[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 35 (Wednesday, February 22, 2012)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 10411-10413]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-4002]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2012-0149; Directorate Identifier 2011-NM-255-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company 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 The Boeing Company Model 777-200 and -300 series airplanes. 
This proposed AD was prompted by reports of fatigue cracks in the lap 
joints, which initiated at scribe lines that were made during 
production when maskant was removed from the affected skin panels. This 
proposed AD would require repetitive external phased-array ultrasonic 
inspections to detect cracks of the affected fuselage skin lap splices 
in Sections 41, 43, and 44, as applicable, and repair if necessary. We 
are proposing this AD to detect and correct such fatigue cracking, 
which, if not detected and corrected, could grow large and cause sudden 
decompression and the inability to sustain limit flight and pressure 
loads.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by April 9, 2012.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR 
11.43 and 11.45, 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; email [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: James Sutherland, Aerospace Engineer, 
Airframe Branch, ANM-120S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office, 
1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; phone: 425-917-
6533; fax: 425-917-6590; email: [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-2012-0149; 
Directorate Identifier 2011-NM-255-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

    We received a report indicating that, on the affected airplanes, 
scribe lines may have been inadvertently made in the overlapped skin in 
lap joints if a sharp tool was used to remove the maskant from the 
aluminum skin panels during assembly of the affected lap joints. During 
fatigue testing of Model 777 airplanes, lap joint cracks were found, 
and analysis indicated that those cracks initiated at scribe lines that 
were made during production when maskant was removed from the affected 
skin panels. Such fatigue cracking, if not detected and corrected, 
could grow large and cause sudden decompression and the inability to 
sustain limit flight and pressure loads.

Relevant Service Information

    We reviewed Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 777-53A0043, dated 
November 9, 2011. For information on the procedures and compliance 
times, see this service information at http://www.regulations.gov by 
searching for Docket No. FAA-2012-0149.

[[Page 10412]]

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 repetitive external phased-array 
ultrasonic inspections to detect cracks of the affected fuselage skin 
lap splices in Sections 41, 43, and 44, as applicable, and repair if 
necessary.

Difference Between the Proposed AD and the Service Information

    Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 777-53A0043, dated November 9, 2011, 
specifies that one way to install a repair is to use ``other approved 
methods.'' However, this proposed AD requires that the repair be done 
using a method approved in accordance with the procedures specified in 
paragraph (i) of this proposed AD.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this proposed AD affects 46 airplanes of U.S. 
registry.
    We estimate the following costs to comply with this proposed AD:

                                                 Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                  Cost per
            Action                Labor cost      Parts cost      product            Cost on U.S. operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inspections for Group 1        126 work-hours x           $0  $10,710 per      $267,750 per inspection cycle.
 airplanes (25 airplanes).      $85 per hour =                 inspection
                                $10,710 per                    cycle.
                                inspection
                                cycle.
Inspections for Group 2        50 work-hours x             0  $4,250 per       $89,250 per inspection cycle.
 airplanes (21 airplanes).      $85 per hour =                 inspection
                                $4,250 per                     cycle.
                                inspection
                                cycle.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We have received no definitive data that would enable us to provide 
cost estimates for the on-condition repair.

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-2012-0149; Directorate Identifier 
2011-NM-255-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

    We must receive comments by April 9, 2012.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to The Boeing Company Model 777-200 and -300 
series airplanes, certificated in any category, as identified in 
Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 777-53A0043, dated November 9, 2011.

(d) Subject

    Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC)/Air Transport Association 
(ATA) of America Code 53, Fuselage.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by reports of fatigue cracks in the lap 
joints, which initiated at scribe lines that were made during 
production when maskant was removed from the affected skin panels. 
We are issuing this AD to detect and correct such fatigue cracking, 
which, if not detected and corrected, could grow large and cause 
sudden decompression and the inability to sustain limit flight and 
pressure loads.

(f) Compliance

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

(g) Inspections and Repair

    Except as provided by paragraph (h)(1) of this AD, at the 
applicable time identified in paragraph 1.E., ``Compliance,'' of 
Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 777-53A0043, dated November 9, 2011: 
Do external phased-array ultrasonic inspections to detect cracks of 
the affected fuselage skin lap splices in Sections 41, 43, and 44, 
as applicable, in accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions of 
Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 777-53A0043, dated November 9, 2011. 
If any crack is found, before further flight, repair in accordance 
with Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 777-53A0043, dated November 9, 
2011; except as required by paragraph (h)(2) of this AD. Repeat the 
inspections of unrepaired areas thereafter at intervals not to 
exceed 4,200 flight cycles.

[[Page 10413]]

(h) Exception to Service Information

    (1) Where Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 777-53A0043, dated 
November 9, 2011, specifies a compliance time ``after the original 
issue date on this service bulletin,'' this AD requires compliance 
within the specified compliance time after the effective date of 
this AD.
    (2) Where Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 777-53A0043, dated 
November 9, 2011, specifies that ``other approved methods'' can be 
used to install a repair, this AD requires that the repair be done 
using a method approved in accordance with the procedures specified 
in paragraph (i) of this AD.

(i) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (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 emailed to: [email protected].
    (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.

(j) Related Information

    (1) For more information about this AD, contact James 
Sutherland, Aerospace Engineer, Airframe Branch, ANM-120S, FAA, 
Seattle Aircraft Certification Office, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, 
Washington 98057-3356; phone: 425-917-6533; fax: 425-917-6590; 
email: [email protected].
    (2) 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; email 
[email protected]; Internet https://www.myboeingfleet.com. You 
may also review the referenced service information in the docket at 
www.regulations.gov (refer to Docket No. FAA-2012-0149). 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 February 10, 2012.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-4002 Filed 2-21-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P