[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 158 (Thursday, August 16, 2007)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 45954-45956]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-16117]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2007-28924; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-051-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Boeing Model 747-200C and -200F Series 
Airplanes

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

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) 
for certain Boeing Model 747-200C and -200F series airplanes. This 
proposed AD would require, among other actions, installing mounting 
brackets, support angles, and moisture curtains in the main equipment 
center. This proposed AD results from reports of water contamination in 
the electrical/electronic units in the main equipment center. We are 
proposing this AD to prevent water contamination of the electrical/
electronic units, which could cause the electrical/electronic units to 
malfunction, and as a consequence, could adversely affect the 
airplane's continued safe flight.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by October 1, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Use one of the following addresses to submit comments on 
this proposed AD.
     DOT Docket Web site: Go to http://dms.dot.gov and follow 
the instructions for sending your comments electronically.
     Government-wide rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the instructions for sending your 
comments electronically.
     Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket 
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590.
     Fax: (202) 493-2251.
     Hand Delivery: Room W12-140 on the ground floor of the 
West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC, between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    Contact Boeing Commercial Airplanes, P.O. Box 3707, Seattle, 
Washington 98124-2207, for the service information identified in this 
proposed AD.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marcia Smith, Aerospace Engineer, 
Cabin Safety and Environmental Systems Branch, ANM-150S, FAA, Seattle 
Aircraft Certification Office, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, 
Washington 98057-3356; telephone (425) 917-6484; fax (425) 917-6590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    We invite you to submit any relevant written data, views, or 
arguments regarding this proposed AD. Send your comments to an address 
listed in the ADDRESSES section. Include the docket number ``FAA-2007-
28924; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-051-AD'' at the beginning of your 
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, 
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the proposed AD. We will 
consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend the 
proposed AD in light of those comments.
    We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://dms.dot.gov, including any personal information you provide. We will 
also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact with FAA 
personnel concerning this proposed AD. Using the search function of 
that web site, anyone can find and read the comments in any of our 
dockets, including the name of the individual who sent the comment (or 
signed the comment on behalf of an association, business, labor union, 
etc.). You may review DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the 
Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78), or you 
may visit http://dms.dot.gov.

Examining the Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov, or in person at the Docket Operations office between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The 
Docket Operations office (telephone (800) 647-5527) is located on the 
ground level of the West Building at the DOT street address stated in 
the

[[Page 45955]]

ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly 
after the Docket Management System receives them.

Discussion

    We have received reports of water contamination in the electrical/
electronic units in the main equipment center, on Boeing Model 747-200C 
and -200F series airplanes. The water contamination resulted in 
malfunctions and the replacement of multiple electrical/electronic 
units in the main equipment center. In one case, these malfunctions 
resulted in an air turn back, high pilot workload, and minimal cockpit 
indication. Water contamination of the electrical/electronic units, if 
not corrected, could cause the electrical/electronic units to 
malfunction, and as a consequence, could adversely affect the 
airplane's continued safe flight.

Relevant Service Information

    We have reviewed Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-25A3430, dated 
February 15, 2007. This service information describes procedures for 
installing mounting brackets, support angles, and moisture curtains in 
the main equipment center.
    We also have reviewed Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-38A2073, 
Revision 3, dated May 22, 2003. This service information describes 
procedures for installing drip shields (including a drip pan assembly, 
drain tubing, and attaching hardware) over the forward, outboard halves 
of the E1-1 and E3-1 shelves in the main equipment bay.
    For certain airplanes, the actions specified in Boeing Alert 
Service Bulletin 747-38A2073, Revision 3, dated May 22, 2003; Revision 
2, dated April 26, 2001; Revision 1, dated June 21, 1990; or Original 
Release, dated November 30, 1989; must be done prior to or concurrently 
with the actions specified in Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-
25A3430. (AD 2001-24-30, amendment 39-12547 (66 FR 64104, December 12, 
2001) requires installing drip shields in accordance with Boeing Alert 
Service Bulletin 747-38A2073, Revision 2, or in accordance with 
Revision 1 or Original Release if done before the effective date of 
that AD.)

FAA's Determination and Requirements of the Proposed AD

    We have evaluated all pertinent information and identified an 
unsafe condition that is likely to exist or develop on other airplanes 
of this same type design. For this reason, we are proposing this AD, 
which would require accomplishing the actions specified in the service 
information described previously.

Interim Action

    This is considered to be interim action. The manufacturer has 
advised that it currently is developing another modification that will 
address the unsafe condition identified in this AD. Once this 
modification is developed, approved, and available, the FAA might 
consider additional rulemaking.

Costs of Compliance

    There are about 79 airplanes of the affected design in the 
worldwide fleet. The following table provides the estimated costs for 
U.S. operators to comply with this proposed AD.

                                                 Estimated Costs
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                                                                                         Number of
                                                   Average                   Cost per      U.S.-
              Action                 Work hours   labor rate     Parts       airplane    registered   Fleet cost
                                                   per hour                              airplanes
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Installation......................            3          $80       $8,960       $9,200           25     $230,000
Prior to or concurrent                       32           80        4,497        7,057           25      176,425
 requirements of AD 2001-24-30....
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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 proposed AD would not have federalism 
implications under Executive Order 13132. This proposed AD 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.
    For the reasons discussed above, I certify that the 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. 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 proposed 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, Safety.

The Proposed Amendment

    Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the 
Administrator, the FAA proposes to amend 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. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) amends Sec.  39.13 by 
adding the following new airworthiness directive (AD):

Boeing: Docket No. FAA-2007-28924; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-
051-AD.

Comments Due Date

    (a) The FAA must receive comments on this AD action by October 
1, 2007.

[[Page 45956]]

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to Boeing Model 747-200C and -200F series 
airplanes, certificated in any category; as identified in Boeing 
Alert Service Bulletin 747-25A3430, dated February 15, 2007.

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from reports of water contamination in the 
electrical/electronic units in the main equipment center. We are 
issuing this AD to prevent water contamination of the electrical/
electronic units, which could cause the electrical/electronic units 
to malfunction, and as a consequence, could adversely affect the 
airplane's continued safe flight.

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.

Installations

    (f) Within 24 months after the effective date of this AD, 
install mounting brackets, support angles, and moisture curtains in 
the main equipment center, in accordance with the Accomplishment 
Instructions of Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-25A3430, dated 
February 15, 2007.

Prior or Concurrent Requirements

    (g) For airplanes identified as Group 1 and Group 3 airplanes in 
Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-25A3430, dated February 15, 2007: 
Prior to or concurrently with the requirements of paragraph (f) of 
this AD, install drip shields (including a drip pan assembly, drain 
tubing, and attaching hardware) over the forward, outboard halves of 
the E1-1 and E3-1 shelves in the main equipment bay, in accordance 
with the Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert Service 
Bulletin 747-38A2073, Revision 3, dated May 22, 2003.
    (h) Installation of drip shields before the effective date of 
this AD in accordance with paragraph (a) and Note 2 of AD 2001-24-
30, amendment 39-12547, is acceptable for compliance with the 
corresponding actions in paragraph (g) of 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 in 
accordance with the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19.
    (2) To request a different method of compliance or a different 
compliance time for this AD, follow the procedures in 14 CFR 39.19. 
Before using any approved AMOC on any airplane to which the AMOC 
applies, notify your appropriate principal inspector (PI) in the FAA 
Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), or lacking a PI, your local 
FSDO.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on July 30, 2007.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. E7-16117 Filed 8-15-07; 8:45 am]
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