[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 241 (Friday, December 16, 2005)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 74639-74640]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-24053]



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  Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 241 / Friday, December 16, 2005 / 
Rules and Regulations  

[[Page 74639]]



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2005-22437; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-082-AD; 
Amendment 39-14419; AD 2005-25-26]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Boeing Model 747-400, 747-400D, and 
747-400F Series Airplanes

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

ACTION: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
certain Boeing Model 747-400, 747-400D, and 747-400F series airplanes. 
This AD requires repetitive detailed inspections for damage (degraded 
finish; missing, lifted, peeling, or blistering paint; or signs of 
corrosion) of the interior skin in the forward and aft cargo 
compartments, and corrective actions if necessary. This AD results from 
reports of skin corrosion on four Boeing Model 747 series airplanes 
that were delivered between 1995 and 1999. We are issuing this AD to 
detect and correct corrosion, which can penetrate the thickness of the 
skin and cause cracking, and result in rapid decompression of the 
airplane.

DATES: This AD becomes effective January 20, 2006.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain publication listed in the AD as of January 20, 
2006.

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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nicholas Kusz, Aerospace Engineer, 
Airframe Branch, ANM-120S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office, 
1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98055-4056; telephone (425) 
917-6432; fax (425) 917-6590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Examining the Docket

    You may examine the airworthiness directive (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 
747-400, 747-400D, and 747-400F series airplanes. That NPRM was 
published in the Federal Register on September 15, 2005 (70 FR 54484). 
That NPRM proposed to require repetitive detailed inspections for 
damage (degraded finish; missing, lifted, peeling, or blistering paint; 
or signs of corrosion) of the interior skin in the forward and aft 
cargo compartments, and corrective actions if necessary.

Comments

    We provided the public the opportunity to participate in the 
development of this AD. We received no comments on the NPRM or on the 
determination of the cost to the public.

Clarification of Alternative Method of Compliance (AMOC) Paragraph

    We have revised this action to clarify the appropriate procedure 
for notifying the principal inspector before using any approved AMOC on 
any airplane to which the AMOC applies.

Conclusion

    We have carefully reviewed the available data and determined that 
air safety and the public interest require adopting the AD with the 
change described previously. We have determined that this change will 
neither increase the economic burden on any operator nor increase the 
scope of the AD.

Costs of Compliance

    There are about 260 airplanes of the affected design in the 
worldwide fleet. The following table provides the estimated costs for 
U.S. operators to comply with this AD.

                                                                     Estimated Costs
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                 Number of
                                                          Average                                                  U.S.-
                  Action                    Work hours   labor rate     Parts           Cost per airplane        registered           Fleet cost
                                                          per hour                                               airplanes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Detailed inspection, per inspection cycle           10          $65          N/A  $650, per inspection cycle..           36  $23,400, per inspection
                                                                                                                              cycle.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

[[Page 74640]]

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.

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):

2005-25-26 Boeing: Amendment 39-14419. Docket No. FAA-2005-22437; 
Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-082-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This AD becomes effective January 20, 2006.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to Boeing Model 747-400, 747-400D, and 747-
400F series airplanes, certificated in any category; as identified 
in Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2505, dated March 17, 2005.

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD was prompted by reports of skin corrosion on four 
Boeing Model 747 series airplanes that were delivered between 1995 
and 1999. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct corrosion, 
which can penetrate the thickness of the skin and cause cracking, 
and result in rapid decompression of the 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.

Repetitive Inspections and Corrective Actions

    (f) Within 12 months after the effective date of this AD, do a 
detailed inspection for damage (degraded finish; missing, lifted, 
peeling, or blistering paint; or signs of corrosion) of the interior 
skin in the forward and aft cargo compartments. Do any applicable 
corrective actions before further flight. Except as required by 
paragraphs (g) and (h) of this AD, do all actions in accordance with 
the Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 
747-53A2505, dated March 17, 2005. Repeat the inspection thereafter 
at intervals not to exceed 48 months until accomplishing task number 
C53-125-01 of Boeing Document Number D6-36022, ``Aging Airplane 
Corrosion Prevention and Control Program--Model 747,'' Revision A, 
dated July 28, 1989, or until accomplishing tasks S53-520 and S53-
550 of Boeing Document D621U400-MRB, ``B747-400 Maintenance Review 
Board Report,'' Revision E, dated May 2003.

    Note 1: For the purposes of this AD, a detailed inspection is: 
``An intensive examination of a specific item, installation, or 
assembly to detect damage, failure, or irregularity. Available 
lighting is normally supplemented with a direct source of good 
lighting at an intensity deemed appropriate. Inspection aids such as 
mirror, magnifying lenses, etc., may be necessary. Surface cleaning 
and elaborate procedures may be required.''

Damage That Exceeds Structural Repair Manual Limits

    (g) If any corrosion damage that exceeds the limits specified in 
the structural repair manual is found during any action required by 
this AD, and Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2505, dated March 
17, 2005, specifies to contact Boeing for repair instructions: 
Before further flight, repair the damage using a method approved in 
accordance with the procedures specified in paragraph (i) of this 
AD.

No Reporting Requirement

    (h) Although Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2505, dated 
March 17, 2005, specifies to submit to the manufacturer a report of 
the inspection program and details of any corrosion damage and 
peeling paint primer, this AD does not include those actions.

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (i)(1) The Manager, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), 
FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested in 
accordance with the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19.
    (2) Before using any AMOC approved in accordance with Sec.  
39.19 on any airplane to which the AMOC applies, notify the 
appropriate principal inspector in the FAA Flight Standards 
Certificate Holding District Office.
    (3) An AMOC that provides an acceptable level of safety may be 
used for any repair required by this AD, if it is approved by an 
Authorized Representative for the Boeing Commercial Airplanes 
Delegation Option Authorization Organization who has been authorized 
by the Manager, Seattle ACO, to make those findings. For a repair 
method to be approved, the repair must meet the certification basis 
of the airplane, and the approval must specifically refer to this 
AD.

Material Incorporated by Reference

    (j) You must use Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2505, 
dated March 17, 2005, 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 this 
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 December 8, 2005.
Michael Zielinski,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 05-24053 Filed 12-15-05; 8:45 am]
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