41958 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 147 / Wednesday, August 1, 2007 / Proposed Rules 

C. Request for Comments 

In addition to the areas of interest 

noted above, the Board invites 

comments from all interested parties on 

any aspects it should consider 

concerning foreign currency 

investments by FCUs and corporates. 

By the National Credit Union 

Administration Board on July 26, 2007. 

Mary F. Rupp, 

Secretary of the Board. 

[FR Doc. E7–14849 Filed 7–31–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 7535–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2007–28828; Directorate 

Identifier 2007–NM–010–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Boeing 

Model 707 Airplanes and Model 720 

and 720B Series Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a 

new airworthiness directive (AD) for all 

Boeing Model 707 airplanes and Model 

720 and 720B series airplanes. This 

proposed AD would require 

accomplishing an airplane survey to 

define the configuration of certain 

system installations, and repair of any 

discrepancy found. This proposed AD 

would also require modifying the fuel 

system by installing lightning protection 

for the fuel quantity indication system 

(FQIS), ground fault relays for the fuel 

boost pumps, and additional power 

relays for the center tank fuel pumps 

and uncommanded on-indication lights 

at the flight engineer’s panel. This 

proposed AD results from fuel system 

reviews conducted by the manufacturer. 

We are proposing this AD to prevent 

certain failures of the fuel pumps or 

FQIS, which could result in a potential 

ignition source inside the fuel tank, 

which, in combination with flammable 

fuel vapors, could result in a fuel tank 

explosion and consequent loss of the 

airplane. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by September 17, 

2007. 

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: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M–

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 

Washington, DC 20590. 

• Fax: (202) 493–2251. 

• Hand Delivery: Room W12–140 on 

the ground floor of the West Building, 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 

Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

Contact Boeing Commercial 

Airplanes, P.O. Box 3707, Seattle, 

Washington 98124–2207, for the service 

information identified in this proposed 

AD. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Kathrine Rask, Aerospace Engineer, 

Propulsion Branch, ANM–140S, FAA, 

Seattle Aircraft Certification Office, 

1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, 

Washington 98057–3356; telephone 

(425) 917–6505; fax (425) 917–6590. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

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 in the 

ADDRESSES section. Include the docket 

number ‘‘FAA–2007–28828; Directorate 

Identifier 2007–NM–010–AD’’ at the 

beginning of your comments. We 

specifically invite comments on the 

overall regulatory, economic, 

environmental, and energy aspects of 

the proposed AD. We will consider all 

comments received 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 Web 

site, 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 may 

review DOT’s complete Privacy Act 

Statement in the Federal Register 

published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 

19477–78), or you may visit http:// 

dms.dot.gov. 

Examining the Docket 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov, or in 

person at the Docket Operations office 

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

through Friday, except Federal holidays. 

The Docket Operations office (telephone 

(800) 647–5527) is located on the 

ground floor of the West Building at the 

street address stated in the ADDRESSES

section. Comments will be available in 

the AD docket shortly after the Docket 

Management System receives them. 

Discussion 

The FAA has examined the 

underlying safety issues involved in fuel 

tank explosions on several large 

transport airplanes, including the 

adequacy of existing regulations, the 

service history of airplanes subject to 

those regulations, and existing 

maintenance practices for fuel tank 

systems. As a result of those findings, 

we issued a regulation titled ‘‘Transport 

Airplane Fuel Tank System Design 

Review, Flammability Reduction and 

Maintenance and Inspection 

Requirements’’ (66 FR 23086, May 7, 

2001). In addition to new airworthiness 

standards for transport airplanes and 

new maintenance requirements, this 

rule included Special Federal Aviation 

Regulation No. 88 (‘‘SFAR 88,’’

Amendment 21–78, and subsequent 

Amendments 21–82 and 21–83). 

Among other actions, SFAR 88 

requires certain type design (i.e., type 

certificate (TC) and supplemental type 

certificate (STC)) holders to substantiate 

that their fuel tank systems can prevent 

ignition sources in the fuel tanks. This 

requirement applies to type design 

holders for large turbine-powered 

transport airplanes and for subsequent 

modifications to those airplanes. It 

requires them to perform design reviews 

and to develop design changes and 

maintenance procedures if their designs 

do not meet the new fuel tank safety 

standards. As explained in the preamble 

to the rule, we intended to adopt 

airworthiness directives to mandate any 

changes found necessary to address 

unsafe conditions identified as a result 

of these reviews. 

In evaluating these design reviews, we 

have established four criteria intended 

to define the unsafe conditions 

associated with fuel tank systems that 

require corrective actions. The 

percentage of operating time during 

which fuel tanks are exposed to 

flammable conditions is one of these 

criteria. The other three criteria address 

the failure types under evaluation: 

single failures, single failures in 

combination with a latent condition(s), 


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and in-service failure experience. For all 

four criteria, the evaluations included 

consideration of previous actions taken 

that may mitigate the need for further 

action. 

Results from the SFAR 88 analysis 

show that potential ignition sources 

include: 

• Fuel pump electrical failures that 

burn through the pump end cap or case. 

• Fuel pump electrical failures that 

burn through the wire and cause 

electrical arcing through the conduit. 

• Mechanical failure of center tank 

fuel pumps due to uncommanded 

operation that causes an ignition source 

and an arc in a wing tank due to a latent 

in-tank degradation of the fuel quantity 

indication system (FQIS) and a lightning 

strike. 

We have determined that the actions 

identified in this AD are necessary to 

prevent certain failures of the fuel 

pumps or FQIS, which could result in 

a potential ignition source inside the 

fuel tank, which, in combination with 

flammable fuel vapors, could result in 

fuel tank explosion and consequent loss 

of the airplane. 

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. For this reason, we are 

proposing this AD, which would require 

modifying the fuel system by installing 

lightning protection for the fuel quantity 

indication system (FQIS), ground fault 

relays for the fuel boost pumps, and 

additional power relays for the center 

tank fuel pumps and uncommanded onindication lights at the flight engineer’s 

panel. 

To date, the airframe manufacturer 

has not developed service information 

for the modifications proposed by this 

AD. Due to the age of the subject 

airplane models, the operator needs to 

conduct an airplane survey to define the 

configuration of system installations for 

the wing leading edges, wing-to-body 

area, electrical equipment bay, flight 

deck, and FQIS to facilitate 

development of the required service 

information. The survey would identify 

locations where new components and 

wire bundles could be installed, as well 

as the configuration of affected systems. 

Therefore, to ensure that service 

information is available within a 

reasonable time to allow modification of 

the airplane; this proposed AD would 

also require conducting an airplane 

survey, and reporting the results to the 

FAA. The report would include 

photographs and sketches, part numbers 

of certain components, and the actual 

configuration of certain systems. 

Due to the age of these airplanes, it is 

possible that discrepancies (i.e., wear or 

deterioration) might be detected during 

the survey. This proposed AD would 

also require repair of those 

discrepancies. 

Ensuring Compliance with Airplane 

Survey 

Appendix 1 of this proposed AD 

contains the 707 SFAR 88 survey areas. 

The appendix is for informational use 

and provides highlights of the general 

content of the required survey to assist 

operators in developing an acceptable 

survey plan. Operators may wish to use 

the appendix as an aid to implement the 

airplane survey. 

Costs of Compliance 

There are about 185 airplanes of the 

affected design in the worldwide fleet. 

This proposed AD would affect about 52 

airplanes of U.S. registry. 

The proposed survey would take 

about 20 work hours per airplane, at an 

average labor rate of $80 per work hour. 

Based on these figures, the estimated 

cost of the proposed survey for U.S. 

operators is $83,200, or $1,600 per 

airplane. 

Because the manufacturer has not yet 

developed a modification 

commensurate with the actions 

specified by this proposed AD, we 

cannot provide specific information 

regarding the required number of work 

hours or the cost of parts to do the 

proposed modification. In addition, 

modification costs will likely vary 

depending on the operator and the 

airplane configuration. The proposed 

compliance time of 72 months should 

provide ample time for the 

development, approval, and installation 

of an appropriate modification. 

Based on similar modifications 

accomplished previously on other 

airplane models, however, we can 

reasonably estimate that the proposed 

modification may require as many as 

420 work hours per airplane, at an 

average labor rate of $80 per work hour. 

Required parts may cost up to $185,000 

per airplane. Based on these figures, the 

estimated cost of the proposed 

modification for U.S. operators is 

$11,367,200, or $218,600 per airplane. 

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 

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: 

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 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, 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 Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA) amends § 39.13 

by adding the following new 

airworthiness directive (AD): 


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41960 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 147 / Wednesday, August 1, 2007 / Proposed Rules 

Boeing: Docket No. FAA–2007–28828; 

Directorate Identifier 2007–NM–010–AD. 

Comments Due Date 

(a) The FAA must receive comments on 

this AD action by September 17, 2007. 

Affected ADs 

(b) None. 

Applicability 

(c) This AD applies to all Boeing Model 

707–100 long body, –200, –100B long body, 

and –100B short body series airplanes; and 

Model 707–300, –300B, –300C, and –400 

series airplanes; and Model 720 and 720B 

series airplanes; certificated in any category. 

Unsafe Condition 

(d) This AD results from fuel system 

reviews conducted by the manufacturer. We 

are issuing this AD to prevent certain failures 

of the fuel pumps or fuel quantity indication 

system (FQIS), which could result in a 

potential ignition source inside the fuel tank, 

which, in combination with flammable fuel 

vapors, could result in fuel tank explosion 

and consequent loss of the airplane. 

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. 

Airplane Survey 

(f) Within 12 months after the effective 

date of this AD: Conduct an airplane survey 

that defines the configuration of system 

installations for the wing leading edges, 

wing-to-body area, electrical equipment bay, 

flight deck, and FQIS using a method 

approved in accordance with the procedures 

specified in paragraph (h)(1) of this AD. If 

any discrepancy is detected, repair before 

further flight using a method approved in 

accordance with the procedures specified in 

paragraph (h)(1) of this AD. Submit the 

survey results to the Manager, Seattle Aircraft 

Certification Office (ACO), FAA, 1601 Lind 

Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 98057–

3356, at the applicable time specified in 

paragraph (f)(1) or (f)(2) of this AD. The 

report must include the survey results (e.g., 

photographs and sketches, part numbers of 

FQIS components and fuel pumps, and the 

actual configuration of FQIS and the fuel 

pump control systems), a description of any 

discrepancy found, the airplane serial 

number, and the number of landings and 

flight hours on the airplane. Under the 

provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act 

(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) has 

approved the information collection 

requirements contained in this AD and has 

assigned OMB Control Number 2120–0056. 

(1) If the survey was done after the 

effective date of this AD: Submit the report 

within 30 days after the survey. 

(2) If the survey was done before the 

effective date of this AD: Submit the report 

within 30 days after the effective date of this 

AD. 

Note 1: For the purposes of this AD, 

‘‘discrepancy’’ is defined as any wear or 

deterioration (e.g., damage, fluid leaks, 

corrosion, cracking, or system failures) that 

might prevent the airplane from being in an 

airworthy condition. 

Modification of Fuel System 

(g) Within 72 months after the effective 

date of this AD: Modify the fuel system as 

specified in paragraphs (g)(1), (g)(2), and 

(g)(3) of this AD, using a method approved 

in accordance with the procedures specified 

in paragraph (h)(1) of this AD. 

(1) Replace the FQIS wire bundle along the 

leading edge of the left and right wings with 

a new wire bundle that has a lightning shield 

that is separated from other wiring. 

(2) Replace each fuel pump relay with a 

ground fault interrupter relay. 

(3) Install redundant power relays for the 

center tank fuel pumps and uncommanded 

on-indication lights at the flight engineer’s 

panel. 

Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(h)(1) The Manager, Seattle ACO has the 

authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if 

requested in accordance with the procedures 

found in 14 CFR 39.19. 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 


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(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 appropriate principal inspector 


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(PI) in the FAA Flight Standards District 

Office (FSDO), or lacking a PI, your local 

FSDO. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on July 18, 

2007. 

Stephen P. Boyd, 

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 07–3712 Filed 7–31–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2006–26710; Directorate 

Identifier 2006–NM–147–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Boeing 

Model 757 Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Supplemental notice of 

proposed rulemaking (NPRM); 

reopening of comment period. 

SUMMARY: The FAA is revising an earlier 

proposed airworthiness directive (AD) 

for all Boeing Model 757 airplanes. The 

original NPRM would have required 

revising the Airworthiness Limitations 

(AWLs) section of the Instructions for 

Continued Airworthiness by 

incorporating new limitations for fuel 

tank systems to satisfy Special Federal 

Aviation Regulation No. 88 

requirements. The original NPRM also 

would have required the initial 

inspection of certain repetitive 

inspections specified in the AWLs to 

phase-in those inspections, and repair if 

necessary. The original NPRM resulted 

from a design review of the fuel tank 

systems. This action revises the original 

NPRM by aligning the compliance time 

for revising the AWLs section with the 

compliance date of the special 

maintenance program requirements, 

updating the listing of applicable 

airplane maintenance manuals in 

Appendix 1, and clarifying certain 

actions. We are proposing this 

supplemental NPRM to prevent the 

potential for ignition sources inside fuel 

tanks caused by latent failures, 

alterations, repairs, or maintenance 

actions, which, in combination with 

flammable fuel vapors, could result in a 

fuel tank explosion and consequent loss 

of the airplane. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this supplemental NPRM by August 27, 

2007. 

ADDRESSES: Use one of the following 

addresses to submit comments on this 

supplemental NPRM. 

• 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: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M–

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 

Washington, DC 20590. 

• Fax: (202) 493–2251. 

• Hand Delivery: Room W12–140 on 

the ground floor of the West Building, 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 

Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

Contact Boeing Commercial 

Airplanes, P.O. Box 3707, Seattle, 

Washington 98124–2207, for service 

information identified in this proposed 

AD. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Kathrine Rask, Aerospace Engineer, 

Propulsion Branch, ANM–140S, FAA, 

Seattle Aircraft Certification Office, 

1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, 

Washington 98057–3356; telephone 

(425) 917–6505; fax (425) 917–6590. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

We invite you to submit any relevant 

written data, views, or arguments 

regarding this supplemental NPRM. 

Send your comments to an address 

listed in the ADDRESSES section. Include 

the docket number ‘‘Docket No. FAA–

2006–26710; Directorate Identifier 

2006–NM–147–AD’’ at the beginning of 

your comments. We specifically invite 

comments on the overall regulatory, 

economic, environmental, and energy 

aspects of this supplemental NPRM. We 

will consider all comments received by 

the closing date and may amend this 

supplemental NPRM in light of those 

comments. 

We will post all comments submitted, 

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 supplemental NPRM. Using the 

search function of that web site, 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 may review the DOT’s complete 

Privacy Act Statement in the Federal 

Register published on April 11, 2000 

(65 FR 19477–78), or you may visit 

http://dms.dot.gov. 

Examining the Docket 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov, or in 

person at the Docket Operations office 

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

through Friday, except Federal holidays. 

The Docket Operations office (telephone 

(800) 647–5527) is located on the 

ground level of the West Building at the 

DOT street address stated in the 

ADDRESSES section. Comments will be 

available in the AD docket shortly after 

the Docket Management System receives 

them. 

Discussion 

We proposed to amend 14 CFR part 

39 with a notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM) for an AD (the ‘‘original 

NPRM’’) for all Boeing Model 757 

airplanes. The original NPRM was 

published in the Federal Register on 

January 3, 2007 (72 FR 50). The original 

NPRM proposed to require revising the 

Airworthiness Limitations (AWLs) 

section of the Instructions for Continued 

Airworthiness by incorporating new 

limitations for fuel tank systems to 

satisfy Special Federal Aviation 

Regulation No. 88 (SFAR 88) 

requirements. The original NPRM also 

proposed to require the initial 

inspection of certain repetitive 

inspections specified in the AWLs to 

phase-in those inspections, and repair if 

necessary. 

Explanation of Change in Compliance 

Time 

In most ADs, we adopt a compliance 

time allowing a specified amount of 

time after the AD’s effective date. In this 

case, however, we have already issued 

regulations that require operators to 

revise their maintenance/inspection 

programs to address fuel tank safety 

issues. The compliance date for these 

regulations is December 16, 2008. To 

provide for efficient and coordinated 

implementation of these regulations and 

this supplemental NPRM, we are using 

this same compliance date in this 

supplemental NPRM, instead of the 18- 

month compliance time recommended 

by Boeing. Therefore, we have revised 

the compliance time in paragraph (g) 

from ‘‘within 18 months after the 

effective date of this AD’’ to a 

compliance date of ‘‘no later than 

December 16, 2008.’’

Comments 

We have considered the following 

comments on the original NPRM. 


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