Proposed Rule2021-27974
Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
December 28, 2021
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 747-400 series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a report that after a certain circuit breaker tripped, power to the two pitot-static (P/S) probe heaters on the right-hand side was lost, and the flightcrew discovered conflicting procedures in the flightcrew operations manual/quick reference handbook (FCOM/QRH). This proposed AD would require revising the existing airplane flight manual (AFM) to incorporate procedures to be applied during P/S probe heater failure conditions. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 246 (Tuesday, December 28, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 246 (Tuesday, December 28, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 73694-73699]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-27974]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2021-1005; Project Identifier AD-2021-00842-T]
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: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD)
for certain The Boeing Company Model 747-400 series airplanes. This
proposed AD was prompted by a report that after a certain circuit
breaker tripped, power to the two pitot-static (P/S) probe heaters on
the right-hand side was lost, and the flightcrew discovered conflicting
procedures in the flightcrew operations manual/quick reference handbook
(FCOM/QRH). This proposed AD would require revising the existing
airplane flight manual (AFM) to incorporate procedures to be applied
during P/S probe heater failure conditions. 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 February
11, 2022.
ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR
11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods:
<bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
<bullet> Fax: 202-493-2251.
<bullet> 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.
<bullet> 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 at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> by
searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2021-1005; 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: Huey Ton, Aerospace Engineer, Systems
and Equipment Section, FAA, Los Angeles ACO Branch, 3960 Paramount
Boulevard, Lakewood, CA 90712-4137; phone: 562-627-5320; email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7d15081804530912133d1b1c1c531a120b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0a627f6f73247e65644a6c6b6b246d657c">[email protected]</span></a>.
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-2021-1005; Project Identifier
AD-2021-00842-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 all comments received by the closing date and may amend
this 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
<a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>, 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 Huey
Ton, Aerospace Engineer, Systems and Equipment Section, FAA, Los
Angeles ACO Branch, 3960 Paramount Boulevard, Lakewood, CA 90712-4137;
phone: 562-627-5320; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4f273a2a36613b20210f292e2e61282039"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4a223f2f33643e25240a2c2b2b642d253c">[email protected]</span></a>. Any commentary that the
FAA receives which is not specifically designated as CBI will be placed
in the public docket for this rulemaking.
Background
The FAA has received a report indicating that after a certain
circuit breaker tripped, power to the two P/S probe heaters on the
right-hand side was lost, and the flightcrew discovered conflicting
procedures in the FCOM/QRH. Those existing procedures were written for
single P/S probe heater failures and did not account for a scenario
where both P/S probe heaters on one side of the airplane failed
simultaneously, therefore failing to isolate the unheated P/S probes in
this scenario. This condition, if not addressed, could result in the
transmission of potentially inaccurate pitot static pressure data to
the air data computer (ADC), resulting in erroneous or misleading air
data being displayed, which, in combination with a stall, overspeed,
overrun, or short/hard landing conditions, could result in a reduced
ability of the flightcrew to maintain safe flight and landing of the
airplane.
The Boeing Company has revised and released an updated FCOM/QRH to
address this condition by replacing the conflicting procedures with new
procedures. However, the FCOM/QRH are not FAA-approved documents.
Therefore, the FAA has determined the existing AFM must be revised to
include
[[Page 73695]]
procedures to address the identified unsafe condition.
The FAA has determined that the identified unsafe condition only
applies to Model 747-400 series airplanes having a three ADC
configuration, except for airplanes on which the Production Revision
Record (PRR) 85655 has been incorporated.
FAA's Determination
The FAA is issuing this NPRM after determining that the unsafe
condition described previously is likely to exist or develop on other
products of the same type design.
Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM
This proposed AD would require revising the existing AFM to
incorporate procedures to be applied during P/S probe heater failure
conditions.
Costs of Compliance
The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would
affect 114 airplanes of U.S. registry. The FAA estimates the following
costs to comply with this proposed AD:
Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cost per Cost on U.S.
Action Labor cost Parts cost product operators
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AFM Revision...................... 1 work-hour x $85 None................ $85 $9,690
per hour = $85.
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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.
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-2021-1005; Project Identifier AD-
2021-00842-T.
(a) Comments Due Date
The FAA must receive comments on this airworthiness directive
(AD) by February 11, 2022.
(b) Affected ADs
None.
(c) Applicability
This AD applies to The Boeing Company Model 747-400 series
airplanes, certificated in any category, having a three air data
computer (ADC) configuration, except for airplanes on which the
Production Revision Record (PRR) 85655 has been incorporated.
(d) Subject
Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 34, Navigation.
(e) Unsafe Condition
This AD was prompted by a report that after a certain circuit
breaker tripped, power to the two pitot-static (P/S) probe heaters
on the right-hand side was lost, and the flightcrew discovered
conflicting procedures in the flightcrew operations manual/quick
reference handbook (FCOM/QRH). The FAA is issuing this AD to address
the conflicting procedures, which could result in the transmission
of potentially inaccurate pitot static pressure data to the ADC,
resulting in erroneous or misleading air data being displayed,
which, in combination with a stall, overspeed, overrun, or short/
hard landing condition, could result in reduced ability of the
flightcrew to maintain continued safe flight and landing of the
airplane.
(f) Compliance
Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified,
unless already done.
(g) Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) Revisions
Within 90 days after the effective date of this AD, revise the
Non-Normal Procedures Section of the existing AFM to include the
changes specified in paragraphs (g)(1) through (4) of this AD.
Revising the existing AFM to include the changes specified in
paragraphs (g)(1) through (4) of this AD, may be done by inserting a
copy of figure 1 to paragraph (g)(1) through figure 4 to paragraph
(g)(4) of this AD into the existing AFM.
(1) In Section 2, Non-Normal Procedures, add the ``HEAT P/S
CAPT'' paragraph to include the information in figure 1 to paragraph
(g)(1) of this AD.
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
[[Page 73696]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP28DE21.021
(2) In Section 2, Non-Normal Procedures, add the ``HEAT P/S F/
O'' paragraph to include the information in figure 2 to paragraph
(g)(2) of this AD.
[[Page 73697]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP28DE21.022
(3) In Section 2, Non-Normal Procedures, add the ``HEAT P/S L
AUX'' paragraph to include the information in figure 3 to paragraph
(g)(3) of this AD.
[[Page 73698]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP28DE21.023
(4) In Section 2, Non-Normal Procedures, add the ``HEAT P/S R
AUX'' paragraph to include the information in figure 4 to paragraph
(g)(4) of this AD.
[[Page 73699]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP28DE21.024
BILLING CODE 4910-13-C
(h) 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 (i)(2) of this AD. Information may be
emailed to: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#8db4a0ccc3c0a0dee8ecf9f9e1e8a0cccec2a0ccc0c2cea0dfe8fcf8e8fef9fecdebececa3eae2fb"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b78e9af6f9fa9ae4d2d6c3c3dbd29af6f4f89af6faf8f49ae5d2c6c2d2c4c3c4f7d1d6d699d0d8c1">[email protected]</span></a>.
(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.
(i) Related Information
(1) For more information about this AD, contact Huey Ton,
Aerospace Engineer, Systems and Equipment Section, FAA, Los Angeles
ACO Branch, 3960 Paramount Boulevard, Lakewood, CA 90712-4137;
phone: 562-627-5320; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#fe968b9b87d08a9190be989f9fd0999188"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="30584555491e445f5e705651511e575f46">[email protected]</span></a>.
(2) For information about AMOCs, contact Frank Carreras,
Aerospace Engineer, Systems and Equipment Section, FAA, Seattle ACO
Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; phone and fax:
206-231-3539; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7c1a0e1d1217521f1d0e0e190e1d0f3c1a1d1d521b130a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b9dfcbd8d7d297dad8cbcbdccbd8caf9dfd8d897ded6cf">[email protected]</span></a>.
Issued on November 12, 2021.
Lance T. Gant,
Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-27974 Filed 12-27-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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