Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 217 / Wednesday, November 10, 2004 / Proposed Rules 65099

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. 

Service Bulletin Reference 

(f) The term ‘‘service bulletin,’’ as used in 

this AD, means the Accomplishment 

Instructions of the service bulletin in 

paragraph (f)(1) or (f)(2) of this AD, as 

applicable. These service bulletins specify to 

submit certain information to the 

manufacturer, but this AD does not include 

that requirement. 

(1) For Model A300 B2 and B4 series 

airplanes: Airbus Service Bulletin A300–57–

0240, including Appendix 01, dated April 7, 

2003. 

(2) For Model A300 B4–600, B4–600R, and 

F4–600R series airplanes, and Model C4–

605R Variant F airplanes (collectively called 

A300–600): Airbus Service Bulletin A300–

57–6095, including Appendix 01, dated April 

7, 2003. 

Inspections 

(g) Do an inspection, using a borescope or 

endoscope, for cracking of the vertical 

stiffeners of nose rib 7 of the inner flap of the 

left- and right-hand wings in accordance with 

the Accomplishment Instructions of the 

service bulletin. Do the initial inspection at 

the applicable compliance time specified in 

paragraph (g)(1) or (g)(2) of this AD. 

(1) For airplanes with 18,599 or fewer total 

flight cycles as of the effective date of this 

AD: Prior to the accumulation of 5,000 total 

flight cycles, or within 1,000 flight cycles 

after the effective date of this AD, whichever 

is later. 

(2) For airplanes with 18,600 or more total 

flight cycles as of the effective date of this 

AD: Within 500 flight cycles after the 

effective date of this AD. 

Repetitive Inspections 

(h) If no cracking is found during the 

inspection required by paragraph (g) of this 

AD: Repeat the inspection at intervals not to 

exceed 1,000 flight cycles. 

Related Investigative/Corrective Actions 

(i) If any cracking is found during any 

inspection required by paragraph (g) or (h) of 

this AD: Before further flight, accomplish all 

related investigative and corrective actions 

specified in the Accomplishment 

Instructions of the service bulletin, except as 

provided by paragraph (j) of this AD. Within 

5,000 flight cycles after doing the repair 

specified in the service bulletin, do the 

inspection in paragraph (g) of this AD, and 

thereafter, repeat the inspection, as 

applicable, at intervals not to exceed 1,000 

flight cycles. 

(j) If any cracking is found for which the 

service bulletin specifies to contact Airbus: 

Before further flight, repair per a method 

approved by either the Manager, 

International Branch, ANM–116, FAA, 

Transport Airplane Directorate; or the 

Direction Ge ́ne ́rale de l’Aviation Civile (or its 

delegated agent). 

Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(k) The Manager, International Branch, 

ANM–116, has the authority to approve 

AMOCs for this AD, if requested in 

accordance with the procedures found in 14 

CFR 39.19. 

Related Information 

(l) French airworthiness directive 2003–

410(B), dated October 29, 2003, also 

addresses the subject of this AD.

Issued in Renton, Washington, on 

November 1, 2004. 

Kalene C. Yanamura, 

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 04–25030 Filed 11–9–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA–2004–19567; Directorate 

Identifier 2004–NM–118–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Boeing 

Model 737–200, –200C, –300, –400, 

–500, –600, –700, –700C, –800, and 

–900 Series Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a 

new airworthiness directive (AD) for 

certain Boeing Model 737–200, –200C, 

–300, –400, –500, –600, –700, –700C, 

–800, and –900 series airplanes. This 

proposed AD would require a one-time 

detailed inspection for discrepancies of 

the secondary fuel vapor barrier of the 

wing center section, and related 

investigative/corrective actions if 

necessary. This proposed AD is 

prompted by reports that the secondary 

fuel vapor barrier was not applied 

correctly to, or was missing from, 

certain areas of the wing center section. 

We are proposing this AD to prevent 

fuel or fuel vapors from leaking into the 

cargo or passenger compartments and 

coming into contact with a possible 

ignition source, which could result in 

fire or explosion.

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by December 27, 

2004.

ADDRESSES: Use one of the following 

addresses to submit comments on this 

proposed AD. 

• DOT Docket Web site: Go to

http://dms.dot.gov and follow the 

instructions for sending your comments 

electronically. 

• Government-wide rulemaking Web 

site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov

and follow the instructions for sending 

your comments electronically. 

• Mail: Docket Management Facility, 

U.S. Department of Transportation, 400 

Seventh Street SW, Nassif Building, 

room PL–401, Washington, DC 20590. 

• By fax: (202) 493–2251. 

• Hand Delivery: Room PL–401 on 

the plaza level of the Nassif Building, 

400 Seventh Street SW, Washington, 

DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday 

through Friday, except Federal holidays. 

You can get the service information 

identified in this proposed AD from 

Boeing Commercial Airplanes, PO Box 

3707, Seattle, Washington 98124–2207. 

You can examine the contents of this 

AD docket on the Internet at http://

dms.dot.gov, or at the Docket 

Management Facility, U.S. Department 

of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street 

SW, room PL–401, on the plaza level of 

the Nassif Building, Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Technical information: Doug Pegors, 

Aerospace Engineer, Propulsion Branch, 

ANM–140S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft 

Certification Office, 1601 Lind Avenue, 

SW., Renton, Washington 98055–4056; 

telephone (425) 917–6504; fax (425) 

917–6590. 

Plain language information: Marcia 

Walters, marcia.walters@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Docket Management System (DMS) 

The FAA has implemented new 

procedures for maintaining AD dockets 

electronically. As of May 17, 2004, new 

AD actions are posted on DMS and 

assigned a docket number. We track 

each action and assign a corresponding 

directorate identifier. The DMS AD 

docket number is in the form ‘‘Docket 

No. FAA–2004–99999.’’ The Transport 

Airplane Directorate identifier is in the 

form ‘‘Directorate Identifier 2004-NM–

999-AD.’’ Each DMS AD docket also 

lists the directorate identifier (‘‘Old 

Docket Number’’) as a cross-reference 

for searching purposes.

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 under 

ADDRESSES. Include ‘‘Docket No. FAA–

2004–19567; Directorate Identifier 2004-

NM–118-AD’’ in the subject line of your 

comments. We specifically invite 

comments on the overall regulatory, 

economic, environmental, and energy 

aspects of the proposed AD. We will 

65100 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 217 / Wednesday, November 10, 2004 / Proposed Rules 

consider all comments submitted 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 http://

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 

website, 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 can 

review DOT’s complete Privacy Act 

Statement in the Federal Register

published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 

19477–78), or you can visit http://

dms.dot.gov.

We are reviewing the writing style we 

currently use in regulatory documents. 

We are interested in your comments on 

whether the style of this document is 

clear, and your suggestions to improve 

the clarity of our communications that 

affect you. You can get more 

information about plain language at 

http://www.faa.gov/language and http://

www.plainlanguage.gov.

Examining the Docket 

You can examine the AD docket in 

person at the Docket Management 

Facility office between 9:00 a.m. and 

5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal holidays. The Docket 

Management Facility office (telephone 

(800) 647–5227) is located on the plaza 

level of the Nassif Building at the DOT 

street address stated in the ADDRESSES

section. Comments will be available in 

the AD docket shortly after the DMS 

receives them. 

Discussion 

We have received a report indicating 

that, during manufacture, the secondary 

fuel vapor barrier was not applied 

correctly to the wing center section front 

spar and upper panel of certain Boeing 

Model 737–300 series airplanes. The 

vapor barrier was also not applied 

continuously along the front spar 

vertical stiffeners and the top panel 

floor beams. In addition, inspections of 

Boeing Model 737–600, –700, and –800 

series airplanes revealed these same 

conditions. The secondary fuel vapor 

barrier was also missing from the side 

body corner of the spar upper panel of 

the wing center section and the lower 

row of fasteners on the front spar. The 

vapor barrier on these airplanes also 

was too thin in some areas and too thick 

in other areas of the top panel and front 

spar. This condition, if not corrected, 

could result in fuel or fuel vapors 

leaking through fasteners or cracks in 

the wing center section into the cargo or 

passenger compartments and coming 

into contact with a possible ignition 

source, which could result in fire or 

explosion. 

The vapor barrier installations on 

Boeing Model 737–300 series airplanes 

are identical to those on Model 737–

200, –200C, –400, and –500 series 

airplanes, and the vapor barrier 

installations on Model 737–600, –700, 

and –800 series airplanes are identical 

to those on Model 737–700C, and –900 

series airplanes. Therefore, all of these 

models may be subject to the identified 

unsafe condition. 

Relevant Service Information 

We have reviewed Boeing Special 

Attention Service Bulletin 737–57–

1261, dated February 27, 2003; and 

Boeing Special Attention Service 

Bulletin 737–57–1250, Revision 1, dated 

September 4, 2003. The service bulletins 

describe procedures for a one-time 

detailed visual inspection for 

discrepancies of the secondary fuel 

vapor barrier of the front spar and top 

panel of the wing center section; and 

related investigative/corrective actions, 

if necessary. Discrepancies include 

areas of the secondary fuel vapor barrier 

that are missing, peeling, nontransparent, non-continuous, too thin, 

or too thick. Investigative action 

includes measuring the thickness of the 

secondary fuel vapor barrier with a nonconductive coating thickness gauge. 

Corrective actions include removing 

incorrectly applied secondary fuel vapor 

barrier, primers, sealants, corrosion 

inhibitors, and embedded metallic 

particles; and applying new primers, 

sealants, corrosion inhibitors, filleting 

seals, and secondary fuel vapor barrier; 

as necessary. 

Accomplishing the actions specified 

in the service bulletins 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. Therefore, we are 

proposing this AD to require a one-time 

detailed inspection for discrepancies of 

the secondary fuel vapor barrier of the 

wing center section, and related 

investigative/corrective actions if 

necessary. The proposed AD would 

require you to use the service 

information described previously to 

perform these actions except as 

specified under ‘‘Clarification of 

Inspection Terminology.’’

Clarification of Inspection Terminology 

In this proposed AD, the ‘‘detailed 

visual inspection’’ specified in the 

service bulletins is referred to as a 

‘‘detailed inspection.’’ We have 

included the definition for a detailed 

inspection in a note in the proposed AD. 

The service bulletins refer to a 

‘‘special detailed inspection’; however, 

this action is actually a measurement of 

the thickness of the secondary fuel 

vapor barrier using a non-conductive 

coating thickness gauge. The proposed 

AD would refer to this measurement of 

the secondary fuel vapor barrier as 

‘‘related investigative action’’ rather 

than a special detailed inspection. 

Costs of Compliance 

This proposed AD would affect about 

1,521 airplanes of U.S. registry and 

3,861 airplanes worldwide. We estimate 

the average labor rate to be $65 per work 

hour. We estimate that it would take the 

number of work hours shown in the 

following table to accomplish the 

proposed actions for each airplane. Parts 

and materials are standard and are to be 

supplied by the operator. Based on these 

figures, the cost impact of the proposed 

AD is estimated to range between $325 

and $910 per airplane.

ESTIMATED WORK HOURS

Affected

airplanes

as listed in 

Airplane

group 

Work

hours 

Boeing Special Attention 

Service Bulletin 737–

57–1250, Revision 1, 

dated September 4, 

2003 ............................ 1 

2 

3

14 

12 

5 

Boeing Special Attention 

Service Bulletin 737–

57–1261, dated February 27, 2003 ............. 1 

2

14 

7 

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: 

Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 217 / Wednesday, November 10, 2004 / Proposed Rules 65101

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. 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.

§ 39.13 [Amended] 

2. The FAA amends § 39.13 by adding 

the following new airworthiness 

directive (AD):

Boeing: Docket No. FAA–2004–19567; 

Directorate Identifier 2004–NM–118–AD. 

Comments Due Date 

(a) The Federal Aviation Administration 

(FAA) must receive comments on this AD 

action by December 27, 2004. 

Affected ADs 

(b) None. 

Applicability 

(c) This AD applies to the airplanes listed 

in Table 1 of this AD, certificated in any 

category:

TABLE 1.—APPLICABILITY

Model Line numbers 

737–200, –200C, –300, –400, and –500 series airplanes ................................. 311 through 3132 inclusive. 

737–600, –700, –700C, –800, and –900 series airplanes ................................. 1 through 1088 inclusive and 1090 through 1134 inclusive. 

Unsafe Condition 

(d) This AD is prompted by reports that the 

secondary fuel vapor barrier was not applied 

correctly to, or was missing from, certain 

areas of the wing center section. We are 

issuing this AD to prevent fuel or fuel vapors 

from leaking into the cargo or passenger 

compartments and coming into contact with 

a possible ignition source, which could result 

in fire or explosion. 

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. 

Service Bulletin References 

(f) The term ‘‘service bulletin,’’ as used in 

this AD, means the Accomplishment 

Instructions of the following service 

bulletins, as applicable: 

(1) For Model 737–200, –200C, –300, –400, 

and –500 series airplanes: Boeing Special 

Attention Service Bulletin 737–57–1261, 

dated February 27, 2003; and 

(2) For Model 737–600, –700, –700C, –800, 

and –900 series airplanes: Boeing Special 

Attention Service Bulletin 737–57–1250, 

Revision 1, dated September 4, 2003. 

Inspection 

(g) Within 48 months after the effective 

date of this AD, do a one-time detailed 

inspection for discrepancies of the secondary 

fuel vapor barrier of the wing center section; 

and if discrepancies exist, before further 

flight, do any applicable related 

investigative/corrective actions in accordance 

with the Accomplishment Instructions of the 

applicable service bulletin.

Note 1: For the purposes of this AD, a 

detailed inspection is: ‘‘An intensive visual 

examination of a specific structural area, 

system, installation, or assembly to detect 

damage, failure, or irregularity. Available 

lighting is normally supplemented with a 

direct source of good lighting at intensity 

deemed appropriate by the inspector. 

Inspection aids such as mirror, magnifying 

lenses, etc., may be used. Surface cleaning 

and elaborate access procedures may be 

required.’’

Actions Accomplished per Previous Issue of 

Service Bulletin 

(h) Actions accomplished before the 

effective date of this AD in accordance with 

Boeing Special Attention Service Bulletin 

737–57–1250, dated February 7, 2002, are 

considered acceptable for compliance with 

the corresponding actions specified in 

paragraph (g) of this AD. 

Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(i) 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.

Issued in Renton, Washington, on 

November 1, 2004. 

Kalene C. Yanamura, 

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 04–25031 Filed 11–9–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA–2004–19562; Directorate 

Identifier 2004–NM–73–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Aerospatiale 

Model ATR 42–200, –300, and –320 

Series Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a 

new airworthiness directive (AD) for all 

Aerospatiale Model ATR 42–200, –300, 

and –320 series airplanes. This 

proposed AD would require inspecting 

to determine the part and serial number 

of the swinging lever of the main 

landing gears (MLG) and replacing the 

swinging lever if necessary. This 

proposed AD is prompted by a report 

that, on an airplane lined up for takeoff, 

the swinging lever of the left MLG 

collapsed when engine power was 

applied. We are proposing this AD to 

prevent fracture of the MLG swinging 

lever, which could result in collapse of 

the swinging lever and reduced 

structural integrity and possible 

collapse of the MLG during operations 

on the ground.

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by December 10, 

2004.