[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 152 (Tuesday, August 9, 2005)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 46067-46069]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-15584]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2005-21184; Directorate Identifier 2004-NM-111-AD; 
Amendment 39-14211; AD 2005-16-06]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Boeing Model 747 Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
certain Boeing Model 747 airplanes. This AD requires modifying the 
inflation systems of the upper deck escape slides; single-piece off-
wing escape ramps/slides; two-piece off-wing escape slides; and door 1, 
2, 4, and 5 escape slides/rafts. This AD results from a report of 30- 
to 60-second delays in the inflation of escape slides/rafts. We are 
issuing this AD to prevent actuation delays in the inflation systems of 
the escape slides/rafts, which could result in delayed or failed 
deployment of escape slides/rafts during emergency evacuation of an 
airplane.

DATES: Effective September 13, 2005.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of certain publications listed in the AD as of September 13, 
2005.

ADDRESSES: You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov or in person at the Docket Management Facility, U.S. 
Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street SW., Nassif Building, 
Room PL-401, Washington, DC.
    Contact Boeing Commercial Airplanes, P.O. Box 3707, Seattle, 
Washington 98124-2207, for service information identified in this AD.

[[Page 46068]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donald Wren, Aerospace Engineer, Cabin 
Safety and Environmental Systems Branch, ANM-150S, FAA, Seattle 
Aircraft Certification Office, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, 
Washington 98055-4056; telephone (425) 917-6451; fax (425) 917-6590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Examining the Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov 
or in person at the Docket Management Facility office between 9 a.m. 
and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The Docket 
Management Facility office (telephone (800) 647-5227) is located on the 
plaza level of the Nassif Building at the street address stated in the 
ADDRESSES section.

Discussion

    The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 
CFR part 39 to include an AD that would apply to certain Boeing Model 
747 airplanes. That NPRM was published in the Federal Register on May 
12, 2005 (70 FR 24994). That NPRM proposed to require modifying the 
inflation systems of the upper deck escape slides; single-piece off-
wing escape ramps/slides; two-piece off-wing escape slides; and door 1, 
2, 4, and 5 escape slides/rafts.

Comments

    We provided the public the opportunity to participate in the 
development of this AD. We have considered the comment that has been 
received on the NPRM. The commenter supports the NPRM.

Conclusion

    We have carefully reviewed the available data, including the 
comment that has been received, and determined that air safety and the 
public interest require adopting the AD as proposed.

Costs of Compliance

    There are about 958 airplanes of the affected design in the 
worldwide fleet. This AD affects about 169 airplanes of U.S. registry. 
The actions in this AD take about 1 work hour per door, at an average 
labor rate of $65 per work hour.
    The following table provides the estimated costs for U.S. operators 
to comply with this AD.

                                                 Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                  Number of U.S.
               Model                 Work        Parts costs         Cost per       registered      Fleet hours
                                     hours                           airplane         planes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
747-100, -100B, -100B SUD, -200B,       12  $34,832 (2 each:             $35,612              53      $1,887,436
 and -200C series airplanes,                 doors 1, 2, 4, 5,
 identified as Group 1 in Boeing             upper deck, and two-
 Service Bulletin 747-25-3279.               piece off-wing).
747-200B and -300 series                 8  $26,368 (2 each:              26,888               4         107,552
 airplanes, identified as Group 2            doors 1, 2, 4, and
 in Boeing Service Bulletin 747-25-          5).
 3279.
747-200B series airplanes,              10  $30,600 (2 each:              31,250               1          31,250
 identified as Group 3 in Boeing             doors 1, 2, 4, 5,
 Service 747-25-3279.                        and two-piece off-
                                             wing).
747-100, -100B, -100B SUD, -200B,       10  $30,600 (2 each:              31,250              17         531,250
 747SP, and 747SR series                     doors 1, 2, 4, and
 airplanes, identifed as Group 4             5, and upper deck).
 in Boeing Service Bulletin 747-25-
 3279.
747-200F and and -400F series            2  $4,232 (2 upper deck           4,362              32         139,584
 airplanes, identified as Group 5            doors).
 in Boeing Service Bulletin 747-25-
 3279.
747-200B series airplanes,               2  $4,232 (2 two-piece            4,362               0
 identified as Group 6 in Boeing             off-wing doors).
 Service Bulletin 747-25-3279.
747-400 and -400D series                 2  $8,250 (2 single-              8,380              59         494,420
 airplanes, identified in Boeing             piece off-wing
 Service Bulletin Bulletin 747-25-           doors).
 3232.
747-200B series airplanes,              10  $30,600 (2 each:              31,250               3          93,750
 identified as Group 4 in Boeing             doors 1, 2, 4, 5,
 Service Bulletin 747-25-3279 and            upper deck and
 also identified in Boeing Service           single-piece off-
 Bulletin 747-25-3232.                       wing).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

    We have determined that 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.
    We prepared a regulatory evaluation of the estimated costs to 
comply with this AD and placed it in the AD docket. See the ADDRESSES 
section for a location to examine the regulatory evaluation.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

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

[[Page 46069]]

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 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) amends Sec.  39.13 by 
adding the following new airworthiness directive (AD):

2005-16-06 Boeing: Amendment 39-14211. Docket No. FAA-2005-21184; 
Directorate Identifier 2004-NM-111-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This AD becomes effective September 13, 2005.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.
    Applicability: (c) This AD applies to the airplanes listed in 
Table 1 of this AD, certificated in any category.

                         Table 1.--Applicability
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Boeing--                        As identified in--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Model 747-100, -100B, -100B SUD, -200B,  Boeing Service Bulletin 747-25-
 -200C, -200F, -300, -400F, 747SP, and    3279, Revision 1, dated July
 747SR series airplanes.                  11, 2002.
Model 747-200B, -200C, -300, -400, and - Boeing Service Bulletin 747-25-
 400D series airplanes.                   3232, dated July 6, 2000.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD was prompted by a report of 30- to 60-second delays 
in the inflation of escape slides/rafts. We are issuing this AD to 
prevent actuation delays in the inflation systems of the escape 
slides/rafts, which could result in delayed or failed deployment of 
escape slides/rafts during emergency evacuation of an airplane.
    Compliance: (e) You are responsible for having the actions 
required by this AD performed within the compliance times specified, 
unless the actions have already been done.

Modification for Upper Deck, Two-Piece Off-Wing, and Door 1, 2, 4, and 
5 Slides and Slide/Rafts

    (f) For Model 747-100, -100B, -100B SUD, -200B, -200C, -200F, -
300, -400F, 747SP, and 747SR series airplanes identified in Boeing 
Service Bulletin 747-25-3279, Revision 1, dated July 11, 2002: 
Within 36 months after the effective date of this AD, do the actions 
specified in paragraphs (f)(1) and (f)(2) of this AD, as applicable, 
in accordance with Boeing Service Bulletin 747-25-3279, Revision 1, 
dated July 11, 2002.
    (1) Modify the inflation systems of the upper deck and two-piece 
off-wing escape slides.
    (2) Modify the inflation systems of the door 1, 2, 4, and 5 
escape slides/rafts, as applicable.

    Note 1: Boeing Service Bulletin 747-25-3279 refers to Goodrich 
Service Bulletin 4A3037-25-327, dated November 30, 2001; Goodrich 
Service Bulletin 4A3056-25-331, dated December 21, 2001; and 
Goodrich Service Bulletin 4A3221-25-332, dated December 21, 2001; as 
additional sources of service information for doing the 
modifications.

Modification for Single-Piece Off-Wing Ramp/Slides

    (g) For Model 747-200B, -200C, -300, -400, and -400D series 
airplanes identified in Boeing Service Bulletin 747-25-3232, dated 
July 6, 2000: Within 36 months after the effective date of this AD, 
modify the inflation system of the single-piece off-wing escape 
ramps/slides, in accordance with Boeing Service Bulletin 747-25-
3232, dated July 6, 2000.

    Note 2: Boeing Service Bulletin 747-25-3232 refers to Goodrich 
Service Bulletin 4A3416-25-305, Revision 2, dated October 15, 2001, 
as an additional source of service information for doing the 
modification.

Parts Installation

    (h) As of the effective date of this AD, unless the regulator 
assembly of the inflation system has been modified in accordance 
with paragraph (f) or (g) of this AD, as applicable, no person may 
install on any airplane a regulator assembly with any of the 
following part numbers (P/Ns): P/N 4A3047, -2, -3, -4, -5, -8, -9, 
or -10; P/N 4A3194-1, -2, -3, or -4; or P/N 4A3474-3.

Credit for Previous Service Bulletin

    (i) Actions done before the effective date of this AD in 
accordance with Boeing Service Bulletin 747-25-3279, dated May 16, 
2002, are acceptable for compliance with the corresponding 
requirements of paragraph (f) of this AD.

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (j) The Manager, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, has 
the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested in 
accordance with the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19.

Material Incorporated by Reference

    (k) You must use Boeing Service Bulletin 747-25-3279, Revision 
1, dated July 11, 2002; and Boeing Service Bulletin 747-25-3232, 
dated July 6, 2000; as applicable, to perform the actions that are 
required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise. The Director 
of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of 
these documents in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 
51. Contact Boeing Commercial Airplanes, P.O. Box 3707, Seattle, 
Washington 98124-2207, for a copy of this service information. You 
may review copies at the Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department 
of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street SW., Room PL-401, Nassif 
Building, Washington, DC; on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov; or 
at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For 
information on the availability of this material at the 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 July 29, 2005.
Kevin M. Mullin,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 05-15584 Filed 8-8-05; 8:45 am]
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