66512 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 218 / Monday, November 10, 2008 / Rules and Regulations 

(vi) Waste and water tubing; and 

(vii) Areas attached to the underside of 

floor panels. 

(2) Remove the existing fuselage insulation 

blankets and install new insulation blankets, 

in accordance with the Accomplishment 

Instructions of the applicable service bulletin 

specified in Table 2 of this AD. 

TABLE 2—BOEING SPECIAL ATTENTION SERVICE BULLETINS

Boeing Special Attention Service 

Bulletin— Dated— For model— 

(i) 727–25–0300 .............................. April 30, 2008 ................................ 727–200 and –200F series airplanes. 

(ii) 737–25–1572 ............................. April 30, 2008 737–200, 737–200C, 737–300, and 737–400 series airplanes. 

(iii) 747–25–3429 ............................ April 30, 2008 ................................ 747–100B, 747–100B SUD, 747–200B, 747–200C, 747–200F, 747– 

300, 747–400, 747SP, and 747SR series airplanes. 

(iv) 757–25–0295 ............................ April 30, 2008 ................................ 757–200, 757–200CB, and 757–200PF series airplanes. 

(v) 767–25–0411 ............................. April 30, 2008 ................................ 767–200 and 767–300 series airplanes.

Exception 

(g) The actions described in paragraph (f) 

are not required for any insulation blanket 

that is determined not to be constructed of 

AN–26, using an identification method 

approved by the Manager, Seattle Aircraft 

Certification Office (ACO), or in accordance 

with Appendix A of the applicable service 

bulletin specified in Table 2 of this AD. 

Note 1: Insulation material that is partmarked with a date of manufacture indicating 

that it was manufactured before July 1981 or 

after December 1988 is not constructed of 

AN–26. 

Parts Installation 

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

person may install any insulation blanket 

constructed of AN–26 as a replacement 

unless it has been modified to comply with 

14 CFR 25.856(a), in accordance with a 

method approved by the Manager, Seattle 

ACO. 

Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(i)(1) The Manager, Seattle ACO, ATTN: 

Shannon Lennon, Aerospace Engineer, Cabin 

Safety and Environmental Systems Branch, 

ANM–150S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft 

Certification Office, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., 

Renton, Washington 98057–3356; telephone 

(425) 917–6436; fax (425) 917–6590; has the 

authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if 

requested in accordance with the procedures 

found in 14 CFR 39.19. 

(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 

(PI) in the FAA Flight Standards District 

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

FSDO. 

Material Incorporated by Reference 

(j) You must use the applicable service 

information contained in Table 3 of this AD 

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 

this service information under 5 U.S.C. 

552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. 

(2) For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Boeing Commercial 

Airplanes, P.O. Box 3707, Seattle, 

Washington 98124–2207; telephone 206– 

544–9990; fax 206–766–5682; e-mail 

DDCS@boeing.com; Internet 

https://www.myboeingfleet.com. 

(3) You may review copies of the service 

information that is incorporated by reference 

at the FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, 

Washington; or 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. 

TABLE 3—MATERIAL INCORPORATED

BY REFERENCE

Boeing Special Attention 

Service Bulletin— Dated— 

727–25–0300 ..................... April 30, 2008. 

737–25–1572 ..................... April 30, 2008. 

747–25–3429 ..................... April 30, 2008. 

757–25–0295 ..................... April 30, 2008. 

767–25–0411 ..................... April 30, 2008. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on October 

24, 2008. 

Ali Bahrami, 

Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. E8–26352 Filed 11–7–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2008–1166; Directorate 

Identifier 2008–NM–179–AD; Amendment 

39–15728; AD 2008–23–07] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Boeing 

Model 737 Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule; request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for all 

Boeing Model 737 airplanes. This AD 

requires revising the airplane flight 

manual to include a new flightcrew 

briefing that must be done before the 

first flight of the day and following any 

change in flightcrew members, and to 

advise the flightcrew of this additional 

briefing. This AD results from 

continuing reports that flightcrews have 

failed to recognize and react properly to 

the cabin altitude warning horn. We are 

issuing this AD to prevent failure of the 

flightcrew to recognize and react 

properly to a valid cabin altitude 

warning horn, which could result in 

incapacitation of the flightcrew due to 

hypoxia (lack of oxygen in body) and 

consequent loss of airplane control. 

DATES: This AD is effective November 

25, 2008. 

We must receive comments on this 

AD by January 9, 2009. 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments 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: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

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

Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. 

and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal holidays. 

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 street address for 


dwashington3 on PRODPC61 with RULES
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 218 / Monday, November 10, 2008 / Rules and Regulations 66513 

the Docket Office (telephone 800–647– 

5527) is in the ADDRESSES section. 

Comments will be available in the AD 

docket shortly after receipt. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Gregg Nesemeier, Aerospace Engineer, 

Systems and Equipment Branch, ANM– 

130S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification 

Office, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, 

Washington 98057–3356; telephone 

(425) 917–6479; fax (425) 917–6590. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

On June 15, 2006, we issued related 

AD 2006–13–13, amendment 39–14666 

(71 FR 35781, June 22, 2006). (A 

correction of that AD was published in 

the Federal Register on July 3, 2006 (71 

FR 37980).) That AD applies to all 

Boeing Model 737 airplanes. That AD 

requires revising the airplane flight 

manual (AFM) to advise the flightcrew 

of improved procedures for pre-flight 

setup of the cabin pressurization 

system, as well as improved procedures 

for interpreting and responding to the 

cabin altitude/configuration warning 

horn. That AD resulted from reports that 

airplanes had failed to pressurize, and 

that the flightcrews failed to react 

properly to the cabin altitude warning 

horn. The actions specified in that AD 

are intended to prevent failure of the 

airplane to pressurize and subsequent 

failure of the flightcrew to recognize and 

react to a valid cabin altitude warning 

horn, which could result in 

incapacitation of the flightcrew due to 

hypoxia (lack of oxygen in body) and 

consequent loss of airplane control. 

Actions Since Related AD Was Issued 

Since we issued AD 2006–13–13, we 

have received continuing reports of inservice events involving failure of the 

flightcrew to recognize and react 

properly to valid cabin altitude warning 

horns. Therefore, we have determined 

that a new flightcrew briefing before the 

first flight of the day and following any 

change in flight crewmembers, in 

addition to the existing AFM 

procedures, is necessary to mitigate the 

risk of additional events. 

FAA’s Determination and Requirements 

of This AD 

We are issuing 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 the(se) 

same type design(s). This AD requires 

revising the AFM to include a new 

flightcrew briefing that must be done 

before the first flight of the day and 

following any change in flightcrew 

members, and to advise the flightcrew of 

this additional briefing. 

Interim Action 

We consider this AD interim action. 

The manufacturer has advised that it 

currently is developing a design change 

in the cabin altitude warning system 

that will address the unsafe condition 

identified by this AD. Once this design 

change is developed, approved, and 

available, we might consider additional 

rulemaking. 

FAA’s Justification and Determination 

of the Effective Date and Compliance 

Time 

We are issuing this AD to prevent 

failure of the flightcrew to recognize and 

react to a valid cabin altitude warning 

horn, which could result in 

incapacitation of the flightcrew due to 

hypoxia (lack of oxygen in body) and 

consequent loss of airplane control. This 

action follows related rulemaking action 

we took in response to a report resulting 

from the investigation by the Air 

Accident Investigation and Aviation 

Safety Board of Greece into the August 

14, 2005, Helios Airways accident near 

Athens, Greece. This action affects the 

entire fleet of Boeing Model 737 

airplanes (nearly 5,000 airplanes 

worldwide); these airplanes have a very 

high utilization rate. Because of our 

requirement to promote safe flight of 

civil aircraft and thus the critical need 

to assure that the flightcrew recognizes 

and reacts properly to a valid cabin 

altitude warning horn and the 

compliance time involved with this 

action, this AD must be issued 

immediately. 

We acknowledge that a compliance 

time of 120 days is unusually long for 

an AFM-change/immediately adopted 

rule. However, in this case, we have 

determined that it is necessary to 

provide sufficient time for operators to 

adequately prepare to meet the 

requirements of the AD. This 

preparation includes obtaining 

regulatory acceptance (from principal 

operations inspectors) of the required 

flightcrew preflight briefing aids, 

publication of flightcrew briefing aids in 

sufficient quantities, and familiarization 

of flightcrews with the AD briefing 

requirements. The time required to 

prepare to implement the AD 

requirements is increased by the size of 

the affected fleet. We have further 

determined that a 120-day compliance 

time will provide an adequate level of 

safety. Therefore, a compliance time of 

120 days has been specified in order to 

provide operators with sufficient time to 

accomplish the requirements of this AD. 

Because an unsafe condition exists 

that requires the immediate adoption of 

this AD, we find that notice and 

opportunity for prior public comment 

hereon are impracticable and that good 

cause exists for making this amendment 

effective in less than 30 days. 

Comments Invited 

This AD is a final rule that involves 

requirements affecting flight safety, and 

we did not provide you with notice and 

an opportunity to provide your 

comments before it becomes effective. 

However, we invite you to send any 

written data, views, or arguments about 

this AD. Send your comments to an 

address listed under the ADDRESSES

section. Include ‘‘Docket No. FAA– 

2008–1166; Directorate Identifier 2008– 

NM–179–AD’’ at the beginning of your 

comments. We specifically invite 

comments on the overall regulatory, 

economic, environmental, and energy 

aspects of this AD. We will consider all 

comments received by the closing date 

and may amend this 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 AD. 

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 


dwashington3 on PRODPC61 with RULES
66514 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 218 / Monday, November 10, 2008 / Rules and Regulations 

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. 

You can find our regulatory 

evaluation and the estimated costs of 

compliance in the AD Docket. 

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39 

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation 

safety, 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 AD: 

2008–23–07 Boeing: Amendment 39–15728. 

Docket No. FAA–2008–1166; Directorate 

Identifier 2008–NM–179–AD. 

Effective Date 

(a) This airworthiness directive (AD) is 

effective November 25, 2008. 

Affected ADs 

(b) This AD is related to AD 2006–13–13, 

amendment 39–14666; paragraph (a) of AD 

2003–03–15 R1, amendment 39–13366; and 

paragraph (a) of AD 2003–14–08, amendment 

39–13227. This AD does not supersede the 

requirements of AD 2006–13–13, AD 2003– 

03–15 R1, or AD 2003–14–08. 

Applicability 

(c) This AD applies to all Boeing Model 

737–100, –200, –200C, –300, –400, –500, 

–600, –700, –700C, –800, –900, and –900ER 

series airplanes, certificated in any category. 

Unsafe Condition 

(d) This AD results from continuing reports 

that flightcrews have failed to recognize and 

react properly to the cabin altitude warning 

horn. We are issuing this AD to prevent 

failure of the flightcrew to recognize and 

react to a valid cabin altitude warning horn, 

which could result in incapacitation of the 

flightcrew due to hypoxia (lack of oxygen in 

body) and consequent loss of airplane 

control. 

Compliance 

(e) Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

Revising the Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) 

(f) Within 120 days after the effective date 

of this AD, revise the Limitations Section of 

the applicable Boeing 737 AFM to include 

the following statement. This may be done by 

inserting a copy of this AD into the 

applicable AFM. 

‘‘CABIN ALTITUDE WARNING TAKEOFF 

BRIEFING (required by AD 2008–23–07) 

With the CABIN ALTITUDE and TAKEOFF 

CONFIG lights not installed, or installed but 

not activated: 

As part of the Takeoff Briefing before 

engine start for the first flight of the day or 

following any change of either flightcrew 

member, the pilot-in-command will ensure 

the Cabin Altitude Warning indications and 

procedures are briefed in accordance with 

the procedures contained in the Normal 

Procedures section of this manual.’’ 

(g) Within 120 days after the effective date 

of this AD, revise the Normal Procedures 

Section of the applicable Boeing 737 AFM to 

include the following statement. This may be 

done by inserting a copy of this AD into the 

applicable AFM. 

‘‘CABIN ALTITUDE WARNING TAKEOFF 

BRIEFING (required by AD 2008–23–07) 

The following briefing is important to 

further reduce the risk of flightcrew 

incapacitation due to hypoxia. Because of the 

dual purpose of the intermittent cabin 

altitude/takeoff configuration warning horn, 

this briefing serves to remind flightcrews that 

the sounding of the cabin altitude warning 

horn in flight requires immediate action, 

beginning with the immediate donning of 

oxygen masks. Upon completion of the 

applicable WARNING HORN—CABIN 

ALTITUDE OR CONFIGURATION nonnormal checklist memory items, other alerts 

and indications on the flight deck (e.g., air/ 

ground sensing system failures, equipment 

cooling OFF, etc.) may then be addressed. 

Memory item cabin altitude warning 

indications and procedures must be briefed 

on airplanes in which the CABIN ALTITUDE 

and TAKEOFF CONFIG lights are not 

installed, or are installed but not activated. 

This will be included as an additional item 

on the Takeoff briefing before engine start for 

the first flight of the day, or following any 

change of either flightcrew member. 

The briefing must include the following 

items. 

—Whenever the intermittent warning horn 

sounds in flight: 

1. Immediately, don oxygen masks and set 

regulators to 100%. 

2. Establish crew communications. 

3. Do the CABIN ALTITUDE WARNING 

OR RAPID DEPRESSURIZATION 

checklist. 

—Both pilots must verify on the overhead 

Cabin Altitude Panel that the cabin 

altitude is stabilized at or below 10,000 

feet before removing oxygen masks.’’ 

Special Flight Permit 

(h) Special flight permits are prohibited. 

Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(i)(1) The Manager, Seattle Aircraft 

Certification Office (ACO), FAA, ATTN: 

Gregg Nesemeier, Aerospace Engineer, 

Systems and Equipment Branch, ANM–130S, 

FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office, 

1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 

98055–4056; telephone (425) 917–6479; fax 

(425) 917–6590; has the authority to approve 

AMOCs for this AD, if requested using the 

procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. 

(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 

(PI) in the FAA Flight Standards District 

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

FSDO. 

Material Incorporated by Reference 

(j) None. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on October 

24, 2008. 

Ali Bahrami, 

Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. E8–26373 Filed 11–7–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 71 

[Docket No. FAA–2008–0453; Airspace 

Docket No. 08–AAL–12] 

Establishment of Class E Airspace; 

Kwethluk, AK 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: This action establishes Class 

E airspace at Kwethluk, AK to provide 

adequate controlled airspace to contain 

aircraft executing Standard Instrument 

Approach Procedures (SIAPs). Two 

SIAPs are being created for the 

Kwethluk Airport. This action 

establishes Class E airspace upward 

from 700 feet (ft.) and 1,200 ft. above the 

surface at Kwethluk Airport, Kwethluk, 

AK. 

DATES: Effective Date: 0901 UTC, 

January 15, 2009. The Director of the 

Federal Register approves this 

incorporation by reference action under 

title 1, Code of Federal Regulations, part 

51, subject to the annual revision of 

FAA Order 7400.9 and publication of 

conforming amendments. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gary 

Rolf, AAL–538G, Federal Aviation 

Administration, 222 West 7th Avenue, 

Box 14, Anchorage, AK 99513–7587; 


dwashington3 on PRODPC61 with RULES