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[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 84 (Friday, May 1, 2015)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 24850-24852]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-10068]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2015-0935; Directorate Identifier 2014-NM-243-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
certain The Boeing Company Model 747-100, 747-100B, 747-100B SUD, 747-
200B, 747-200C, 747-200F, 747-300, 747-400, 747-400D, 747-400F, 747SR, 
and 747SP series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by several 
reports of chafing of the wire bundles inside the electrical conduit of 
the forward and aft boost pumps of the numbers 1 and 4 main fuel tanks 
due to high vibration. These wire bundles can chafe through the wire 
sleeving into the insulation, exposing the wire conductors. This 
proposed AD would require replacing the wire bundles inside the 
electrical conduit of the forward and aft boost pumps of the numbers 1 
and 4 main fuel tanks with new, improved wire bundles inserted into 
conduit liners. We are proposing this AD to prevent chafing of the wire 
bundles and subsequent arcing between the wiring and the electrical 
conduit creating an ignition source in the fuel tanks, which could 
result in a fire and consequent fuel tank explosion.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by June 15, 2015.

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 http://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 proposed AD, contact 
Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Attention: Data & Services Management, 
P.O. Box 3707, MC 2H-65, Seattle, WA 98124-2207; phone 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-2015-0935.

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-
0935; 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 proposed AD, the regulatory evaluation, any comments 
received, and other information. The street address for the Docket 
Office (phone: 800-647-5527) is in the ADDRESSES section. Comments will 
be available in the AD docket shortly after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tung Tran, Aerospace Engineer, 
Propulsion Branch, ANM-140S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification 
Office, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98057-3356; phone: 425-917-
6505; fax: 425-917-6590; email: tung.tran@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments about this proposal. Send your comments to an address listed 
under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2015-0935; 
Directorate Identifier 2014-NM-243-AD'' at the beginning of your 
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, 
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this proposed AD. We 
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend 
this proposed AD because of those comments.
    We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. We 
will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact we 
receive about this proposed AD.

Discussion

    We have received several reports of chafing of the wire bundles 
inside the

[[Page 24851]]

electrical conduit of the forward and aft boost pumps of the numbers 1 
and 4 main fuel tanks due to high vibration. These wire bundles can 
chafe through the wire sleeving into the insulation, exposing the wire 
conductors. These conditions, if not prevented, could result in arcing 
between the wiring and the electrical conduit creating an ignition 
source in the fuel tanks, which could result in a fire and consequent 
fuel tank explosion.

Related AD

    AD 2011-15-03, Amendment 39-16750 (76 FR 41659, July 15, 2011), 
superseded AD 97-26-07, Amendment 39-10250 (62 FR 65352, December 12, 
1997), and continues to require repetitive inspections to detect damage 
of the sleeving and wire bundles of the boost pumps of the numbers 1 
and 4 main fuel tanks, and of the auxiliary tank jettison pumps (if 
installed); replacement of any damaged sleeving with new sleeving; and 
repair or replacement of any damaged wires with new wires. For 
airplanes on which any burned wires are found, AD 2011-15-03 also 
continues to require an inspection to detect damage of the conduit, and 
replacement of any damaged conduit with a serviceable conduit. AD 2011-
15-03 reduced the initial compliance time and repetitive inspection 
interval in AD 97-26-07. AD 2011-15-03 was prompted by fleet 
information indicating that the repetitive inspection interval in AD 
97-26-07 was too long because excessive chafing of the sleeving 
continued to occur much earlier than expected between scheduled 
inspections. Accomplishing the replacement specified in this proposed 
AD would terminate the repetitive inspections required by paragraph (n) 
of AD 2011-15-03.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    We reviewed Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-28A2306, dated 
October 2, 2014. The service information describes procedures for 
replacing the wire bundles of the electrical conduit inside the 
electrical conduit of the forward and aft boost pumps of the numbers 1 
and 4 main fuel tanks. This service information is reasonably available 
at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. 
FAA-2015-0935. Or see ADDRESSES for other ways to access this service 
information.

FAA's Determination

    We are proposing this AD because we evaluated all the relevant 
information and determined the unsafe condition described previously is 
likely to exist or develop in other products of the same type design.

Proposed AD Requirements

    This proposed AD would require accomplishing the actions specified 
in the service information identified previously.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this proposed AD affects 176 airplanes of U.S. 
registry.
    We estimate the following costs to comply with this proposed AD:

                                                                     Estimated Costs
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                Action                           Labor cost              Parts cost            Cost per product              Cost on U.S.  operators
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Replacement..........................  Up to 53 work[dash]hours x             $4,600   Up to $9,105....................  Up to $1,602,480.
                                        $85 per hour = $4,505.
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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

    We 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) Is not a ``significant rule'' under the 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.

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

0
1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.

Sec.  39.13  [Amended]

0
2. The FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by adding the following new airworthiness 
directive (AD):

The Boeing Company: Docket No. FAA-2015-0935; Directorate Identifier 
2014-NM-243-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

    We must receive comments by June 15, 2015.

(b) Affected ADs

    This AD affects AD 2011-15-03, Amendment 39-16750 (76 FR 41659, 
July 15, 2011).

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to The Boeing Company Model 747-100, 747-100B, 
747-100B SUD, 747-200B, 747-200C, 747-200F, 747-300, 747-400, 747-
400D, 747-400F, 747SR, and 747SP series airplanes, certificated in 
any category, as identified in Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-
28A2306, dated October 2, 2014.

[[Page 24852]]

(d) Subject

    Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 28, Fuel.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by several reports of chafing of the wire 
bundles inside the electrical conduit of the forward and aft boost 
pumps of the numbers 1 and 4 main fuel tanks due to high vibration. 
These wire bundles can chafe through the wire sleeving into the 
insulation, exposing the wire conductors. We are issuing this AD to 
prevent chafing of the wire bundles and subsequent arcing between 
the wiring and the electrical conduit creating an ignition source in 
the fuel tanks, which could result in a fire and consequent fuel 
tank explosion.

(f) Compliance

    Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified, 
unless already done.

(g) Replacement

    Within 60 months after the effective date of this AD: Replace 
the wire bundles inside the electrical conduit of the forward and 
aft boost pumps of the numbers 1 and 4 main fuel tanks with new, 
improved wire bundles inserted into conduit liners, in accordance 
with the Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert Service 
Bulletin 747-28A2306, dated October 2, 2014. Accomplishing the 
replacement required by this paragraph terminates the repetitive 
inspections required by paragraph (n) of AD 2011-15-03, Amendment 
39-16750 (76 FR 41659, July 15, 2011).

(h) 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 (i)(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 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.

(i) Related Information

    (1) For more information about this AD, contact Tung Tran, 
Aerospace Engineer, Propulsion Branch, ANM-140S, FAA, Seattle 
Aircraft Certification Office, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 
98057-3356; phone: 425-917-6505; fax: 425-917-6590; email: 
tung.tran@faa.gov.
    (2) 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; phone 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.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on April 17, 2015.
Victor Wicklund,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-10068 Filed 4-30-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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