Proposed Rule2023-03138
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
February 15, 2023
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 747-8 series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a report of stress corrosion cracking in certain stringers and end stringer splice assemblies. This proposed AD would require repetitive inspections of the stringers and end stringer splice assemblies for any crack, shim, or gap, and applicable on- condition actions. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 31 (Wednesday, February 15, 2023)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 31 (Wednesday, February 15, 2023)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 9773-9776]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-03138]
========================================================================
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. 88 , No. 31 / Wednesday, February 15, 2023 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 9773]]
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2023-0157; Project Identifier AD-2022-01309-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 747-8 series airplanes. This
proposed AD was prompted by a report of stress corrosion cracking in
certain stringers and end stringer splice assemblies. This proposed AD
would require repetitive inspections of the stringers and end stringer
splice assemblies for any crack, shim, or gap, 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 31,
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> under
Docket No. FAA-2023-0157; 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 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-2023-0157.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stefanie N. Roesli, Aerospace
Engineer, Airframe Section, FAA, Seattle ACO Branch, 2200 South 216th
St., Des Moines, WA 98198; phone: 206-231-3964; email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c794b3a2a1a6a9aea2e989e995a8a2b4abae87a1a6a6e9a0a8b1"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="ffac8b9a999e91969ad1b1d1ad909a8c9396bf999e9ed1989089">[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-2023-0157; Project Identifier
AD-2022-01309-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
Stefanie N. Roesli, Aerospace Engineer, Airframe Section, FAA, Seattle
ACO Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; phone: 206-231-
3964; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5b082f3e3d3a35323e75157509343e2837321b3d3a3a753c342d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e9ba9d8c8f8887808cc7a7c7bb868c9a8580a98f8888c78e869f">[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 cracks found on end
stringers of two Model 747-8 airplanes at station (STA) 2285, left and
right sides, during foreign object debris (FOD) inspections in
preparation for airplane modification. Boeing has also reported similar
cracking on other Model 747-8 airplanes. The cracks were not visually
detectable until the stringer splice assemblies were removed. The root
cause was found to be stress corrosion cracking caused by excessive and
sustained internal tensile stresses that were due to no shim being
installed or shimmed gaps exceeding engineering limits at production. A
crack in a stringer or end stringer splice assembly could 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
[[Page 9774]]
develop on other products of the same type design.
Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51
The FAA reviewed Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 747-53A2909 RB,
dated September 21, 2022. This service information specifies procedures
for repetitive detailed inspections of the stringers and the end
stringer splice assemblies at stringers S-17 to S-25 from STA 2285 to
STA 2300 main entry door #5 cutout aft edge frame for any crack, any
shim between a stringer and bear strap, and any gap within the
fastener-joint-to-bear-strap joint, and applicable on-condition
actions. On-condition actions include detailed inspections of the
stringers and end stringers splice assemblies located between STA 2285
and STA 2300 from stringers S-17L to S-25L/S-17R to S-25R, open hole
high frequency eddy current (HFEC) inspection of the fastener holes of
the skin common to the end stringer splice fitting for cracks, and
repair of cracked stringer/end stringer splice fittings.
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://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> by searching for and locating
Docket No. FAA-2023-0157.
Clarification of Terminating Action
Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 747-53A2909 RB, dated September
21, 2022, contains a terminating action flagnote (b) in Tables 1
through 4 of the Accomplishment Instructions that specifies ``Doing the
detailed and High Frequency Eddy Current (HFEC) inspections and finding
no crack as a result of the inspection is terminating action to
Requirements Bulletin 747-53A2909 RB for that affected end stringer
splice assembly.'' However, the flagnote ``(b)'' is located with
certain conditions in Tables 1 through 4 and appears to be
contradictory in certain locations, e.g., ``Condition 8.2: No crack
found as a result of option 2 inspections'' specifies to do repetitive
inspections; however the option 2 inspections are the detailed and HFEC
inspections, which the flagnote specifies is terminating action. The
FAA has clarified the terminating action in paragraphs (g)(1) through
(4) of this proposed AD to confirm that no action is required for an
end stringer splice assembly on which no cracking is found after the
specified option 2 inspections are done.
Costs of Compliance
The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would
affect 2 airplanes of U.S. registry. The FAA estimates the following
costs to comply with this proposed AD:
Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cost on U.S.
Action Labor cost Parts cost Cost per product operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Detailed Inspection (S-17L to S- 4 work-hours x $85 $0 $340 per inspection $680 per inspection
25L) and (S-17R to S-25R). per hour = $340 cycle. cycle.
per inspection
cycle.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The FAA estimates the following costs to do any necessary on-
condition actions 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 on-condition actions:
On-Condition Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cost per
Action Labor cost Parts cost product
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Detailed Inspection and Open Hole (HFEC) 54 work-hours x $85 per hour = $0 $4,590
Inspection per side. $4,590.
Repair of cracked stringer/end stringer splice 13 work-hours x $85 per hour = 600 1,705
fitting. $1,105.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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:
[[Page 9775]]
(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
The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.
Sec. 39.13 [Amended]
The FAA amends Sec. 39.13 by adding the following new
airworthiness directive:
The Boeing Company: Docket No. FAA-2023-0157; Project Identifier AD-
2022-01309-T.
(a) Comments Due Date
The FAA must receive comments on this airworthiness directive
(AD) by March 31, 2023.
(b) Affected ADs
None.
(c) Applicability
This AD applies to The Boeing Company Model 747-8 series
airplanes, certificated in any category, as identified in Boeing
Alert Requirements Bulletin 747-53A2909 RB, dated September 21,
2022.
(d) Subject
Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 53, Fuselage.
(e) Unsafe Condition
This AD was prompted by a report of stress corrosion cracking in
the stringers and end stringer splice assemblies located between
station (STA) 2285 and STA 2300 from stringers S-17 to S-25 on the
left and right sides of the airplane caused by excessive and
sustained internal tensile stresses that were due to no shim being
installed or shimmed gaps exceeding engineering limits at
production. A crack in a stringer or end stringer splice assembly
could grow in length and go undetected. The unsafe 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 747-53A2909 RB, dated September 21,
2022, do all applicable actions identified in, and in accordance
with, the Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert Requirements
Bulletin 747-53A2909 RB, dated September 21, 2022. For this AD,
terminating action for certain end stringer springer splice
assemblies are specified in paragraphs (g)(1) through (4) of this
AD.
Note 1 to paragraph (g): Guidance for accomplishing the actions
required by this AD can be found in Boeing Alert Service Bulletin
747-53A2909 RB, dated September 21, 2022, which is referred to in
Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 747-53A2909 RB, dated September
21, 2022.
(1) For any end stringer splice assembly on which no cracking is
found after accomplishing CONDITION 3 (OPTION 2) (ACTION 1) and
CONDITION 3 (OPTION 2) (ACTION 2) inspections specified in Table 1
of the Accomplishment Instruction of Boeing Alert Requirements
Bulletin 747-53A2909 RB, dated September 21, 2022, no further action
is required by this AD for that end stringer splice assembly.
(2) For any end stringer splice assembly on which no cracking is
found after accomplishing CONDITION 6 (OPTION 2) (ACTION 1) and
CONDITION 6 (OPTION 2) (ACTION 2) inspections specified in Table 2
of the Accomplishment Instruction of Boeing Alert Requirements
Bulletin 747-53A2909 RB, dated September 21, 2022, no further action
is required by this AD for that end stringer splice assembly.
(3) For any end stringer splice assembly on which no cracking is
found after accomplishing CONDITION 8 (OPTION 2) (ACTION 1) and
CONDITION 8 (OPTION 2) (ACTION 2) inspections specified in Table 3
of the Accomplishment Instruction of Boeing Alert Requirements
Bulletin 747-53A2909 RB, dated September 21, 2022, no further action
is required by this AD for that end stringer splice assembly.
(4) For any end stringer splice assembly on which no cracking is
found after accomplishing CONDITION 10 (OPTION 2) (ACTION 1) and
CONDITION 10 (OPTION 2) (ACTION 2) inspections specified in Table 4
of the Accomplishment Instruction of Boeing Alert Requirements
Bulletin 747-53A2909 RB, dated September 21, 2022, no further action
is required by this AD for that end stringer splice assembly.
(h) Exceptions to Service Information Specifications
(1) Where the Compliance Time column and certain notes of the
tables in the ``Compliance'' paragraph of Boeing Alert Requirements
Bulletin 747-53A2909 RB, dated September 21, 2022, use the phrase
``the original issue date of Requirements Bulletin 747-53A2909 RB,''
this AD requires using ``the effective date of this AD.''
(2) Where Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 747-53A2909 RB,
dated September 21, 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#aa9387ebe4e787f9cfcbdedec6cf87ebe9e587ebe7e5e987f8cfdbdfcfd9ded9eacccbcb84cdc5dc"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="350c18747b7818665054414159501874767a1874787a76186750444050464146755354541b525a43">[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 Stefanie N. Roesli,
Aerospace Engineer, Airframe Section, FAA, Seattle ACO Branch, 2200
South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; phone: 206-231-3964; email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b4e7c0d1d2d5daddd19afa9ae6dbd1c7d8ddf4d2d5d59ad3dbc2"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="91c2e5f4f7f0fff8f4bfdfbfc3fef4e2fdf8d1f7f0f0bff6fee7">[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 747-53A2909 RB, dated
September 21, 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,
[[Page 9776]]
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6204104c0b0c11120701160b0d0c220c0310034c050d14"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="bbddc995d2d5c8cbded8cfd2d4d5fbd5dac9da95dcd4cd">[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 January 27, 2023.
Christina Underwood,
Acting Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-03138 Filed 2-14-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on February 15, 2023.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.