Proposed Rule2022-01860
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
January 31, 2022
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all The Boeing Company Model 747-8F series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of fuselage crown stringer cracking between station (STA) 740 and STA 1000, stringer (S)-7 to S-12. This proposed AD would require repetitive detailed inspections for cracking of fuselage crown stringers and applicable on-condition actions. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 20 (Monday, January 31, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 20 (Monday, January 31, 2022)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 4826-4828]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-01860]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2021-1173; Project Identifier AD-2021-00917-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 all The Boeing Company Model 747-8F series airplanes. This proposed
AD was prompted by reports of fuselage crown stringer cracking between
station (STA) 740 and STA 1000, stringer (S)-7 to S-12. This proposed
AD would require repetitive detailed inspections for cracking of
fuselage crown stringers and applicable on-condition actions. 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 March 17,
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.
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 <a href="https://www.myboeingfleet.com">https://www.myboeingfleet.com</a>. 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 at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2021-
1173.
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-2021-1173; 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: Stefanie Roesli, Aerospace Engineer,
Airframe Section, FAA, Seattle ACO Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des
Moines, WA 98198; phone and fax: 206-231-3964; email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4c3f38292a2d2225296222623e23293f20250c2a2d2d622b233a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3241465754535c5b571c5c1c405d57415e5b725453531c555d44">[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-2021-1173; Project Identifier
AD-2021-00917-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
[[Page 4827]]
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
Stefanie Roesli, Aerospace Engineer, Airframe Section, FAA, Seattle ACO
Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; phone and fax: 206-
231-3964; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5e2d2a3b383f30373b7030702c313b2d32371e383f3f70393128"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="9be8effefdfaf5f2feb5f5b5e9f4fee8f7f2dbfdfafab5fcf4ed">[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 reports of fuselage crown stringer cracking
located on the left and right sides at S-7, S-8, S-9, S-10, S-11, and
S-12, between STA 740 and STA 1000. Some of these reports were made
during airplane production, and others were found on airplanes
currently in operation. The existing maintenance inspections cannot
reliably detect cracking at multiple stringers and bay frames. Any
crack in these locations must be found and repaired before reaching a
critical length. Without an inspection, any crack may grow in length
and go undetected. This condition, if not addressed, could result in
the inability of a structural element to sustain limit load, and could
adversely affect the structural integrity of the airplane.
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.
Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51
The FAA reviewed Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 747-53A2906 RB,
dated July 16, 2021. This service information specifies procedures for
repetitive detailed inspections for cracking of fuselage crown
stringers, repair of cracks, and a high frequency eddy current (HFEC)
inspection for cracking of repaired areas. 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
ADDRESSES.
Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM
This proposed AD would require accomplishing the actions specified
in the service information already described, except as discussed under
``Difference Between this Proposed AD and the Service Information'' and
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 <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2021-
1173.
Clarification of Proposed Inspection Requirements
Table 1 of Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 747-53A2906 RB, dated
July 16, 2021, specifies repetitive detailed inspections to detect
cracking of the side crown stringers on all airplanes. Table 1 of the
service information does not specifically state that airplanes with no
crack found (``Condition 1'') may have additional work. However, for
airplanes with Condition 1 that have any repairs in the inspection
area, the HFEC inspection specified in Table 2 of the service
information would also be required.
Difference Between This Proposed AD and the Service Information
The applicability in this proposed AD does not refer to paragraph
1., ``Effectivity,'' of Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 747-53A2906
RB, dated July 16, 2021, because this service information does not
contain a comprehensive list of the airplanes affected by the
identified unsafe condition. Therefore, the applicability of this
proposed AD is all Model 747-8F series airplanes.
Costs of Compliance
The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would
affect 33 airplanes of U.S. registry. The FAA estimates the following
costs to comply with this proposed AD:
Estimated Costs
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Cost on U.S.
Action Labor cost Parts cost Cost per product operators
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Repetitive detailed inspections.. 84 work-hours x $85 $0 $7,140 per $235,620 per
per hour = $7,140 inspection cycle. inspection cycle.
per inspection
cycle.
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The FAA estimates the following costs to do any necessary repairs
that would be required based on the results of the proposed inspection.
The agency has no way of determining the number of aircraft that might
need these repairs:
On-Condition Costs
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Action Labor cost Parts cost Cost per product
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HFEC inspection................. 1 work-hour x $85 per hour = $0 $85.
$85.
Repair.......................... Up to 550 work-hours x $85 2,400 Up to $49,150.
per hour = $46,750 (per
repaired area).
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The FAA has included all known costs in its 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
[[Page 4828]]
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-2021-1173; Project Identifier AD-
2021-00917-T.
(a) Comments Due Date
The FAA must receive comments on this airworthiness directive
(AD) by March 17, 2022.
(b) Affected ADs
None.
(c) Applicability
This AD applies to all The Boeing Company Model 747-8F series
airplanes, certificated in any category.
(d) Subject
Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 53, Fuselage.
(e) Unsafe Condition
This AD was prompted by reports of fuselage crown stringer
cracking between STA 740 and STA 1000, S-7 to S-12. The FAA is
issuing this AD to address cracking in fuselage crown stringers.
This condition, if not addressed, could result in the inability of a
structural element to sustain limit load, and could adversely affect
the structural integrity of the airplane.
(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
Alert Requirements Bulletin 747-53A2906 RB, dated July 16, 2021, do
all applicable actions identified in, and in accordance with, the
Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin
747-53A2906 RB, dated July 16, 2021.
Note 1 to paragraph (g): Guidance for accomplishing the actions
required by this AD can be found in Boeing Alert Service Bulletin
747-53A2906, dated July 16, 2021, which is referred to in Boeing
Alert Requirements Bulletin 747-53A2906 RB, dated July 16, 2021.
(h) Exception to Service Information Specifications
Where the Compliance Time columns of the tables in the
``Compliance'' paragraph of Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 747-
53A2906 RB, dated July 16, 2021, use the phrase ``the original issue
date of Requirements Bulletin 747-53A2906 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: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#bd8490fcf3f090eed8dcc9c9d1d890fcfef290fcf0f2fe90efd8ccc8d8cec9cefddbdcdc93dad2cb"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="132a3e525d5e3e40767267677f763e52505c3e525e5c503e4176626676606760537572723d747c65">[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.
(j) Related Information
(1) For more information about this AD, contact Stefanie Roesli,
Aerospace Engineer, Airframe Section, FAA, Seattle ACO Branch, 2200
South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; phone and fax: 206-231-3964;
email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#592a2d3c3f3837303c7737772b363c2a3530193f3838773e362f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="becdcadbd8dfd0d7db90d090ccd1dbcdd2d7fed8dfdf90d9d1c8">[email protected]</span></a>.
(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 <a href="https://www.myboeingfleet.com">https://www.myboeingfleet.com</a>. 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 December 29, 2021.
Lance T. Gant,
Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-01860 Filed 1-28-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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