[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 30 (Wednesday, February 14, 2007)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 6921-6922]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-2416]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2006-26084; Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-063-AD; 
Amendment 39-14937; AD 2007-04-06]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; McDonnell Douglas Model DC-8-62, DC-8-
63, DC-8-62F, and DC-8-63F 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 McDonnell Douglas Model DC-8-62, DC-8-63, DC-8-62F, and DC-8-
63F airplanes. This AD requires revising the wiring for the engine 
thrust brake circuit and indicating circuit and other specified 
actions, or rerouting the wiring at plug P1-1762A on the electrical 
power center generator control panel, as necessary. This AD results 
from the determination that the thrust reverser systems on these 
airplanes do not adequately preclude inadvertent deployment of the 
thrust reversers. We are issuing this AD to prevent inadvertent 
deployment of the thrust reversers during takeoff or landing, which 
could result in loss of control of the airplane.

DATES: This AD becomes effective March 21, 2007.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of certain publications listed in the AD as of March 21, 
2007.

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, Long Beach Division, 3855 
Lakewood Boulevard, Long Beach, California 90846, Attention: Data and 
Service Management, Dept. C1-L5A (D800-0024), for service information 
identified in this AD.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Bond, Aerospace Engineer, 
Propulsion Branch, ANM-140L, FAA, Los Angeles Aircraft Certification 
Office, 3960 Paramount Boulevard, Lakewood, California 90712-4137; 
telephone (562) 627-5253; fax (562) 627-5210.

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 McDonnell 
Douglas Model DC-8-62, DC-8-63, DC-8-62F, and DC-8-63F airplanes. That 
NPRM was published in the Federal Register on October 19, 2006 (71 FR 
61690). That NPRM proposed to require revising the wiring for the 
engine thrust brake circuit and indicating circuit and other specified 
actions, or rerouting the wiring at plug P1-1762A on the electrical 
power center generator control panel, as 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.

Conclusion

    We have carefully reviewed the available data and determined that 
air safety and the public interest require adopting the AD as proposed.

Costs of Compliance

    There are about 70 airplanes of the affected design in the 
worldwide fleet. This AD affects about 45 airplanes of U.S. registry. 
The required actions take between 1 and 5 work hours per airplane, 
depending on airplane configuration, at an average labor rate of $80 
per work hour. For a certain airplane configuration, required parts 
cost about $9 per airplane. For a certain other airplane configuration, 
required parts cost about $2,825 per airplane. Based on these figures, 
the estimated cost of this AD for U.S. operators is between $4,005 and 
$145,125, or between $89 and $3,225 per airplane.

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

[[Page 6922]]

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.

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):

2007-04-06 McDonnell Douglas: Amendment 39-14937. Docket No. FAA-
2006-26084; Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-063-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This AD becomes effective March 21, 2007.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to McDonnell Douglas Model DC-8-62 and DC-8-
63 airplanes and Model DC-8-62F and DC-8-63F airplanes, certificated 
in any category; as identified in McDonnell Douglas DC-8 Service 
Bulletin 78-95, Revision 2, dated March 10, 1971.

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from the determination that the thrust 
reverser systems on McDonnell Douglas Model DC-8-62, DC-8-63, DC-8-
62F, and DC-8-63F airplanes do not adequately preclude inadvertent 
deployment of the thrust reversers. We are issuing this AD to 
prevent inadvertent deployment of the thrust reversers during 
takeoff or landing, which could result in loss of control 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.

Modification of Engine Thrust Brake Circuitry

    (f) Within 27 months after the effective date of this AD, do the 
applicable action specified in paragraph (f)(1) or (f)(2) of this 
AD, by accomplishing all of the applicable actions specified in the 
Accomplishment Instructions of McDonnell Douglas DC-8 Service 
Bulletin 78-95, Revision 2, dated March 10, 1971; or Revision 1, 
dated December 29, 1970.
    (1) Revise the wiring for the engine thrust brake circuit and 
indicating circuit, and do all other specified actions before 
further flight after revising the wiring.
    (2) Reroute the wiring at plug P1-1762A on the electrical power 
center generator control panel.

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (g)(1) The Manager, Los Angeles 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.
    (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.

Material Incorporated by Reference

    (h) You must use McDonnell Douglas DC-8 Service Bulletin 78-95, 
Revision 2, dated March 10, 1971; or McDonnell Douglas DC-8 Service 
Bulletin 78-95, Revision 1, dated December 29, 1970; to perform the 
actions that are required by this AD, unless the AD specifies 
otherwise. McDonnell Douglas DC-8 Service Bulletin 78-95, Revision 
2, dated March 10, 1971, contains the following effective pages:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  Revision
          Page number            level shown      Date shown on page
                                   on page
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1, 2, 16, 17..................            2   March 10, 1971.
3-15, 18-23...................            1   December 29, 1970.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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, Long Beach 
Division, 3855 Lakewood Boulevard, Long Beach, California 90846, 
Attention: Data and Service Management, Dept. C1-L5A (D800-0024), 
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 February 2, 2007.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. E7-2416 Filed 2-13-07; 8:45 am]
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