[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 50 (Thursday, March 13, 2008)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 13483-13486]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-5011]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2008-0274; Directorate Identifier 2008-NM-038-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Boeing Model 757 Airplanes, Model 767 
Airplanes, and Model 777-200 and -300 Series Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
certain Boeing Model 757 airplanes, Model 767 airplanes, and Model 777-
200 and -300 series airplanes. This proposed AD would require 
repetitive inspections for damage of the electrical terminal at the 
left and right flightdeck window  1, and corrective actions if 
necessary. This proposed AD would also allow for replacing the 
flightdeck window  1 with a new improved flightdeck window 
equipped with electrical connections, which would end the need for the 
repetitive inspections for that flightdeck window  1. This 
proposed AD results from several reports of electrical arcs at the 
terminal blocks of the electrically heated flightdeck window  
1. In more than one of the incidents, the arcs resulted in open flames. 
We are proposing this AD to prevent smoke and fire in the cockpit, 
which could lead to loss of visibility, and injuries to or 
incapacitation of the flightcrew.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by April 28, 2008.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
     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.
     Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket 
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    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 proposed AD, the regulatory 
evaluation, any comments received, and other information. The street 
address for the Docket Office (telephone 800-647-5527) is in the 
ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly 
after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Louis Natsiopolous, 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:

Comments Invited

    We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments about this proposed AD. Send your comments to an address 
listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2008-0274; 
Directorate Identifier 2008-NM-038-AD'' at the beginning of your 
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, 
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this proposed AD. We 
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend 
this proposed AD because of those comments.
    We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. We 
will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact we 
receive about this proposed AD.

[[Page 13484]]

Discussion

    We have received nine reports of electrical arcs at the terminal 
blocks of the flightdeck window 1. In more than one incident, 
the arcs resulted in open flames. An investigation showed that the 
electrical arcs are caused by loose terminal connections in the left 
and right flightdeck window  1 that use screw and lug 
electrical heat terminations. Arcing occurs due to improper torque or 
cross-threading of the screw. The window was redesigned in 2004 to 
include electrical heat terminals that use pin and socket connections 
rather than screws and lugs. Electrical arcs at the terminal blocks of 
the flightdeck window  1, if not corrected, could result in 
smoke and fire in the cockpit, and consequent loss of visibility, and 
injuries to or incapacitation of the flightcrew.

Relevant Service Information

    We have reviewed the service bulletins listed in the table below.

                        Boeing Service Bulletins
------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Boeing Special Attention Service
                Bulletin                           Boeing model
------------------------------------------------------------------------
757-30-0019, Revision 1, dated December  757-200, -200CB, and -200PF
 19, 2007.                                series airplanes.
757-30-0020, Revision 1, dated December  757-300 series airplanes.
 19, 2007.
767-30-0039, dated December 5, 2007....  767-200, -300, and -300F series
                                          airplanes.
767-30-0041, dated December 5, 2007....  767-400ER series airplanes.
777-30-0012, Revision 2, dated December  777-200 and -300 series
 19, 2007.                                airplanes.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The service bulletins describe procedures for repetitive detailed 
inspections for damage (including arcing, loose terminal, or heat 
damage) of the electrical terminal (J5 terminal) at the left and right 
flightdeck window  1, and corrective actions if necessary. The 
corrective actions are applying correct torque to a loose electrical 
connection, repairing damaged wiring, or installing a new window 
 1. The service bulletins specify that the replacement window 
can either be a new or serviceable window that uses screws and lugs for 
the electrical connection, or a new window that uses pins and sockets 
for the electrical connections. For airplanes on which a new window 
that uses pins and sockets is installed, the service bulletins also 
specify changes to the related wire bundle. The service bulletins 
specify that installing a new window that uses pins and sockets would 
eliminate the need for the repetitive inspections.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of This Proposed AD

    We are proposing this AD because we evaluated all relevant 
information and determined the unsafe condition described previously is 
likely to exist or develop in other products of the(se) same type 
design(s). This proposed AD would require accomplishing the actions 
specified in the service information described previously, except as 
discussed under ``Difference Between the Proposed AD and the Service 
Information.''

Difference Between the Proposed AD and the Service Information

    The service bulletins do not include inspection information for 
airplanes on which a screw is tightened as part of a corrective action. 
This proposed AD would specify doing the next detailed inspection 
within 500 flight hours after the tightening of the screw, and then 
repeating the inspection thereafter at intervals not to exceed 6,000 
flight hours.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this proposed AD would affect 1,212 airplanes of 
U.S. registry. The following table provides the estimated costs for 
U.S. operators to comply with this proposed AD. The average labor rate 
is $80 per work hour.

                                                 Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                         Work
                Action                  hours        Parts          Cost per product            Fleet cost
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inspection...........................       1   None..........  $80, per inspection      $96,960, per inspection
                                                                 cycle.                   cycle.
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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 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 this 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.
    You can find our regulatory evaluation and the estimated costs of 
compliance in the AD Docket.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

    Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Safety.

[[Page 13485]]

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 FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by adding the following new AD:

Boeing: Docket No. FAA-2008-0274; Directorate Identifier 2008-NM-
038-AD.

Comments Due Date

    (a) We must receive comments by April 28, 2008.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to the airplanes identified in Table 1 of 
this AD, certificated in any category.

                 Table 1.--Airplanes Affected by This AD
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                         As identified in Boeing Special
             Boeing model--                Attention Service Bulletin--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
757-200, -200CB, and -200PF series       757-30-0019, Revision 1, dated
 airplanes.                               December 19, 2007.
757-300 series airplanes...............  757-30-0020, Revision 1, dated
                                          December 19, 2007.
767-200, -300, and -300F series          767-30-0039, dated December 5,
 airplanes.                               2007.
767-400ER series airplanes.............  767-30-0041, dated December 5,
                                          2007.
777-200 and -300 series airplanes......  777-30-0012, Revision 2, dated
                                          December 19, 2007.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from several reports of electrical arcs at 
the terminal blocks of the electrically heated flightdeck window 
1. In more than one of the incidents, the arcs resulted in 
open flames. We are issuing this AD to prevent smoke and fire in the 
cockpit, which could lead to loss of visibility, and injuries to or 
incapacitation of the flightcrew.

Compliance

    (e) Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified, 
unless already done.

Service Bulletin Reference

    (f) The term ``service bulletin,'' as used in this AD, means the 
Accomplishment Instructions of the applicable service bulletin 
listed in Table 1 of this AD.

Inspection and Corrective Actions

    (g) Within 500 flight hours after the effective date of this AD, 
do a detailed inspection for damage (including arcing, loose 
terminal, or heat damage) of the electrical terminal (J5 terminal) 
at the left and right flightdeck window 1, and do all 
applicable corrective actions, by accomplishing all the actions 
specified in Work Packages 1 and 2 of the applicable service 
bulletin. Do all applicable corrective actions before further 
flight. Except as provided by paragraph (h) of this AD, repeat the 
detailed inspection thereafter at intervals not to exceed 6,000 
flight hours. Doing the replacement specified in paragraph (i) of 
this AD terminates the repetitive inspection requirements of this 
paragraph for the replaced flightdeck window 1.
    (h) For airplanes on which a corrective action--either 
replacement with a new window 1 that uses screws and lugs 
for the electrical connections, or tightening a loose screw--is done 
in accordance with Work Package 1 or 2 of the service bulletin: Do 
the next detailed inspection within 500 flight hours after the 
corrective action, and repeat the inspection thereafter at intervals 
not to exceed 6,000 flight hours. Doing the replacement specified in 
paragraph (i) of this AD terminates the repetitive inspection 
requirements of this paragraph for the replaced flightdeck window 
1.

Optional Terminating Action

    (i) Replacing a flightdeck window 1 that uses screws 
and lugs for the electrical connections with a flightdeck window 
that uses pins and sockets for the electrical connections in 
accordance with Work Packages 3 or 4 of the service bulletin ends 
the repetitive inspection requirements of this AD for that window 
1.

Actions Accomplished Previously

    (j) Actions done before the effective date of this AD in 
accordance with the applicable service bulletin specified in Table 2 
of this AD are acceptable for compliance with the corresponding 
requirements of this AD.

                 Table 2.--Acceptable Service Bulletins
------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Boeing Special Attention
      Service Bulletin         Revision level             Date
------------------------------------------------------------------------
757-30-0019.................  Original........  July 19, 2006.
757-30-0020.................  Original........  July 19, 2006.
777-30-0012.................  Original........  April 15, 2004.
777-30-0012.................  1...............  June 2, 2006.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (k)(1) The Manager, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), 
FAA, ATTN: Louis Natsiopolous, Aerospace Engineer, Systems and 
Equipment Branch, ANM-130S, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, 
Washington 98057-3356; telephone (425) 917-6478; fax (425) 917-6590; 
has the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested using 
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 March 5, 2008.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
 [FR Doc. E8-5011 Filed 3-12-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P