[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 115 (Wednesday, June 15, 2016)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 38983-38984]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-14114]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2016-6139; Directorate Identifier 2015-NM-061-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

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

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SUMMARY: This document announces an extension of the comment period for 
the above-referenced NPRM, which proposed the adoption of a new 
airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 737-
600, -700, -700C, -800, -900, and -900ER series airplanes. That NPRM 
invited comments concerning the proposed requirement to modify the fuel 
quantity indicating system (FQIS) to prevent development of an ignition 
source inside the center fuel tank due to electrical fault conditions. 
This extension of the comment period is necessary to provide all 
interested persons an opportunity to present their views on the 
proposed requirements of that NPRM.

DATES: We must receive comments on the NPRM by September 19, 2016.

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-2016-
6139; 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 the 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: Jon Regimbal, Aerospace Engineer, 
Propulsion Branch, ANM-140S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office 
(ACO), 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98057-3356; phone: 425-917-
6506; 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-2016-6139; 
Directorate Identifier 2015-NM-061-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 issued an NPRM to amend 14 CFR part 39 by adding an AD that 
would apply to certain The Boeing Company Model 737-600, -700, -700C, -
800, -900, and -900ER series airplanes. The NPRM published in the 
Federal Register on May 3, 2016 (81 FR 26485) (``the NPRM''). The NPRM 
proposed to require modifying the fuel quantity indicating system 
(FQIS) to prevent development of an ignition source inside the center 
fuel tank due to electrical fault conditions.
    The NPRM invited comments on regulatory, economic, environmental, 
and energy aspects of the proposal.
    The NPRM was prompted by fuel system reviews conducted by the 
manufacturer. The actions specified by the NPRM are intended to prevent 
ignition sources inside the center fuel tank, which, in combination 
with flammable fuel vapors, could result in a fuel tank explosion and 
consequent loss of the airplane.

Related Rulemaking

    At the time we issued the NPRM, we issued five other NPRMs that 
also

[[Page 38984]]

proposed to require modification of the FQIS:
     Docket No. FAA-2016-6140, Directorate Identifier 2015-NM-
059-AD, for certain The Boeing Company Model 777 airplanes.
     Docket No. FAA-2016-6141, Directorate Identifier 2015-NM-
048-AD, for certain The Boeing Company Model 767 airplanes.
     Docket No. FAA-2016-6143, Directorate Identifier 2015-NM-
028-AD, for certain all Airbus Model A300 B4-600, B4-600R, and F4-600R 
series airplanes, and Model A300 C4-605R Variant F airplanes 
(collectively called Model A300-600 series airplanes), and Model A310 
series airplanes.
     Docket No. FAA-2016-6144, Directorate Identifier 2015-NM-
088-AD, for certain Airbus Model A318, A319, A320, and A321 airplanes.
     Docket No. FAA-2016-6145, Directorate Identifier 2015-NM-
056-AD, for certain The Boeing Company Model 747 airplanes.

Actions Since Previous NPRM Was Issued

    Since we issued the NPRM, we have received a request from Airlines 
for America (A4A) to extend the comment period for some of the NPRMs 
referenced above. A4A stated that the NPRMs are controversial and could 
drive substantial costs, especially for cargo airlines. To be able to 
prepare informed and meaningful comments with coordinated consensus 
among its members, A4A requested a longer comment period to understand 
a number of factors, including related service information, data and 
safety analysis of the unsafe condition, and potential costs.
    We agree with the request, and have determined that it is 
appropriate to extend the comment period for all the NPRMs referenced 
above to give all interested persons additional time to examine the 
proposed requirements and submit comments. We have determined that 
extending the comment period until September 19, 2016, will not 
compromise the safety of the affected airplanes.
    The comment period for Docket No. FAA-2016-6139 closes September 
19, 2016.
    Because no other portion of the proposal or other regulatory 
information has been changed, the entire proposal is not being 
republished.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on June 8, 2016.
Michael Kaszycki,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-14114 Filed 6-14-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P