17032 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 58 / Friday, March 25, 2022 / Proposed Rules 

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V. Approval of the Office of the 

Secretary 

The Secretary of Energy has approved 

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Signing Authority 

This document of the Department of 

Energy was signed on March 17, 2022, 

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Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy 

Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 

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Signed in Washington, DC, on March 22, 

2022. 

Treena V. Garrett, 

Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. 

Department of Energy. 

[FR Doc. 2022–06313 Filed 3–24–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2022–0154; Project 

Identifier AD–2021–01153–T] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing 

Company Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a 

new airworthiness directive (AD) for all 

The Boeing Company Model 777 

airplanes. This proposed AD was 

prompted by a report of a crack found 

in a front spar lower chord undergoing 

an underwing longeron replacement. 

This proposed AD would require 

repetitive inspections for cracking of the 

left and right side ring chords, repair 

angles, front spar lower chords, and 

front spar webs (depending on 

configuration) common to the 

underwing longeron located at station 

(STA) 1035; modification of the front 

spar lower chord for some airplanes; 

repetitive post-modification inspections; 

and applicable on-condition actions. 

The FAA is proposing this AD to 

address the unsafe condition on these 

products. 

DATES: The FAA must receive comments 

on this proposed AD by May 9, 2022. 

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 

https://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 service information identified in 

this NPRM, contact Boeing Commercial 

Airplanes, Attention: Contractual & Data 

Services (C&DS), 2600 Westminster 

Blvd., MC 110–SK57, Seal Beach, CA 

90740–5600; telephone 562–797–1717; 

internet https://www.myboeingfleet.

com. You may view this referenced 

service information at the FAA, 

Airworthiness Products Section, 

Operational Safety Branch, 2200 South 

216th St., Des Moines, WA. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call 206–231–3195. 

It is also available at https://

www.regulations.gov by searching for 

and locating Docket No. FAA–2022– 

0154. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket at 

https://www.regulations.gov by 

searching for and locating Docket No. 

FAA–2022–0154; or in person at Docket 

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

Monday through Friday, except Federal 

holidays. The AD docket contains this 

NPRM, any comments received, and 


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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 58 / Friday, March 25, 2022 / Proposed Rules 17033 

other information. The street address for 

Docket Operations is listed above. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Luis 

Cortez-Muniz, Aerospace Engineer, 

Airframe Section, FAA, Seattle ACO 

Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des 

Moines, WA 98198; phone and fax: 206– 

231–3958; email: luis.a.cortez-muniz@

faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

The FAA invites you to send any 

written relevant data, views, or 

arguments about this proposal. Send 

your comments to an address listed 

under ADDRESSES. Include ‘‘Docket No. 

FAA–2022–0154; Project Identifier AD– 

2021–01153–T’’ at the beginning of your 

comments. The most helpful comments 

reference a specific portion of the 

proposal, explain the reason for any 

recommended change, and include 

supporting data. The FAA will consider 

all comments received by the closing 

date and may amend this proposal 

because of those comments. 

Except for Confidential Business 

Information (CBI) as described in the 

following paragraph, and other 

information as described in 14 CFR 

11.35, the FAA will post all comments 

received, without change, to https://

www.regulations.gov, including any 

personal information you provide. The 

agency will also post a report 

summarizing each substantive verbal 

contact received about this NPRM. 

Confidential Business Information 

CBI is commercial or financial 

information that is both customarily and 

actually treated as private by its owner. 

Under the Freedom of Information Act 

(FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt 

from public disclosure. If your 

comments responsive to this NPRM 

contain commercial or financial 

information that is customarily treated 

as private, that you actually treat as 

private, and that is relevant or 

responsive to this NPRM, it is important 

that you clearly designate the submitted 

comments as CBI. Please mark each 

page of your submission containing CBI 

as ‘‘PROPIN.’’ The FAA will treat such 

marked submissions as confidential 

under the FOIA, and they will not be 

placed in the public docket of this 

NPRM. Submissions containing CBI 

should be sent to Luis Cortez-Muniz, 

Aerospace Engineer, Airframe Section, 

FAA, Seattle ACO Branch, 2200 South 

216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; 

phone and fax: 206–231–3958; email: 

luis.a.cortez-muniz@faa.gov. Any 

commentary that the FAA receives 

which is not specifically designated as 

CBI will be placed in the public docket 

for this rulemaking. 

Background 

The FAA has received a report of a 

crack found in the front spar lower 

chord of a Model 777–300ER airplane 

undergoing an underwing longeron 

replacement. The affected airplane had 

6,303 flight cycles and 53,727 flight 

hours. The crack was found near a 

critical fastener hole in the front spar 

lower chord; the underwing longeron 

was not cracked. Cracking in the front 

spar lower chord can lead to cracking in 

the front spar web. The front spar web 

is protected against fuel leaks from 

small cracks by a secondary barrier on 

the forward side of the front spar 

bulkhead. If a crack in the front spar 

web grows to a critical length, that 

cracking could result in a fuel leak from 

the center wing tank into the 

environmental control system (ECS) mix 

bay. This condition, if not addressed, 

could result in a fuel leak and fire 

hazard, or in the case of more severe 

cracking, also affect the structural 

integrity of the airplane. 

FAA’s Determination 

The FAA is issuing this NPRM after 

determining that the unsafe condition 

described previously is likely to exist or 

develop on other products of the same 

type design. 

Related Service Information Under 1 

CFR Part 51 

The FAA reviewed Boeing Alert 

Requirements Bulletin 777–57A0122 

RB, dated October 8, 2021. This service 

information specifies procedures for 

repetitive high frequency eddy current 

(HFEC), detailed, and ultrasonic 

inspections (depending on 

configuration) for cracking of the left 

and right side ring chords, repair angles, 

front spar lower chords, and front spar 

webs (depending on configuration) 

common to the underwing longeron 

located at STA 1035; modification of the 

front spar lower chord for some 

airplanes; repetitive post-modification 

inspections; and applicable oncondition actions. On-condition actions 

include repair. This service information 

is reasonably available because the 

interested parties have access to it 

through their normal course of business 

or by the means identified in 

ADDRESSES. 

Proposed AD Requirements in This 

NPRM 

This proposed AD would require 

accomplishing the actions specified in 

the service information already 

described and except for any differences 

identified as exceptions in the 

regulatory text of this proposed AD. For 

information on the procedures and 

compliance times, see this service 

information at https://

www.regulations.gov by searching for 

and locating Docket No. FAA–2022– 

0154. 

Costs of Compliance 

The FAA estimates that this AD, if 

adopted as proposed, would affect 261 

airplanes of U.S. registry. The FAA 

estimates the following costs to comply 

with this proposed AD: 

ESTIMATED COSTS

Action Labor cost Parts cost Cost per product Cost on U.S. operators 

Inspection(s) .................. 44 work-hours × $85 per hour = $3,750 per inspection cycle.$0 $3,750 per inspection 

cycle.

$976,140 per inspection 

cycle. 

Modification * ................. 137 work-hours × $85 per hour = $11,645 ........ $47,964 $59,609 ........................ Up to $15,557,949. 

Post-modification inspection(s) *.46 work-hours × $85 per hour = $3,910 per inspection cycle.$0 $3,910 per inspection 

cycle.

Up to $1,020,510 per 

inspection cycle. 

* Number of affected airplanes that will be required to do this action is unknown. 

The FAA has received no definitive 

data on which to base the cost estimates 

for the repairs specified in this proposed 

AD. 

The FAA has included all known 

costs in its cost estimate. According to 

the manufacturer, however, some or all 

of the costs of this proposed AD may be 

covered under warranty, thereby 

reducing the cost impact on affected 

operators. 


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17034 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 58 / Friday, March 25, 2022 / Proposed Rules 

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. 

The FAA is 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 

The FAA 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) Would not affect intrastate 

aviation in Alaska, and 

(3) Would 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. 

§ 39.13 [Amended] 

■ 2. The FAA amends § 39.13 by adding 

the following new airworthiness 

directive: 

The Boeing Company: Docket No. FAA– 

2022–0154; Project Identifier AD–2021– 

01153–T. 

(a) Comments Due Date 

The FAA must receive comments on this 

airworthiness directive (AD) by May 9, 2022. 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to all The Boeing 

Company Model 777–200, –200LR, –300, 

–300ER, and 777F airplanes, certificated in 

any category. 

(d) Subject 

Air Transport Association (ATA) of 

America Code 57, Wings. 

(e) Unsafe Condition 

This AD was prompted by a report of a 

crack found in a front spar lower chord 

undergoing an underwing longeron 

replacement. The FAA is issuing this AD to 

detect and correct such cracking, which in 

combination with cracking in the front spar 

web, could result in a fuel leak and fire 

hazard, or in the case of more severe 

cracking, could also affect the structural 

integrity of the airplane. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(g) Required Actions 

Except as specified by paragraph (h) of this 

AD: At the applicable times specified in the 

‘‘Compliance’’ paragraph of Boeing Alert 

Requirements Bulletin 777–57A0122 RB, 

dated October 8, 2021, do all applicable 

actions identified in, and in accordance with, 

the Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing 

Alert Requirements Bulletin 777–57A0122 

RB, dated October 8, 2021. Actions identified 

as terminating action in Boeing Alert 

Requirements Bulletin 777–57A0122 RB, 

dated October 8, 2021, terminate the 

applicable required actions of this AD, 

provided the terminating action is done in 

accordance with the Accomplishment 

Instructions of Boeing Alert Requirements 

Bulletin 777–57A0122 RB, dated October 8, 

2021. 

Note 1 to paragraph (g): Guidance for 

accomplishing the actions required by this 

AD can be found in Boeing Alert Service 

Bulletin 777–5A0122, dated October 8, 2021, 

which is referred to in Boeing Alert 

Requirements Bulletin 777–57A0122 RB, 

dated October 8, 2021. 

(h) Exceptions to Service Information 

Specifications 

(1) Where the Compliance Time columns 

of the tables in the ‘‘Compliance’’ paragraph 

of Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 777– 

57A0122 RB, dated October 8, 2021, use the 

phrase ‘‘the original issue date of 

Requirements Bulletin 777–57A0122 RB,’’ 

this AD requires using ‘‘the effective date of 

this AD.’’ 

(2) Where Boeing Alert Requirements 

Bulletin 777–57A0122 RB, dated October 8, 

2021, specifies contacting Boeing for repair 

instructions: This AD requires doing the 

repair using a method approved in 

accordance with the procedures specified in 

paragraph (i) of this AD. 

(i) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, Seattle ACO Branch, 

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 responsible Flight 

Standards Office, as appropriate. If sending 

information directly to the manager of the 

certification office, send it to the attention of 

the person identified in paragraph (j)(1) of 

this AD. Information may be emailed to: 9- 

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 responsible Flight Standards Office. 

(3) An AMOC that provides an acceptable 

level of safety may be used for any repair, 

modification, or alteration required by this 

AD if it is approved by The Boeing Company 

Organization Designation Authorization 

(ODA) that has been authorized by the 

Manager, Seattle ACO Branch, FAA, to make 

those findings. To be approved, the repair 

method, modification deviation, or alteration 

deviation must meet the certification basis of 

the airplane, and the approval must 

specifically refer to this AD. 

(j) Related Information 

(1) For more information about this AD, 

contact Luis Cortez-Muniz, Aerospace 

Engineer, Airframe Section, FAA, Seattle 

ACO Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des 

Moines, WA 98198; phone and fax: 206–231– 

3958; email: luis.a.cortez-muniz@faa.gov. 

(2) For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Boeing Commercial 

Airplanes, Attention: Contractual & Data 

Services (C&DS), 2600 Westminster Blvd., 

MC 110–SK57, Seal Beach, CA 90740–5600; 

telephone 562–797–1717; internet https://

www.myboeingfleet.com. You may view this 

referenced service information at the FAA, 

Airworthiness Products Section, Operational 

Safety Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des 

Moines, WA. For information on the 

availability of this material at the FAA, call 

206–231–3195. 

Issued on March 7, 2022. 

Derek Morgan, 

Acting Director, Compliance & Airworthiness 

Division, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2022–06319 Filed 3–24–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 


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