[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 40 (Thursday, February 28, 2008)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 10645-10646]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-3394]



[[Page 10645]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2007-0203; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-105-AD; 
Amendment 39-15384; AD 2008-04-12]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Boeing Model 767-200, -300, -300F, and 
-400ER Series Airplanes

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

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive 
(AD), which applies to certain Boeing Model 767-200, -300, and -300F 
series airplanes. That AD currently requires reworking the surface of 
the ground stud bracket of the left and right transformer rectifier 
units (TRUs) and the airplane structure mounting surface, and measuring 
the resistance from the bracket to the structure and the ground lugs to 
the bracket using a bonding meter. This new AD revises the 
applicability of the existing AD to include additional airplanes and 
requires, among other actions, installation of a new ground stud 
bracket using faying surface bonding. This AD results from a report of 
loss of all direct current (DC) power generation during a flight, due 
to inadequate electrical ground path between the ground bracket of the 
TRUs/main battery charger (MBC) and the structure. We are issuing this 
AD to prevent depletion of the main battery while in flight, resulting 
from the loss of both TRUs and the MBC, and consequent loss of all DC 
power, which could impact the safe flight and landing of the airplane 
due to the loss of function or malfunction of essential/critical 
systems and displays in the cockpit.

DATES: This AD becomes effective April 3, 2008.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain publication listed in the AD as of April 3, 
2008.
    On December 1, 2004 (69 FR 67043, November 16, 2004), the Director 
of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of 
Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 767-24A0119, Revision 2, dated August 19, 
2004, as revised by Boeing Information Notice 767-24A0119 IN 01, dated 
October 21, 2004.

ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Boeing Commercial Airplanes, P.O. Box 3707, Seattle, Washington 98124-
2207.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov; or in person at the Docket Management Facility 
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. The AD docket contains this AD, the regulatory evaluation, 
any comments received, and other information. The address for the 
Docket Office (telephone 800-647-5527) is the Document Management 
Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, 
West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 
Washington, DC 20590.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Louis Natsiopoulous, Aerospace 
Engineer, Systems and Equipment Branch, ANM-130S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft 
Certification Office, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98057-
3356; telephone (425) 917-6478; fax (425) 917-6590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion

    The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 
CFR part 39 to include an AD that supersedes AD 2004-23-14, amendment 
39-13869 (69 FR 67043, November 16, 2004). The existing AD applies to 
certain Boeing Model 767-200, -300, and -300F series airplanes. That 
NPRM was published in the Federal Register on November 19, 2007 (72 FR 
64964). That NPRM proposed to require reworking the surface of the 
ground stud bracket of the left and right transformer rectifier units 
(TRUs) and the airplane structure mounting surface, and measuring the 
resistance from the bracket to the structure and the ground lugs to the 
bracket using a bonding meter. That NPRM also proposed revising the 
applicability of the existing AD to include additional airplanes and to 
require, among other actions, installation of a new ground stud bracket 
using faying surface bonding.

Comments

    We provided the public the opportunity to participate in the 
development of this AD. We considered the comment that has been 
received on the NPRM. Boeing, the single 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 932 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 U.S.-
              Action                   Work hours      Average labor       Parts            Cost per airplane         registered         Fleet cost
                                                       rate per hour                                                   airplanes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rework and Measurement (required   1................             $80              $4  $84.........................             262  $22,008.
 by AD 2004-23-14).
New actions......................  1 or 2 \1\.......              80             208  $288 or $368 \1\............             412  $118,656 or
                                                                                                                                     $151,616.\1\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Depending on the airplane configuration.

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

[[Page 10646]]

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 39-13869 (69 FR 67043, November 16, 2004) and by 
adding the following new airworthiness directive (AD):

2008-04-12 Boeing: Amendment 39-15384. Docket No. FAA-2007-0203; 
Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-105-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This AD becomes effective April 3, 2008.

Affected ADs

    (b) This AD supersedes AD 2004-23-14.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to Boeing Model 767-200, -300, -300F, and -
400ER series airplanes, certificated in any category, as identified 
in Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 767-24A0162, dated May 30, 2006.

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from a report of loss of all direct current 
(DC) power generation during a flight, due to inadequate electrical 
ground path between the ground bracket of the left and right 
transformer rectifier unit (TRUs)/main battery charger (MBC) and the 
structure. We are issuing this AD to prevent depletion of the main 
battery while in flight, resulting from the loss of both TRUs and 
the MBC, and consequent loss of all DC power, which could impact the 
safe flight and landing of the airplane due to the loss of function 
or malfunction of essential/critical systems and displays in the 
cockpit.

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.

Requirements of AD 2004-23-14

Rework and Measure Resistance

    (f) For Model 767-200, -300, and -300F series airplanes, as 
listed in Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 767-24A0119, Revision 2, 
dated August 19, 2004; on which the actions of Boeing Service 
Bulletin 767-24-0119, dated May 14, 1998, and/or Revision 1, dated 
December 16, 1999, have been done: Within 45 days after December 1, 
2004 (the effective date of AD 2004-23-14), rework the ground stud 
bracket of the TRUs and structure mounting surface, and measure the 
resistance from the bracket to the structure and the grounding lug 
to the bracket using a bonding meter, in accordance with the 
Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 767-
24A0119, Revision 2, dated August 19, 2004, as revised by Boeing 
Information Notice 767-24A0119 IN 01, dated October 21, 2004, except 
as provided by paragraph (g) of this AD.
    (g) Step 4, Sheet 3 of Figure 1 in the Accomplishment 
Instructions of the service bulletin only specifies to install one 
collar with part number (P/N) BACC30M6. However, a collar with P/N 
BACC30BL6 (as listed in paragraph 2.C., ``Parts Necessary For Each 
Airplane'' of the service bulletin) may be used as an alternative 
method of compliance (AMOC).

New Actions Required by This AD

Rework, Installation, Measurement, as Applicable

    (h) For all airplanes: Within 36 months after the effective date 
of this AD, rework the existing ground stud bracket of the TRUs/MBC, 
measure the resistance, and install a new ground stud bracket of the 
TRUs by doing all the applicable actions specified in the 
Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 767-
24A0162, dated May 30, 2006.

AMOCs

    (i)(1) 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.
    (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.

Material Incorporated by Reference

    (j) You must use Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 767-24A0119, 
Revision 2, dated August 19, 2004, as revised by Boeing Information 
Notice 767-24A0119 IN 01, dated October 21, 2004; and Boeing Alert 
Service Bulletin 767-24A0162, dated May 30, 2006, to perform the 
actions that are required by this AD, unless the AD specifies 
otherwise.
    (1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the 
incorporation by reference of Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 767-
24A0162, dated May 30, 2006, in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 
1 CFR part 51.
    (2) On December 1, 2004 (69 FR 67043, November 16, 2004), the 
Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 767-24A0119, Revision 2, 
dated August 19, 2004, as revised by Boeing Information Notice 767-
24A0119 IN 01, dated October 21, 2004.
    (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 13, 2008.
Stephen P. Boyd,
Assistant Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. E8-3394 Filed 2-27-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P