[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 72 (Monday, April 14, 2008)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 19968-19971]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-7176]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2007-0227; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-159-AD; 
Amendment 39-15454; AD 2008-08-02]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Boeing Model 727 Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all 
Boeing Model 727 airplanes. This AD requires repetitive inspections for 
cracking or corrosion of the threaded end of the lower segment of the 
main landing gear (MLG) side strut, and corrective actions if 
necessary. This AD also requires prior or concurrent inspection for 
cracking or corrosion of the threads and thread relief area of the 
lower segment, corrective action if necessary, and re-assembly using 
corrosion inhibiting compound. This AD results from reports of the 
threads cracking on the MLG side strut lower segment. We are issuing 
this AD to

[[Page 19969]]

prevent a fractured side strut, which could result in collapse of the 
MLG.

DATES: This AD is effective May 19, 2008.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of certain publications listed in this AD as of May 19, 2008.

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: Berhane Alazar, Aerospace Engineer, 
Airframe Branch, ANM-120S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office, 
1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; telephone (425) 
917-6577; fax (425) 917-6590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

    We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 
part 39 to include an airworthiness directive (AD) that would apply to 
all Boeing Model 727 airplanes. That NPRM was published in the Federal 
Register on November 26, 2007 (72 FR 65913). That NPRM proposed to 
require repetitive inspections for cracking or corrosion of the 
threaded end of the lower segment of the main landing gear (MLG) side 
strut, and corrective actions if necessary. That NPRM also proposed to 
require prior or concurrent inspection for cracking or corrosion of the 
threads and thread relief area of the lower segment, corrective action 
if necessary, and re-assembly using corrosion inhibiting compound.

Comments

    We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD. We considered the single comment received. Boeing supports the 
NPRM.

Conclusion

    We reviewed the relevant data, considered the comments received, 
and determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting 
the AD as proposed.

Costs of Compliance

    There are about 842 airplanes of the affected design in the 
worldwide fleet. This AD affects about 459 airplanes of U.S. registry. 
The following table provides the estimated costs for U.S. operators to 
comply with this AD. The average labor rate is $80 per work hour.

                                                 Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                         Average labor
             Action                    Work hours        rate per hour   Cost per airplane        Fleet cost
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inspection......................  12..................             $80  $960, per            $440,640, per
                                                                         inspection cycle.    inspection cycle.
Prior/concurrent actions........  Up to 6.............              80  Up to $480.........  Up to $220,320.
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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

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

2008-08-02 Boeing: Amendment 39-15454. Docket No. FAA-2007-0227; 
Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-159-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This airworthiness directive (AD) is effective May 19, 2008.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to all Model 727, 727C, 727-100, 727-100C, 
727-200, and 727-200F series airplanes, certificated in any 
category.

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from reports of the threads cracking on the 
main landing gear (MLG) side strut lower segment. We are issuing 
this AD to prevent a fractured side strut, which could result in 
collapse of the MLG.

[[Page 19970]]

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.

Inspections and Corrective Actions

    (f) At the latest applicable time in paragraph (f)(1), (f)(2), 
or (f)(3) of this AD: Do detailed and magnetic particle inspections 
for cracking or corrosion of the threaded end of the lower segment 
of the MLG side strut and do all applicable corrective actions as 
specified in the Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Special 
Attention Service Bulletin 727-32-0338, Revision 4, dated April 7, 
2007. Do all applicable corrective actions before further flight. 
Repeat the inspection thereafter at intervals not to exceed 120 
months.
    (1) Within 48 months after the last MLG overhaul.
    (2) Within 6 months after the effective date of this AD.
    (3) Within 120 months after the last MLG overhaul for airplanes 
on which the actions in Boeing Special Attention Service Bulletin 
727-32-0338, Revision 4, dated April 7, 2007, have been accomplished 
before the effective date of this AD.

Prior/Concurrent Requirements

    (g) Prior to or concurrently with the actions required by 
paragraph (f) of this AD: Do all applicable actions specified in the 
service bulletins listed in Table 1 of this AD. Where the 
lubrication and corrosion protection procedures in any service 
bulletin listed in Table 1 of this AD differ from those in Boeing 
Special Attention Service Bulletin 727-32-0338, Revision 4, dated 
April 7, 2007, use the procedures in Boeing Special Attention 
Service Bulletin 727-32-0338, Revision 4.

                 Table 1.--Prior/Concurrent Requirements
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                                                    Describes procedures
            For--              Service Bulletin--    for these prior or
                                                    concurrent actions--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) All airplanes...........  Boeing Special        Inspecting for
                               Attention 727-32-     corrosion or
                               0411, Revision 1,     cracking of the
                               dated February 19,    threads and thread
                               2007.                 relief area of the
                                                     swivel clevis, and
                                                     improving the
                                                     corrosion
                                                     protection of the
                                                     swivel clevis
                                                     fitting threads in
                                                     commonly affected
                                                     airplanes.
(2) Airplanes specified as    Boeing 727 Service    Modifying the MLG
 Options III, IV and V         Bulletin 32-79,       side strut
 configurations in Boeing      Revision 1, dated     universal joint.
 Special Attention Service     February 27, 1967.
 Bulletin 727-32-0338,
 Revision 4.
                              Boeing 727 Service    Replacing the MLG
                               Bulletin 32-157,      side strut swivel
                               dated August 30,      bushing,
                               1968.                 incorporating only
                                                     parts kit 65-89855-
                                                     1, and not
                                                     installing the lube
                                                     fitting in the
                                                     lower segment.
(3) Airplanes specified as    Boeing Service        Inspecting and
 Option V configuration in     Bulletin 727-32-      modifying the MLG
 Boeing Special Attention      268, Revision 2,      side strut.
 Service Bulletin 727-32-      dated February 20,
 0338, Revision 4.             1981.
                              Boeing Service        Resolving the
                               Bulletin 727-57-      interference
                               163, dated            between the MLG
                               September 17, 1982.   gear beam and the
                                                     MLG side strut.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (h)(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.
    (3) 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.

Material Incorporated by Reference

    (i) You must use the applicable service information listed in 
Table 2 of this AD to do the actions required by this AD, unless the 
AD specifies otherwise.
    (1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the 
incorporation by reference of this service information under 5 
U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
    (2) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Boeing Commercial Airplanes, P.O. Box 3707, Seattle, Washington 
98124-2207.
    (3) You may review copies of the service information that is 
incorporated by reference 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/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html.

                                  Table 2.--Material Incorporated by Reference
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Service Bulletin                           Revision                               Date
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Boeing Special Attention Service        4..................................  April 7, 2007.
 Bulletin 727-32-0338.
Boeing Special Attention Service        1..................................  February 19, 2007.
 Bulletin 727-32-0411.
Boeing 727 Service Bulletin 32-157....  Original...........................  August 30, 1968.
Boeing 727 Service Bulletin 32-79.....  1..................................  February 27, 1967.
Boeing Service Bulletin 727-32-268....  2..................................  February 20, 1981.
Boeing Service Bulletin 727-57-163....  Original...........................  September 17, 1982.
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[[Page 19971]]

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on March 28, 2008.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. E8-7176 Filed 4-11-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P