Proposed Rule2025-19055
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 30, 2025
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all The Boeing Company Model 747-100, -100B, -100B SUD, -200B, - 200C, -200F, -300, -400, -400D, -400F, 747SP, and 747SR series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of corrosion damage found on a certain satellite communications (SATCOM) high gain antenna adapter plate. This proposed AD would require repetitive detailed inspections (DET) of the SATCOM high gain antenna adapter plate for corrosion 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 90 Issue 187 (Tuesday, September 30, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 187 (Tuesday, September 30, 2025)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 46771-46773]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-19055]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2025-3422; Project Identifier AD-2025-00763-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 Model 747-100, -100B, -100B SUD, -200B, -
200C, -200F, -300, -400, -400D, -400F, 747SP, and 747SR series
airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of corrosion damage
found on a certain satellite communications (SATCOM) high gain antenna
adapter plate. This proposed AD would require repetitive detailed
inspections (DET) of the SATCOM high gain antenna adapter plate for
corrosion 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 November
14, 2025.
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-2025-3422; 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 Boeing material identified in this proposed 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>.
<bullet> You may view this material 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> under
Docket No. FAA-2025-3422.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stefanie Roesli, Aviation Safety
Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; phone: 206-
231-3964; email:<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a3d0d7c6c5c2cdcac68dcd8dd1ccc6d0cfcae3c5c2c28dc4ccd5"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="bac9cedfdcdbd4d3df94d494c8d5dfc9d6d3fadcdbdb94ddd5cc">[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 using a method listed
under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2025-3422;
Project Identifier AD-2025-00763-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 St.,
Des Moines, WA 98198; phone: 206-231-3964; email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7506011013141b1c105b1b5b071a1006191c351314145b121a03"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c4b7b0a1a2a5aaada1eaaaeab6aba1b7a8ad84a2a5a5eaa3abb2">[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 corrosion damage was
found on a certain 767 SATCOM high gain antenna adapter plate during a
heavy maintenance check by an operator. The most severe corrosion was
found at the nutplates around the edges of the adapter plate; the
nutplates are used to fasten the antenna assembly to the adapter plate.
If undetected corrosion of these SATCOM high gain antenna adapter
plates is not addressed, it can result in a parts departing the
airplane (PDA) event, where the SATCOM high gain antenna system parts
may impact and damage the airplane. This condition, if not addressed,
could result in loss of continued safe flight and landing.
Boeing issued Alert Service Bulletin 767-23A0351, dated January 23,
2025, to address this issue on Model 767-200, 767-300, 767-300F, and
767-400ER airplanes. The FAA subsequently issued an NPRM (Docket No.
FAA-2025-0741, 90 FR 17741, April 29, 2025) to propose to require
repetitive DET of the SATCOM high gain antenna adapter plate for
corrosion and applicable on-condition actions for those airplanes. A
similar adapter plate design and installation is used on Model 747
airplanes. Therefore, Model 747
[[Page 46772]]
airplanes are subject to the same unsafe condition.
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.
Material Incorporated by Reference Under 1 CFR Part 51
The FAA reviewed Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 747-23A2628 RB,
dated April 18, 2025. This material specifies procedures for repetitive
DET of the SATCOM high gain antenna adapter plates for corrosion and
applicable on-condition actions. On-condition actions include repairing
the SATCOM high gain antenna adapter plate or replacing it with a new
or serviceable SATCOM high gain antenna adapter plate if any corrosion
found is less than or equal to 0.005 inch in depth; and replacing the
SATCOM high gain antenna adapter plate with a new or serviceable SATCOM
high gain antenna adapter plate if any corrosion found is greater than
0.005 inch in depth. This material is reasonably available because the
interested parties have access to it through their normal course of
business or by the means identified in the ADDRESSES section.
Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM
This proposed AD would require accomplishing the actions specified
in the material 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
material at <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> under Docket No. FAA-2025-3422.
Costs of Compliance
The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would
affect 120 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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Detailed inspection.............. 11 work-hours x $85 $0 $935 per inspection $112,200 per
per hour = $935 cycle. inspection cycle.
per inspection
cycle.
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The FAA estimates the following costs to do any necessary repairs
or replacements 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 replacements:
On-Condition Costs
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Cost per
Action Labor cost Parts cost product
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Repair adapter plate.......................... 5 work-hour x $85 per hour = $0 $425
$425.
Replace adapter plate......................... 2 work-hour x $85 per hour = 18,000 18,170
$170.
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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-2025-3422; Project Identifier AD-
2025-00763-T.
(a) Comments Due Date
The FAA must receive comments on this airworthiness directive
(AD) by November 14, 2025.
(b) Affected ADs
None.
(c) Applicability
This AD applies to all The Boeing Company Model 747-100, -100B,
-100B SUD, -200B, -200C, -200F, -300, -400,
[[Page 46773]]
-400D, -400F, 747SP, and 747SR series airplanes, certificated in any
category.
(d) Subject
Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 23,
Communications system.
(e) Unsafe Condition
This AD was prompted by reports of corrosion damage found on a
certain satellite communications (SATCOM) high gain antenna adapter
plate. The FAA is issuing this AD to prevent corrosion damage of the
SATCOM high gain antenna adapter plates. The unsafe condition, if
not addressed, could result in the SATCOM high gain antenna system
parts departing and impacting the airplane, which can cause damage
that results in loss of continued safe flight and landing.
(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 747-23A2628 RB, dated April 18, 2025, do
all applicable actions identified in, and in accordance with, the
Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin
747-23A2628 RB, dated April 18, 2025.
Note 1 to paragraph (g): Guidance for accomplishing the actions
required by this AD can be found in Boeing Alert Service Bulletin
747-23A2628, dated April 18, 2025, which is referred to in Boeing
Alert Requirements Bulletin 747-23A2628 RB, dated April 18, 2025.
(h) Exceptions to Requirements Bulletin Specifications
(1) Where Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 747-23A2628 RB,
dated April 18, 2025, refers to the original issue date of
Requirements Bulletin 747-23A2628 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 Continued Operational
Safety Branch, 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#1455595b57547275753a737b62"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="094844464a496f6868276e667f">[email protected]</span></a>. Before using any approved AMOC, notify your
appropriate principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector,
the manager of the responsible Flight Standards Office.
(2) 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 St., Des Moines, WA
98198; phone: 206-231-3964; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d9aaadbcbfb8b7b0bcf7b7f7abb6bcaab5b099bfb8b8f7beb6af"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="cebdbaaba8afa0a7abe0a0e0bca1abbda2a78ea8afafe0a9a1b8">[email protected]</span></a>.
(2) Material identified in this AD that is not incorporated by
reference is available at the address specified in paragraph (k)(3)
this AD.
(k) Material Incorporated by Reference
(1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the
incorporation by reference of the material listed in this paragraph
under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
(2) You must use this material as applicable to do the actions
required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise.
(i) Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 747-23A2628 RB, dated
April 18, 2025.
(ii) [Reserved]
(3) For Boeing material 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 material 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 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#5234207c3b3c21223731263b3d3c123c3320337c353d24"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3553471b5c5b46455056415c5a5b755b5447541b525a43">[email protected]</span></a>.
Issued on September 26, 2025.
Peter A. White,
Deputy Director, Integrated Certificate Management Division, Aircraft
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-19055 Filed 9-29-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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