42962 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 141 / Monday, July 23, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 

(f) Special Flight Permits 

Special flight permits will not be issued. 

(g) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, Safety Management 

Group, FAA, may approve AMOCs for this 

AD. Send your proposal to: Sharon Miles, 

Aviation Safety Engineer, Regulations and 

Policy Group, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, 

2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76137; 

telephone (817) 222–5110; email 

sharon.y.miles@faa.gov. 

(2) For operations conducted under a 14 

CFR part 119 operating certificate or under 

14 CFR part 91, subpart K, we suggest that 

you notify your principal inspector, or 

lacking a principal inspector, the manager of 

the local flight standards district office or 

certificate holding district office before 

operating any aircraft complying with this 

AD through an AMOC. 

(h) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 6420: Tail Rotor Head. 

(i) 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) Able Engineering & Component Services 

Alert Service Bulletin No. 2012–001, 

Revision IR, dated March 7, 2012. 

(ii) Reserved. 

(3) For Able Engineering & Component 

Services service information identified in 

this AD, contact Able Engineering & 

Component Services, 2920 East Chambers 

Street, Phoenix, AZ 85040; telephone (602) 

304–1227; fax (602) 304–1277; email 

info@ableengineering.com. 

(4) You may view this service information 

at the FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, 

Southwest Region, 2601 Meacham Blvd., 

Room 663, Fort Worth, Texas 76137. 

(5) You may also view this service 

information 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/ 

code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_

locations.html. 

Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on July 2, 

2012. 

Kim Smith, 

Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft 

Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–17559 Filed 7–20–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2012–0149; Directorate 

Identifier 2011–NM–255–AD; Amendment 

39–17117; AD 2012–14–03] 

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 certain 

The Boeing Company Model 777–200 

and –300 series airplanes. This AD was 

prompted by reports of fatigue cracks in 

the lap joints, which initiated at scribe 

lines that were made during production 

when maskant was removed from the 

affected skin panels during the chemical 

milling process. This AD requires 

repetitive external phased-array 

ultrasonic inspections to detect cracks 

of the affected fuselage skin lap splices 

in Sections 41, 43, and 44, as applicable, 

and repair if necessary. We are issuing 


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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 141 / Monday, July 23, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 42963 

this AD to detect and correct such 

fatigue cracking, which could grow large 

and cause sudden decompression and 

the inability to sustain limit flight and 

pressure loads. 

DATES: This AD is effective August 27, 

2012. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain publication listed in the AD 

as of August 27, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: For service information 

identified in this AD, contact Boeing 

Commercial Airplanes, Attention: Data 

& Services Management, P.O. Box 3707, 

MC 2H–65, Seattle, Washington 98124– 

2207; telephone 206–544–5000, 

extension 1; fax 206–766–5680; Internet 

https://www.myboeingfleet.com. You 

may review copies of the referenced 

service information at the FAA, 

Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 

Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington. 

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: 

James Sutherland, Aerospace Engineer, 

Airframe Branch, ANM–120S, FAA, 

Seattle Aircraft Certification Office, 

1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, 

Washington 98057–3356; phone: 425– 

917–6533; fax: 425–917–6590; email: 

James.Sutherland@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 February 22, 2012 (77 FR 

10411). That NPRM proposed to require 

repetitive external phased-array 

ultrasonic inspections to detect cracks 

of the affected fuselage skin lap splices 

in Sections 41, 43, and 44, as applicable, 

and repair if necessary. 

Comments 

We gave the public the opportunity to 

participate in developing this AD. The 

following presents the comments 

received on the proposal (77 FR 10411, 

February 22, 2012) and the FAA’s 

response to each comment. 

Request To Allow Certain Repairs 

Boeing requested we add additional 

text to the end of paragraph (h)(2) of the 

NPRM (77 FR 10411, February 22, 2012) 

stating ‘‘* * * unless all cracked 

material has been completely removed 

and the repair is a reinforcing repair that 

has been FAA approved to [Federal 

Aviation Regulations] 14 CFR 25.571 

and 14 CFR 26.43 (c) or (d).’’ Boeing 

stated that reinforcing repairs which are 

FAA approved to 14 CFR 25.571 at the 

certification basis for the subject Model 

777 airplanes and 14 CFR 26.43(c) or (d) 

must have been evaluated for damage 

tolerance, and would have the damage 

tolerance inspection requirements in 

place in order to maintain the safety of 

the airplane at the repaired area. Boeing 

asserted that the requirement to obtain 

an alternative method of compliance 

(AMOC) approval for such repairs 

would therefore not be required to 

ensure the safety of the repaired 

airplane. 

We disagree. The change proposed by 

Boeing would only require compliance 

for two certain regulations and would 

not require other necessary regulatory 

standards. The requirements defined in 

the existing AMOC delegation authority 

include other FAA regulations and 

manufacturer’s design considerations 

beyond those listed on the airplane type 

certificate data sheet. We have not 

changed the final rule in this regard. 

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. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this AD affects 46 

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 

Inspections for Group 1 airplanes (25 airplanes).126 work-hours × $85 per 

hour = $10,710 per inspection cycle.

$0 $10,710 per inspection cycle $267,750 per inspection 

cycle. 

Inspections for Group 2 airplanes (21 airplanes).50 work-hours × $85 per hour 

= $4,250 per inspection 

cycle.

0 $4,250 per inspection cycle ... $89,250 per inspection cycle. 

We have received no definitive data 

that would enable us to provide cost 

estimates for the on-condition repair. 

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 

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. 

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42964 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 141 / Monday, July 23, 2012 / Rules and Regulations 

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): 

2012–14–03 The Boeing Company: 

Amendment 39–17117; Docket No. 

FAA–2012–0149; Directorate Identifier 

2011–NM–255–AD. 

(a) Effective Date 

This AD is effective August 27, 2012. 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to The Boeing Company 

Model 777–200 and –300 series airplanes, 

certificated in any category, as identified in 

Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 777–53A0043, 

dated November 9, 2011. 

(d) Subject 

Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC)/ 

Air Transport Association (ATA) of America 

Code 53, Fuselage. 

(e) Unsafe Condition 

This AD was prompted by reports of 

fatigue cracks in the lap joints, which 

initiated at scribe lines that were made 

during production when maskant was 

removed from the affected skin panels during 

the chemical milling process. We are issuing 

this AD to detect and correct such fatigue 

cracking, which could grow large and cause 

sudden decompression and the inability to 

sustain limit flight and pressure loads. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(g) Inspections and Repair 

Except as provided by paragraph (h)(1) of 

this AD, at the applicable time identified in 

paragraph 1.E., ‘‘Compliance,’’ of Boeing 

Alert Service Bulletin 777–53A0043, dated 

November 9, 2011: Do external phased-array 

ultrasonic inspections to detect cracks of the 

affected fuselage skin lap splices in Sections 

41, 43, and 44, as applicable, in accordance 

with the Accomplishment Instructions of 

Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 777–53A0043, 

dated November 9, 2011. If any crack is 

found, before further flight, repair in 

accordance with the Accomplishment 

Instructions of Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 

777–53A0043, dated November 9, 2011; 

except as required by paragraph (h)(2) of this 

AD. Repeat the inspections of unrepaired 

areas thereafter at intervals not to exceed 

4,200 flight cycles. 

(h) Exception to Service Information 

(1) Where Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 

777–53A0043, dated November 9, 2011, 

specifies a compliance time ‘‘after the 

original issue date on this service bulletin,’’ 

this AD requires compliance within the 

specified compliance time after the effective 

date of this AD. 

(2) Where Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 

777–53A0043, dated November 9, 2011, 

specifies that ‘‘other approved methods’’ may 

be used to install a repair, this AD requires 

that the repair be done using a method 

approved in accordance with the procedures 

specified in paragraph (i) of this AD. 

(i) 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. 

(j) Related Information 

For more information about this AD, 

contact James Sutherland, Aerospace 

Engineer, Airframe Branch, ANM–120S, 

FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office, 

1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 

98057–3356; phone: 425–917–6533; fax: 425– 

917–6590; email: James.Sutherland@faa.gov. 

(k) Material Incorporated by Reference 

(1) You must use the following service 

information to do the actions required by this 

AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise. The 

Director of the Federal Register approved the 

incorporation by reference (IBR) of the 

following service information under 5 U.S.C. 

552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. 

(i) Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 777– 

53A0043, dated November 9, 2011. 

(ii) Reserved. 

(2) For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Boeing Commercial 

Airplanes, Attention: Data & Services 

Management, P.O. Box 3707, MC 2H–65, 

Seattle, Washington 98124–2207; telephone 

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

5680; Internet https:// 

www.myboeingfleet.com. 

(3) You may review copies of the 

referenced service information at the FAA, 

Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind 

Avenue SW., Renton, Washington. For 

information on the availability of this 

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

(4) You may also review copies of the 

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/ibr-locations.html. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on June 28, 

2012. 

Kalene C. Yanamura, 

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–16964 Filed 7–20–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2011–0304; Directorate 

Identifier 2010–NM–103–AD; Amendment 

39–17095; AD 2012–12–15] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing 

Company Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are superseding an 

existing airworthiness directive (AD) for 

The Boeing Company Model 757 

Airplanes. That AD currently requires 

revising the Airworthiness Limitations 

(AWLs) section of the Instructions for 

Continued Airworthiness by 

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