[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 101 (Thursday, May 24, 2012)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 30877-30881]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-12658]



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  Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 101 / Thursday, May 24, 2012 / Rules 
and Regulations  

[[Page 30877]]



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Parts 26, 121, and 129

[Docket No. FAA-2006-24281; Amendment Nos. 26-6, 121-360, 129-51]
RIN 2120-AI05


Aging Airplane Program: Widespread Fatigue Damage; Technical 
Amendment

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; technical amendment.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The FAA is correcting a final rule published on November 15, 
2010. That rule required design approval holders of certain existing 
airplanes and all applicants for type certificates of future transport 
category airplanes to establish a limit of validity of the engineering 
data that supports the structural maintenance program (hereinafter 
referred to as LOV). It also required that operators of any affected 
airplane incorporate the LOV into the maintenance program for that 
airplane. This document corrects errors in codified text of that 
document.

DATES: Effective May 24, 2012.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical questions concerning 
this action, contact Walter Sippel, ANM-115, Airframe/Cabin Safety 
Branch, Federal Aviation Administration, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, 
WA 98057-3356; telephone (425) 227-2774; facsimile (425) 227-1232; 
email [email protected].
    For legal questions concerning this action, contact Doug Anderson, 
Office of Regional Counsel, Federal Aviation Administration, 1601 Lind 
Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98057-3356; telephone (425) 227-2166; facsimile 
(425) 227-1007; email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On November 15, 2010, the FAA published a final rule entitled, 
``Aging Airplane Program: Widespread Fatigue Damage,'' (75 FR 69746). 
In that final rule the FAA revised the regulations pertaining to 
certification and operation of transport category airplanes to prevent 
widespread fatigue damage in those airplanes. For certain existing 
airplanes, the rule required design approval holders to evaluate their 
airplanes to establish an LOV. For future airplanes, the rule required 
all applicants for type certificates, after the effective date of the 
rule, to establish an LOV. Design approval holders and applicants must 
demonstrate that the airplane will be free from widespread fatigue 
damage up to the LOV. The rule requires that operators of any affected 
airplane incorporate the LOV into the maintenance program for that 
airplane. After issuing the final rule, the FAA determined minor 
technical changes are needed to correct dates for establishing LOVs for 
Airbus A310 and A300-600 series airplanes for compliance with Sec.  
26.21. Based on that change, the FAA determined minor technical changes 
are also needed to correct dates for operators to comply with Sec.  
121.1115 or Sec.  129.115. We inadvertently included those airplanes in 
the group of airplane models for which the following compliance times 
apply:
     18 months after January 14, 2011, for design approval 
holders (DAHs).
     30 months after January 14, 2011, for operators.

Change to Table 1 of Sec.  26.21

    The change to Table 1 of Sec.  26.21 corrects the compliance date 
for the Airbus A310 and A300-600 series airplanes from 18 to 48 months 
after January 14, 2011. This change is relieving and corrects an 
inconsistency with the intent of the rule and does not impact the 
ability of Airbus to comply with Sec.  26.21. As stated in the preamble 
of the rule entitled, ``Aging Airplane Program: Widespread Fatigue 
Damage,'' the FAA intended to phase in compliance based on the 
airplane's certification basis relative to Sec.  25.571 (Group I: pre-
Amendment 25-45, Group II: Amendment 25-45 up to but not including 25-
96, and Group III: Amendment 25-96 and later). We included the A310 and 
A300-600 series airplanes in Group I, with a compliance time of 18 
months, but they should have been included in Group II, with a 
compliance time of 48 months. The type certificate data sheet, A35EU, 
revision 25, dated May 28 2010, identifies the amendment level of the 
A310 as Amendment 25-45. The A300-600 is listed with Sec.  25.571 at 
various amendment levels, including some versions with pre-Amendment 
25-45. However, through post-certification assessments, Airbus has 
shown that all versions of the A300-600 meet the requirements of 
Amendment 25-45, and the FAA has recognized this in other rulemaking 
actions (see Damage Tolerance Data for Repairs and Alterations, 72 FR 
70486).

Change to Table 1 of Sec.  121.1115 and Sec.  129.115

    The change to Table 1 of Sec. Sec.  121.1115 and 129.115 corrects 
the compliance date for operators of Airbus A310 and A300-600 series 
airplanes from 30 to 60 months after January 14, 2011. This change 
corresponds to the change to Table 1 of Sec.  26.21, is relieving, 
corrects an inconsistency with the intent of the rule, and does not 
impact the ability of operators to comply with Sec.  121.1115 or Sec.  
129.115. As stated in the preamble of the rule entitled, ``Aging 
Airplane Program: Widespread Fatigue Damage,'' the FAA intended to 
phase in compliance based on the airplane's certification basis 
relative to Sec.  25.571. We included the A310 and A300-600 series 
airplanes in Group I, with a compliance time of 30 months, but they 
should have been incorporated in Group II, with a compliance date of 60 
months.

Technical Amendment

    This technical amendment corrects the compliance dates of Sec.  
26.21, Sec.  121.1115, and Sec.  129.115 for Airbus A310 and A300-600 
series airplanes.
    Because the changes in this technical amendment are relieving to 
affected design approval holders and operators of those airplanes, and 
results in no substantive change, we find good cause exists under 5 
U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to make the amendment effective in less than 30 days.

List of Subjects

14 CFR Part 26

    Aircraft, Aviation safety, Continued airworthiness.

[[Page 30878]]

14 CFR Parts 121 and 129

    Air carriers, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Continued airworthiness, 
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

The Amendment

    In consideration of the foregoing, the Federal Aviation 
Administration amends Chapter I of Title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations, parts 26, 121, and 129, as follows:

PART 26--CONTINUED AIRWORTHINESS AND SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS FOR 
TRANSPORT CATEGORY AIRPLANES

0
1. The authority citation for part 26 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701, 44702 and 44704.


0
2. Amend Sec.  26.21 by revising Table 1--Compliance Dates for Affected 
Airplanes, to read as follows:


Sec.  26.21  Limit of validity.

* * * * *

            Table 1--Compliance Dates for Affected Airplanes
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      Compliance date--
     Airplane model (all existing \1\ models)           (months after
                                                      January 14, 2011)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Airbus:
    A300 Series...................................                    18
    A310 Series, A300-600 Series..................                    48
    A318 Series...................................                    48
    A319 Series...................................                    48
    A320 Series...................................                    48
    A321 Series...................................                    48
    A330-200, -200 Freighter, -300 Series.........                    48
    A340-200, -300, -500, -600 Series.............                    48
    A380-800 Series...............................                    60
Boeing:
    717...........................................                    48
    727 (all series)..............................                    18
    737 (Classics): 737-100, -200, -200C, -300, -                     18
     400, -500....................................
    737 (NG): 737-600, -700, -700C, -800, -900, -                     48
     900ER........................................
    747 (Classics): 747-100, -100B, -100B SUD, -                      18
     200B, -200C, -200F, -300, 747SP, 747SR.......
    747-400: 747-400, -400D, -400F................                    48
    757...........................................                    48
    767...........................................                    48
    777-200, -300.................................                    48
    777-200LR, 777-300ER, 777F....................                    60
Bombardier:
    CL-600: 2D15 (Regional Jet Series 705), 2D24                      60
     (Regional Jet Series 900)....................
Embraer:
    ERJ 170.......................................                    60
    ERJ 190.......................................                    60
Fokker:
    F.28 Mark 0070, Mark 0100.....................                    18
Lockheed:
    L-1011........................................                    18
    188...........................................                    18
    382 (all series)..............................                    18
McDonnell Douglas:
    DC-8, -8F.....................................                    18
    DC-9..........................................                    18
    MD-80 (DC-9-81, -82, -83, -87, MD-88).........                    18
    MD-90.........................................                    48
    DC-10.........................................                    18
    MD-10.........................................                    48
    MD-11, -11F...................................                    48
    All Other Airplane Models Listed on a Type                        60
     Certificate as of January 14, 2011...........
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Type certificated as of January 14, 2011.

PART 121--OPERATING REQUIREMENTS: DOMESTIC, FLAG, AND SUPPLEMENTAL 
OPERATIONS

0
3. The authority citation for part 121 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 40119, 41706, 44101, 44701-
44702, 44705, 44709-44711, 44713, 44716-44717, 44722, 44901, 44903-
44904, 44912, 45101-45105, 46105, 46301.

0
4. Amend Sec.  121.1115 by revising Table 1--Airplanes Subject to Sec.  
26.21, to read as follows:


Sec.  121.1115  Limit of validity.

* * * * *

                                   Table 1--Airplanes Subject to Sec.   26.21
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           Compliance date--months    Default LOV [flight cycles (FC) or flight
             Airplane model                after January 14, 2011                    hours (FH)]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Airbus--Existing \1\ Models Only:

[[Page 30879]]

 
    A300 B2-1A, B2-1C, B2K-3C, B2-203..  30........................  48,000 FC
    A300 B4-2C, B4-103.................  30........................  40,000 FC
    A300 B4-203........................  30........................  34,000 FC
    A300-600 Series....................  60........................  30,000 FC/67,500 FH
    A310-200 Series....................  60........................  40,000 FC/60,000 FH
    A310-300 Series....................  60........................  35,000 FC/60,000 FH
    A318 Series........................  60........................  48,000 FC/60,000 FH
    A319 Series........................  60........................  48,000 FC/60,000 FH
    A320-100 Series....................  60........................  48,000 FC/48,000 FH
    A320-200 Series....................  60........................  48,000 FC/60,000 FH
    A321 Series........................  60........................  48,000 FC/60,000 FH
    A330-200, -300 Series (except WV050  60........................  40,000 FC/60,000 FH
     family) (non enhanced).
    A330-200, -300 Series WV050 family   60........................  33,000 FC/100,000 FH
     (enhanced).
    A330-200 Freighter Series..........  60........................  See NOTE.
    A340-200, -300 Series (except WV     60........................  20,000 FC/80,000 FH
     027 and WV050 family) (non
     enhanced).
    A340-200, -300 Series WV 027 (non    60........................  30,000 FC/60,000 FH
     enhanced).
    A340-300 Series WV050 family         60........................  20,000 FC/100,000 FH
     (enhanced).
    A340-500, -600 Series..............  60........................  16,600 FC/100,000 FH
    A380-800 Series....................  72........................  See NOTE.
Boeing--Existing \1\ Models Only:
    717................................  60........................  60,000 FC/60,000 FH
    727 (all series)...................  30........................  60,000 FC
    737 (Classics): 737-100, -200, -     30........................  75,000 FC
     200C, -300, -400, -500.
    737 (NG): 737-600, -700, -700C, -    60........................  75,000 FC
     800, -900, -900ER.
    747 (Classics): 747-100, -100B, -
     100B SUD, -200B, -200C, -200F, -
     300, 747SP, 747SR.
    747-400: 747-400, -400D, -400F.....  30........................  20,000 FC
    757................................  60........................  20,000 FC
    767................................  60........................  20,000 FC
    777-200, -300......................  60........................  50,000 FC
    777-200LR, 777-300ER...............  60........................  50,000 FC
    777F...............................  60........................  40,000 FC
                                         72........................  40,000 FC
                                         72........................  11,000 FC
Bombardier--Existing \1\ Models Only:
    CL-600: 2D15 (Regional Jet Series    72........................  60,000 FC
     705), 2D24 (Regional Jet Series
     900).
Embraer--Existing \1\ Models Only:
    ERJ 170............................  72........................  See NOTE.
    ERJ 190............................  72........................  See NOTE.
Fokker--Existing \1\ Models Only:
    F.28 Mark 0070, Mark 0100..........  30........................  90,000 FC
Lockheed--Existing \1\ Models Only:
    L-1011.............................  30........................  36,600 FC
    188................................  30........................  20,000 FC
    382 (all series)...................  30........................  20,000 FC/50,000 FH
McDonnell Douglas--Existing \1\ Models
 Only:
    DC-8, -8F..........................  30........................  50,000 FC/50,000 FH
    DC-9 (except for MD-80 models).....  30........................  100,000 FC/100,000 FH
    MD-80 (DC-9-81, -82, -83, -87, MD-   30........................  50,000 FC/50,000 FH
     88).
    MD-90..............................  60........................  60,000 FC/90,000 FH
    DC-10-10, -15......................  30........................  42,000 FC/60,000 FH
    DC-10-30, -40, -10F, -30F, -40F....  30........................  30,000 FC/60,000 FH
    MD-10-10F..........................  60........................  42,000 FC/60,000 FH
    MD-10-30F..........................  60........................  30,000 FC/60,000 FH
    MD-11, MD-11F......................  60........................  20,000 FC/60,000 FH
Maximum Takeoff Gross Weight Changes:
    All airplanes whose maximum takeoff  30, or within 12 months     Not applicable.
     gross weight has been decreased to   after the LOV is
     75,000 pounds or below after         approved, or before
     January 14, 2011, or increased to    operating the airplane,
     greater than 75,000 pounds at any    whichever occurs latest.
     time by an amended type
     certificate or supplemental type
     certificate.
All Other Airplane Models (TCs and       72, or within 12 months     Not applicable.
 amended TCs) not Listed in Table 2.      after the LOV is
                                          approved, or before
                                          operating the airplane,
                                          whichever occurs latest.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Type certificated as of January 14, 2011.
Note: Airplane operation limitation is stated in the Airworthiness Limitation section.


[[Page 30880]]

* * * * *

PART 129--OPERATIONS: FOREIGN AIR CARRIERS AND FOREIGN OPERATORS OF 
U.S.-REGISTERED AIRCRAFT ENGAGED IN COMMON CARRIAGE

0
5. The authority citation for part 129 continues to read:

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 1372, 40113, 40119, 44101, 44701-44702, 
44705, 44709-44711, 44713, 44716-44717, 44722, 44901-44904, 44906, 
44912, 46105, Pub. L. 107-71 sec. 104.

0
6. Amend Sec.  129.115 by revising Table 1--Airplanes Subject to Sec.  
26.21, to read as follows:


Sec.  129.115  Limit of validity.

* * * * *

                                   Table 1--Airplanes Subject to Sec.   26.21
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           Compliance date--months    Default LOV  [flight cycles (FC) or flight
             Airplane model                after January 14, 2011                    hours (FH)]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Airbus--Existing \1\ Models Only:
    A300 B2-1A, B2-1C, B2K-3C, B2-203..  30........................  48,000 FC
    A300 B4-2C, B4-103.................  30........................  40,000 FC
    A300 B4-203........................  30........................  34,000 FC
    A300-600 Series....................  60........................  30,000 FC/67,500 FH
    A310-200 Series....................  60........................  40,000 FC/60,000 FH
    A310-300 Series....................  60........................  35,000 FC/60,000 FH
    A318 Series........................  60........................  48,000 FC/60,000 FH
    A319 Series........................  60........................  48,000 FC/60,000 FH
    A320-100 Series....................  60........................  48,000 FC/48,000 FH
    A320-200 Series....................  60........................  48,000 FC/60,000 FH
    A321 Series........................  60........................  48,000 FC/60,000 FH
    A330-200, -300 Series (except WV050  60........................  40,000 FC/60,000 FH
     family) (non enhanced).
    A330-200, -300 Series WV050 family   60........................  33,000 FC/100,000 FH
     (enhanced).
    A330-200 Freighter Series..........  60........................  See NOTE.
    A340-200, -300 Series (except WV     60........................  20,000 FC/80,000 FH
     027 and WV050 family) (non
     enhanced).
    A340-200, -300 Series WV 027 (non    60........................  30,000 FC/60,000 FH
     enhanced).
    A340-300 Series WV050 family         60........................  20,000 FC/100,000 FH
     (enhanced).
    A340-500, -600 Series..............  60........................  16,600 FC/100,000 FH
    A380-800 Series....................  72........................  See NOTE.
Boeing--Existing \1\ Models Only:
    717................................  60........................  60,000 FC/60,000 FH
    727 (all series)...................  30........................  60,000 FC
    737 (Classics): 737-100, -200, -     30........................  75,000 FC
     200C, -300, -400, -500 737 (NG):
     737-600, -700, -700C, -800, -900, -
     900ER.
                                         60........................  75,000 FC
    747 (Classics): 747-100, -100B, -
     100B SUD, -200B, -200C, -200F, -
     300, 747SP, 747SR
    747-400: 747-400, -400D, -400F.....  30........................  20,000 FC
    757................................  60........................  20,000 FC
    767
    777-200, -300......................  60........................  50,000 FC
    777-200LR, 777-300ER...............  60........................  50,000 FC
    777F...............................  60........................  40,000 FC
                                         72........................  40,000 FC
                                         72........................  11,000 FC
Bombardier--Existing \1\ Models Only:..
    CL-600: 2D15 (Regional Jet Series    72........................  60,000 FC
     705), 2D24 (Regional Jet Series
     900).
Embraer--Existing \1\ Models Only:
    ERJ 170............................  72........................  See NOTE.
    ERJ 190............................  72........................  See NOTE.
Fokker--Existing \1\ Models Only:
    F.28 Mark 0070, Mark 0100..........  30........................  90,000 FC
Lockheed--Existing \1\ Models Only:
    L-1011.............................  30........................  36,000 FC
    188................................  30........................  26,600 FC
    382 (all series)...................  30........................  20,000 FC/50,000 FH
McDonnell Douglas--Existing \1\ Models
 Only:
    DC-8, -8F..........................  30........................  50,000 FC/50,000 FH
    DC-9 (except for MD-80 models).....  30........................  100,000 FC/100,000 FH
    MD-80 (DC-9-81, -82, -83, -87, MD-   30........................  50,000 FC/50,000 FH
     88).
    MD-90..............................  60........................  60,000 FC/90,000 FH
    DC-10-10, -15......................  30........................  42,000 FC/60,000 FH
    DC-10-30, -40, -10F, -30F, -40F....  30........................  30,000 FC/60,000 FH
    MD-10-10F..........................  60........................  42,000 FC/60,000 FH

[[Page 30881]]

 
    MD-10-30F..........................  60........................  30,000 FC/60,000 FH
    MD-11, MD-11F......................  60........................  20,000 FC/60,000 FH
Maximum Takeoff Gross Weight Changes:
    All airplanes whose maximum takeoff  30, or within 12 months     Not applicable.
     gross weight has been decreased to   after the LOV is
     75,000 pounds or below after         approved, or before
     January 14, 2011, or increased to    operating the airplane,
     greater than 75,000 pounds at any    whichever occurs latest.
     time by an amended type
     certificate or supplemental type
     certificate.
All Other Airplane Models (TCs and       72, or within 12 months     Not applicable.
 amended TCs) Not Listed in Table 2.      after the LOV is
                                          approved, or before
                                          operating the airplane,
                                          whichever occurs latest.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Type certificated as of January 14, 2011.
Note: Airplane operation limitation is stated in the Airworthiness Limitation section.

* * * * *

    Issued in Washington, DC, on May 18, 2012.
Lirio Liu,
Acting Director, Office of Rulemaking.
[FR Doc. 2012-12658 Filed 5-23-12; 8:45 a.m.]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P