Proposed Rule2022-26591
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 8, 2022
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 777 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of cracks found in the station (STA) 2370 pivot bulkhead forward outer chord. Analysis revealed higher bending stresses across the chord than originally assessed. This proposed AD would require repetitive detailed and high frequency eddy current (HFEC) inspections of the STA 2370 pivot bulkhead forward outer chord and longeron fitting 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 235 (Thursday, December 8, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 235 (Thursday, December 8, 2022)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 75179-75181]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-26591]
========================================================================
Proposed Rules
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
========================================================================
Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 235 / Thursday, December 8, 2022 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 75179]]
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2022-1312; Project Identifier AD-2022-00551-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 777 airplanes. This proposed AD
was prompted by reports of cracks found in the station (STA) 2370 pivot
bulkhead forward outer chord. Analysis revealed higher bending stresses
across the chord than originally assessed. This proposed AD would
require repetitive detailed and high frequency eddy current (HFEC)
inspections of the STA 2370 pivot bulkhead forward outer chord and
longeron fitting 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 January 23,
2023.
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://regulations.gov">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.
AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> by
searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2022-1312; 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.
Material Incorporated by Reference:
<bullet> 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; website <a href="http://myboeingfleet.com">myboeingfleet.com</a>.
<bullet> 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://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2022-1312.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Luis Cortez-Muniz, Aerospace Engineer,
Airframe Sections, FAA, Seattle ACO Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des
Moines, WA 98198; phone and fax: 206-231-3958; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d1bda4b8a2ffb0ffb2bea3a5b4abfcbca4bfb8ab91b7b0b0ffb6bea7"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e08c958993ce81ce838f9294859acd8d958e899aa0868181ce878f96">[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-2022-1312; Project Identifier
AD-2022-00551-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://regulations.gov">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 Luis
Cortez-Muniz, Aerospace Engineer, Airframe Sections, FAA, Seattle ACO
Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; phone and fax: 206-
231-3958; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d2bea7bba1fcb3fcb1bda0a6b7a8ffbfa7bcbba892b4b3b3fcb5bda4"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f8948d918bd699d69b978a8c9d82d5958d969182b89e9999d69f978e">[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 received a report indicating that cracks larger than 0.16
inch were found in the STA 2370 pivot bulkhead forward outer chord on
airplanes with flight cycles lower than the inspection threshold of
16,000 flight cycles that was specified in certain Boeing service
bulletins, which apply to airplanes having line numbers 1 through 244,
inclusive. As of February 1, 2020, there were reports of 32 airplanes
with crack findings before 16,000 flight cycles, and the lowest finding
was at approximately 12,000 flight cycles. Boeing's finite-element
model revealed higher bending stresses across the chord than originally
assessed. The FAA issued AD 2022-06-07, Amendment 39-21973 (87 FR
24267, April 25, 2022) to address this unsafe condition for airplanes
having line numbers 1 through 244, inclusive.
Further, based on those findings, Boeing and the FAA determined
that airplanes having line number 245 and subsequent are also subject
to such cracking. Boeing subsequently
[[Page 75180]]
developed new service information to ensure any crack in the STA 2370
pivot bulkhead forward outer chord and longeron fitting for airplanes
having line number 245 and on are found and repaired. The FAA is
proposing this AD to address cracking in the STA 2370 pivot bulkhead
forward outer chord for airplanes having line numbers 245 and
subsequent. Such cracking, if not detected and corrected, could result
in a severed pivot bulkhead outer chord, loss of horizontal stabilizer
control, and loss of controllability 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 777-53A0098 RB,
dated April 5, 2022. This service information specifies procedures for
repetitive detailed and HFEC inspections of the STA 2370 pivot bulkhead
forward outer chord and longeron fitting for cracking and applicable
on-condition actions. On-condition actions include replacing the pivot
bulkhead forward outer chord and splice angle; a detailed inspection of
the upper aft longeron extension fittings at STA 2370 to STA 2380 and
open hole HFEC inspection of the STA 2370 pivot bulkhead web, aft outer
chord, upper and lower outer chord, and skin for any crack; 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.
Costs of Compliance
The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would
affect 223 airplanes of U.S. registry. The FAA estimates the following
costs to comply with this proposed AD:
Estimated Costs
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Action Labor cost Parts cost Cost per product Cost on U.S. operators
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Detailed and HFEC inspections......... 10 work-hours x $85 per $0 $850 per inspection cycle......... $189,550 per inspection cycle.
hour = $850 per
inspection cycle.
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The FAA estimates the following costs to do any necessary
replacements 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 replacements or inspections:
On-Condition Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cost per
Action Labor cost Parts cost product
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Replacement................................... 7 work-hours x $85 per hour = $37,720 $38,315
$595.
Detailed and open hole HFEC inspections....... 5 work-hours x $85 per hour = 0 425
$425.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The FAA has received no definitive data on which to base the cost
estimates for the on-condition repairs specified in this proposed AD.
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 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.
[[Page 75181]]
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-2022-1312; Project Identifier AD-
2022-00551-T.
(a) Comments Due Date
The FAA must receive comments on this airworthiness directive
(AD) by January 23, 2023.
(b) Affected ADs
None.
(c) Applicability
This AD applies to The Boeing Company Model 777-200, -200LR, -
300, -300ER, and 777F airplanes, certificated in any category, as
identified in Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 777-53A0098 RB,
dated April 5, 2022.
(d) Subject
Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 53, Fuselage.
(e) Unsafe Condition
This AD was prompted by reports of cracks found in the station
(STA) 2370 pivot bulkhead forward outer chord. Analysis revealed
higher bending stresses across the chord than originally assessed.
The FAA is issuing this AD to address cracking in the STA 2370 pivot
bulkhead forward outer chord. Such cracking, if not detected and
corrected, could result in a severed pivot bulkhead outer chord,
loss of horizontal stabilizer control, and loss of controllability
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 777-53A0098 RB, dated April 5, 2022, do
all applicable actions identified in, and in accordance with, the
Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin
777-53A0098 RB, dated April 5, 2022.
Note 1 to paragraph (g): Guidance for accomplishing the actions
required by this AD can be found in Boeing Alert Service Bulletin
777-53A0098, dated April 5, 2022, which is referred to in Boeing
Alert Requirements Bulletin 777-53A0098 RB, dated April 5, 2022.
(h) Exceptions to Service Information Specifications
(1) Where the Compliance Time columns of the tables in the
``Compliance'' paragraph of Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 777-
53A0098 RB, dated April 5, 2022, use the phrase ``the original issue
date of Requirements Bulletin 777-53A0098 RB,'' this AD requires
using ``the effective date of this AD.''
(2) Where Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 777-53A0098 RB,
dated April 5, 2022, specifies contacting Boeing for repair
instructions: This AD requires doing the repair 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) of this AD. Information may be emailed
to: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#734a5e323d3e5e20161207071f165e32303c5e323e3c305e2116020616000700331512125d141c05"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="dee7f39f9093f38dbbbfaaaab2bbf39f9d91f39f93919df38cbbafabbbadaaad9eb8bfbff0b9b1a8">[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
For more information about this AD, contact Luis Cortez-Muniz,
Aerospace Engineer, Airframe Sections, FAA, Seattle ACO Branch, 2200
South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; phone and fax: 206-231-3958;
email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#dab6afb3a9f4bbf4b9b5a8aebfa0f7b7afb4b3a09abcbbbbf4bdb5ac"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a8c4ddc1db86c986cbc7dadccdd285c5ddc6c1d2e8cec9c986cfc7de">[email protected]</span></a>.
(k) Material Incorporated by Reference
(1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the
incorporation by reference (IBR) of the service information listed
in this paragraph under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
(2) You must use this service information as applicable to do
the actions required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise.
(i) Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 777-53A0098 RB, dated
April 5, 2022.
(ii) [Reserved]
(3) 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; website <a href="http://myboeingfleet.com">myboeingfleet.com</a>.
(4) You may view this 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.
(5) You may view this service information that is incorporated
by reference at the National Archives and Records Administration
(NARA). For information on the availability of this material at
NARA, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#274155094e4954574244534e4849674946554609404851"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d4b2a6fabdbaa7a4b1b7a0bdbbba94bab5a6b5fab3bba2">[email protected]</span></a>, or go to: <a href="http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html">www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html</a>.
Issued on October 21, 2022.
Christina Underwood,
Acting Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-26591 Filed 12-7-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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