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[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 12 (Thursday, January 19, 2012)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 2666-2669]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-856]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2011-1417; Directorate Identifier 2011-NM-159-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
certain The Boeing Company Model 777 airplanes. This proposed AD was 
prompted by reports that escape slides/rafts did not deploy due to 
galvanic corrosion of the door-mounted slide/raft packboard release 
mechanisms. This proposed AD would require doing a general visual 
inspection of the housing

[[Page 2667]]

assembly of the packboard release mechanism to determine if its surface 
treatment has been sealed, and if unsealed, replacing the housing 
assembly with a new or serviceable housing assembly. We are proposing 
this AD to detect and correct corrosion of the packboard release 
mechanisms, which could interfere with escape slide/raft deployment, 
prohibit doors from opening in the armed mode, and cause consequent 
delay and injury during evacuation of passengers and crew from the 
cabin in the event of an emergency.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by March 5, 2012.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR 
11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: (202) 493-2251.
     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.
     Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail address above between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    For Boeing service information identified in this proposed 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; email 
me.boecom@boeing.com; Internet https://www.myboeingfleet.com. For Air 
Cruisers service information identified in this AD, contact Air 
Cruisers Company, 1747 State Route 34, Wall, New Jersey 07727-3935; 
telephone: (732) 681-3527; fax: (732) 681-9163; email: 
Aircruisers@zodiacaerospace.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 proposed AD, the regulatory 
evaluation, any comments received and other information. The street 
address for the Docket Office (phone: (800) 647-5527) is in the 
ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly 
after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ana Martinez Hueto, Aerospace 
Engineer, Cabin Safety and Environmental Systems Branch, ANM-150S, FAA, 
Seattle Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), 1601 Lind Avenue SW., 
Renton, WA 98057-3356; phone: (425) 917-6592; fax: (425) 917-6591; 
email: ana.m.hueto@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited

    We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments about this proposal. Send your comments to an address listed 
under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2011-1417; 
Directorate Identifier 2011-NM-159-AD'' at the beginning of your 
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, 
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this proposed AD. We 
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend 
this proposed AD because of those comments.
    We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. We 
will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact we 
receive about this proposed AD.

Discussion

    We received reports that escape slides/rafts did not deploy due to 
galvanic corrosion of door-mounted slide/raft packboard release 
mechanisms. Such corrosion, if not detected and corrected, could 
interfere with escape slide/raft deployment, prohibit doors from 
opening in the armed mode, and cause consequent delay and injury during 
evacuation of passengers and crew from the cabin in the event of an 
emergency.

Relevant Service Information

    We reviewed Boeing Special Attention Service Bulletin 777-25-0507, 
dated June 30, 2011. The service information describes procedures for 
doing a general visual inspection of the housing assembly of the door-
mounted slide/raft packboard release mechanism to determine if its 
surface treatment has been sealed, and if unsealed, replacing the 
housing assembly with a new or serviceable housing assembly.

FAA's Determination

    We are proposing this AD because we evaluated all the relevant 
information and determined the unsafe condition described previously is 
likely to exist or develop in other products of these same type 
designs.

Proposed AD Requirements

    This proposed AD would require accomplishing the actions specified 
in the service information described previously.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this proposed AD affects 161 airplanes of U.S. 
registry.
    We estimate the following costs to comply with this proposed AD:

                                                 Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                 Cost on U.S.
             Action                    Labor cost         Parts cost      Cost per product        operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inspection......................  Between 4 and 16                  $0  Between $340 and     Between $54,740 and
                                   work-hours x $85                      $1,360.              $218,960.
                                   per hour = Between
                                   $340 and $1,360.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We estimate the following costs to do any necessary replacements 
that would be required based on the results of the proposed inspection. 
We have no way of determining the number of aircraft that might need 
these replacements:

[[Page 2668]]

                                               On-Condition Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                     Cost per
                   Action                                 Labor cost                Parts cost        product
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Replacement................................  1 work-hour x $85 per hour = $85...            $137            $222
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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 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 this 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),
    (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.

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.

Sec.  39.13  [Amended]

    2. The FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by adding the following new 
airworthiness directive (AD):

The Boeing Company: Docket No. FAA-2011-1417; Directorate Identifier 
2011-NM-159-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

    We must receive comments by March 5, 2012.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to The Boeing Company Model 777-200, -200LR, -
300, -300ER, and 777F series airplanes, certificated in any 
category, as identified in Boeing Special Attention Service Bulletin 
777-25-0507, dated June 30, 2011.

(d) Subject

    Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC)/Air Transport Association 
(ATA) of America Code 25, Equipment/Furnishings.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by reports that escape slides/rafts did not 
deploy due to galvanic corrosion of the door-mounted slide/raft 
packboard release mechanisms. We are issuing this AD to detect and 
correct corrosion in the packboard release mechanisms, which could 
interfere with escape slide/raft deployment, prohibit doors from 
opening in the armed mode, and cause consequent delay and injury 
during evacuation of passengers and crew from the cabin in the event 
of an emergency.

(f) Compliance

    Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified, 
unless already done.

(g) Inspection and Replacement

    Within 42 months after the effective date of this AD, at the 
applicable passenger/crew entry doors identified in Boeing Special 
Attention Service Bulletin 777-25-0507, dated June 30, 2011: Do a 
general visual inspection of the housing assembly of the packboard 
release mechanism to determine if its surface treatment has been 
sealed; and if unsealed, before further flight, replace the housing 
assembly with a new or serviceable housing assembly, in accordance 
with the Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Special Attention 
Service Bulletin 777-25-0507, dated June 30, 2011.

    Note 1:  For the purposes of this AD, a general visual 
inspection is: ``A visual examination of an interior or exterior 
area, installation, or assembly to detect obvious damage, failure, 
or irregularity. This level of inspection is made from within 
touching distance unless otherwise specified. A mirror may be 
necessary to ensure visual access to all surfaces in the inspection 
area. This level of inspection is made under normally available 
lighting conditions such as daylight, hangar lighting, flashlight, 
or droplight and may require removal or opening of access panels or 
doors. Stands, ladders, or platforms may be required to gain 
proximity to the area being checked.''

    Note 2:  Boeing Special Attention Service Bulletin 777-25-0507, 
dated June 30, 2011, refers to Air Cruisers Service Bulletin 777 
107-25-30, dated September 30, 2010, as an additional source of 
guidance for inspecting and installing new housing assembly of the 
door-mounted slide/raft packboard release mechanism.

(h) 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: -ANM-Seattle-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.

(i) Related Information

    (1) For more information about this AD, contact Ana Martinez 
Hueto, Aerospace Engineer, Cabin Safety and Environmental Systems 
Branch, ANM-150S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), 
1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98057-3356; phone: (425) 917-6592; 
fax: (425) 917-6591; email: ana.m.hueto@faa.gov.
    (2) For Boeing 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; email

[[Page 2669]]

me.boecom@boeing.com; Internet https://www.myboeingfleet.com. For 
Air Cruisers service information identified in this AD, contact Air 
Cruisers Company, 1747 State Route 34, Wall, New Jersey 07727-3935; 
telephone: (732) 681-3527; fax: (732) 681-9163; email: 
Aircruisers@zodiacaerospace.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.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on January 6, 2012.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-856 Filed 1-18-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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