25280 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 84 / Monday, May 1, 2000 / Rules and Regulations

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 99–NM–221–AD; Amendment

39–11706; AD 2000–08–20]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Lockheed

Model L–1011–385 Series Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a

new airworthiness directive (AD),

applicable to certain Lockheed Model

L–1011–385 series airplanes, that

requires modification of the high

pressure bleed valve controller of each

engine. This amendment is prompted by

reports of failure of the bleed air system

components such as the thermal

compensators and bleed air ducts. The

actions specified by this AD are

intended to prevent such failures of the

bleed air system components, which

could result in high temperature air

leaking into the cabin and/or cargo areas

and could possibly require an

emergency landing and evacuation.

DATES: Effective June 5, 2000.

The incorporation by reference of

certain publications listed in the

regulations is approved by the Director

of the Federal Register as of June 5,

2000.

ADDRESSES: The service information

referenced in this AD may be obtained

from Lockheed Martin Aircraft &

Logistics Center, 120 Orion Street,

Greenville, South Carolina 29605. This

information may be examined at the

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA),

Transport Airplane Directorate, Rules

Docket, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW.,

Renton, Washington; or the FAA, Small

Airplane Directorate, Atlanta Aircraft

Certification Office, One Crown Center,

1895 Phoenix Boulevard, suite 450,

Atlanta, Georgia; or at the Office of the

Federal Register, 800 North Capitol

Street, NW., suite 700, Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Thomas Peters, Aerospace Engineer,

Systems and Flight Test Branch, ACE–

116A, FAA, Small Airplane Directorate,

Atlanta Aircraft Certification Office,

One Crown Center, 1895 Phoenix

Boulevard, suite 450, Atlanta, Georgia

30349; telephone (770) 703–6063; fax

(770) 703–6097.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A

proposal to amend part 39 of the Federal

Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) to

include an airworthiness directive (AD)

that is applicable to certain Lockheed

Model L–1011–385 series airplanes was

published in the Federal Register on

October 6, 1999 (64 FR 54232). That

action proposed to require modification

of the high pressure bleed valve

controller of each engine.

Interested persons have been afforded

an opportunity to participate in the

making of this amendment. Due

consideration has been given to the

comments received.

Support for the Proposal

One commenter supports the

proposed rule.

Request to Specify Lockheed Service

Bulletin Reference to Hamilton

Standard Service Bulletin

One commenter, the manufacturer,

requests that the language in NOTE 2 of

the proposal be revised to reflect that

the Lockheed Service Bulletin 093–36–

065, dated February 9, 1999, specifically

references Hamilton Standard Service

Bulletin 36–1060 R1, dated March 1,

1997.

The FAA concurs with the

commenter’s request and has revised

NOTE 2 of the final rule accordingly.

Request to Extend the Compliance Time

One commenter, an airline operator,

requests that the compliance time for

the proposed modification be revised to

coincide with a ‘‘C’’ check interval. The

commenter states that the proposed

compliance time of 14 months does not

match its ‘‘C’’ check interval of 19

months. The commenter explains that it

will incur an undue financial burden

unless the compliance time is extended

to 19 months since it is necessary to

remove an airplane from service in

order to accomplish the tasks associated

with the proposal.

The FAA does not concur. The

modification of the bleed valve

controller itself (installing the new

check valve) can be accomplished

previous to installation of the bleed

valve controller on the airplane. The

FAA estimates that the installation of

the modified bleed valve controller will

take 1 work hour to accomplish. If

installation of the modified check valve

is performed with the controller

mounted on the engine, the installation

can still be accomplished in

approximately 2 work hours. Therefore,

the FAA considers that it is not

necessary to accomplish the required

modification during an extended

downtime of a ‘‘C’’ check. Therefore, it

is unnecessary to revise the final rule.

Request to Revise the ‘‘Differences’’

Section

One commenter, the manufacturer,

requests that the FAA revise the

‘‘Differences Between Proposed Rule

and Service Information’’ section of the

proposal to specify ‘‘this proposed AD

would require the modification of both

high pressure bleed valve controller

types to a later configuration (P/N

739084–4) with the installation of the

restrictor check valve P/N 764898–2 or

later.’’

The FAA acknowledges that the

‘‘Differences Between Proposed Rule

and Service Information’’ section of the

proposed AD, as revised by the

commenter clarifies the intent of the

proposed rule. However, since that

section of the preamble does not

reappear in the final rule, no change to

the final rule is necessary.

Request to Specify Certain High

Pressure Bleed Valve Controllers

That same commenter, the

manufacturer, requests that paragraph

(b) of the proposal be revised to specify

particular high pressure bleed valve

controllers. The commenter suggests

that the revised paragraph should read

that ‘‘No person shall install on any

airplane a high pressure bleed valve

controller, Hamilton Standard P/N

739084–2 or 739084–3 (Lockheed P/N

672286–103 or 672286–105), unless it

has been modified in accordance with

this AD.’’ The FAA concurs and has

revised paragraph (b) of the final rule

accordingly.

Conclusion

After careful review of the available

data, including the comments noted

above, the FAA has determined that air

safety and the public interest require the

adoption of the rule with the changes

previously described. The FAA has

determined that these changes will

neither increase the economic burden

on any operator nor increase the scope

of the AD.

Cost Impact

There are approximately 235 Model

L–1011–385 series airplanes of the

affected design in the worldwide fleet.

The FAA estimates that 116 airplanes of

U.S. registry will be affected by this AD,

that it will take approximately 2 work

hours per airplane to accomplish the

required actions, and that the average

labor rate is $60 per work hour.

Required parts will cost approximately

$650 per airplane. Based on these

figures, the cost impact of the AD on

U.S. operators is estimated to be

$89,320, or $770 per airplane.

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 84 / Monday, May 1, 2000 / Rules and Regulations 25281

The cost impact figure discussed

above is based on assumptions that no

operator has yet accomplished any of

the requirements of this AD action, and

that no operator would accomplish

those actions in the future if this AD

were not adopted.

Regulatory Impact

The regulations adopted herein 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. Therefore, it is

determined that this final rule does not

have federalism implications under

Executive Order 13132.

For the reasons discussed above, I

certify that this action (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. A final evaluation has

been prepared for this action and it is

contained in the Rules Docket. A copy

of it may be obtained from the Rules

Docket at the location provided under

the caption ADDRESSES.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation

safety, Incorporation by reference,

Safety.

Adoption of the Amendment

Accordingly, pursuant to the

authority delegated to me by the

Administrator, the Federal Aviation

Administration amends part 39 of the

Federal Aviation Regulations (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. Section 39.13 is amended by

adding the following new airworthiness

directive:

2000–08–20 Lockheed: Amendment 39–

11706. Docket 99–NM–221–AD.

Applicability: Model L–1011–385–1, –1–

14, –1–15, and –3 series airplanes, equipped

with high pressure bleed valve controller

Hamilton Standard part number (P/N)

739084–2 or 739084–3 (Lockheed P/N

672286–103 or 672286–105); certificated in

any category.

Note 1: This AD applies to each airplane

identified in the preceding applicability

provision, regardless of whether it has been

modified, altered, or repaired in the area

subject to the requirements of this AD. For

airplanes that have been modified, altered, or

repaired so that the performance of the

requirements of this AD is affected, the

owner/operator must request approval for an

alternative method of compliance in

accordance with paragraph (c) of this AD.

The request should include an assessment of

the effect of the modification, alteration, or

repair on the unsafe condition addressed by

this AD; and, if the unsafe condition has not

been eliminated, the request should include

specific proposed actions to address it.

Compliance: Required as indicated, unless

accomplished previously.

To prevent failures of the bleed air system

components, which could result in high

temperature air leaking into the cabin and/or

cargo areas and could possibly require an

emergency landing and evacuation,

accomplish the following:

(a) Within 14 months after the effective

date of this AD, modify the high pressure

bleed valve controller of each engine in

accordance with Lockheed Service Bulletin

093–36–065, dated February 9, 1999.

Note 2: Lockheed Service Bulletin 093–36–

065, dated February 9, 1999, references

Hamilton Standard Service Bulletin 36–1060,

Revision 1, dated March 1, 1977, as an

additional source of service information for

the modification of the high pressure bleed

valve controller of each engine.

(b) As of the effective date of this AD, no

person shall install on any airplane a high

pressure bleed valve controller having

Hamilton Standard part number (P/N)

739084–2 or 739084–3 (Lockheed P/N

672286–103 or 672286–105), unless it has

been modified in accordance with this AD.

Alternative Methods of Compliance

(c) An alternative method of compliance or

adjustment of the compliance time that

provides an acceptable level of safety may be

used if approved by the Manager, Atlanta

Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), FAA,

Small Airplane Directorate. Operators shall

submit their requests through an appropriate

FAA Principal Maintenance Inspector, who

may add comments and then send it to the

Manager, Atlanta ACO.

Note 3: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this AD, if any, may be

obtained from the Atlanta ACO.

Special Flight Permits

(d) Special flight permits may be issued in

accordance with sections 21.197 and 21.199

of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR

21.197 and 21.199) to operate the airplane to

a location where the requirements of this AD

can be accomplished.

Incorporation by Reference

(e) The actions shall be done in accordance

with Lockheed Service Bulletin 093–36–065,

dated February 9, 1999. This incorporation

by reference was approved by the Director of

the Federal Register in accordance with 5

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

be obtained from Lockheed Martin Aircraft &

Logistics Center, 120 Orion Street,

Greenville, South Carolina 29605. Copies

may be inspected at the FAA, Transport

Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue,

SW., Renton, Washington; or at the FAA,

Small Airplane Directorate, Atlanta Aircraft

Certification Office, One Crown Center, 1895

Phoenix Boulevard, suite 450, Atlanta,

Georgia; or at the Office of the Federal

Register, 800 North Capitol Street, NW., suite

700, Washington, DC.

(f) This amendment becomes effective

on June 5, 2000.

Issued in Renton, Washington, on April 19,

2000.

Donald L. Riggin,

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 00–10286 Filed 4–28–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 99–NM–231–AD; Amendment

39–11707; AD 2000–08–21]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Boeing

Model 747 Series Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a

new airworthiness directive (AD),

applicable to all Boeing Model 747

series airplanes, that requires repetitive

inspections to detect cracking of the

forward and aft inner chords and the

splice fitting of the forward inner chord

of the station 2598 bulkhead, and repair,

if necessary. This amendment is

prompted by reports of fatigue cracking

found in those areas. The actions

specified by this AD are intended to

detect and correct such cracking, which

could result in reduced structural

capability of the bulkhead and the

inability of the structure to carry

horizontal stabilizer flight loads.

DATES: Effective June 5, 2000.

The incorporation by reference of

certain publications listed in the

regulations is approved by the Director

of the Federal Register as of June 5,

2000.

ADDRESSES: The service information

referenced in this AD may be obtained

from Boeing Commercial Airplane

Group, P.O. Box 3707, Seattle,

Washington 98124–2207. This

information may be examined at the