38550 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 124 / Thursday, June 27, 2013 / Rules and Regulations 

August 18, 2008, excluding Figure 2 sheets 

1 and 4. 

(ii) Reserved. 

(3) For BHTC service information 

identified in this AD, contact Bell Helicopter 

Textron Canada Limited, 12,800 Rue de 

l’Avenir, Mirabel, Quebec J7J1R4; telephone 

(450) 437–2862 or (800) 363–8023; fax (450) 

433–0272; or at http:// 

www.bellcustomer.com/files/. 

(4) You may view this service information 

at FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, 

Southwest Region, 2601 Meacham Blvd., 

Room 663, Fort Worth, Texas 76137. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call (817) 222–5110. 

(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, call 

(202) 741–6030, or go to: http://www.

archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibrlocations.html. 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on June 3, 

2013. 

Kim Smith, 

Directorate Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2013–14857 Filed 6–26–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2013–0205; Directorate 

Identifier 2012–NM–226–AD; Amendment 

39–17493; AD 2013–13–05] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing 

Company Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for all The 

Boeing Company Model 747SP series 

airplanes, and certain The Boeing 

Company Model 747–100B SUD and 

747–300 series airplanes. This AD was 

prompted by an evaluation by the 

design approval holder indicating that 

the fuselage skin just above certain lap 

splice locations is subject to widespread 

fatigue damage. This AD requires 

repetitive inspections for cracking of the 

fuselage skin above certain lap splice 

locations, and repair if necessary. We 

are issuing this AD to detect and correct 

fatigue cracking of the fuselage skin, 

which could result in reduced structural 

integrity of the airplane and sudden loss 

of cabin pressure. 

DATES: This AD is effective August 1, 

2013. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain publication listed in the AD 

as of August 1, 2013. 

ADDRESSES: For service information 

identified in this AD, contact Boeing 

Commercial Airplanes, Attention: Data 

& Services Management, P. O. Box 3707, 

MC 2H–65, Seattle, WA 98124–2207; 

telephone 206–544–5000, extension 1; 

fax 206–766–5680; Internet https:// 

www.myboeingfleet.com. You may 

review copies of the service information 

at the FAA, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., 

Renton, WA. For information on the 

availability of this material at the FAA, 

call 425–227–1221. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the Internet at http:// 

www.regulations.gov; or in person at the 

Docket Management Facility between 9 

a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 

Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD 

docket contains this AD, the regulatory 

evaluation, any comments received, and 

other information. The address for the 

Docket Office (phone: 800–647–5527) is 

Document Management Facility, U.S. 

Department of Transportation, Docket 

Operations, M–30, West Building 

Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, 

DC 20590. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Nathan Weigand, Aerospace Engineer, 

Airframe Branch, ANM–120S, FAA, 

Seattle Aircraft Certification Office 

(ACO), 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, 

WA 98057–3356; phone: 425–917–6428; 

fax: 425–917–6590; email: 

Nathan.P.Weigand@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

We issued a notice of proposed 

rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 

part 39 to include an AD that would 

apply to the specified products. That 

NPRM published in the Federal 

Register on March 7, 2013 (78 FR 

14719). That NPRM proposed to require 

repetitive inspections for cracking of the 

fuselage skin above certain lap splice 

locations, and repair if necessary. 

Comments 

We gave the public the opportunity to 

participate in developing this AD. We 

have considered the comment received. 

Boeing supported the NPRM (78 FR 

14719, March 7, 2013). 

Conclusion 

We reviewed the relevant data, 

considered the comment received, and 

determined that air safety and the 

public interest require adopting the AD 

as proposed–except for minor editorial 

changes. We have determined that these 

minor changes: 

• Are consistent with the intent that 

was proposed in the NPRM (78 FR 

14719, March 7, 2013) for correcting the 

unsafe condition; and 

• Do not add any additional burden 

upon the public than was already 

proposed in the NPRM (78 FR 14719, 

March 7, 2013). 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this AD affects 4 

airplanes of U.S. registry. 

We estimate the following costs to 

comply with this AD: 

ESTIMATED COSTS

Action Labor cost Parts 

cost Cost per product Cost on U.S. operators 

Inspection ............................................ Up to 57 work-hours × $85 per hour 

= $4,845, per inspection cycle.

$0 Up to $4,845, per inspection cycle.Up to $19,380, per inspection cycle. 

We have received no definitive data 

that would enable us to provide 

coststimates for the on-condition actions 

specified in this 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. 

We are issuing this rulemaking under 

the authority described in Subtitle VII, 


TKELLEY on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with RULES
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 124 / Thursday, June 27, 2013 / Rules and Regulations 38551 

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 

This AD will not have federalism 

implications under Executive Order 

13132. This AD will 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 this AD: 

(1) Is not a ‘‘significant regulatory 

action’’ under Executive Order 12866, 

(2) Is not a ‘‘significant rule’’ under 

DOT Regulatory Policies and Procedures 

(44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979), 

(3) Will not affect intrastate aviation 

in Alaska, and 

(4) 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. 

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39 

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation 

safety, Incorporation by reference, 

Safety. 

Adoption of the Amendment 

Accordingly, under the authority 

delegated to me by the Administrator, 

the FAA amends 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 FAA amends § 39.13 by adding 

the following new airworthiness 

directive (AD): 

2013–13–05 The Boeing Company: 

Amendment 39–17493; Docket No. FAA– 

2013–0205; Directorate Identifier 2012–NM– 

226–AD. 

(a) Effective Date 

This AD is effective August 1, 2013. 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to The Boeing Company 

airplanes, certificated in any category, 

identified in paragraphs (c)(1), (c)(2), and 

(c)(3) of this AD. 

(1) All Model 747SP airplanes. 

(2) Model 747–100B SUD airplanes, line 

numbers 636 and 655. 

(3) Model 747–300 airplanes, line numbers 

692 through 695 inclusive. 

(d) Subject 

Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC)/ 

Air Transport Association (ATA) of America 

Code 53, Fuselage. 

(e) Unsafe Condition 

This AD was prompted by an evaluation by 

the design approval holder indicating that 

the fuselage skin just above certain lap splice 

locations is subject to widespread fatigue 

damage. We are issuing this AD to detect and 

correct fatigue cracking of the fuselage skin, 

which could result in reduced structural 

integrity of the airplane and sudden loss of 

cabin pressure. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(g) Repetitive Inspections 

Perform external sliding probe eddy 

current inspections of the fuselage skin for 

cracking, in accordance with the 

Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert 

Service Bulletin 747–53A2854, dated 

September 17, 2012, except where this 

service bulletin specifies to contact Boeing 

for inspection instructions, this AD requires 

doing the inspection using a method 

approved in accordance with the procedures 

specified in paragraph (h) of this AD. Do the 

inspection at the applicable initial 

compliance time specified in paragraph 1.E., 

‘‘Compliance,’’ of Boeing Alert Service 

Bulletin 747–53A2854, dated September 17, 

2012, except that where this service bulletin 

specifies a compliance time after the 

‘‘original issue date of this service bulletin,’’ 

this AD requires compliance within the 

specified compliance time after the effective 

date of this AD. 

(1) If no cracking is found during any 

inspection required by paragraph (g) of this 

AD, repeat the inspection thereafter at the 

applicable intervals specified in paragraph 

1.E., ‘‘Compliance,’’ of Boeing Alert Service 

Bulletin 747–53A2854, dated September 17, 

2012. 

(2) If any cracking is found during any 

inspection required by paragraph (g) of this 

AD: Before further flight, repair the cracking 

using a method approved in accordance with 

the procedures specified in paragraph (h) of 

this AD. 

(h) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, Seattle Aircraft 

Certification Office (ACO), 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 local Flight Standards District Office, as 

appropriate. If sending information directly 

to the manager of the ACO, send it to the 

attention of the person identified in the 

Related Information section of this AD. 

Information may be emailed to: 9-ANMSeattle-ACO-AMOC-Requests@faa.gov. 

(2) Before using any approved AMOC, 

notify your appropriate principal inspector, 

or lacking a principal inspector, the manager 

of the local flight standards district office/ 

certificate holding district office. 

(3) An AMOC that provides an acceptable 

level of safety may be used for any repair 

required by this AD if it is approved by the 

Boeing Commercial Airplanes Organization 

Designation Authorization (ODA) that has 

been authorized by the Manager, Seattle 

ACO, to make those findings. For a repair 

method to be approved, the repair must meet 

the certification basis of the airplane, and the 

approval must specifically refer to this AD. 

(i) Related Information 

For more information about this AD, 

contact Nathan Weigand, Aerospace 

Engineer, Airframe Branch, ANM–120S, 

FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office 

(ACO), 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 

98057–3356; phone: 425–917–6428; fax: 425– 

917–6590; email: 

Nathan.P.Weigand@faa.gov. 

(j) 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 Service Bulletin 747– 

53A2854, dated September 17, 2012. 

(ii) Reserved. 

(3) For Boeing service information 

identified in this AD, Boeing Commercial 

Airplanes, Attention: Data & Services 

Management, P. O. Box 3707, MC 2H–65, 

Seattle, WA 98124–2207; telephone 206– 

544–5000, extension 1; fax 206–766–5680; 

Internet https://www.myboeingfleet.com. 

(4) You may review this service 

information at the FAA, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, 

WA. For information on the availability of 

this material at the FAA, call 425–227–1221. 

(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, call 

202–741–6030, or go to: http:// 

www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibrlocations.html. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on June 12, 

2013. 

Jeffrey E. Duven, 

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2013–15179 Filed 6–26–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 


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