[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 168 (Thursday, August 28, 2008)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 50716-50718]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-19378]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2008-0148; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-299-AD; 
Amendment 39-15655; AD 2008-17-17]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Boeing Model 747 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 747 airplanes. This AD requires a one-time inspection of 
certain fuselage skins at section 41 to find any external doublers that 
cover the inspection areas and to identify the external doublers that 
end on a stringer and those that do not, and related investigative and 
corrective actions if necessary. This AD results from reports of cracks 
found at fastener locations in the fuselage skins at section 41. We are 
issuing this AD to detect and correct fuselage skin cracks at fastener 
locations along the skin-to-stringer attachments, which could join 
together and become large and consequently result in rapid 
decompression of the cabin.

DATES: This AD is effective October 2, 2008.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of October 2, 
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: Ivan Li, Aerospace Engineer, Airframe 
Branch, ANM-120S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office, 1601 Lind 
Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; telephone (425) 917-6437; 
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 747 airplanes. That NPRM was published in the Federal 
Register on February 8, 2008 (73 FR 7486). That NPRM proposed to 
require a one-time inspection of certain fuselage skins at section 41 
to find any external doublers that cover the inspection areas and to 
identify the external doublers that end on a stringer and those that do 
not, and related investigative and corrective actions if necessary.

Comments

    We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD. We considered the comments received from the two commenters.

Support for the NPRM

    Boeing concurs with the contents of the NPRM.

Request to Either Delay Issuance of the AD or Extend the Compliance 
Time

    Japan Airlines (JAL) requests that we delay issuance of the AD 
until Boeing has published a revision to Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 
747-53A2704, dated October 4, 2007, to extend the compliance time from 
16,000 total flight cycles to 25,000 total flight cycles for 
accomplishing the general visual inspection for external doublers in 
Areas 2 and 3. If we cannot delay issuance of the AD, then JAL requests 
that we revise the compliance time accordingly in this AD. JAL states 
that Boeing has advised that only the inspection of Area 1 must be done 
before 16,000 total flight cycles, and that Areas 2 and 3 should be 
inspected together with the high frequency eddy current inspection of 
the skin-to-stringer attachments before 25,000 total flight cycles. JAL 
asserts that Boeing will revise the compliance time in the next 
revision to the service bulletin.
    We do not agree to delay issuance of this AD, or to revise the 
compliance time for inspecting for external doublers in Areas 2 and 3. 
We have coordinated with Boeing, and Boeing has no plans, at this time, 
to revise the service bulletin. Boeing also has confirmed that the 
inspection of Areas 1, 2, and 3 was left at 16,000 total flight cycles 
for simplicity of the compliance table in the service bulletin. 
Therefore, we agree that, for Groups 1 through 5 airplanes,

[[Page 50717]]

the general visual inspection for external doublers in Areas 2 and 3 
may be done before 25,000 total flight cycles, or within 2,000 flight 
cycles after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later. 
However, due to the unique nature of JAL's request, it would be best to 
address it using the alternative methods of compliance (AMOC) process, 
rather than revising this AD. We will consider requests for adjustments 
to the compliance time, under the provisions of paragraph (h) of this 
AD, if data are submitted to substantiate that such an adjustment would 
provide an acceptable level of safety. We have not changed the AD in 
this regard.

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

    We estimate that this AD affects 165 airplanes of U.S. registry. We 
also estimate that it takes up to 64 work-hours per product to comply 
with this AD. The average labor rate is $80 per work-hour. Based on 
these figures, we estimate the cost of this AD to the U.S. operators to 
be $844,800 or $5,120 per product.

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:

2008-17-17 Boeing: Amendment 39-15655. Docket No. FAA-2008-0148; 
Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-299-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This airworthiness directive (AD) is effective October 2, 
2008.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to all Boeing Model 747-100, 747-100B, 747-
100B SUD, 747-200B, 747-200C, 747-200F, 747-300, 747-400, 747-400D, 
747-400F, 747SR, and 747SP series airplanes, certificated in any 
category.

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from reports of cracks found at fastener 
locations in the fuselage skins at section 41. We are issuing this 
AD to detect and correct fuselage skin cracks at fastener locations 
along the skin-to-stringer attachments, which could join together 
and become large and consequently result in rapid decompression of 
the cabin.

Compliance

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

Repetitive Inspections and Related Investigative/Corrective Actions

    (f) At the applicable compliance times specified in Tables 1 and 
2 of paragraph 1.E. of Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2704, 
dated October 4, 2007: Do a general visual inspection of the 
fuselage skins at section 41 to find any external doublers that 
cover the inspection area and to identify the external doublers that 
end on a stringer in the inspection area and those that do not, and 
do all the related investigative and corrective actions as 
applicable, by accomplishing all of the applicable actions specified 
in the Accomplishment Instructions of the service bulletin, except 
as provided by paragraph (g) of this AD. Repeat the related 
investigative actions thereafter at the interval specified in Tables 
1 and 2 of the service bulletin, as applicable.

Exceptions to the Service Bulletin

    (g) Where Tables 1 and 2 of paragraph 1.E. of Boeing Alert 
Service Bulletin 747-53A2704, dated October 4, 2007, specify 
counting the compliance time from `` * * * after the date on this 
service bulletin,'' this AD requires counting the compliance time 
from the effective date of this AD. Where Figure 19 of the service 
bulletin specifies doing a ``detailed visual inspection'' for any 
crack at fastener holes common to the stringer, this AD requires 
doing a detailed inspection. In Figure 3 of the service bulletin, 
also inspect the areas at stringer 5 (S-5) and S-5A between station 
(STA) 340 and STA 360 (similar to Figure 8 for the right side). In 
Figure 15 of the service bulletin, also inspect the area at S-14A 
between STA 200 and STA 220 (similar to Figure 17 for the right 
side).

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (h)(1) The Manager, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), 
FAA, ATTN: Ivan Li, Aerospace Engineer, Airframe Branch, ANM-120S, 
1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; telephone 
(425) 917-6437; 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.
    (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 Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-53A2704, 
dated October 4,

[[Page 50718]]

2007, 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 
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.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on August 8, 2008.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. E8-19378 Filed 8-27-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P