Airworthiness Directives; Boeing Model 727 Airplanes, 44433-44435 [E7-15426]
Download as PDF
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 152 / Wednesday, August 8, 2007 / Proposed Rules
(vii) The government of the country in
which the articles of Chrysanthemum
spp., Leucanthemella serotina, and
Nipponanthemum nipponicum are
produced or its designated
representative must enter into a trust
fund agreement with APHIS before each
growing season. The government of the
country in which the articles are
produced or its designated
representative is required to pay in
advance all estimated costs that APHIS
expects to incur through its involvement
in overseeing the execution of this
paragraph (c)(2). These costs will
include administrative expenses
incurred in conducting the services
enumerated in this paragraph (c)(2) and
all salaries (including overtime and the
Federal share of employee benefits),
travel expenses (including per diem
expenses), and other incidental
expenses incurred by the inspectors in
performing these services. The
government of the country in which the
articles are produced or its designated
representative is required to deposit a
certified or cashier’s check with APHIS
for the amount of the costs estimated by
APHIS. If the deposit is not sufficient to
meet all costs incurred by APHIS, the
agreement further requires the
government of the country in which the
articles are produced or its designated
representative to deposit with APHIS a
certified or cashier’s check for the
amount of the remaining costs, as
determined by APHIS, before the
services will be completed. After a final
audit at the conclusion of each shipping
season, any overpayment of funds
would be returned to the government of
the country in which the articles are
produced or its designated
representative or held on account until
needed.
*
*
*
*
*
4. Section 319.37–7 is amended by
revising paragraph (d)(7)(ii) to read as
follows:
§ 319.37–7
Postentry quarantine.
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with PROPOSALS
*
*
*
*
*
(d) * * *
(7) * * *
(ii) If an article of a genus or species
listed in this paragraph, to grow the
article or increase therefrom only in a
greenhouse or other enclosed building
for the period listed below:
(A) If an article of Chrysanthemum
spp., Leucanthemella serotina, and
Nipponanthemum nipponicum that
meets the requirements of § 319.37–
5(c)(2) of this subpart, for a period of 2
months after importation.
(B) If an article of Chrysanthemum
spp., Leucanthemella serotina, and
Nipponanthemum nipponicum that
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:34 Aug 07, 2007
Jkt 211001
meets the requirements of § 319.37–
5(c)(1) of this subpart, for a period of 6
months after importation.
(C) If an article of Dianthus spp.
(carnation, sweet-william), for a period
of 1 year after importation.
(D) If an article of Hydrangea spp., for
a period of 9 months after importation.
*
*
*
*
*
Done in Washington, DC, this 2nd day of
August 2007.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E7–15421 Filed 8–7–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA–2007–28884; Directorate
Identifier 2007–NM–116–AD]
RIN 2120–AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Boeing
Model 727 Airplanes
Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking
(NPRM).
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a
new airworthiness directive (AD) for all
Boeing Model 727 airplanes. This
proposed AD would require repetitive
external high frequency eddy current
(HFEC) inspections of the crown skin
for cracks at certain stringer attachment
holes, and repair if necessary. This
proposed AD results from a report of
cracks at multiple locations on certain
areas of the crown skin. We are
proposing this AD to detect and correct
fatigue cracks of the crown skin, which
could result in rapid decompression of
the airplane.
DATES: We must receive comments on
this proposed AD by September 24,
2007.
Use one of the following
addresses to submit comments on this
proposed AD.
• DOT Docket Web site: Go to
https://dms.dot.gov and follow the
instructions for sending your comments
electronically.
• Government-wide rulemaking Web
site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov
and follow the instructions for sending
your comments electronically.
• Mail: U.S. Department of
Transportation, Docket Operations, M–
ADDRESSES:
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
44433
30, West Building Ground Floor, Room
W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE.,
Washington, DC 20590.
• Fax: (202) 493–2251.
• Hand Delivery: Room W12–140 on
the ground floor of the West Building,
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE.,
Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5
p.m., Monday through Friday, except
Federal holidays.
Contact Boeing Commercial
Airplanes, P.O. Box 3707, Seattle,
Washington 98124–2207, for the service
information identified in this proposed
AD.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Berhane Alazar, Aerospace Engineer,
Airframe Branch, ANM–120S, FAA,
Seattle Aircraft Certification Office,
1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton,
Washington 98057–3356; telephone
(425) 917–6577; fax (425) 917–6590.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
We invite you to submit any relevant
written data, views, or arguments
regarding this proposed AD. Send your
comments to an address listed in the
ADDRESSES section. Include the docket
number ‘‘FAA–2007–28884; Directorate
Identifier 2007–NM–116–AD’’ at the
beginning of your comments. We
specifically invite comments on the
overall regulatory, economic,
environmental, and energy aspects of
the proposed AD. We will consider all
comments received by the closing date
and may amend the proposed AD in
light of those comments.
We will post all comments we
receive, without change, to https://
dms.dot.gov, including any personal
information you provide. We will also
post a report summarizing each
substantive verbal contact with FAA
personnel concerning this proposed AD.
Using the search function of that Web
site, anyone can find and read the
comments in any of our dockets,
including the name of the individual
who sent the comment (or signed the
comment on behalf of an association,
business, labor union, etc.). You may
review DOT’s complete Privacy Act
Statement in the Federal Register
published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR
19477–78), or you may visit https://
dms.dot.gov.
Examining the Docket
You may examine the AD docket on
the Internet at https://dms.dot.gov, or in
person at the Docket Operations office
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday
through Friday, except Federal holidays.
The Docket Operations office (telephone
(800) 647–5527) is located on the
E:\FR\FM\08AUP1.SGM
08AUP1
44434
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 152 / Wednesday, August 8, 2007 / Proposed Rules
ground level of the West Building at the
DOT street address stated in the
ADDRESSES section. Comments will be
available in the AD docket shortly after
the Docket Management System receives
them.
110 work hours per airplane, at an
average labor rate of $80 per work hour.
Based on these figures, the estimated
cost of the proposed AD for U.S.
operators is $4,039,200, or $8,800 per
airplane, per inspection cycle.
Discussion
We have received a report indicating
that fatigue tests resulted in cracks at
multiple locations on the 727 body
section 43 and 46 crown skin between
stringers 11L and 11R. The first fatigue
test cracks were found at approximately
66,000 simulated flight cycles.
Subsequent inspection by Boeing on inservice airplanes also revealed similar
crown skin cracks. In-service cracks
were found on airplanes with between
71,236 and 81,234 total flight cycles.
Fatigue cracks of the crown skin, if not
detected and corrected, could result in
rapid decompression of the airplane.
Authority for This Rulemaking
Relevant Service Information
We have reviewed Boeing Alert
Service Bulletin 727–53A0224, dated
April 10, 2003. The service information
describes procedures for repetitive
external high frequency eddy current
(HFEC) inspections of the crown skin
for cracks at stringer attachment holes
between stringer 11L and stringer 11R
and from body station (BS) 259.5 to BS
1183, and repair of any crack.
Accomplishing the actions specified in
the service information is intended to
adequately address the unsafe
condition.
FAA’s Determination and Requirements
of the Proposed AD
We have evaluated all pertinent
information and identified an unsafe
condition that is likely to exist or
develop on other airplanes of this same
type design. For this reason, we are
proposing this AD, which would require
accomplishing the actions specified in
the service information described
previously, except as discussed under
‘‘Differences Between the Proposed AD
and Referenced Service Information.’’
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with PROPOSALS
Difference Between Proposed AD and
Referenced Service Information
Operators should note that, although
the Accomplishment Instructions of the
referenced service information describe
procedures for reporting all cracks to
Boeing, this proposed AD would not
require that action.
Costs of Compliance
There are about 842 airplanes of the
affected design in the worldwide fleet.
This proposed AD would affect about
459 airplanes of U.S. registry. The
proposed inspection would take about
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:34 Aug 07, 2007
Jkt 211001
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.
We are 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
We have 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 that the proposed regulation:
1. Is not a ‘‘significant regulatory
action’’ under Executive Order 12866;
2. Is not a ‘‘significant rule’’ under the
DOT Regulatory Policies and Procedures
(44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979); and
3. Will not have a significant
economic impact, positive or negative,
on a substantial number of small entities
under the criteria of the Regulatory
Flexibility Act.
We prepared a regulatory evaluation
of the estimated costs to comply with
this proposed AD and placed it in the
AD docket. See the ADDRESSES section
for a location to examine the regulatory
evaluation.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation
safety, Safety.
The Proposed Amendment
Accordingly, under the authority
delegated to me by the Administrator,
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
the FAA proposes to amend 14 CFR part
39 as follows:
PART 39—AIRWORTHINESS
DIRECTIVES
1. The authority citation for part 39
continues to read as follows:
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.
§ 39.13
[Amended]
2. The Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) amends § 39.13
by adding the following new
airworthiness directive (AD):
BOEING: Docket No. FAA–2007–28884;
Directorate Identifier 2007–NM–116–AD.
Comments Due Date
(a) The FAA must receive comments on
this AD action by September 24, 2007.
Affected ADs
(b) None.
Applicability
(c) This AD applies to all Boeing Model
727, 727C, 727–100, 727–100C, 727–200, and
727–200F series airplanes, certificated in any
category.
Unsafe Condition
(d) This AD results from a report of cracks
at multiple locations on certain areas of the
crown skin. We are issuing this AD to detect
and correct fatigue cracks of the crown skin,
which could result in rapid decompression of
the airplane.
Compliance
(e) You are responsible for having the
actions required by this AD performed within
the compliance times specified, unless the
actions have already been done.
Repetitive Inspections and Repair
(f) Before the accumulation of 66,000 total
flight cycles, or within 3,500 flight cycles
after the effective date of this AD, whichever
occurs later, do an external high frequency
eddy current inspection of the crown skin for
cracks at stringer attachment holes between
stringer 11L and stringer 11R and from body
station (BS) 259.5 to BS 1183. Repair any
crack found before further flight. Do the
actions in accordance with the
Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert
Service Bulletin 727–53A0224, dated April
10, 2003, except as provided by paragraph (g)
of this AD. Repeat the inspection at intervals
not to exceed 3,500 flight cycles.
(g) Although the service bulletin referred to
in this AD specifies to submit certain
information to the manufacturer, this AD
does not include that requirement.
Alternative Methods of Compliance
(AMOCs)
(h)(1) The Manager, Seattle Aircraft
Certification Office (ACO), FAA, has the
authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if
requested in accordance with the procedures
found in 14 CFR 39.19.
(2) To request a different method of
compliance or a different compliance time
E:\FR\FM\08AUP1.SGM
08AUP1
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 152 / Wednesday, August 8, 2007 / Proposed Rules
for this AD, follow the procedures in 14 CFR
39.19. Before using any approved AMOC on
any airplane to which the AMOC applies,
notify your appropriate principal inspector
(PI) in the FAA Flight Standards District
Office (FSDO), or lacking a PI, your local
FSDO.
Issued in Renton, Washington, on July 30,
2007.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate,
Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. E7–15426 Filed 8–7–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–13–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA–2007–28909; Directorate
Identifier 2007–NM–135–AD]
RIN 2120–AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Empresa
Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A.
(EMBRAER) Model EMB–135BJ
Airplanes
Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking
(NPRM).
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new
airworthiness directive (AD) for the
products listed above. This proposed
AD results from mandatory continuing
airworthiness information (MCAI)
originated by an aviation authority of
another country to identify and correct
an unsafe condition on an aviation
product. The MCAI describes the unsafe
condition as:
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with PROPOSALS
It has been found cases in which some
wiring harnesses were not protected in
accordance with SFAR–88 (Special Federal
Aviation Regulation No. 88) requirements.
The potential of ignition sources, in
combination with flammable fuel
vapors, could result in fuel tank
explosions and consequent loss of the
airplane. The proposed AD would
require actions that are intended to
address the unsafe condition described
in the MCAI.
DATES: We must receive comments on
this proposed AD by September 7, 2007.
ADDRESSES: You may send comments by
any of the following methods:
• DOT Docket Web site: Go to
https://dms.dot.gov and follow the
instructions for sending your comments
electronically.
• Fax: (202) 493–2251.
• Mail: U.S. Department of
Transportation, Docket Operations, M–
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:34 Aug 07, 2007
Jkt 211001
30, West Building Ground Floor, Room
W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE.,
Washington, DC 20590.
• Hand Delivery: Room W12–140 on
the ground floor of the West Building,
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE.,
Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5
p.m., Monday through Friday, except
Federal holidays.
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
Examining the AD Docket
You may examine the AD docket on
the Internet at https://dms.dot.gov; or in
person at the Docket Operations office
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday
through Friday, except Federal holidays.
The AD docket contains this proposed
AD, the regulatory evaluation, any
comments received, and other
information. The street address for the
Docket Operations office (telephone
(800) 647–5527) is in the ADDRESSES
section. Comments will be available in
the AD docket shortly after receipt.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dan
Rodina, Aerospace Engineer,
International Branch, ANM–116, FAA,
Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601
Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington
98057–3356; telephone (425) 227–2125;
fax (425) 227–1149.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
We invite you to send any written
relevant data, views, or arguments about
this proposed AD. Send your comments
to an address listed under the
ADDRESSES section. Include ‘‘Docket No.
FAA–2007–28909; Directorate Identifier
2007–NM–135–AD’’ at the beginning of
your comments. We specifically invite
comments on the overall regulatory,
economic, environmental, and energy
aspects of this proposed AD. We will
consider all comments received by the
closing date and may amend this
proposed AD based on those comments.
We will post all comments we
receive, without change, to https://
dms.dot.gov, including any personal
information you provide. We will also
post a report summarizing each
substantive verbal contact we receive
about this proposed AD.
Discussion
ˆ
The Agencia Nacional de Aviacao
¸˜
Civil (ANAC), which is the aviation
authority for Brazil, has issued Brazilian
Airworthiness Directive 2006–07–02,
effective August 21, 2006 (referred to
after this as ‘‘the MCAI’’), to correct an
unsafe condition for the specified
products. The MCAI states:
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
44435
It has been found cases in which some
wiring harnesses were not protected in
accordance with SFAR–88 (Special Federal
Aviation Regulation No. 88) requirements.
The potential of ignition sources, in
combination with flammable fuel
vapors, could result in fuel tank
explosions and consequent loss of the
airplane. The corrective action includes
installing heat shrinkable sleeves on the
inspection and refueling panel
illumination lights wiring, and
installing nipples on the terminal lugs
to protect the wire terminals. You may
obtain further information by examining
the MCAI in the AD docket.
The FAA has examined the
underlying safety issues involved in fuel
tank explosions on several large
transport airplanes, including the
adequacy of existing regulations, the
service history of airplanes subject to
those regulations, and existing
maintenance practices for fuel tank
systems. As a result of those findings,
we issued a regulation titled ‘‘Transport
Airplane Fuel Tank System Design
Review, Flammability Reduction and
Maintenance and Inspection
Requirements’’ (66 FR 23086, May 7,
2001). In addition to new airworthiness
standards for transport airplanes and
new maintenance requirements, this
rule included Special Federal Aviation
Regulation No. 88 (‘‘SFAR 88,’’
Amendment 21–78, and subsequent
Amendments 21–82 and 21–83).
Among other actions, SFAR 88
requires certain type design (i.e., type
certificate (TC) and supplemental type
certificate (STC)) holders to substantiate
that their fuel tank systems can prevent
ignition sources in the fuel tanks. This
requirement applies to type design
holders for large turbine-powered
transport airplanes and for subsequent
modifications to those airplanes. It
requires them to perform design reviews
and to develop design changes and
maintenance procedures if their designs
do not meet the new fuel tank safety
standards. As explained in the preamble
to the rule, we intended to adopt
airworthiness directives to mandate any
changes found necessary to address
unsafe conditions identified as a result
of these reviews.
In evaluating these design reviews, we
have established four criteria intended
to define the unsafe conditions
associated with fuel tank systems that
require corrective actions. The
percentage of operating time during
which fuel tanks are exposed to
flammable conditions is one of these
criteria. The other three criteria address
the failure types under evaluation:
single failures, single failures in
combination with a latent condition(s),
E:\FR\FM\08AUP1.SGM
08AUP1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 152 (Wednesday, August 8, 2007)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 44433-44435]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-15426]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2007-28884; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-116-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Boeing Model 727 Airplanes
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD)
for all Boeing Model 727 airplanes. This proposed AD would require
repetitive external high frequency eddy current (HFEC) inspections of
the crown skin for cracks at certain stringer attachment holes, and
repair if necessary. This proposed AD results from a report of cracks
at multiple locations on certain areas of the crown skin. We are
proposing this AD to detect and correct fatigue cracks of the crown
skin, which could result in rapid decompression of the airplane.
DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by September 24,
2007.
ADDRESSES: Use one of the following addresses to submit comments on
this proposed AD.
DOT Docket Web site: Go to https://dms.dot.gov and follow
the instructions for sending your comments electronically.
Government-wide rulemaking Web site: Go to https://
www.regulations.gov and follow the instructions for sending your
comments electronically.
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.
Fax: (202) 493-2251.
Hand Delivery: Room W12-140 on the ground floor of the
West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC, between 9
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
Contact Boeing Commercial Airplanes, P.O. Box 3707, Seattle,
Washington 98124-2207, for the service information identified in this
proposed AD.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Berhane Alazar, Aerospace Engineer,
Airframe Branch, ANM-120S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office,
1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; telephone (425)
917-6577; fax (425) 917-6590.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
We invite you to submit any relevant written data, views, or
arguments regarding this proposed AD. Send your comments to an address
listed in the ADDRESSES section. Include the docket number ``FAA-2007-
28884; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-116-AD'' at the beginning of your
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory,
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the proposed AD. We will
consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend the
proposed AD in light of those comments.
We will post all comments we receive, without change, to https://
dms.dot.gov, including any personal information you provide. We will
also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact with FAA
personnel concerning this proposed AD. Using the search function of
that Web site, anyone can find and read the comments in any of our
dockets, including the name of the individual who sent the comment (or
signed the comment on behalf of an association, business, labor union,
etc.). You may review DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the
Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78), or you
may visit https://dms.dot.gov.
Examining the Docket
You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at https://
dms.dot.gov, or in person at the Docket Operations office between 9
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The
Docket Operations office (telephone (800) 647-5527) is located on the
[[Page 44434]]
ground level of the West Building at the DOT street address stated in
the ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in the AD docket
shortly after the Docket Management System receives them.
Discussion
We have received a report indicating that fatigue tests resulted in
cracks at multiple locations on the 727 body section 43 and 46 crown
skin between stringers 11L and 11R. The first fatigue test cracks were
found at approximately 66,000 simulated flight cycles. Subsequent
inspection by Boeing on in-service airplanes also revealed similar
crown skin cracks. In-service cracks were found on airplanes with
between 71,236 and 81,234 total flight cycles. Fatigue cracks of the
crown skin, if not detected and corrected, could result in rapid
decompression of the airplane.
Relevant Service Information
We have reviewed Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 727-53A0224, dated
April 10, 2003. The service information describes procedures for
repetitive external high frequency eddy current (HFEC) inspections of
the crown skin for cracks at stringer attachment holes between stringer
11L and stringer 11R and from body station (BS) 259.5 to BS 1183, and
repair of any crack. Accomplishing the actions specified in the service
information is intended to adequately address the unsafe condition.
FAA's Determination and Requirements of the Proposed AD
We have evaluated all pertinent information and identified an
unsafe condition that is likely to exist or develop on other airplanes
of this same type design. For this reason, we are proposing this AD,
which would require accomplishing the actions specified in the service
information described previously, except as discussed under
``Differences Between the Proposed AD and Referenced Service
Information.''
Difference Between Proposed AD and Referenced Service Information
Operators should note that, although the Accomplishment
Instructions of the referenced service information describe procedures
for reporting all cracks to Boeing, this proposed AD would not require
that action.
Costs of Compliance
There are about 842 airplanes of the affected design in the
worldwide fleet. This proposed AD would affect about 459 airplanes of
U.S. registry. The proposed inspection would take about 110 work hours
per airplane, at an average labor rate of $80 per work hour. Based on
these figures, the estimated cost of the proposed AD for U.S. operators
is $4,039,200, or $8,800 per airplane, per inspection cycle.
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.
We are 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
We have 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 that the proposed
regulation:
1. Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive Order
12866;
2. Is not a ``significant rule'' under the DOT Regulatory Policies
and Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979); and
3. Will not have a significant economic impact, positive or
negative, on a substantial number of small entities under the criteria
of the Regulatory Flexibility Act.
We prepared a regulatory evaluation of the estimated costs to
comply with this proposed AD and placed it in the AD docket. See the
ADDRESSES section for a location to examine the regulatory evaluation.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, 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
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]
2. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) amends Sec. 39.13 by
adding the following new airworthiness directive (AD):
BOEING: Docket No. FAA-2007-28884; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-
116-AD.
Comments Due Date
(a) The FAA must receive comments on this AD action by September
24, 2007.
Affected ADs
(b) None.
Applicability
(c) This AD applies to all Boeing Model 727, 727C, 727-100, 727-
100C, 727-200, and 727-200F series airplanes, certificated in any
category.
Unsafe Condition
(d) This AD results from a report of cracks at multiple
locations on certain areas of the crown skin. We are issuing this AD
to detect and correct fatigue cracks of the crown skin, which could
result in rapid decompression of the airplane.
Compliance
(e) You are responsible for having the actions required by this
AD performed within the compliance times specified, unless the
actions have already been done.
Repetitive Inspections and Repair
(f) Before the accumulation of 66,000 total flight cycles, or
within 3,500 flight cycles after the effective date of this AD,
whichever occurs later, do an external high frequency eddy current
inspection of the crown skin for cracks at stringer attachment holes
between stringer 11L and stringer 11R and from body station (BS)
259.5 to BS 1183. Repair any crack found before further flight. Do
the actions in accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions of
Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 727-53A0224, dated April 10, 2003,
except as provided by paragraph (g) of this AD. Repeat the
inspection at intervals not to exceed 3,500 flight cycles.
(g) Although the service bulletin referred to in this AD
specifies to submit certain information to the manufacturer, this AD
does not include that requirement.
Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)
(h)(1) The Manager, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office (ACO),
FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested in
accordance with the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19.
(2) To request a different method of compliance or a different
compliance time
[[Page 44435]]
for this AD, follow the procedures in 14 CFR 39.19. Before using any
approved AMOC on any airplane to which the AMOC applies, notify your
appropriate principal inspector (PI) in the FAA Flight Standards
District Office (FSDO), or lacking a PI, your local FSDO.
Issued in Renton, Washington, on July 30, 2007.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. E7-15426 Filed 8-7-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P