Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 7 / Tuesday, January 12, 2010 / Rules and Regulations 1533 

inspector, your local FSDO. The AMOC 

approval letter must specifically reference 

this AD. 

(3) AMOCs approved previously in 

accordance with AD 2008–10–10 are 

approved as AMOCs for the corresponding 

provisions of this AD. 

Material Incorporated by Reference 

(n) You must use Boeing Temporary 

Revision 09–020, dated March 2008, to the 

Boeing 737–600/700/800/900 Maintenance 

Planning Data (MPD) Document D626A001– 

CMR; or Section 9, Revision September 2009, 

dated September 2009, of the Boeing 737– 

600/700/800/900 MPD Document, 

D626A001–CMR; to do the actions required 

by this AD, unless the AD specifies 

otherwise. 

(1) The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference of 

Section 9, Revision September 2009, dated 

September 2009, of the Boeing 737–600/700/ 

800/900 MPD Document, D626A001–CMR, 

under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. 

(2) The Director of the Federal Register 

previously approved the incorporation by 

reference of Boeing Temporary Revision 09– 

020, dated March 2008, to the Boeing 737– 

600/700/800/900 Maintenance Planning Data 

(MPD) Document, D626A001–CMR, on June 

12, 2008 (73 FR 25986, May 8, 2008). 

(3) 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; e-mail me.boecom@boeing.com; 

Internet https://www.myboeingfleet.com. 

(4) You may review copies of the 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 or 425–227–1152. 

(5) 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/ 

code_of_federal_regulations/ 

ibr_locations.html. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on 

December 23, 2009. 

Ali Bahrami, 

Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. E9–31031 Filed 1–11–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2009–0655; Directorate 

Identifier 2008–NM–192–AD; Amendment 

39–16157; AD 2010–01–01] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing 

Company Model 747–200F, 747–200C, 

747–400, 747–400D, and 747–400F 

Series Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: The FAA is superseding an 

existing airworthiness directive (AD), 

which applies to all Model 747–200F, 

747–200C, 747–400, 747–400D, and 

747–400F series airplanes. That AD 

currently requires repetitive inspections 

for cracking of certain fuselage internal 

structure (i.e., Sections 42 and 46 

fuselage frames, upper deck floor beams, 

electronic bay access door cutout, nose 

wheel well, and main entry doors and 

door cutouts), and repair if necessary. 

This new AD requires additional 

repetitive inspections for cracking of 

certain fuselage structure (i.e., Section 

41 fuselage frames where they connect 

to upper deck floor beams, and Section 

41 fuselage frames between stringers (S– 

8 and S–12)), and related investigative/ 

corrective actions if necessary. This AD 

also reduces the inspection threshold 

and repetitive inspection intervals for 

certain airplanes. This AD results from 

fatigue tests and analysis that identified 

additional areas of the fuselage where 

fatigue cracks can occur. We are issuing 

this AD to prevent the loss of structural 

integrity of the fuselage, which could 

result in rapid depressurization of the 

airplane. 

DATES: This AD becomes effective 

February 16, 2010. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain publication listed in the AD 

as of February 16, 2010. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747– 

53A2500, dated December 21, 2004, as 

of April 6, 2006 (71 FR 10605, March 2, 

2006). 

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; e-mail 

me.boecom@boeing.com; Internet 

https://www.myboeingfleet.com. 

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 (telephone 800–647–5527) 

is the 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: Ivan 

Li, Aerospace Engineer, Airframe 

Branch, ANM–120S, FAA, Seattle 

Aircraft Certification Office, 1601 Lind 

Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 

98057–3356; telephone (425) 917–6437; 

fax (425) 917–6590. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

The FAA issued a notice of proposed 

rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 

part 39 to include an AD that 

supersedes AD 2006–05–02, 

Amendment 39–14499 (71 FR 10605, 

March 2, 2006). The existing AD applies 

to all Model 747–200F, 747–200C, 747– 

400, 747–400D, and 747–400F series 

airplanes. That NPRM was published in 

the Federal Register on July 23, 2009 

(74 FR 36417). That NPRM proposed to 

continue to require repetitive 

inspections for cracking of certain 

fuselage internal structure (i.e., Sections 

42 and 46 fuselage frames, upper deck 

floor beams, electronic bay access door 

cutout, nose wheel well, and main entry 

doors and door cutouts), and repair if 

necessary. That NPRM proposed to 

require additional repetitive inspections 

for cracking of certain fuselage structure 

(i.e., Section 41 fuselage frames where 

they connect to upper deck floor beams, 

and Section 41 fuselage frames between 

stringer (S–8 and S–12)), and related 

investigative/corrective actions if 

necessary. That NPRM also proposed to 

reduce the inspection threshold and 

repetitive inspection intervals for 

certain airplanes. That NPRM resulted 

from fatigue tests and analysis that 

identified areas of the fuselage where 

fatigue cracks can occur. 

Comments 

We provided the public the 

opportunity to participate in the 

development of this AD. We have 

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1534 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 7 / Tuesday, January 12, 2010 / Rules and Regulations 

considered the comments that have 

been received on the NPRM. 

Request To Revise References in 

Paragraph (m)(4) of the NPRM 

Boeing requests that paragraph (m)(4) 

of the NPRM be revised to reference 

paragraphs (h) and (i)—not paragraphs 

(c) and (d). Boeing states that in AD 

2004–07–22 R1, Amendment 39–15326 

(73 FR 1052, January 7, 2008), paragraph 

identifiers (c) and (d) were revised to (h) 

and (i). 

We agree. We have revised paragraph 

(m)(4) of this final rule accordingly. In 

addition, we have revised paragraph 

(m)(4)(i) of this AD to change the 

reference from paragraph (d) to 

paragraph (i) of AD 2004–07–22 R1. 

Boeing also requests that paragraph 

(m)(4)(ii) of the NPRM be revised to add 

a reference to Boeing Alert Service 

Bulletin 747–53A2500, Revision 1, 

dated September 25, 2008. Boeing states 

that both the original and Revision 1 of 

Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747– 

53A2500 provide inspections that are an 

AMOC to AD 2004–07–22 R1. 

We agree for the reasons provided by 

the commenter. We have revised 

paragraph (m)(4)(ii) of this AD 

accordingly. 

Conclusion 

We have carefully reviewed the 

available data, including the comments 

that have been received, and determined 

that air safety and the public interest 

require adopting the AD with the 

changes described previously. We have 

determined that these changes will 

neither increase the economic burden 

on any operator nor increase the scope 

of the AD. 

Explanation of Changes Made to This 

AD 

We have revised this AD to identify 

the legal name of the manufacturer as 

published in the most recent type 

certificate data sheet for the affected 

airplane models. 

Costs of Compliance 

There are about 640 airplanes of the 

affected design in the worldwide fleet. 

The following table provides the 

estimated costs for U.S. operators to 

comply with this AD. The average labor 

rate is $80 per work hour. 

ESTIMATED COSTS

Action Work hours Parts Cost per airplane 

Number of 

U.S.-registered 

airplanes 

Fleet cost 

Inspections (required by 

AD 2006–05–02).

260 None required ................. $20,800 per inspection 

cycle.

71 $1,476,800 per inspection cycle. 

Inspections of additional 

areas (new required action).

7 None required ................. $560 per inspection cycle 71 $39,760 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 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); 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 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, 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 Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA) amends § 39.13 

by removing Amendment 39–14499 (71 

FR 10605, March 2, 2006) and by adding 

the following new airworthiness 

directive (AD): 

2010–01–01 The Boeing Company: 

Amendment 39–16157. Docket No. 

FAA–2009–0655; Directorate Identifier 

2008–NM–192–AD. 

Effective Date 

(a) This AD becomes effective February 16, 

2010. 

Affected ADs 

(b) This AD supersedes AD 2006–05–02, 

Amendment 39–14499. 

Applicability 

(c) This AD applies to all The Boeing 

Company Model 747–200F, 747–200C, 747– 

400, 747–400D, and 747–400F series 

airplanes; certificated in any category. 

Subject 

(d) Air Transport Association (ATA) of 

America Code 53: Fuselage. 

Unsafe Condition 

(e) This AD results from fatigue tests and 

analysis that identified additional areas of 

the fuselage where fatigue cracks can occur. 

We are issuing this AD to prevent the loss of 

structural integrity of the fuselage, which 

could result in rapid depressurization of the 

airplane. 

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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 7 / Tuesday, January 12, 2010 / Rules and Regulations 1535 

Compliance 

(f) You are responsible for having the 

actions required by this AD performed within 

the compliance times specified, unless the 

actions have already been done. 

Restatement of Requirements of AD 2006– 

05–02, With Updated Service Information 

and Reduced Compliance Times for Group 

8 Airplanes 

Inspections 

(g) Do initial and repetitive inspections for 

fuselage cracks using applicable internal and 

external detailed inspection methods, and 

repair all cracks, by doing all the actions 

specified in the Accomplishment 

Instructions of Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 

747–53A2500, dated December 21, 2004; or 

Revision 1, dated September 25, 2008; except 

as required by paragraph (h) or provided by 

paragraph (l) of this AD. After the effective 

date of this AD, Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 

747–53A2500, Revision 1, dated September 

25, 2008, must be used. Do the initial and 

repetitive inspections at the applicable times 

specified in paragraph (g)(1) or (g)(2) of this 

AD, except as required by paragraph (j) of 

this AD. Repair any crack before further flight 

after detection. 

(1) For Groups 1 through 7, 9, and 10 

identified in Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 

747–53A2500, Revision 1, dated September 

25, 2008: Do the initial and repetitive 

inspections at the times specified in 

paragraph 1.E. of Boeing Alert Service 

Bulletin 747–53A2500, dated December 21, 

2004, except as required by paragraph (i) of 

this AD. 

(2) For Group 8 airplanes identified in 

Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747–53A2500, 

Revision 1, dated September 25, 2008: Do the 

initial and repetitive inspections at the 

applicable time specified in paragraph 1.E. of 

Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747–53A2500, 

Revision 1, dated September 25, 2008, except 

as required by paragraph (k) of this AD. 

Exceptions to Service Bulletin Procedures 

(h) If any crack is found during any 

inspection required by this AD, and Boeing 

Alert Service Bulletin 747–53A2500, dated 

December 21, 2004; or Revision 1, dated 

September 25, 2008; specifies to contact 

Boeing for appropriate action: Before further 

flight, repair the crack using a method 

approved in accordance with the procedures 

specified in paragraph (m) of this AD. 

(i) Where Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 

747–53A2500, dated December 21, 2004; or 

Revision 1, dated September 25, 2008; 

specifies a compliance time after the date on 

the original issue of the service bulletin, this 

AD requires compliance within the specified 

compliance time after April 6, 2006 (the 

effective date of AD 2006–05–02). 

New Requirements of This AD 

Actions for Additional Areas 

(j) For the additional inspection areas of 

Groups 1 through 7, 9, and 10 airplanes, 

identified in Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 

747–53A2500, Revision 1, dated September 

25, 2008: Do initial and repetitive inspections 

for cracking of the inspection areas, and, as 

applicable, repair cracking, by doing all the 

actions specified in the Accomplishment 

Instructions of Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 

747–53A2500, Revision 1, dated September 

25, 2008; except as required by paragraph (h) 

of this AD. Do the initial and repetitive 

inspections at the times specified in 

paragraph 1.E. of Boeing Alert Service 

Bulletin 747–53A2500, Revision 1, dated 

September 25, 2008, except as required by 

paragraph (k) of this AD. Repair all cracking 

before further flight. 

(k) Where Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 

747–53A2500, Revision 1, dated September 

25, 2008, specifies a compliance time after 

the date on Revision 1 of the service bulletin, 

this AD requires compliance within the 

specified compliance time after the effective 

date of this AD. 

(l) For Group 8 airplanes, inspection of 

Areas 2 and 5 identified in Boeing Alert 

Service Bulletin 747–53A2500, dated 

December 21, 2004, as required by paragraph 

(g) of this AD, is no longer required. 

Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(m)(1) The Manager, Seattle ACO, FAA, 

has the authority to approve AMOCs for this 

AD, if requested using the procedures found 

in 14 CFR 39.19. Send information to ATTN: 

Ivan Li, Aerospace Engineer, Airframe 

Branch, ANM–120S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft 

Certification Office, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., 

Renton, Washington 98057–3356; telephone 

(425) 917–6437; fax (425) 917–6590. Or, email information to 9-ANM-Seattle-ACOAMOC-Requests@faa.gov. 

(2) To request a different method of 

compliance or a different compliance time 

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 principal maintenance inspector 

(PMI) or principal avionics inspector (PAI), 

as appropriate, or lacking a principal 

inspector, your local Flight Standards District 

Office. The AMOC approval letter must 

specifically reference this AD. 

(3) AMOCs approved previously in 

accordance with AD 2006–05–02 are 

approved as alternative methods of 

compliance with the corresponding 

requirements of this AD. 

(4) Accomplishment of the inspections 

specified in this AD is considered an AMOC 

for the applicable requirements of paragraphs 

(h) and (i) of AD 2004–07–22 R1, 

Amendment 39–15326, under the conditions 

specified in paragraphs (m)(4)(i) and 

(m)(4)(ii) of this AD. 

(i) The inspections specified in this AD 

must be done within the compliance times 

specified in AD 2004–07–22 R1. The initial 

inspection specified in this AD must be done 

at the times specified in paragraph (i) of AD 

2004–07–22 R1, and the inspections 

specified in this AD must be repeated within 

the intervals specified in paragraph (g) of this 

AD. 

(ii) The AMOC specified in paragraph 

(m)(4) of this AD applies only to the areas of 

Boeing Supplemental Structural Inspection 

Document for Model 747 Airplanes, 

Document D6–35022, Revision G, dated 

December 2000, that are specified in Boeing 

Alert Service Bulletin 747–53A2500, dated 

December 21, 2004; or Boeing Alert Service 

Bulletin 747–53A2500, Revision 1, dated 

September 25, 2008. 

(5) An AMOC that provides an acceptable 

level of safety may be used for any repair 

required by this AD, if it is approved by an 

Authorized Representative for the Boeing 

Commercial Airplanes Delegation Option 

Authorization Organization who 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. 

Material Incorporated by Reference 

(n) You must use Boeing Alert Service 

Bulletin 747–53A2500, dated December 21, 

2004, as of April 6, 2006: or Boeing Alert 

Service Bulletin 747–53A2500, Revision 1, 

dated September 25, 2008; as applicable; to 

do the actions required by this AD, unless the 

AD specifies otherwise. 

(1) The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference of 

Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747–53A2500, 

Revision 1, dated September 25, 2008, under 

5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. 

(2) The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference of 

Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747–53A2500, 

dated December 21, 2004, as of April 6, 2006 

(71 FR 10605, March 2, 2006). 

(3) 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; e-mail me.boecom@boeing.com; 

Internet 

https://www.myboeingfleet.com. 

(4) You may review copies of the 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 or 425–227–1152. 

(5) 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/ 

code_of_federal_regulations/ 

ibr_locations.html. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on 

December 17, 2009. 

Stephen P. Boyd, 

Acting Manger, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. E9–30968 Filed 1–11–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

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