[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 45 (Thursday, March 8, 2007)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 10344-10346]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-3006]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2006-25000; Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-096-AD; 
Amendment 39-14955; AD 2005-24-03 R1]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Boeing Model 737-600, -700, -700C, and 
-800 Series Airplanes

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

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is revising an existing airworthiness directive (AD) 
that applies to certain Boeing Model 737-600, -700, -700C, and -800 
series airplanes. That AD currently requires inspecting/measuring the 
length of the attachment fasteners between the nacelle support fittings 
and the lower wing skin panels, and related investigative/corrective 
actions if necessary. That AD resulted from a report from the 
manufacturer that in production, during the installation of certain 
attachment fasteners for the nacelle support fittings, only one washer 
was installed instead of two. This new AD corrects errors found in the 
existing AD. We are issuing this AD to prevent inadequate fastener 
clamp-up, which could result in cracking of the fastener holes, 
cracking along the lower wing skin panels, fuel leaking from the wing 
fuel tanks onto the engines, and possible fire.

DATES: The effective date of this AD is April 12, 2007.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain publication listed in the AD as of April 12, 
2007.
    On December 28, 2005 (70 FR 70713, November 23, 2005), the Director 
of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of 
Boeing Service Bulletin 737-57-1275, Revision 1, dated August 18, 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nancy Marsh, Aerospace Engineer, 
Airframe Branch, ANM-120S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office, 
1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; telephone (425) 
917-6440; 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 proposed to amend part 39 of the Federal Aviation 
Regulations (14 CFR part 39) with an airworthiness directive (AD) to 
revise AD 2005-24-03, amendment 39-14383 (70 FR 70713, November 23, 
2005). The existing AD applies to certain Boeing Model 737-600, -700, -
700C, and -800 series airplanes. The proposed AD was published in the 
Federal Register on June 13, 2006 (71 FR 34026). That action proposed 
to continue to require inspecting/measuring the length of the 
attachment fasteners between the nacelle support fittings and the lower 
wing skin panels, and related investigative/corrective actions if 
necessary. That action also proposed to correct errors found in the 
existing AD.

Comment

    We provided the public the opportunity to participate in the 
development of this AD. We have considered the comment received.

Request To Cite Revised Service Information

    Boeing states that, subsequent to the drafting of the subject AD, 
Boeing Service Bulletin 737-57-1275, Revision 2, dated July 12, 2006, 
was issued. Boeing notes that Revision 2 will aid operators in 
completing the required tasks by more effectively and efficiently 
performing the inspections, while reducing the likelihood of 
introducing damage reported during completion of the previous 
revisions. Boeing recommends that Boeing Service Bulletin 737-57-1275, 
Revision 3, dated October 17, 2006, be incorporated into the NPRM, 
which further improves ease in completing the required tasks. (Revision 
3 was not yet issued when the comment was submitted, but has since been 
issued.)
    We agree with this request. We have reviewed Revision 3 of the 
referenced service bulletin which specifies that no more work is 
necessary on airplanes changed as shown in the original issue, dated 
September 4, 2003; Revision 1, dated August 18, 2005; and Revision 2, 
dated July 12, 2006. (We referred to Revision 1 in the NPRM as the 
appropriate source of service information for accomplishing the 
required actions.) We have determined that Revision 3 shows changes of 
operators in the effectivity and clarifies the oversize limits for 
replacement fasteners, but does not add any further actions or increase 
the economic burden on operators. Therefore, we have changed the AD to 
add Boeing Service Bulletin 737-57-1275, Revision 3, dated October 17, 
2006, as the appropriate source of service information for 
accomplishing the requirements in paragraph (f) of this AD after the 
effective date of this AD.

Conclusion

    We have carefully reviewed the available data, including the 
comment received, 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 751 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. The requirements that were 
previously required by AD 2005-24-03 are retained in this AD; this AD 
adds no additional economic burden on U.S. operators. The current costs 
are repeated for the convenience of affected operators, as follows:

Estimated Costs

[[Page 10345]]



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                                                                                           Number of
                                                Average                        Cost per      U.S.-
             Action               Work hours  labor rate         Parts         airplane   registered  Fleet cost
                                               per hour                                    airplanes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inspection/Measurement..........         12         $65   Nominal...........       $780         302    $235,560
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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.

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 
removing amendment 39-14383 (70 FR 70713, November 23, 2005) and adding 
the following new airworthiness directive (AD):

2005-24-03 R1 Boeing: Amendment 39-14955. Docket No. FAA-2006-25000; 
Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-096-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) The effective date of this AD is April 12, 2007.

Affected ADs

    (b) This AD revises AD 2005-24-03.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to Boeing Model 737-600, -700, -700C, and -
800 series airplanes; line numbers 1 through 761 inclusive, except 
for line numbers 596, 683, 742, 749, 750, 751, 754, 755, 759, and 
760; certificated in any category.

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from a determination that errors were 
inadvertently included in the existing AD. We are issuing this AD to 
prevent inadequate fastener clamp-up, which could result in cracking 
of the fastener holes, cracking along the lower wing skin panels, 
fuel leaking from the wing fuel tanks onto the engines, and possible 
fire.

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.

Inspection/Measurement and Related Investigative and Corrective Actions

    (f) At the applicable time specified in paragraph (f)(1) or 
(f)(2) of this AD: Inspect/measure the length of certain attachment 
fasteners between the lower wing skin panels and the nacelle support 
fittings. Do the inspection/measurement, and all applicable related 
investigative and corrective actions, in accordance with the 
Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Service Bulletin 737-57-1275, 
Revision 1, dated August 18, 2005. After the effective date of this 
AD only Boeing Service Bulletin 737-57-1275, Revision 3, dated 
October 17, 2006; shall be used.
    (1) For Model 737-700 series airplanes modified by Supplemental 
Type Certificate (STC) ST00830SE as of December 28, 2005 (the 
effective date of AD 2005-24-03): Accomplish the actions at the 
later of the times specified in paragraphs (f)(1)(i) and (f)(1)(ii) 
of this AD.
    (i) Prior to the accumulation of 25,000 total flight hours or 
25,000 total flight cycles, whichever is first.
    (ii) Within 12 months after December 28, 2005.
    (2) For all other airplanes: Accomplish the actions at the later 
of the times specified in paragraphs (f)(2)(i) and (f)(2)(ii) of 
this AD.
    (i) Prior to the accumulation of 30,000 total flight hours or 
30,000 total flight cycles, whichever is first.
    (ii) Within 12 months after December 28, 2005.
    (g) If accomplishing a corrective action as required by 
paragraph (f) of this AD, and the service bulletin specifies to 
contact Boeing for repair information: Before further flight, do the 
repair using a method approved in accordance with paragraph (i) of 
this AD.

Actions Accomplished According to Previous Issue of Service Bulletin

    (h) Actions accomplished before December 28, 2005, in accordance 
with Boeing Service Bulletin 737-57-1275, dated September 4, 2003; 
are considered acceptable for compliance with the corresponding 
actions specified in this AD.

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 
using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19.
    (2) AMOCs approved previously in accordance with AD 2005-24-03, 
are approved as AMOCs for the corresponding provisions of this AD.
    (3) Before using any AMOC approved in accordance with 14 CFR 
39.19 on any airplane to which the AMOC applies, notify the 
appropriate principal inspector in the FAA Flight Standards 
Certificate Holding District Office.
    (4) 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.

[[Page 10346]]

Material Incorporated by Reference

    (j) You must use the service information identified in Table 1 
of this AD to perform the actions that are required by this AD, 
unless the AD specifies otherwise.

            Table 1.--All Material Incorporated by Reference
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                                       Revision
       Boeing Service Bulletin          level              Date
------------------------------------------------------------------------
737-57-1275.........................          1  August 18, 2005.
737-57-1275.........................          3  October 17, 2006.
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    (1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the 
incorporation by reference of Boeing Service Bulletin 737-57-1275, 
Revision 3, dated October 17, 2006; in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 
552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
    (2) On December 28, 2005 (70 FR 70713, November 23, 2005), the 
Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of Boeing Service Bulletin 737-57-1275, Revision 1, dated 
August 18, 2005.
    (3) 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 FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 
Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington; or at the National Archives 
and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the 
availability of this material at NARA, call 202-741-6030, or go to: 
http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on February 12, 2007.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. E7-3006 Filed 3-7-07; 8:45 am]
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