Proposed Rule2022-19298
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
September 9, 2022
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 737-600, -700, -700C, -800, -900, and -900ER series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of missing shims, a wrong type of shims, shanked fasteners, fastener head gaps, and incorrect hole sizes common to the left and right side at a certain station (STA) frame inner chord and web. This proposed AD would require inspecting for existing repairs, inspecting the area for cracking, 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 174 (Friday, September 9, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 174 (Friday, September 9, 2022)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 55325-55328]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-19298]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2022-0815; Project Identifier AD-2021-00679-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 737-600, -700, -700C, -800, -900,
and -900ER series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports
of missing shims, a wrong type of shims, shanked fasteners, fastener
head gaps, and incorrect hole sizes common to the left and right side
at a certain station (STA) frame inner chord and web. This proposed AD
would require inspecting for existing repairs, inspecting the area for
cracking, 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 October 24,
2022.
[[Page 55326]]
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="http://www.regulations.gov">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="http://www.myboeingfleet.com">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="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> by
searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2022-0815.
Examining the AD Docket
You may examine the AD docket at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> by searching
for and locating Docket No. FAA-2022-0815; 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: Bill Ashforth, Aerospace Engineer,
Airframe Section, FAA, Seattle ACO Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des
Moines, WA 98198; phone and fax: 206-231-3520; email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#adcfc4c1c183ccdec5cbc2dfd9c5edcbcccc83cac2db"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="395b50555517584a515f564b4d51795f5858175e564f">[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-2022-0815; Project Identifier
AD-2021-00679-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="http://www.regulations.gov">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 Bill
Ashforth, Aerospace Engineer, Airframe Section, FAA, Seattle ACO
Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; phone and fax: 206-
231-3520; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9af8f3f6f6b4fbe9f2fcf5e8eef2dafcfbfbb4fdf5ec"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f5979c9999db94869d939a87819db5939494db929a83">[email protected]</span></a>. Any commentary that the FAA
receives that 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 a Boeing quality
investigation found missing shims, a wrong type of shims, shanked
fasteners, fastener head gaps, and incorrect hole sizes common to the
left and right side STA 727 frame inner chord and S-18A web. These
conditions could exist on delivered airplanes. The FAA is proposing
this AD to address cracking in the left and right side of STA 727 frame
inner chord and S-18A web before the cracking reaches a critical
length. This condition, if not addressed, could result in cracks in
fatigue critical baseline structure (FCBS) and the inability of a
principal structural element (PSE) to sustain limit load, which 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 737-53A1402 RB,
dated July 2, 2021. This service information specifies procedures for a
general visual inspection of the left and right side STA 727 frame
inner chord at S-18A for existing repairs, an open hole high frequency
eddy current (HFEC) inspection of the left and right side entire
stackup of the STA 727 frame inner chord at S-18A for cracking (for
certain configurations), a surface HFEC inspection of the left and
right side STA 727 frame inner chord at S-18A web for cracking, and
applicable on-condition actions. On-condition actions include
installing a new shim, a surface HFECD inspection of the STA 727 frame
inner chord at S-18A for cracking, and repair.
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 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="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> by searching for
and locating Docket No. FAA-2022-0815.
Costs of Compliance
The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would
affect 1,925 airplanes of U.S. registry. The FAA estimates the
following costs to comply with this proposed AD:
[[Page 55327]]
Estimated Costs
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Cost per Cost on U.S.
Action Labor cost Parts cost product operators
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General visual inspection............. 2 work-hours x $85 per $0 $170 $327,250
hour = $170.
HFEC inspection and shim installation. 5 work-hours x $85 per 0 425 818,125
hour = $425.
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The FAA estimates the following costs to do any necessary repairs
or inspections 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 or inspections:
On-Condition Costs
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Cost per
Action Labor cost Parts cost product
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Inspection.................................... 3 work hours x $85 per hour = $0 $255
$255.
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The FAA has received no definitive data on which to base the cost
estimates for the on-condition repairs specified in this proposed AD.
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-2022-0815; Project Identifier AD-
2021-00679-T.
(a) Comments Due Date
The FAA must receive comments on this airworthiness directive
(AD) by October 24, 2022.
(b) Affected ADs
None.
(c) Applicability
This AD applies to The Boeing Company Model 737-600, -700, -
700C, -800, -900, and -900ER series airplanes, certificated in any
category, as identified in Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 737-
53A1402 RB, dated July 2, 2021.
(d) Subject
Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 53, Fuselage.
(e) Unsafe Condition
This AD was prompted by reports of missing shims, a wrong type
of shims, shanked fasteners, fastener head gaps, and incorrect hole
sizes common to the left and right side station (STA) 727 frame
inner chord and S-18A web. The FAA is issuing this AD to address
cracking in the left and right side of STA 727 frame inner chord and
S-18A web before it reaches a critical length. This condition, if
not addressed, could result in cracks in fatigue critical baseline
structure (FCBS) and the inability of a principal structural element
(PSE) to sustain limit load, which 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 737-53A1402 RB, dated July 2, 2021, do
all applicable actions identified in, and in accordance with, the
Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin
737-53A1402 RB, dated July 2, 2021.
Note 1 to paragraph (g): Guidance for accomplishing the actions
required by this AD can be found in Boeing Alert Service Bulletin
737-53A1402, dated July 2, 2021, which is referred to in Boeing
Alert Requirements Bulletin 737-53A1402 RB, dated July 2, 2021.
(h) Exceptions to Service Information Specifications
(1) Where the Compliance Time columns of the tables in the
``Compliance'' paragraph of Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 737-
53A1402 RB, dated July 2, 2021, use the phrase ``the original issue
date of the Requirements Bulletin 737-53A1402 RB,'' this AD requires
using ``the effective date of this AD.''
(2) Where Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 737-53A1402 RB,
dated July 2, 2021, specifies contacting Boeing for repair
instructions or for alternative inspections:
[[Page 55328]]
This AD requires doing the repair, or doing the alternative
inspections and applicable on-condition actions using a method
approved in accordance with the procedures specified in paragraph
(i) 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#794054383734542a1c180d0d151c54383a36543834363a542b1c080c1c0a0d0a391f1818571e160f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2d14006c6360007e484c59594148006c6e62006c60626e007f485c58485e595e6d4b4c4c034a425b">[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 Bill Ashforth,
Aerospace Engineer, Airframe Section, FAA, Seattle ACO Branch, 2200
South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; phone and fax: 206-231-3520;
email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a1c3c8cdcd8fc0d2c9c7ced3d5c9e1c7c0c08fc6ced7"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="84e6ede8e8aae5f7ece2ebf6f0ecc4e2e5e5aae3ebf2">[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="http://www.myboeingfleet.com">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 July 1, 2022.
Christina Underwood,
Acting Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-19298 Filed 9-8-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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