[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 62 (Friday, April 2, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 17324-17326]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-06726]


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

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2021-0017; Project Identifier AD-2020-01186-T]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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

SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) 
for certain The Boeing Company Model 737-8 and 737-9 airplanes. This 
proposed AD was prompted by a report that during refueling of the right 
main tank, if there is a failure of the automatic shutoff system, the 
refueling panel does not provide the required indication that the 
automatic shutoff has failed. This proposed AD would require installing 
a new fuel quantity processor unit (FQPU) and doing a FQPU software 
check. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on 
these products.

DATES: The FAA must receive comments on this proposed AD by May 17, 
2021.

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 https://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 NPRM, contact Boeing 
Commercial Airplanes, Attention: Contractual & Data Services (C&DS), 
2600 Westminster Blvd., MC 110-SK57, Seal Beach, CA 90740-5600; 
telephone 562-797-1717; internet https://www.myboeingfleet.com. You may 
view this referenced service information at the FAA, Airworthiness 
Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des 
Moines, WA. For information on the availability of this material at the 
FAA, call 206-231-3195. It is also available on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2021-
0017.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2021-
0017; or in person at Docket Operations between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD docket contains 
this NPRM, any comments received, and other information. The street 
address for Docket Operations is listed above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chris Baker, Aerospace Engineer, 
Propulsion Section, FAA, Seattle ACO Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des 
Moines, WA 98198; phone and fax: 206-231-3552; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    The FAA invites you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments about this proposal. Send your comments to an address listed 
under ADDRESSES. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2021-0017; Project Identifier 
AD-2020-01186-T'' at the beginning of your comments. The most helpful 
comments reference a specific portion of the proposal, explain the 
reason for any recommended change, and include supporting data. The FAA 
will consider

[[Page 17325]]

all comments received by the closing date and may amend the proposal 
because of those comments.
    Except for Confidential Business Information (CBI) as described in 
the following paragraph, and other information as described in 14 CFR 
11.35, the FAA will post all comments received, without change, to 
https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you 
provide. The agency will also post a report summarizing each 
substantive verbal contact received about this NPRM.

Confidential Business Information

    CBI is commercial or financial information that is both customarily 
and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the Freedom of 
Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public 
disclosure. If your comments responsive to this NPRM contain commercial 
or financial information that is customarily treated as private, that 
you actually treat as private, and that is relevant or responsive to 
this NPRM, it is important that you clearly designate the submitted 
comments as CBI. Please mark each page of your submission containing 
CBI as ``PROPIN.'' The FAA will treat such marked submissions as 
confidential under the FOIA, and they will not be placed in the public 
docket of this NPRM. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to Chris 
Baker, Aerospace Engineer, Propulsion Section, FAA, Seattle ACO Branch, 
2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; phone and fax: 206-231-
3552; email: [email protected]. Any commentary that the FAA 
receives which is not specifically designated as CBI will be placed in 
the public docket for this rulemaking.

Background

    During refueling, the automatic shutoff system is supposed to close 
the refuel valve when the fuel tank is full. If the automatic shutoff 
system fails, the refuel indicator on the refuel panel should flash to 
indicate the failure and alert the person refueling the airplane. The 
FAA has received a report indicating that on The Boeing Company Model 
737-8 and 737-9 airplanes, during refueling of the right main tank, if 
there is a failure of the automatic shutoff system, the refueling panel 
does not provide the required flashing indication to the person fueling 
the airplane that the automatic shutoff has failed to shut off the 
fuel. This is a result of the flashing threshold in the FQPU not being 
set at the correct fuel level. This condition, if not addressed, could 
result in overfill of the right main fuel tank, spilled fuel, and 
pooling on the ground that could come in contact with an ignition 
source, resulting in a ground fire.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR part 51

    The FAA reviewed Boeing Special Attention Requirements Bulletin 
737-28-1363 RB, dated June 2, 2020. The service information specifies 
procedures for replacing the FQPU having an incorrect indication 
threshold with a FQPU with part number 30128-06 or 30128-58, as 
applicable, or a FQPU with a later-approved part number, and doing a 
FQPU software check.
    This service information is reasonably available because the 
interested parties have access to it through their normal course of 
business or by the means identified in the ADDRESSES section.

FAA's Determination

    The FAA is issuing this NPRM after determining 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 identified 
in Boeing Special Attention Requirements Bulletin 737-28-1363 RB, dated 
June 2, 2020, described previously, except for any differences 
identified as exceptions in the regulatory text of this proposed AD.
    For information on the procedures and compliance times, see this 
service information at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and 
locating Docket No. FAA-2021-0017.

Costs of Compliance

    The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would 
affects 66 airplanes of U.S. registry. The FAA estimates the following 
costs to comply with this proposed AD:

                                      Estimated Costs for Required Actions
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                    Cost per       Cost on U.S.
               Action                        Labor cost           Parts cost        product         operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Installation and software check.....  3 work-hour x $85 per                $0             $255          $16,830
                                       hour = $255.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The FAA has included all known costs in this cost estimate. 
According to the manufacturer, however, some or all of the costs of 
this proposed AD may be covered under warranty, thereby reducing the 
cost impact on affected operators.

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.
    The FAA is 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

    The FAA 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) Would not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
    (3) Would not have a significant economic impact, positive or 
negative, on a substantial number of small entities under the criteria 
of the Regulatory Flexibility Act.

[[Page 17326]]

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

0
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]

0
2. The FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by adding the following new airworthiness 
directive:

The Boeing Company: Docket No. FAA-2021-0017; Project Identifier AD-
2020-01186-T.

(a) Comments Due Date

    The FAA must receive comments on this airworthiness directive 
(AD) by May 17, 2021.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to The Boeing Company Model 737-8 and 737-9 
airplanes, certificated in any category, as identified in Boeing 
Special Attention Requirements Bulletin 737-28-1363 RB, dated June 
2, 2020.

(d) Subject

    Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 28, Fuel.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by a report that during refueling of the 
right main tank, if there is a failure of the automatic shutoff 
system, the refueling panel does not provide the required flashing 
indication that the automatic shutoff has failed to shut off the 
fuel. The FAA is issuing this AD to address this indication failure 
to warn the person fueling the airplane, which could cause overfill 
of the right main tank, spilled fuel, and pooling on the ground that 
could come in contact with an ignition source, resulting in a ground 
fire.

(f) Compliance

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

(g) Required Actions

    Except as specified by paragraph (h) of this AD, at the 
applicable times specified in the ``Compliance'' paragraph of Boeing 
Special Attention Requirements Bulletin 737-28-1363 RB, dated June 
2, 2020, do all applicable actions identified in, and in accordance 
with, the Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Special Attention 
Requirements Bulletin 737-28-1363 RB, dated June 2, 2020.
    Note 1 to paragraph (g): Guidance for accomplishing the actions 
required by this AD can be found in Boeing Special Attention Service 
Bulletin 737-28-1363, dated June 2, 2020, which is referred to in 
Boeing Special Attention Requirements Bulletin 737-28-1363 RB, dated 
June 2, 2020.

(h) Exception to Service Information Specifications

    Where Boeing Special Attention Requirements Bulletin 737-28-1363 
RB, dated June 2, 2020, uses the phrase ``the Original Issue date of 
Requirements Bulletin 737-28-1363 RB,'' this AD requires using ``the 
effective date of this AD.''

(i) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (1) The Manager, Seattle ACO Branch, 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 responsible Flight Standards Office, 
as appropriate. If sending information directly to the manager of 
the certification office, send it to the attention of the person 
identified in paragraph (j)(1) 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 responsible Flight Standards Office.
    (3) An AMOC that provides an acceptable level of safety may be 
used for any repair, modification, or alteration required by this AD 
if it is approved by The Boeing Company Organization Designation 
Authorization (ODA) that has been authorized by the Manager, Seattle 
ACO Branch, FAA, to make those findings. To be approved, the repair 
method, modification deviation, or alteration deviation 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 Chris Baker, 
Aerospace Engineer, Propulsion Section, FAA, Seattle ACO Branch, 
2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; phone and fax: 206-231-
3552; email: [email protected].
    (2) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Attention: Contractual & Data Services 
(C&DS), 2600 Westminster Blvd., MC 110-SK57, Seal Beach, CA 90740-
5600; telephone 562-797-1717; internet https://www.myboeingfleet.com. You may view this referenced service 
information at the FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, Operational 
Safety Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA. For information 
on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 206-231-3195.

    Issued on January 27, 2021.
Lance T. Gant,
Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-06726 Filed 4-1-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P