Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 201 / Tuesday, October 18, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 71589 

(4) You may view this 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 14, 2016. 

Michael Kaszycki, 

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2016–22832 Filed 10–17–16; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2016–3703; Directorate 

Identifier 2015–NM–115–AD; Amendment 

39–18669; AD 2016–20–03] 

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 767–200, 

–300, and –400ER series airplanes. This 

AD was prompted by an evaluation by 

the design approval holder (DAH) 

indicating that the skin lap splice is 

subject to widespread fatigue damage 

(WFD). This AD requires repetitive 

external detailed and surface high 

frequency eddy current (HFEC) 

inspections of the outer skin for 

cracking around fastener heads common 

to the inboard fastener row of the skin 

lap splice and corrective action. We are 

issuing this AD to detect and correct 

fatigue cracking of the skin lap splice, 

which could grow and result in possible 

rapid decompression and reduced 

structural integrity of the airplane. 

DATES: This AD is effective November 

22, 2016. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain publication listed in this AD 

as of November 22, 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–2016– 

3703. 

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–2016– 

3703; 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: 

Wayne Lockett, Aerospace Engineer, 

Airframe Branch, ANM–120S, FAA, 

Seattle Aircraft Certification Office 

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

WA 98057–3356; phone: 425–917–6447; 

fax: 425–917–6590; email: 

wayne.lockett@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 767–200, –300, and –400ER 

series airplanes. The NPRM published 

in the Federal Register on February 25, 

2016 (81 FR 9367) (‘‘the NPRM’’). The 

NPRM was prompted by an evaluation 

by the DAH indicating that the skin lap 

splice is subject to WFD. The NPRM 

proposed to require repetitive external 

detailed and surface HFEC inspections 

of the outer skin for cracking around 

fastener heads common to the inboard 

fastener row of the skin lap splice. We 

are issuing this AD to detect and correct 

fatigue cracking of the skin lap splice, 

which could grow and result in possible 

rapid decompression and reduced 

structural integrity of the airplane. 

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. Boeing 

stated that it supports the NPRM. 

Effect of Winglets on Accomplishment 

of the Proposed Actions 

Aviation Partners Boeing stated that 

accomplishing the supplemental type 

certificate (STC) ST01920SE does not 

affect the actions specified in the 

NPRM. 

We concur with the commenter. We 

have redesignated paragraph (c) of this 

AD as (c)(1) and added new paragraph 

(c)(2) to this AD to state that installation 

of STC ST01920SE does not affect the 

ability to accomplish the actions 

required by this final rule. Therefore, for 

airplanes on which STC ST01920SE is 

installed, a ‘‘change in product’’ 

alternative method of compliance 

(AMOC) approval request is not 

necessary to comply with the 

requirements of 14 CFR 39.17. 

Request To Revise the Compliance 

Time for the Repetitive Inspection 

Intervals 

United Airlines (UAL) requested that 

we revise the repetitive inspection 

intervals for any repair accomplished 

using the structural repair manual 

(SRM) specified in Part 2 of Boeing 

Alert Service Bulletin 767–53A0260, 

dated August 26, 2014. UAL commented 

that a Zone B repair is Category B, and 

per the SRM inspections, the airplanes 

would have an initial inspection at 

25,000 total flight cycles after airplane 

delivery. UAL stated that the initial 

inspection compliance time for the 

proposed rule is 40,000 total flight 

cycles, and if a repair is accomplished 

at this time, it is already over the initial 

inspection threshold specified in the 

SRM. 

We agree with the commenter’s 

request. There is a conflict between the 

initial inspection thresholds in Boeing 

Alert Service Bulletin 767–53A0260, 

dated August 26, 2014, and the Category 

B repair specified in the SRM. We are 

working with Boeing to revise the 

conflicting compliance times for the 

SRM repairs. We have added a new 

paragraph (h) in this AD, which 

provides clarification that the postrepair damage tolerance inspections are 

not required by this AD, but are 

airworthiness limitations (ALIs), and 

those inspections are required by 

maintenance and operational rules. Any 

deviation from the post-repair ALI 

inspections will need FAA approval, 


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71590 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 201 / Tuesday, October 18, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 

but will not require an AMOC. We have 

coordinated this change with Boeing. 

We redesignated subsequent paragraphs 

accordingly. 

Request To Clarify the Note in the 

Service Information 

UAL requested that we clarify the 

note in paragraph 3.B.l. of the 

Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing 

Alert Service Bulletin 767–53A0260, 

dated August 26, 2014, to state that 

inspections for any repair accomplished 

as a result of Part 1 findings are to be 

inspected per the Part 1 inspection 

requirements and that these supersede 

the SRM inspection requirements. UAL 

stated that the note in Paragraph 3.B.1. 

of the Accomplishment Instructions of 

Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 767– 

53A0260, dated August 26, 2014, 

currently states that it is not necessary 

to repeat the Part 1 inspections in areas 

covered by a previously approved 

repair. 

We disagree with the commenter’s 

request. Note (a) in paragraph 1.E, 

‘‘Compliance,’’ and the note in 

paragraph 3.B.1. of the Accomplishment 

Instructions of Boeing Alert Service 

Bulletin 767–53A0260, dated August 26, 

2014, specify terminating action for the 

AD-mandated inspections for the area 

under an approved repair. The repairs 

are evaluated under their own damage 

tolerance inspection program. The postrepair inspection program is different 

from the baseline inspections specified 

in Part 1 of Boeing Alert Service 

Bulletin 767–53A0260, dated August 26, 

2014. Post-repair damage tolerance 

inspections for any approved repair are 

ALIs, and these inspections are required 

by maintenance and operational rules. It 

is therefore unnecessary to mandate 

them in this AD. Deviations from these 

inspections require FAA approval, but 

do not require an AMOC. We have not 

changed this AD in this regard. 

Conclusion 

We reviewed the relevant data, 

considered the comments received, and 

determined that air safety and the 

public interest require adopting this AD 

with the changes described previously 

and minor editorial changes. We have 

determined that these minor changes: 

• Are consistent with the intent that 

was proposed in the NPRM for 

correcting the unsafe condition; and 

• Do not add any additional burden 

upon the public than was already 

proposed in the NPRM. 

We also determined that these 

changes will not increase the economic 

burden on any operator or increase the 

scope of this AD. 

Related Service Information Under 1 

CFR Part 51 

We reviewed Boeing Alert Service 

Bulletin 767–53A0260, dated August 26, 

2014. The service information describes 

procedures for a detailed inspection and 

a surface HFEC inspection at section 41, 

stringer S–2R skin lap splice from body 

station (STA) 368 to STA 434, for any 

cracking, and 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 the ADDRESSES section. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this AD affects 356 

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 

Inspections ........ 3 work-hours × $85 per hour = $255 per inspection 

cycle.

$0 $255 per inspection cycle $90,780 per inspection 

cycle. 

We have received no definitive data 

that will enable us to provide cost 

estimates for the on-condition actions 

specified in 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 

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): 

2016–20–03 The Boeing Company: 

Amendment 39–18669; Docket No. 

FAA–2016–3703; Directorate Identifier 

2015–NM–115–AD. 

(a) Effective Date 

This AD is effective November 22, 2016. 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 


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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 201 / Tuesday, October 18, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 71591 

(c) Applicability 

(1) This AD applies to the Boeing Company 

Model 767–200, -300, and -400ER series 

airplanes, certificated in any category, as 

identified in Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 

767–53A0260, dated August 26, 2014. 

(2) Installation of Supplemental Type 

Certificate (STC) ST01920SE (http://

rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_

Library/rgstc.nsf/0/

59027F43B9A7486E86257B1D006591EE?

OpenDocument&Highlight=st01920se) does 

not affect the ability to accomplish the 

actions required by this AD. Therefore, for 

airplanes on which STC ST01920SE is 

installed, a ‘‘change in product’’ alternative 

method of compliance (AMOC) approval 

request is not necessary to comply with the 

requirements of 14 CFR 39.17. 

(d) Subject 

Air Transport Association (ATA) of 

America Code 53, Fuselage. 

(e) Unsafe Condition 

This AD was prompted by an evaluation by 

the design approval holder indicating that 

the skin lap splice is subject to widespread 

fatigue damage. We are issuing this AD to 

detect and correct fatigue cracking of this 

skin lap splice, which could grow and result 

in possible rapid decompression and reduced 

structural integrity of the airplane. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(g) Inspection and Corrective Actions 

At the applicable time specified in 

paragraph 1.E., ‘‘Compliance,’’ of Boeing 

Alert Service Bulletin 767–53A0260, dated 

August 26, 2014, except as required by 

paragraph (i) of this AD: Do a detailed 

inspection and a surface high frequency eddy 

current (HFEC) inspection at section 41, 

stringer S–2R skin lap splice from body 

station (STA) 368 to STA 434, for any 

cracking, and do all applicable corrective 

actions, in accordance with the 

Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert 

Service Bulletin 767–53A0260, dated August 

26, 2014. Do all applicable corrective actions 

before further flight. Repeat the inspections 

thereafter at the applicable times specified in 

paragraph 1.E., ‘‘Compliance,’’ of Boeing 

Alert Service Bulletin 767–53A0260, dated 

August 26, 2014. If any existing external 

repair is found in the inspection area, then 

the inspections in Part 1 of the 

Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert 

Service Bulletin 767–53A0260, dated August 

26, 2014, are not required in the area hidden 

by the repair, provided that the repair was 

previously approved by the Manager, Seattle 

Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), or by the 

Authorized Representative of the Boeing 

Commercial Airplanes Organization 

Designation Authorization (ODA), or 

installed as specified in Part 2 of the 

Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert 

Service Bulletin 767–53A0260, dated August 

26, 2014. Inspections in Part 1 of the 

Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert 

Service Bulletin 767–53A0260, dated August 

26, 2014, remain applicable in areas not 

hidden by the repair. 

(h) Post-Repair Inspections 

Repairs identified in Part 2 of Boeing Alert 

Service Bulletin 767–53A0260, dated August 

26, 2014, specify post-repair airworthiness 

limitation inspections for compliance with 

14 CFR 25.57l(a)(3) at the repaired locations, 

which support compliance with 14 CFR 

121.1109(c)(2) or 129.109(b)(2). As 

airworthiness limitations, these inspections 

are required by maintenance and operational 

rules. It is therefore unnecessary to mandate 

them in this AD. Deviations from these 

inspections require FAA approval, but do not 

require an AMOC. 

(i) Exception to the Service Information 

Where Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 767– 

53A0260, dated August 26, 2014, specifies a 

compliance time ‘‘after the original issue date 

of this service bulletin,’’ this AD requires 

compliance within the specified compliance 

time after the effective date of this AD. 

(j) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, Seattle 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, 

modification, or alteration required by this 

AD if it is approved by the Boeing 

Commercial Airplanes ODA that has been 

authorized by the Manager, Seattle ACO, 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. 

(4) Except as required by paragraph (i) of 

this AD: For service information that 

contains steps that are labeled as Required 

for Compliance (RC), the provisions of 

paragraphs (j)(4)(i) and (j)(4)(ii) apply. 

(i) The steps labeled as RC, including 

substeps under an RC step and any figures 

identified in an RC step, must be done to 

comply with the AD. If a step or substep is 

labeled ‘‘RC Exempt,’’ then the RC 

requirement is removed from that step or 

substep. An AMOC is required for any 

deviations to RC steps, including substeps 

and identified figures. 

(ii) Steps not labeled as RC may be 

deviated from using accepted methods in 

accordance with the operator’s maintenance 

or inspection program without obtaining 

approval of an AMOC, provided the RC steps, 

including substeps and identified figures, can 

still be done as specified, and the airplane 

can be put back in an airworthy condition. 

(k) Related Information 

For more information about this AD, 

contact Wayne Lockett, Aerospace Engineer, 

Airframe Branch, ANM–120S, FAA, Seattle 

ACO, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 

98057–3356; phone: 425–917–6447; fax: 425– 

917–6590; email: wayne.lockett@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 Alert Service Bulletin 767– 

53A0260, dated August 26, 2014. 

(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 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. 

(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 16, 2016. 

Suzanne Masterson, 

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2016–23076 Filed 10–17–16; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2016–6640; Directorate 

Identifier 2015–SW–084–AD; Amendment 

39–18683; AD 2016–21–02] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Sikorsky 

Aircraft Corporation Helicopters 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: We are adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for 

Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Sikorsky) 


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