chronic occurrence of the 
stabilizer rate valve failure maintenance message on a Model 777 
airplane. The cause of the occurrence was due to wire bundles lying on 
top of the galley water drain tube. The wire bundles had an 
intermittent conductor-to-shield short because of contact with the tube 
and vibration. It is likely the wire bundles were in contact with the 
tube because, during production, the wire bundles were not installed 
properly with adequate separation. This condition, if not corrected, 
and if followed by active fault in stabilizer command circuit, could 
result in undesired stabilizer motion that cannot be stopped. 
Stabilizer motion that cannot be stopped could lead to loss of pitch 
control and loss of control of the airplane.

Explanation of Relevant Service Information

    The FAA has reviewed and approved Boeing Service Bulletin 777-27-
0057, dated August 22, 2002, which describes procedures for performing 
a one-time general visual inspection of the wire bundles that route aft 
of electrical disconnect panel AC2162 to determine their installation 
and separation, and corrective actions, if necessary. The corrective 
actions include performing a detailed inspection of the wire bundles 
for damage, repair of the wire bundles if necessary, and securing the 
wire bundles as necessary. 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.

Differences Between Proposed Rule and Service Bulletin

    Operators should note that, although the service bulletin 
recommends accomplishing the inspection at the first convenient 
maintenance opportunity, the FAA has determined that such an imprecise 
compliance time would not address the identified unsafe condition in a 
timely manner. In developing an appropriate compliance time for this 
AD, the FAA considered not only the manufacturer's recommendation, but 
the degree of urgency associated with addressing the subject unsafe 
condition, the average utilization of the affected fleet, and the time 
necessary to perform the inspection (one hour). In light of all of 
these factors, the FAA finds a compliance time of within 18 months from 
the effective date of the AD for completing the required actions to be 
warranted, in that it represents an appropriate interval of time 
allowable for affected airplanes to continue to operate without 
compromising safety.

Cost Impact

    There are approximately 64 airplanes of the affected design in the 
worldwide fleet. The FAA estimates that 17 airplanes of U.S. registry 
would be affected by this proposed AD, that it would take approximately 
1 work hour per airplane to accomplish the proposed general visual 
inspection, and that the average labor rate is $65 per work hour. Based 
on these figures, the cost impact of the proposed AD on U.S. operators 
is estimated to be $1,105, or $65 per airplane.
    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. Manufacturer warranty 
remedies may be available for labor costs associated with this proposed 
AD. As a result, the costs attributable to the proposed AD may be less 
than stated above.

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) 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:


[[Page 66032]]


Boeing: Docket 2003-NM-50-AD.

    Applicability: Model 777-200 series airplanes, as listed in 
Boeing Service Bulletin 777-27-0057, dated August 22, 2002; 
certificated in any category.
    Compliance: Required as indicated, unless accomplished 
previously.
    To prevent damage to the stabilizer cutout circuit wires in the 
bundles due to contact between the bundles and the adjacent galley 
water drain tube and hydraulic tubes, which if followed by active 
fault in stabilizer command circuit, could result in undesired 
stabilizer motion that cannot be stopped, and could lead to loss of 
pitch control and loss of control of the airplane, accomplish the 
following:

Service Bulletin References

    (a) The term ``service bulletin,'' as used in this AD, means the 
Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Service Bulletin 777-27-0057, 
dated August 22, 2002.

Inspection

    (b) Within 18 months of the effective date of this AD, perform a 
one-time general visual inspection of the wire bundles that route 
aft of electrical disconnect panel AC2162 to determine their 
installation and separation, in accordance with the service 
bulletin.

    Note 1: For the purposes of this AD, a general visual inspection 
is defined as: ``A visual examination of an interior or exterior 
area, installation, or assembly to detect obvious damage, failure, 
or irregularity. This level of inspection is made from within 
touching distance unless otherwise specified. A mirror may be 
necessary to enhance visual access to all exposed surfaces in the 
inspection area. This level of inspection is made under normally 
available lighting conditions such as daylight, hangar lighting, 
flashlight, or droplight and may require removal or opening of 
access panels or doors. Stands, ladders, or platforms may be 
required to gain proximity to the area being checked.''

    (c) If wire bundles are installed in accordance with the service 
bulletin, no further action is required by this AD.

Corrective Action

    (d) If any wire bundle is not installed in accordance with the 
service bulletin: Before further flight, perform the actions 
specified in paragraphs (d)(1) and (d)(2) of this AD.
    (1) Perform a detailed inspection of the wire bundle for damage, 
and repair all damage, in accordance with the service bulletin.

    Note 2: For the purposes of this AD, a detailed inspection is 
defined as: ``An intensive visual examination of a specific 
structural area, system, installation, or assembly to detect damage, 
failure, or irregularity. Available lighting is normally 
supplemented with a direct source of good lighting at intensity 
deemed appropriate by the inspector. Inspection aids such as mirror, 
magnifying lenses, etc., may be used. Surface cleaning and elaborate 
access procedures may be required.''

    (2) Add clamps or tie strips to secure the wire bundles in 
accordance with the service bulletin.

Alternative Methods of Compliance

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

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on November 17, 2003.
Kalene C. Yanamura,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 03-29342 Filed 11-24-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P