[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 12 (Wednesday, January 19, 2011)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 3054-3057]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-1017]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2011-0025; Directorate Identifier 2010-NM-208-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Model 777 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 the 
products listed above. This proposed AD would require revising the 
maintenance program to update inspection requirements to detect fatigue 
cracking of principal structural elements (PSEs). This proposed AD was 
prompted by a new revision to the airworthiness limitations of the 
maintenance planning document. We

[[Page 3055]]

are proposing this AD to ensure that fatigue cracking of various PSEs 
is detected and corrected; such fatigue cracking could adversely affect 
the structural integrity of these airplanes.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by March 7, 2011.

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: Deliver to Mail address above between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    For service information identified in this proposed AD, contact 
Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Attention: Data & Services Management, P. 
O. Box 3707, MC 2H-65, Seattle, Washington 98124-2207; telephone 206-
544-5000, extension 1; fax 206-766-5680; e-mail [email protected]; 
Internet https://www.myboeingfleet.com. You may review copies of the 
referenced service information at the FAA, Transport Airplane 
Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington. For information 
on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 425-227-1221.

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 (phone: 800-647-5527) is in the ADDRESSES 
section. Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly after 
receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Duong Tran, Aerospace Engineer, 
Airframe Branch, ANM-120S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office, 
1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; phone: (425) 917-
6452; fax: (425) 917-6590; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments about this proposal. Send your comments to an address listed 
under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2011-0025; 
Directorate Identifier 2010-NM-208-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.

Discussion

    In accordance with airworthiness standards requiring ``damage-
tolerance assessments'' (Part 25 of the Federal Aviation Regulations, 
Section 1529), all products certificated to comply with that section 
must have Instructions for Continued Airworthiness that include an 
Airworthiness Limitations Section (AWLs). The AWLs set forth:
     Mandatory replacement times for structural components,
     Structural inspection intervals, and
     Related approved structural inspection procedures 
necessary to show compliance with the damage-tolerance requirements.
    Compliance with the terms specified in the AWLs is required by 14 
CFR 43.16 (for persons maintaining products) and 14 CFR 91.403 (for 
operators).
    As airplanes gain service experience, or as the result of post-
certification testing and evaluation, it might become necessary to add 
additional life limits or structural inspections in order to ensure the 
continued structural integrity of the airplane. The manufacturer might 
revise the AWLs to include new or more restrictive life limits and 
inspections. However, in order to require compliance with those revised 
life limits and/or inspection intervals, the FAA must engage in 
rulemaking. Because loss of structural integrity would result in an 
unsafe condition, it is appropriate to impose these requirements 
through the airworthiness directive (AD) process.
    Boeing recently has completed extensive analyses and testing of 
fatigue cracking of principal structural elements (PSE) on Model 777 
airplanes, which included:
     Crack growth analysis,
     Service experience analysis,
     Crack growth testing,
     Fatigue testing, and
     Analysis of the effectiveness of applicable non-
destructive inspection techniques to detect cracking and other 
anomalies.
    The results of the testing and analyses demonstrated the need to 
incorporate updated inspection requirements to detect fatigue cracking 
of PSEs. We are proposing this AD to ensure that fatigue cracking of 
various PSEs is detected and corrected; such fatigue cracking could 
adversely affect the structural integrity of these airplanes.

Relevant Service Information

    We reviewed Subsection B, Airworthiness Limitations--Structural 
Inspections, of Section 9, of ``Airworthiness Limitations (AWLs) and 
Certification Maintenance Requirements (CMRs),'' D622W001-9, Revision 
January 2010, of the Boeing 777 Maintenance Planning Data (MPD) 
Document. Subsection B of Section 9 contains updated inspection 
requirements to detect fatigue cracking of PSEs.

FAA's Determination

    We are proposing this AD because we evaluated all the relevant 
information and determined the unsafe condition described previously is 
likely to exist or develop in other products of the same type design.

Proposed AD Requirements

    This proposed AD would require accomplishing the actions specified 
in the service information described previously.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this proposed AD will affect 153 airplanes of U.S. 
registry.
    We estimate the following costs to comply with this proposed AD:

[[Page 3056]]



                                                 Estimated Costs
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                                                                                                       Cost on
                 Action                              Labor cost             Parts cost    Cost per       U.S.
                                                                                          product     operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Revision................................  1 work-hour x $85 per hour =              $0          $85      $13,005
                                           $85.
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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),
    (3) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
    (4) 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.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

    Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by 
reference, 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 FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by adding the following new 
airworthiness directive (AD):

The Boeing Company: Docket No. FAA-2011-0025; Directorate Identifier 
2010-NM-208-AD.

Comments Due Date

    (a) We must receive comments by March 7, 2011.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to The Boeing Company Model 777-200, -200LR, 
-300, -300ER, and 777F series airplanes, certificated in any 
category, with an original airworthiness certificate or original 
export certificate of airworthiness issued before September 1, 2010.

    Note 1: Airplanes with an original airworthiness certificate or 
original export certificate of airworthiness issued on or after 
September 1, 2010, must already be in compliance with the 
airworthiness limitations (AWLs) specified in this AD because those 
limitations were applicable as part of the airworthiness 
certification of those airplanes.


    Note 2: This AD requires revisions to certain operator 
maintenance documents to include new inspections. Compliance with 
these inspections is required by 14 CFR 91.403(c). For airplanes 
that have been previously modified, altered, or repaired in the 
areas addressed by these inspections, the operator may not be able 
to accomplish the inspections described in the revisions. In this 
situation, to comply with 14 CFR 91.403(c), the operator must 
request approval for an alternative method of compliance according 
to paragraph (i) of this AD. The request should include a 
description of changes to the required inspections that will ensure 
the continued damage tolerance of the affected structure. The FAA 
has provided guidance for this determination in Advisory Circular 
(AC) 25.1529-1.

Subject

    (d) Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC)/Air Transport 
Association (ATA) of America Codes 27, Flight Controls; 28, Fuel; 
32, Landing Gear; 52, Doors; 53, Fuselage; 54, Nacelles/Pylons; 55, 
Stabilizers; 57, Wings.

Unsafe Condition

    (e) This AD was prompted by a new revision to the airworthiness 
limitations of the maintenance planning document. We are issuing 
this AD to ensure that fatigue cracking of various principal 
structural elements (PSEs) is detected and corrected; such fatigue 
cracking could adversely affect the structural integrity of these 
airplanes.

Compliance

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

Revision of Maintenance Program

    (g) Within 12 months after the effective date of this AD, revise 
the maintenance program by incorporating the information in 
Subsection B, Airworthiness Limitations--Structural Inspections, of 
Section 9, of ``Airworthiness Limitations (AWLs) and Certification 
Maintenance Requirements (CMRs),'' D622W001-9, Revision January 
2010, of the Boeing 777 Maintenance Planning Data (MPD) Document. 
The initial compliance time for the inspections is within the 
applicable times specified in Subsection B, Airworthiness 
Limitations--Structural Inspections, of Section 9, of 
``Airworthiness Limitations (AWLs) and Certification Maintenance 
Requirements (CMRs),'' D622W001-9, Revision January 2010, of the 
Boeing 777 Maintenance Planning Data (MPD) Document, or within 18 
months after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later.

Alternative Inspections and Inspection Intervals

    (h) After accomplishing the actions required by paragraph (g) of 
this AD, no alternative inspections or inspection intervals may be 
used unless the alternative inspection or interval is approved as an 
alternative method of compliance (AMOC) in accordance with the 
procedures specified in paragraph (i) 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 
using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. In accordance with 14 
CFR 39.19, send your request to your principal inspector or local 
Flight Standards District Office, as appropriate. If sending 
information directly to the manager of the ACO, send it to the 
attention of the person identified in the Related Information 
section of this AD. Information may be e-mailed to: [email protected].

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    (2) Before using any approved AMOC, notify your appropriate 
principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the manager 
of the local flight standards district office/certificate holding 
district office.
    (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 the 
Boeing Commercial Airplanes Organization Designation Authorization 
(ODA) that 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.

Related Information

    (j) For more information about this AD, contact Duong Tran, 
Aerospace Engineer, Airframe Branch, ANM-120S, FAA, Seattle ACO, 
1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; phone: (425) 
917-6452; fax: (425) 917-6590; e-mail: [email protected].
    (k) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Attention: Data & Services Management, 
P.O. Box 3707, MC 2H-65, Seattle, Washington 98124-2207; telephone 
206-544-5000, extension 1; fax 206-766-5680; e-mail 
[email protected]; Internet https://www.myboeingfleet.com. You 
may review copies of the referenced service information at the FAA, 
Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, 
Washington. For information on the availability of this material at 
the FAA, call 425-227-1221.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on January 11, 2011.
Jeffrey E. Duven,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-1017 Filed 1-18-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P