Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 211 / Thursday, October 31, 2013 / Rules and Regulations 65185 

31712 Blagnac Cedex, France; telephone +33 

(0) 5 62 21 62 21; fax +33 (0) 5 62 21 67 18; 

email continued.airworthiness@atr.fr; 

Internet http://www.aerochain.com. 

(4) You may review copies of the service 

information at the FAA, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, 

WA. For information on the availability of 

this material at the FAA, call 425–227–1221. 

(5) You may view this 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/cfr/ibrlocations.html. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on 

September 30, 2013. 

Jeffrey E. Duven, 

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2013–24952 Filed 10–30–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2013–0546; Directorate 

Identifier 2013–NM–050–AD; Amendment 

39–17631; AD 2013–21–07] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing 

Company Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 

The Boeing Company Model 727 

airplanes. This AD was prompted by 

certain mandated programs intended to 

support the airplane reaching its limit of 

validity (LOV) of the engineering data 

that support the established structural 

maintenance program. This AD requires, 

for certain airplanes, a modification of 

the web of the horizontal stabilizer 

center section rear spar. For the other 

airplanes, this AD requires an 

inspection for cracks in the web, and 

repair or modification as applicable. We 

are issuing this AD to prevent cracking 

at the upper fastener holes in the riveted 

web in the horizontal stabilizer center 

section rear spar, which could result in 

failure of the spar forging and lead to 

horizontal stabilizer separation and loss 

of control of the airplane. 

DATES: This AD is effective December 5, 

2013. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain publication listed in this AD 

as of December 5, 2013. 

ADDRESSES: For service information 

identified in this AD, contact Boeing 

Commercial Airplanes, Attention: Data 

& Services Management, P.O. Box 3707, 

MC 2H–65, Seattle, WA 98124–2207; 

telephone 206–544–5000, extension 1; 

fax 206–766–5680; Internet https://

www.myboeingfleet.com. You may view 

this 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 AD, the regulatory 

evaluation, any comments received, and 

other information. The address for the 

Docket Office (phone: 800–647–5527) is 

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: 

Berhane Alazar, Aerospace Engineer, 

Airframe Branch, ANM–120S, FAA, 

Seattle Aircraft Certification Office 

(ACO), 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, 

Washington 98057–3356; phone: 425– 

917–6577; fax: 425–917–6590; email: 

berhane.alazar@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

We issued a notice of proposed 

rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 

part 39 by adding an AD that would 

apply to the specified products. The 

NPRM published in the Federal 

Register on July 17, 2013 (78 FR 42720). 

The NPRM proposed to require for 

certain airplanes, a modification of the 

web of the horizontal stabilizer center 

section rear spar. For the other 

airplanes, the NPRM proposed to 

require an inspection for cracks in the 

web, and repair or modification as 

applicable. 

Comments 

We gave the public the opportunity to 

participate in developing this AD. We 

have considered the comment received. 

Boeing supported the NPRM (78 FR 

42720, July 17, 2013). 

Clarification of Applicability 

Since the NPRM (78 FR 42720, July 

17, 2013) was published, we have 

clarified the applicability in paragraph 

(c) of this final rule to reflect the most 

recent type certificate data sheet for The 

Boeing Company Model 727 airplanes. 

Conclusion 

We reviewed the relevant data, 

considered the comments received, and 

determined that air safety and the 

public interest require adopting this AD 

as proposed—except for minor editorial 

changes. We have determined that these 

minor changes: 

• Are consistent with the intent that 

was proposed in the NPRM (78 FR 

42720, July 17, 2013) for correcting the 

unsafe condition; and 

• Do not add any additional burden 

upon the public than was already 

proposed in the NPRM (78 FR 42720, 

July 17, 2013). 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this AD affects 106 

airplanes of U.S. registry. We estimate 

the following costs to comply with this 

AD: 

ESTIMATED COSTS

Action Labor cost Parts cost Cost per 

product 

Cost on U.S. 

operators 

Modification ..................................................... 32 work-hours × $85 per hour = $2,720 ........ $7,154 $9,874 $1,036,770 

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, 


wreier-aviles on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with RULES
65186 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 211 / Thursday, October 31, 2013 / Rules and Regulations 

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 

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), 

(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. 

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 airworthiness 

directive (AD): 

2013–21–07 The Boeing Company: 

Amendment 39–17631; Docket No. 

FAA–2013–0546; Directorate Identifier 

2013–NM–050–AD. 

(a) Effective Date 

This AD is effective December 5, 2013. 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to The Boeing Company 

Model 727, 727C, 727–100, 727 –100C, 727– 

200, and 727–200F series airplanes, 

certificated in any category, identified as 

Group III and Group IV in Boeing Service 

Bulletin 55–46, dated April 8, 1970. 

(d) Subject 

Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC)/

Air Transport Association (ATA) of America 

Code 55, Stabilizers. 

(e) Unsafe Condition 

This AD is intended to complete certain 

mandated programs intended to support the 

airplane reaching its limit of validity of the 

engineering data that support the established 

structural maintenance program. We are 

issuing this AD to prevent cracking at the 

upper fastener holes in the riveted web in the 

horizontal stabilizer center section rear spar, 

which could lead to horizontal stabilizer 

separation and loss of control of the airplane. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(g) Group III Airplanes: Inspection 

For airplanes identified as Group III in 

Boeing Service Bulletin 55–46, dated April 8, 

1970: At the later of the times specified in 

paragraphs (g)(1) and (g)(2) of this AD, do an 

eddy-current inspection for cracks in the 

web, in accordance with the 

Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing 

Service Bulletin 55–46, dated April 8, 1970. 

(1) Before the accumulation of 60,000 total 

flight cycles. 

(2) Within 24 months or 2,500 flight cycles 

after the effective date of this AD, whichever 

occurs first. 

(h) Group III Airplanes: Corrective Actions 

For airplanes identified as Group III in 

Boeing Service Bulletin 55–46, dated April 8, 

1970: After the inspection required by 

paragraph (g) of this AD, do the applicable 

actions specified in paragraph (h)(1) or (h)(2) 

of this AD. 

(1) If no crack is found, before further 

flight, modify the web of the horizontal 

stabilizer center section rear spar, in 

accordance with the Accomplishment 

Instructions of Boeing Service Bulletin 55– 

46, dated April 8, 1970. 

(2) If any crack is found, repair before 

further flight using a method approved in 

accordance with the procedures specified in 

paragraph (j) of this AD. 

(i) Group IV Airplanes: Modification 

For airplanes identified as Group IV in 

Boeing Service Bulletin 55–46, dated April 8, 

1970: At the later of the times specified in 

paragraphs (i)(1) and (i)(2) of this AD, modify 

the web of the horizontal stabilizer center 

section rear spar, in accordance with the 

Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing 

Service Bulletin 55–46, dated April 8, 1970. 

(1) Before the accumulation of 60,000 total 

flight cycles. 

(2) Within 24 months or 2,500 flight cycles 

after the effective date of this AD, whichever 

occurs first. 

(j) 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 

paragraph (k) of this AD. Information may be 

emailed to: 9-ANM-Seattle-ACO-AMOCRequests@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. 

(3) An AMOC that provides an acceptable 

level of safety may be used for any repair 

required by this AD if it is approved by the 

Boeing Commercial Airplanes Organization 

Designation Authorization (ODA) that 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. 

(k) Related Information 

For more information about this AD, 

contact Berhane Alazar, Aerospace Engineer, 

Airframe Branch, ANM–120S, FAA, Seattle 

Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), 1601 Lind 

Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 98057– 

3356; phone: 425–917–6577; fax: 425–917– 

6590; email: berhane.alazar@faa.gov. 

(l) Material Incorporated by Reference 

(1) The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

(IBR) of the service information listed in this 

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

part 51. 

(2) You must use this service information 

as applicable to do the actions required by 

this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise. 

(i) Boeing Service Bulletin 55–46, dated 

April 8, 1970. 

(ii) Reserved. 

(3) For Boeing service information 

identified in this AD, contact Boeing 

Commercial Airplanes, Attention: Data & 

Services Management, P.O. Box 3707, MC 

2H–65, Seattle, WA 98124–2207; telephone 

206–544–5000, extension 1; fax 206–766– 

5680; Internet https://

www.myboeingfleet.com. 

(4) You may view this service information 

at 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. 

(5) You may view this 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/cfr/ibrlocations.html. 


wreier-aviles on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with RULES
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 211 / Thursday, October 31, 2013 / Rules and Regulations 65187 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on October 

15, 2013. 

Jeffrey E. Duven, 

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2013–24943 Filed 10–30–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2013–0665; Directorate 

Identifier 2012–NM–082–AD; Amendment 

39–17634; AD 2013–22–02] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus 

Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for all 

Airbus Model A330–300 series airplanes 

and Model A340–200 and –300 series 

airplanes. This AD was prompted by 

reports of corrosion found on certain 

trimmable horizontal stabilizer actuators 

(THSA), affecting the ballscrew lower 

splines between the tie bar and the 

screw-jack. This AD requires repetitive 

detailed inspections for corrosion of 

certain THSAs, ballscrew integrity tests 

if necessary; and replacing any affected 

THSA with a serviceable or new and 

improved THSA, if necessary. We are 

issuing this AD to detect and correct 

corrosion of the THSAs, which could 

lead, in the case of ballscrew rupture, to 

the loss of transmission of THSA torque 

loads from the ballscrew to the tie-bar, 

prompting THSA blowback, and 

possibly resulting in loss of control of 

the airplane. 

DATES: This AD becomes effective 

December 5, 2013. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of certain publications listed in this AD 

as of December 5, 2013. 

ADDRESSES: You may examine the AD 

on the Internet at http://

www.regulations.gov/

#!docketDetail;D=FAA-2013-0665 or in 

person at the U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 

Washington, DC. 

For Airbus service information 

identified in this AD, contact Airbus 

SAS, Airworthiness Office—EAL, 1 

Rond Point Maurice Bellonte, 31707 

Blagnac Cedex, France; telephone +33 5 

61 93 36 96; fax +33 5 61 93 45 80; email 

airworthiness.A330–A340@airbus.com; 

Internet http://www.airbus.com. For 

Goodrich service information identified 

in this AD, contact Goodrich 

Corporation, Actuation Systems, 

Product Support Department 13, 

Avenue de L’Eguillette—Saint-Ouen 

L’Aumone Boite Postale 7186 95056, 

Cergy Pontoise Cedex, France; fax: 33– 

1–34326310. You may view this 

referenced service information at the 

FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA. 

For information on the availability of 

this material at the FAA, call 425–227– 

1221. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Vladimir Ulyanov, Aerospace Engineer, 

International Branch, ANM–116, 

Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, 

1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 

98057–3356; telephone (425) 227–1138; 

fax (425) 227–1149. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

We issued a notice of proposed 

rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 

part 39 by adding an AD that would 

apply to the specified products. The 

NPRM published in the Federal 

Register on August 1, 2013 (78 FR 

46543). The NPRM proposed to correct 

an unsafe condition for the specified 

products. 

The European Aviation Safety Agency 

(EASA), which is the Technical Agent 

for the Member States of the European 

Community, has issued EASA 

Airworthiness Directive 2012–0061R1, 

dated November 30, 2012 (referred to 

after this as the Mandatory Continuing 

Airworthiness Information, or ‘‘the 

MCAI’’), to correct an unsafe condition 

for the specified products. The MCAI 

states: 

Some Trimmable Horizontal Stabilizer 

Actuators (THSA), Part Number (P/N) 47147– 

500, have been found with corrosion, 

affecting the ballscrew lower splines between 

the tie bar and the screw-jack. 

The results of the technical investigations 

have identified that the corrosion was caused 

by a combination of: 

—Contact/friction between the tie bar and the 

inner surface of the ballscrew leading to 

the removal of Molykote (corrosion 

protection) at the level of the tie bar 

splines, 

—Humidity ingress initiating surface 

oxidation starting from areas where 

Molykote is removed, and 

—Water retention in THSA lower part 

leading to corrosion spread out and to the 

creation of a brown deposit (iron oxide). 

The results of the technical investigations 

have also concluded that THSA P/N 47147– 

500 and P/N 47147–700 ballscrews might be 

affected by this corrosion issue. 

THSA P/N 47147–400 ballscrews might be 

affected as well, but should no longer be in 

service, and modified into P/N 47147–500, as 

required by EASA AD 2010–0192 and EASA 

AD 2010–0193 [and as required by FAA AD 

2005–07–04, Amendment 39–14028 (70 FR 

16104, March 30, 2005)]. 

This condition, if not detected and 

corrected, may lead, in case of ballscrew 

rupture, to loss of transmission of THSA 

torque loads from the ballscrew to the tie-bar, 

prompting THSA blowback, possibly 

resulting in loss of control of the aeroplane. 

To correct this potential unsafe condition, 

EASA issued AD 2012–0061 to require 

repetitive [detailed] visual inspections of the 

ballscrew lower splines of THSA having P/ 

N 47147–500 or P/N 47147–700 to detect 

corrosion and, depending on findings 

[ballscrew integrity tests], the 

accomplishment of applicable corrective 

actions [replacing the affected THSA with a 

serviceable or improved THSA]. 

Since that [EASA] AD [2012–0061] was 

issued, Airbus published new Service 

Bulletin (SB) A330–27–3194 or Airbus SB 

A340–27–4187 (Airbus modification 202802), 

which allow installation in service of an 

improved THSA P/N 47172–530. 

For the reasons described above, this 

[EASA] AD [2012–0061R1] is revised to 

specify that installation of THSA P/N 47172– 

530 is an alternative (optional) terminating 

action to the repetitive inspections required 

by this AD. 

You may examine the MCAI in the 

AD docket on the Internet at http://

www.regulations.gov/

#!documentDetail;D=FAA-2013-0665- 

0002. 

Relevant Service Information 

We have received Airbus Mandatory 

Service Bulletins A330–27–3179 and 

A340–27–4175, both Revision 01, both 

dated June 13, 2013; which specify no 

additional work. We have updated 

paragraphs (g), (i), and (n) of this final 

rule to reference this service 

information. We have also added new 

paragraph (m) to this final rule to allow 

credit for the actions specified in 

paragraphs (g), (i), and (n) of this final 

rule, if those actions were performed 

before the effective date of this AD using 

Airbus Mandatory Service Bulletins 

A330–27–3179, dated February 14, 

2012; or A340–27–4175, dated February 

14, 2012. Subsequent paragraphs have 

been re-designated accordingly. 

Comments 

We gave the public the opportunity to 

participate in developing this AD. We 

received no comments on the NPRM (78 

FR 46543, August 1, 2013) or on the 

determination of the cost to the public. 

Conclusion 

We reviewed the available data and 

determined that air safety and the 


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