[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 70 (Friday, April 11, 2014)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 20138-20139]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-08144]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2013-0981; Directorate Identifier 2013-NM-032-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM); reopening of comment 
period.

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

SUMMARY: This document announces the reopening of the comment period 
for the above-referenced NPRM, which proposed the adoption of a new 
airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to all The Boeing Company 
Model MD-90-30 airplanes and that would supersede AD 97-11-07 and AD 
99-18-23. The NPRM proposed to continue to require revising the 
Airworthiness Limitations Section (ALS) of the Instructions for 
Continued Airworthiness to incorporate certain compliance times for 
principal structural elements (PSE) inspections and replacement times 
for safe-life limited parts. The NPRM also proposed to require revising 
the maintenance or inspection program to incorporate a new PSE 
requirement for the rear spar caps of the horizontal stabilizer and its 
associated inspections. This reopening of the comment period is 
necessary to ensure that all interested persons have ample opportunity 
to submit any written relevant data, views, or arguments regarding the 
proposed requirements of the NPRM.

DATES: We must receive comments on this NPRM (78 FR 73739, December 9, 
2013) by May 6, 2014.

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.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2013-
0981; 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 action, the regulatory evaluation, any comments 
received, and other information. The street address for the Docket 
Office (telephone 800-647-5527) is in the ADDRESSES section. Comments 
will be available in the AD docket shortly after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roger Durbin, Airframe Branch, ANM-
120L, FAA, Los Angeles Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), 3960 
Paramount Boulevard, Lakewood, CA 90712-4137; phone: (562) 627-5233; 
fax: (562) 627-5210; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We proposed to amend 14 CFR Part 39 by 
adding a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that would apply to all 
The Boeing Company Model MD-90-30 airplanes. The NPRM was published in 
the Federal Register on December 9, 2013 (78 FR 73739). The NPRM 
proposed to supersede AD 97-11-07, Amendment 39-10036 (62 FR 27941, May 
22, 1997); and AD 99-18-23, Amendment 39-11289 (64 FR 48284, September 
3, 1999). The NPRM proposed to continue to require revising the 
Airworthiness Limitations Section (ALS) of the Instructions for 
Continued Airworthiness to incorporate certain compliance times for 
principal structural elements (PSE) inspections and replacement times 
for safe-life limited parts. The NPRM also proposed to require revising 
the maintenance or inspection program to incorporate a new PSE 
requirement for the rear spar caps of the horizontal stabilizer and its 
associated inspections. The NPRM also invites comments on its overall 
regulatory, economic, environmental, and energy aspects.

Events Leading to the Reopening of the Comment Period

    Since we issued the NPRM (78 FR 73739, December 9, 2013), we have 
determined that the Relevant Service Information section in the 
preamble of the NPRM did not adequately describe the service 
information. We specified to see the service information, Boeing MD-90 
Airworthiness Limitations Instructions (ALI) Report No. MDC-94K9000, 
Revision 6, dated September 2011, at http://www.regulations.gov. 
However, we did not post the service information at http://www.regulations.gov because we do not have clearance to post Boeing MD-
90 Airworthiness Limitations Instructions (ALI) Report No. MDC-94K9000, 
Revision 6, dated September 2011, at the NPRM stage of the AD process.

Description of Service Information

    Boeing MD-90 Airworthiness Limitations Instructions (ALI) Report 
No. MDC-94K9000, Revision 6, dated September 2011, describes PSE 
inspections, compliance times, and replacement times for safe-life 
limited parts, which are required by AD 97-11-07, Amendment 39-10036 
(62 FR 27941, May 22, 1997); and AD 99-18-23, Amendment 39-11289 (64 FR 
48284, September 3, 1999). Boeing MD-90 Airworthiness Limitations 
Instructions (ALI) Report No. MDC-94K9000, Revision 6, dated September 
2011, also describes a new PSE requirement for the rear spar of the 
horizontal stabilizer and its associated inspections.

FAA's Determination

    We considered it necessary to adequately describe the service 
information and found it appropriate to reopen the comment period to 
give all interested persons additional time to examine the proposed 
requirements of the NPRM (78 FR 73739, December 9, 2013) and submit 
comments. We have determined that reopening the comment period for 25 
days will not compromise the safety of these airplanes.

[[Page 20139]]

Extension of Comment Period

    The comment period for Docket No. FAA-2013-0981, Directorate 
Identifier 2013-NM-032-AD, has been revised. The comment period now 
closes May 6, 2014.
    No other part of the regulatory information has been changed; 
therefore, the NPRM (78 FR 73739, December 9, 2013) is not republished 
in the Federal Register.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on April 4, 2014.
Michael J. Kaszycki,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-08144 Filed 4-10-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P