26106 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 84 / Monday, May 2, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 

(2) The subject of this AD is addressed in 

European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD 

No. 2015–0033–E, dated February 24, 2015. 

You may view the EASA AD on the Internet 

at http://www.regulations.gov in Docket No. 

FAA–2015–3970. 

(j) Subject 

Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) 

Code: 5302: Rotorcraft Tailboom. 

(k) Material Incorporated by Reference 

(1) The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 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) Airbus Helicopters Emergency Alert 

Service Bulletin No. 05A017, Revision 2, 

dated February 20, 2015. 

(ii) Reserved. 

(3) For Airbus Helicopters service 

information identified in this final rule, 

contact Airbus Helicopters, Inc., 2701 N. 

Forum Drive, Grand Prairie, TX 75052; 

telephone (972) 641–0000 or (800) 232–0323; 

fax (972) 641–3775; or at http://

www.airbushelicopters.com/techpub. 

(4) You may view this service information 

at FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, 

Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., 

Room 6N–321, Fort Worth, TX 76177. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call (817) 222–5110. 

(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 Fort Worth, Texas, on April 15, 

2016. 

Scott A. Horn, 

Acting Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2016–09235 Filed 4–29–16; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2014–0338; Directorate 

Identifier 2014–CE–010–AD; Amendment 

39–18495; AD 2016–08–18] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Piper 

Aircraft, Inc. Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 

Piper Aircraft, Inc. Model PA–31–350 

airplanes. This AD was prompted by a 

report of an engine fire caused by a leak 

in the fuel pump inlet hose. This AD 

requires inspecting the fuel hose 

assembly and the turbocharger support 

assembly for proper clearance between 

them, inspecting each assembly for any 

sign of damage, and making any 

necessary repairs or replacements. We 

are issuing this AD to correct the unsafe 

condition on these products. 

DATES: This AD is effective June 6, 2016. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain publication listed in this AD 

as of June 6, 2016. 

ADDRESSES: For service information 

identified in this final rule, contact 

Piper Aircraft, Inc., 2926 Piper Drive, 

Vero Beach, Florida 32960; telephone: 

(772) 567–4361; fax: (772) 978–6573; 

Internet: www.piper.com/home/pages/

Publications.cfm. You may view this 

referenced service information at the 

FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 

Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. 

For information on the availability of 

this material at the FAA, call (816) 329– 

4148. It is also available on the internet 

at http://www.regulations.gov by 

searching for and locating Docket No. 

FAA–2014–0338. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the Internet at http://

www.regulations.gov by searching for 

and locating Docket No. FAA–2014– 

0338; 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: Gary 

Wechsler, Aerospace Engineer, FAA, 

Atlanta Aircraft Certification Office, 

1701 Columbia Avenue, College Park, 

Georgia 30337; telephone: (404) 474– 

5575; fax: (404) 474–5606; email: 

gary.wechsler@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Discussion 

We issued a supplemental notice of 

proposed rulemaking (SNPRM) to 

amend 14 CFR part 39 by adding an AD 

that would apply to certain Piper 

Aircraft, Inc. Model PA–31–350 

airplanes. The SNPRM published in the 

Federal Register on January 26, 2016 

(81 FR 4214). We preceded the SNPRM 

with a notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM) that published in the Federal 

Register on June 3, 2014 (79 FR 31888). 

The NPRM proposed to require 

inspecting the fuel hose assembly and 

the turbocharger support assembly for 

proper clearance between them, 

inspecting each assembly for any sign of 

damage, and making any necessary 

repairs or replacements. The NPRM was 

prompted by a report of an engine fire 

on a Piper Aircraft, Inc. (Piper) Model 

PA–31–350 airplane. Investigation 

revealed that the fire was caused by a 

leak in the fuel pump inlet hose that 

resulted from repeated contact with an 

adjacent turbocharger support assembly 

caused by inadequate clearance between 

the two assemblies. The SNPRM 

proposed to require the same actions as 

proposed in the NPRM using revised 

service information issued by the 

manufacturer to clarify which engines 

are part of the airplane applicability and 

to revise the instructions for 

accomplishing the proposed actions. 

This condition, if not corrected, could 

result in damage to the fuel inlet hose 

assembly, which could cause the fuel 

pump inlet hose to fail and leak fuel in 

the engine compartment. This condition 

could also cause damage to the 

turbocharger support assembly, which 

could require the turbocharger support 

assembly to be repaired or replaced. 

Comments 

We gave the public the opportunity to 

participate in developing this AD. We 

received no comments on the SNPRM 

(81 FR 4214, January 26, 2016) or on the 

determination of the cost to the public. 

Conclusion 

We reviewed the relevant data 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 SNPRM (81 FR 

4214, January 26, 2016) for correcting 

the unsafe condition; and 

• Do not add any additional burden 

upon the public than was already 

proposed in the SNPRM (81 FR 4214, 

January 26, 2016). 

Related Service Information Under 1 

CFR Part 51 

We reviewed Piper Aircraft, Inc. 

Service Bulletin No. 1257A, dated 

August 4, 2015. The service information 

describes procedures for the following. 

This service information is reasonably 

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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 84 / Monday, May 2, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 26107 

available because the interested parties 

have access to it through their normal 

course of business or by the means 

identified in the ADDRESSES section. 

—Inspecting for a minimum 3⁄16-inch 

clearance between the fuel hose 

assembly and the turbocharger 

support assembly and making any 

necessary adjustments. 

—Inspecting the fuel hose assembly for 

any signs of damage and, if necessary, 

replacing with a serviceable part. 

—Inspecting the turbocharger support 

assembly for any signs of damage and, 

if necessary, repairing or replacing 

with a serviceable part. 

—Performing an engine run-up to check 

for any leaks. 

Differences Between This AD and the 

Service Information 

There are differences between the 

compliance times for the corrective 

actions in this AD and those in the 

related service information. 

We based the compliance times in 

this AD on risk analysis and cost impact 

to operators. There has only been one 

event of the reported incident in the 

operational history of Piper Model PA– 

31–350 airplanes. Cost was also a strong 

consideration due to the age of the fleet 

and the number of airplanes still in 

service. 

The one-time inspection required in 

this AD is very inexpensive and requires 

minimal time to accomplish. It is 

expected that almost all airplanes in 

service can be cleared with a single 

inspection, and no additional actions or 

costs would be incurred by the vast 

majority of the fleet. 

We determined that a single 

inspection with any necessary 

corrective actions is an adequate 

terminating action for the unsafe 

condition. The risk related to future 

maintenance on the fuel line would be 

mitigated by the related service 

information and awareness from this 

AD. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this AD affects 773 

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 

Inspect for proper clearance between the fuel hose assembly 

and the turbocharger support assembly.

.5 work-hour × $85 per hour = $85 .... N/A $42.50 $32,852.50 

Inspect the fuel hose assembly for evidence of leaking, cracking, chafing, and any other sign of damage..5 work-hour × $85 per hour = $42.50 N/A 42.50 32,852.50 

Inspect the turbocharger support assembly for evidence of 

chafing and any other sign of damage.

.5 work-hour × $85 per hour = $42.50 N/A 42.50 32,852.50 

Engine run-up/leak check ............................................................. 1 work-hour × $85 = $85 (.5 work 

hour per engine).

N/A 85 65,705 

We estimate the following costs to do 

any necessary follow-on actions that 

will be required based on the results of 

the inspection. We have no way of 

determining the number of airplanes 

that might need these corrective actions. 

ON-CONDITION COSTS

Action Labor cost Parts cost Cost per 

product 

Adjust routing of fuel hose assembly for proper clearance between the 

fuel hose assembly and the turbocharger support assembly.

5.5 work-hours × $85 per hour = $467.50 N/A $467.50 

Replace Piper fuel pump inlet hose assembly, part number 39995–34 (2 

per airplane).

1 work-hour × $85 per hour = $85 ............. 1,068 1,153 

Replace Lycoming turbocharger support assembly, part number LW– 

18302 (2 per airplane).

24 work-hours × $85 per hour = $2,040 .... 12,874 14,914 

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 

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. 

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26108 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 84 / Monday, May 2, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 

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): 

2016–08–18 Piper Aircraft, Inc.: 

Amendment 39–18495; Docket No. 

FAA–2014–0338; Directorate Identifier 

2014–CE–010–AD. 

(a) Effective Date 

This AD is effective June 6, 2016. 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to Piper Aircraft, Inc. 

Model PA–31–350 airplanes, serial numbers 

31–5001 through 31–5004, 31–7305005 

through 31–8452024, and 31–8253001 

through 31–8553002, certificated in any 

category, that are equipped with the 

following engines and fuel pump hose 

assemblies: 

TABLE 1 TO PARAGRAPH (C) OF THIS AD—APPLICABLE ENGINES AND FUEL PUMP HOSE ASSEMBLIES

Engine Manufacturer’s hose name Manufacturer’s part number (P/N) Hose description 

TIO–540–J2B (right wing) .... Hose Assembly—Fuel .......... Piper 39995–034 ............................. Inlet fuel hose to engine fuel pump. 

LTIO–540–J2B (left wing) .... Hose, Fuel pump to Injector Lycoming LW–12877–6S142 ........... Exit fuel hose from engine fuel pump.

TIO540–J2BD (right wing) .... Hose, Fuel pump to Injector Lycoming LW–12877–6S142 ........... Exit fuel hose from engine fuel pump.

LTIO–540–J2BD (left wing) .. Hose Assembly—Fuel .......... Piper 39995–034 ............................. Inlet fuel hose to engine fuel pump. 

(d) Subject 

Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC)/

Air Transport Association (ATA) of America 

Code 73: Engine Fuel and Control. 

(e) Unsafe Condition 

This AD was prompted by a report of an 

engine fire caused by a leak in the fuel pump 

inlet hose. We are issuing this AD to correct 

the unsafe condition on these products. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified in paragraphs 

(g)(1) through (j)(2) of this AD, unless already 

done. 

(g) Ensure Proper Clearance Between the 

Fuel Hose Assembly and the Turbocharger 

Support Assembly 

(1) Within the next 60 hours time-inservice (TIS) after June 6, 2016 (the effective 

date of this AD) or within the next 6 months 

after June 6, 2016 (the effective date of this 

AD), whichever occurs first, inspect to 

determine the clearance between the inlet 

and exit fuel hose assemblies listed in table 

1 to paragraph (c) of this AD, and each 

turbocharger support assembly, Lycoming P/ 

N LW–18302. There should be a minimum 

3⁄16-inch clearance. Do the inspection 

following the INSTRUCTIONS section of 

Piper Aircraft, Inc. Service Bulletin No. 

1257A, dated August 4, 2015. 

(2) Before further flight after the inspection 

required in paragraph (g)(1) of this AD, if the 

measured clearance is less than 3⁄16-inch, 

make all necessary adjustments to make the 

clearance a minimum of 3⁄16-inch between 

the inlet and exit fuel hose assemblies listed 

in table 1 to paragraph (c) of this AD and 

each turbocharger support assembly, 

Lycoming P/N LW–18302, following the 

INSTRUCTIONS section of Piper Aircraft, 

Inc. Service Bulletin No. 1257A, dated 

August 4, 2015. 

(h) Visually Inspect the Fuel Hose Assembly 

and Replace if Necessary 

(1) Within the next 60 hours TIS after June 

6, 2016 (the effective date of this AD) or 

within the next 6 months after June 6, 2016 

(the effective date of this AD), whichever 

occurs first, visually inspect the inlet and 

exit fuel hose assemblies listed in table 1 to 

paragraph (c) of this AD for evidence of 

leaking, cracking, chafing, and any other sign 

of damage. Do the inspection following the 

INSTRUCTIONS section of Piper Aircraft, 

Inc. Service Bulletin No. 1257A, dated 

August 4, 2015. 

(2) Before further flight after the inspection 

required in paragraph (h)(1) of this AD, if any 

evidence of leaking, cracking, chafing, or any 

other sign of damage is found in any inlet or 

exit fuel host assembly listed in table 1 to 

paragraph (c) of this AD, replace the fuel 

hose assembly with a serviceable part. Do the 

replacement following the INSTRUCTIONS 

section of Piper Aircraft, Inc. Service Bulletin 

No. 1257A, dated August 4, 2015. 

(i) Visually Inspect the Turbocharger 

Support Assembly and Replace if Necessary 

(1) Within the next 60 hours TIS after June 

6, 2016 (the effective date of this AD) or 

within the next 6 months after June 6, 2016 

(the effective date of this AD), whichever 

occurs first, visually inspect each 

turbocharger support assembly, Lycoming P/ 

N LW–18302, for evidence of chafing and any 

other signs of damage. Do the inspection 

following the INSTRUCTIONS section of 

Piper Aircraft, Inc. Service Bulletin No. 

1257A, dated August 4, 2015. 

(2) Before further flight after the inspection 

required in paragraph (i)(1) of this AD, if any 

evidence of chafing or any other sign of 

damage is found on any turbocharger support 

assembly, replace Lycoming P/N LW–18302 

with a serviceable part. Do the replacement 

following the INSTRUCTIONS section of 

Piper Aircraft, Inc. Service Bulletin No. 

1257A, dated August 4, 2015. 

(j) Engine Run-Up 

(1) If any fuel line component was adjusted 

or replaced during any actions required in 

paragraphs (g)(1) through (i)(2) of this AD, 

before further flight, perform an engine runup on the ground to check for leaks. Do the 

engine run-up following the INSTRUCTIONS 

section of Piper Aircraft, Inc. Service Bulletin 

No. 1257A, dated August 4, 2015. 

(2) If any leaks found during the engine 

run-up required in paragraph (j)(1) of this AD 

emanate from any fuel line component 

adjusted, repaired, or replaced during any 

actions required in paragraphs (g)(1) through 

(i)(2) of this AD, before further flight, take all 

necessary corrective actions following the 

INSTRUCTIONS section of Piper Aircraft, 

Inc. Service Bulletin No. 1257A, dated 

August 4, 2015. 

(k) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, Atlanta 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. 

(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. 

(l) Related Information 

For more information about this AD, 

contact Gary Wechsler, Aerospace Engineer, 

FAA, Atlanta ACO, 1701 Columbia Avenue, 

College Park, Georgia 30337; telephone: (404) 

474–5575; fax: (404) 474–5606; email: 

gary.wechsler@faa.gov. 

(m) 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) Piper Aircraft, Inc. Service Bulletin No. 

1257A, dated August 4, 2015. 

(ii) Reserved. 

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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 84 / Monday, May 2, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 26109 

(3) For Piper Aircraft, Inc. service 

information identified in this AD, contact 

Piper Aircraft, Inc., 926 Piper Drive, Vero 

Beach, Florida 32960; telephone: (772) 567– 

4361; fax: (772) 978–6573; Internet: 

www.piper.com/home/pages/

Publications.cfm. 

(4) You may view this service information 

at FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, 901 

Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call (816) 329–4148. 

(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 Kansas City, Missouri, on April 

14, 2016. 

Robert P. Busto, 

Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2016–09238 Filed 4–29–16; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2015–1428; Directorate 

Identifier 2015–NM–026–AD; Amendment 

39–18499; AD 2016–09–01] 

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 777–200 

and –300 series airplanes. This AD was 

prompted by reports of fatigue cracking 

of a certain chord of the pivot bulkhead. 

This AD requires repetitive inspections 

for cracking of the left side and right 

side forward outer chords of the pivot 

bulkhead, and related investigative and 

corrective actions if necessary. This AD 

also provides a modification of the pivot 

bulkhead, which would terminate the 

repetitive inspections. We are issuing 

this AD to detect and correct fatigue 

cracking of the outer flanges of the left 

and right side forward outer chords of 

the pivot bulkhead, which could result 

in a severed forward outer chord and 

consequent loss of horizontal stabilizer 

control. 

DATES: This AD is effective June 6, 2016. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of certain publications listed in this AD 

as of June 6, 2016. 

ADDRESSES: For service information 

identified in this final rule, 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, WA. For information on the 

availability of this material at the FAA, 

call 425–227–1221. It is also available 

on the Internet at http://

www.regulations.gov by searching for 

and locating Docket No. FAA–2015– 

1428. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the Internet at http://

www.regulations.gov by searching for 

and locating Docket No. FAA–2015– 

1428; 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 

Docket 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: 

Narinder Luthra, Aerospace Engineer, 

Airframe Branch, ANM–120S, FAA, 

Seattle Aircraft Certification Office 

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

WA 98057–3356; phone: 425–917–6513; 

fax: 425–917–6590; email: 

narinder.luthra@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 certain The Boeing Company 

Model 777–200 and –300 series 

airplanes. The NPRM published in the 

Federal Register on June 15, 2015 (80 

FR 34103) (‘‘the NPRM’’). The NPRM 

was prompted by reports of fatigue 

cracking of a certain chord of the pivot 

bulkhead. The NPRM proposed to 

require repetitive inspections for 

cracking of the left side and right side 

forward outer chords of the pivot 

bulkhead, and related investigative and 

corrective actions if necessary. The 

NPRM also proposed to provide a 

modification of the pivot bulkhead, 

which would terminate the repetitive 

inspections. We are issuing this AD to 

detect and correct fatigue cracking of the 

outer flanges of the left and right side 

forward outer chords of the pivot 

bulkhead, which could result in a 

severed forward outer chord and 

consequent loss of horizontal stabilizer 

control. 

Comments 

We gave the public the opportunity to 

participate in developing this AD. The 

following presents the comments 

received on the NPRM and the FAA’s 

response to each comment. 

Request To Exclude Certain 

Requirements From the NPRM 

American Airlines (AA) requested 

that we revise the NPRM to exclude 

doing the work in accordance with 

paragraph 3.B.4., of the Work 

Instructions of Boeing Alert Service 

Bulletin 777–53A0075, dated January 

14, 2015, which specifies ‘‘Put the 

airplane back into a serviceable 

condition.’’ AA stated that doing this 

action does not affect the condition that 

the AD seeks to address. AA added that 

most operators will accomplish these 

modifications as part of a maintenance 

visit, and returning the airplane to a 

serviceable condition will not be 

possible in the context of the statement, 

but rather will occur at a point in time 

well after the work is completed. 

We agree that putting the airplane 

back into a serviceable condition is not 

directly related to addressing the unsafe 

condition identified in this AD. 

However, we do not agree to specifically 

exclude paragraph 3.B.4., of the Work 

Instructions of Boeing Alert Service 

Bulletin 777–53A0075, dated January 

14, 2015, from this final rule because it 

is not required for compliance with the 

AD actions. 

The FAA worked in conjunction with 

industry, under the Airworthiness 

Directives Implementation Aviation 

Rulemaking Committee (AD ARC), to 

enhance the AD system. One 

enhancement is a new process for 

annotating which steps in the service 

information are ‘‘required for 

compliance’’ (RC) with an AD. 

Differentiating these steps from other 

tasks in the service information is 

expected to improve an owner’s/

operator’s understanding of AD 

requirements and help provide 

consistent judgment in AD compliance. 

In response to the AD Implementation 

ARC, the FAA released AC 20–176A, 

dated June 16, 2014 (http://rgl.faa.gov/

Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rg

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