Proposed Rule2024-13334
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
June 20, 2024
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all The Boeing Company (Boeing) Model 747-100, 747-100B, 747-100B SUD, 747-200B, 747-200C, 747-200F, 747-300, 747-400, 747-400D, 747- 400F, 747SP, and 747SR series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a report of improper inner diameter grinding of landing gear outer cylinders, resulting in possible heat damage to the outer cylinder of the nose landing gear (NLG), body landing gear (BLG), and wing landing gear (WLG). This proposed AD would require replacing any affected outer cylinders. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 119 (Thursday, June 20, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 119 (Thursday, June 20, 2024)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 51861-51863]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-13334]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2024-1690; Project Identifier AD-2024-00083-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 (Boeing) Model 747-100, 747-100B, 747-100B
SUD, 747-200B, 747-200C, 747-200F, 747-300, 747-400, 747-400D, 747-
400F, 747SP, and 747SR series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted
by a report of improper inner diameter grinding of landing gear outer
cylinders, resulting in possible heat damage to the outer cylinder of
the nose landing gear (NLG), body landing gear (BLG), and wing landing
gear (WLG). This proposed AD would require replacing any affected outer
cylinders. 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 August 5,
2024.
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-2024-1690; 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 The Boeing Company service information, contact Boeing
Commercial Airplanes, Attention: Contractual & Data Services (C&DS),
2600 Westminster Boulevard, 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 Street, 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-2024-1690.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stefanie Roesli, Aviation Safety
Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; telephone
206-231-3964; email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#077473626166696e62296929756862746b6e4761666629606871"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7e0d0a1b181f10171b5010500c111b0d12173e181f1f50191108">[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-2024-1690; Project Identifier
AD-2024-00083-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 Roesli, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th
Street, Des Moines, WA 98198; telephone 206-231-3964; email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#1a696e7f7c7b74737f34743468757f6976735a7c7b7b347d756c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="592a2d3c3f3837303c7737772b363c2a3530193f3838773e362f">[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 of a main landing gear collapse event
on a Boeing Model 767 airplane that was last overhauled at a
maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) facility. The MRO facility
identified a grinder that was operating outside of its input
parameters, which could cause heat
[[Page 51862]]
damage to the outer cylinder of the NLG, BLG, and WLG. The MRO facility
identified 67 Boeing Model 747 landing gear outer cylinders which had
inner diameter grinding performed with the suspect grinder. This
condition, if not addressed, could cause the failure of a principal
structural element to sustain its limit load or collapse of the landing
gear, which may result in loss of control of the airplane or a runway
departure. A failure of an outer cylinder could also deviate from the
intended breakaway sequence, which could result in a failed part
impacting the fuel tank and spilling fuel and consequently creating a
fire hazard.
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 747-32A2535 RB,
dated January 22, 2024. This service information specifies determining
whether the outer cylinder of the NLG, the right and left WLG, and the
right and left BLG have an affected part number and serial number and
replacing all affected outer cylinders.
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> under Docket No. FAA-
2024-1690.
Costs of Compliance
The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would
affect 168 airplanes of U.S. registry. The FAA estimates the following
costs to comply with this proposed AD:
Estimated Costs
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Cost per Cost on U.S.
Action Labor cost Parts cost product operators
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Inspection or maintenance records 3 work-hours x $85 per $0 $255 $42,840
check for affected parts. hour = $255.
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The FAA estimates the following costs to do any replacements that
would be required based on the results of the proposed inspection or
maintenance records check. The agency has no way of determining the
number of airplanes that might need this replacement:
On-Condition Costs
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Cost per
Action Labor cost Parts cost product Cost on U.S. operators
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Replacement of outer cylinder (67 161 work-hours x $85 $325,000 $338,685 $22,691,895 (67 affected parts).
affected parts). per hour = $13,685.
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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-2024-1690; Project Identifier AD-
2024-00083-T.
[[Page 51863]]
(a) Comments Due Date
The FAA must receive comments on this airworthiness directive
(AD) by August 5, 2024.
(b) Affected ADs
None.
(c) Applicability
This AD applies to all The Boeing Company Model 747-100, 747-
100B, 747-100B SUD, 747-200B, 747-200C, 747-200F, 747-300, 747-400,
747-400D, 747-400F, 747SP, and 747SR series airplanes, certificated
in any category.
(d) Subject
Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 32, Landing
gear.
(e) Unsafe Condition
This AD was prompted by a report of improper inner diameter
grinding of landing gear outer cylinders, resulting in possible heat
damage to the outer cylinder of the nose landing gear (NLG), body
landing gear (BLG), and wing landing gear (WLG). The FAA is issuing
this AD to address heat damage to the outer cylinder of the NLG,
BLG, and WLG. The unsafe condition, if not addressed, could cause
failure of a principal structural element to sustain its limit load
or collapse of the landing gear, which may result in loss of control
of the airplane or a runway departure.
(f) Compliance
Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified,
unless already done.
(g) Required Actions
Except as specified in paragraph (h) of this AD: At the
applicable times specified in the ``Compliance'' paragraph of Boeing
Alert Requirements Bulletin 747-32A2535 RB, dated January 22, 2024,
do all applicable actions identified in, and in accordance with, the
Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin
747-32A2535 RB, dated January 22, 2024.
Note 1 to paragraph (g): Guidance for accomplishing the actions
required by this AD can be found in Boeing Alert Service Bulletin
747-32A2535, dated January 22, 2024, which is referred to in Boeing
Alert Requirements Bulletin 747-32A2535 RB, dated January 22, 2024.
(h) Exceptions to Service Information Specifications
Where the ``Boeing Recommended Compliance Time'' column in the
table under the ``Compliance'' paragraph of Boeing Alert
Requirements Bulletin 747-32A2535 RB, dated January 22, 2024, refers
to ``the Original Issue date of Requirements Bulletin 747-32A2535
RB,'' this AD requires using the effective date 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)(1) of this AD. Information may be emailed to: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#783935373b381e1919561f170e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7a3b3735393a1c1b1b541d150c">[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.
(j) Related Information
(1) For more information about this AD, contact Stefanie Roesli,
Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th Street, Des Moines,
WA 98198; telephone 206-231-3964; email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7d0e09181b1c1314185313530f12180e11143d1b1c1c531a120b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="91e2e5f4f7f0fff8f4bfffbfe3fef4e2fdf8d1f7f0f0bff6fee7">[email protected]</span></a>.
(2) Service information identified in this AD that is not
incorporated by reference is available at the address specified in
paragraph (k)(3) of this AD.
(k) Material Incorporated by Reference
(1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the
incorporation by reference 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 747-32A2535 RB, dated
January 22, 2024.
(ii) [Reserved]
(3) For The Boeing Company service information, contact Boeing
Commercial Airplanes, Attention: Contractual & Data Services (C&DS),
2600 Westminster Boulevard., 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 material at the FAA, Airworthiness
Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 2200 South 216th
Street, Des Moines, WA. For information on the availability of this
material at the FAA, call 206-231-3195.
(5) You may view this material at the National Archives and
Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability
of this material at NARA, visit <a href="http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations">www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations</a> or email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c9afbbe7a0a7bab9acaabda0a6a789a7a8bba8e7aea6bf"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d5b3a7fbbcbba6a5b0b6a1bcbabb95bbb4a7b4fbb2baa3">[email protected]</span></a>.
Issued on June 12, 2024.
Suzanne Masterson,
Deputy Director, Integrated Certificate Management Division, Aircraft
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-13334 Filed 6-18-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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