Proposed Rule2023-15304
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
July 24, 2023
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 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of cracks in the forward galley door cutout forward upper corner bear strap. It has been determined that the cracks were caused by high operating stresses in the fuselage skin door cutout corner area due to stress concentration at the door cutout. This proposed AD would require an inspection of the fuselage skin and the bear strap at the forward galley door cutout forward upper corner for existing repairs, and applicable related investigative and corrective inspections. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 140 (Monday, July 24, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 140 (Monday, July 24, 2023)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 47399-47402]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-15304]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2023-1413; Project Identifier AD-2023-00087-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 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of
cracks in the forward galley door cutout forward upper corner bear
strap. It has been determined that the cracks were caused by high
operating stresses in the fuselage skin door cutout corner area due to
stress concentration at the door cutout. This proposed AD would require
an inspection of the fuselage skin and the bear strap at the forward
galley door cutout forward upper corner for existing repairs, and
applicable related investigative and corrective inspections. 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 September
7, 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.
[[Page 47400]]
AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> under
Docket No. FAA-2023-1413; 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-2023-1413.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill Ashforth, Aviation Safety
Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; phone: 206-
231-3520; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5032393c3c7e312338363f222438103631317e373f26"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e4868d8888ca85978c828b96908ca4828585ca838b92">[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-2023-1413; Project Identifier
AD-2023-00087-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 Bill
Ashforth, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th St., Des
Moines, WA 98198; phone: 206-231-3520; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#8eece7e2e2a0effde6e8e1fcfae6cee8efefa0e9e1f8"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c9aba0a5a5e7a8baa1afa6bbbda189afa8a8e7aea6bf">[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 reports indicating cracks in the forward
galley door cutout forward upper corner bear strap. The airplanes had
accumulated between 33,070 and 44,224 total flight cycles at the time
of the crack findings. The cracks were caused by high operating
stresses in the fuselage skin door cutout corner area due to stress
concentration at the door cutout. This condition, if not addressed,
could result in an undetected crack in the fuselage skin and bear
strap, and could increase in length until the fuselage skin and bear
strap severs. If not detected and corrected, a severed fuselage skin
and bear strap may lead to the inability to sustain limit loads and may
result in rapid decompression of the fuselage and loss of structural
integrity of the aircraft.
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 737-53A1407 RB,
dated December 20, 2022. This service information specifies procedures
for an external general visual inspection of the fuselage skin at the
forward galley door cutout forward upper corner for any repair, and
applicable related investigative and corrective actions. Related
investigative actions include detailed inspections for cracking of the
fuselage skin and bear strap. Corrective actions include obtaining and
following instructions for crack 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 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="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> under Docket No. FAA-
2023-1413.
Costs of Compliance
The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would
affect 1,938 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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External general visual 0.5 work-hour x $85 $0 $42.50 per $82,365 per
inspection for repairs. per hour = $42.50 inspection cycle. inspection cycle.
per inspection
cycle.
External detailed and eddy 3.5 work-hours x $85 0 $197.50............. $576,555.
current inspection for cracks. per hour = $197.50.
External eddy current inspection 4 work-hours x $85 0 $340 per inspection Up to $658,920 per
without a quadrupler repair. per hour = $340 per cycle. inspection cycle.
inspection cycle.
External eddy current inspection 4 work-hours x $85 0 $340 per inspection Up to $658,920 per
with a quadrupler repair. per hour = $340 per cycle. inspection cycle.
inspection cycle.
[[Page 47401]]
Internal eddy current inspection 26 work-hours x $85 0 $2,210.............. $4,282,980.
for cracks. per hour = $2,210.
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The FAA has received no definitive data on which to base the cost
estimates for the on-condition repairs or for the alternative
inspections 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-2023-1413; Project Identifier AD-
2023-00087-T.
(a) Comments Due Date
The FAA must receive comments on this airworthiness directive
(AD) by September 7, 2023.
(b) Affected ADs
None.
(c) Applicability
This AD applies to The Boeing Company Model 737-600, -700, -
700C, -800, -900 and -900ER airplanes, certificated in any category,
as identified in Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 737-53A1407 RB,
dated December 20, 2022.
(d) Subject
Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 53, Fuselage.
(e) Unsafe Condition
This AD was prompted by reports of cracks in the forward galley
door cutout forward upper corner bear strap. The FAA is issuing this
AD to address cracks in the fuselage skin and bear strap, which
could increase in length until the fuselage skin and bear strap
severs. If not detected and corrected, a severed fuselage skin and
bear strap may lead to the inability of the principal structural
element (PSE) to sustain limit loads and may result in rapid
decompression of the fuselage and loss of structural integrity.
(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 737-53A1407 RB, dated December 20, 2022,
do all applicable actions identified in, and in accordance with, the
Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin
737-53A1407 RB, dated December 20, 2022.
Note 1 to paragraph (g): Guidance for accomplishing the actions
required by this AD can be found in Boeing Alert Service Bulletin
737-53A1407, dated December 20, 2022, which is referred to in Boeing
Alert Requirements Bulletin 737-53A1407 RB, dated December 20, 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 737-
53A1407 RB, dated December 20, 2022, use the phrase ``the original
issue date of Requirements Bulletin 737-53A1407 RB,'' this AD
requires using ``the effective date of this AD.''
(2) Where Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 737-53A1407 RB,
dated December 20, 2022, specifies contacting Boeing for repair
instructions or for alternative inspections, 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, AIR-520, Continued Operational Safety 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#ead3c7aba4a7c7b98f8b9e9e868fc7aba9a5c7aba7a5a9c7b88f9b9f8f999e99aa8c8b8bc48d859c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="10293d515e5d3d43757164647c753d51535f3d515d5f533d4275616575636463507671713e777f66">[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, AIR-
520, Continued Operational Safety 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.
[[Page 47402]]
(j) Related Information
For more information about this AD, contact Bill Ashforth,
Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA
98198; phone: 206-231-3520; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#0b69626767256a78636d64797f634b6d6a6a256c647d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="04666d68682a65776c626b76706c446265652a636b72">[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 737-53A1407 RB, dated
December 20, 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#ddbbaff3b4b3aeadb8bea9b4b2b39db3bcafbcf3bab2ab"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b6d0c498dfd8c5c6d3d5c2dfd9d8f6d8d7c4d798d1d9c0">[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 July 7, 2023.
Michael Linegang,
Acting Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-15304 Filed 7-21-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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