75588 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 233 / Monday, December 4, 2000 / Rules and Regulations

Document (SSID) into the operator’s

approved airplane maintenance program

constitutes an approved alternative method

of compliance for Model 707 and 720 series

airplanes.

Special Flight Permits

(h) 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

(i) Except as provided by paragraph (f) of

this AD, the actions shall be done in

accordance with Boeing Service Bulletin

2999, Revision 3, dated January 12, 1972;

Boeing Service Bulletin 2999, Revision 4,

dated January 31, 1991; Boeing Service

Bulletin 727–52–79, Revision 4, dated June

19, 1981; Boeing Service Bulletin 727–52–79,

Revision 5, dated June 17, 1983; or Boeing

Service Bulletin 727–52A0079, Revision 6,

including Addendum, dated January 11,

1990; as applicable. This incorporation by

reference was approved by the Director of the

in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR

part 51. Copies may be obtained from Boeing

Commercial Airplane Group, P.O. Box 3707,

Seattle, Washington 98124–2207. Copies may

be inspected at the FAA, Transport Airplane

Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton,

Washington; or at the Office of the Federal

Register, 800 North Capitol Street, NW., suite

700, Washington, DC.

Effective Date

(j) This amendment becomes effective on

January 8, 2001.

Issued in Renton, Washington, on

November 22, 2000.

Donald L. Riggin,

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 00–30398 Filed 12–1–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 99–NM–378–AD; Amendment

39–12027; AD 2000–24–20]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Boeing

Model 707 and 720 Series Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a

new airworthiness directive (AD),

applicable to all Boeing Model 707 and

720 series airplanes, that requires

repetitive inspections of certain

stringers and around certain fastener

holes of the lower skin of the wings to

detect fatigue cracking, and repair, if

necessary. This action is necessary to

detect and correct such cracking and

consequent damage to adjacent

structure, which could result in reduced

structural integrity of the airplane. This

action is intended to address the

identified unsafe condition.

DATES: Effective January 8, 2001.

The incorporation by reference of

certain publications listed in the

regulations is approved by the Director

of the Federal Register as of January 8,

2001.

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

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA),

Transport Airplane Directorate, Rules

Docket, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW.,

Renton, Washington; or at the Office of

the Federal Register, 800 North Capitol

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

James Rehrl, Aerospace Engineer,

Airframe Branch, ANM–120S, FAA,

Seattle Aircraft Certification Office,

1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton,

Washington 98055–4056; telephone

(425) 227–2783; fax (425) 227–1181.

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 all Boeing Model

707 and 720 series airplanes was

published in the Federal Register on

August 10, 2000 (65 FR 48941). That

action proposed to require repetitive

inspections of certain stringers and

around certain fastener holes of the

lower skin of the wings to detect fatigue

cracking, and repair, if necessary.

Comment Received

Interested persons have been afforded

an opportunity to participate in the

making of this amendment. Due

consideration has been given to the

single comment received.

The commenter, Boeing, requests that

all references to Model 720 series

airplanes be deleted from the proposed

rule. Specifically, Boeing suggests that:

• the Cost Impact paragraph be

revised to specify that there are

approximately ‘‘* * * 49 affected

Model 707 series airplanes worldwide

* * *;’’

• paragraph (a) of the proposed rule

be removed; and

• Note 2 of the proposed rule be

revised to state that the actions required

by AD 81–11–06 R1, amendment 39–

4178, for Model 720 airplanes remain in

effect. The commenter states that there

are no Model 720 series airplanes in

active service. In addition, the changes

in Revision 4 of the referenced alert

service bulletin affect only Model 707

series airplanes.

The FAA does not concur with the

commenter’s request to remove

references to Model 720 series airplanes

from this final rule. Even though no

Model 720 series airplanes are currently

in active service, including this model

in the applicability of the final rule is

necessary to ensure that the unsafe

condition is addressed on any Model

720 series airplane that is returned to

service in the future. In addition, the

FAA notes that several changes in

Revision 4 of the alert service bulletin

do, in fact, address Model 720 series

airplanes. No change to this final rule is

necessary.

Conclusion

After careful review of the available

data, including the comment noted

above, the FAA has determined that air

safety and the public interest require the

adoption of the rule as proposed.

Cost Impact

There are approximately 49 Model

707 and 720 series airplanes of the

affected design in the worldwide fleet.

The FAA estimates that 2 airplanes of

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

that it will take approximately 56 work

hours per airplane to accomplish the

required actions, and that the average

labor rate is $60 per work hour. Based

on these figures, the cost impact of the

AD on U.S. operators is estimated to be

$6,720, or $3,360 per airplane, per

inspection cycle.

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. The cost impact

figures discussed in AD rulemaking

actions represent only the time

necessary to perform the specific actions

actually required by the AD. These

figures typically do not include

incidental costs, such as the time

required to gain access and close up,

planning time, or time necessitated by

other administrative actions.

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

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 233 / Monday, December 4, 2000 / Rules and Regulations 75589

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:

2000–24–20 Boeing: Amendment 39–12027.

Docket 99–NM–378–AD.

Applicability: All Model 707 and 720 series

airplanes, 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 (e) 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 detect fatigue cracking of certain

stringers, and around certain fastener holes of

the lower skin of the wings, which could

result in damage to adjacent structure and

consequent reduced structural integrity of the

airplane, accomplish the following:

Initial and Repetitive Inspections

(a) For Model 720 series airplanes: Within

500 flight cycles after the effective date of

this AD, perform an initial high frequency

eddy current (HFEC) inspection to detect

cracking, in accordance with Figure 1 of

Boeing Alert Service Bulletin A3395,

Revision 4, dated October 28, 1999.

(b) For Model 707 series airplanes having

fewer than 15,000 total flight cycles as of the

effective date of this AD: Prior to the

accumulation of 15,000 total flight cycles, or

within 150 flight cycles after the effective

date of this AD, whichever occurs later,

perform an initial HFEC inspection in

accordance with Figure 2; steps 1, 2, and 3;

of Boeing Alert Service Bulletin A3395,

Revision 4, dated October 28, 1999. Repeat

the inspection thereafter at intervals not to

exceed 1,300 flight cycles. Accomplishment

of the repetitive HFEC inspections terminates

the low frequency eddy current inspections

specified in AD 81–11–06 R1, amendment

39–4178.

(c) For Model 707 series airplanes having

15,000 total flight cycles or more as of the

effective date of this AD: Within 150 flight

cycles after the effective date of this AD,

perform an initial HFEC inspection in

accordance with Figure 2; steps 4, 5, and 6;

of Boeing Alert Service Bulletin A3395,

Revision 4, dated October 28, 1999, and

accomplish the requirements in paragraphs

(c)(1) and (c)(2) of this AD.

(1) Repeat the inspection thereafter at

intervals not to exceed 150 flight cycles until

accomplishment of the inspections required

by paragraph (c)(2) of this AD.

(2) Within 400 flight cycles after

accomplishment of the initial inspection

required by paragraph (c) of this AD,

accomplish the HFEC inspections required

by paragraph (b) of this AD. Accomplishment

of these inspections terminates the repetitive

inspections required by paragraph (c)(1) of

this AD.

Note 2: The actions required by AD 81–11–

06 R1, amendment 39–4178 [with the

exception of the LFEC inspections, as

specified in paragraph (b) of this AD] remain

in effect.

Inspect and Repair

(d) If any cracking is detected during any

inspection required by this AD, prior to

further flight, perform an internal inspection

in accordance with the Work Instructions

specified in Boeing Alert Service Bulletin

A3395, Revision 4, dated October 28, 1999;

and, prior to further flight, repair in

accordance with a method approved by the

Manager, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office

(ACO), FAA; or in accordance with data

meeting the type certification basis of the

airplane approved by a Boeing Company

Designated Engineering Representative who

has been authorized by the Manager, Seattle

ACO, to make such findings. For a repair

method to be approved by the Manager,

Seattle ACO, as required by this paragraph,

the Manager’s approval letter must

specifically reference this AD.

Alternative Methods of Compliance

(e) 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, Seattle

ACO. Operators shall submit their requests

through an appropriate FAA Principal

Maintenance Inspector, who may add

comments and then send it to the Manager,

Seattle ACO.

Note 3: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this AD, if any, may be

obtained from the Seattle ACO.

Special Flight Permit

(f) 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

(g) Except as required by paragraph (d) of

this AD, the actions shall be done in

accordance with Boeing Alert Service

Bulletin A3395, Revision 4, dated October

28, 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 Boeing Commercial Airplane Group,

P.O. Box 3707, Seattle, Washington 98124–

2207. Copies may be inspected at the FAA,

Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind

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

Office of the Federal Register, 800 North

Capitol Street, NW., suite 700, Washington,

DC.

Effective Date

(h) This amendment becomes effective on

January 8, 2001.

Issued in Renton, Washington, on

November 22, 2000.

Donald L. Riggin,

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 00–30397 Filed 12–1–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 2000–NM–96–AD; Amendment

39–12025; AD 2000–24–18]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Model

A300 B2 and B4 Series Airplanes, and

Model A300 B4–600, A300 B4–600R,

and A300 F4–600R (A300–600) Series

Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.