Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 73 / Tuesday, April 16, 2013 / Proposed Rules 22435 

Branch, ANM–116, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, 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 International Branch, send it to ATTN: 

Vladimir Ulyanov, Aerospace Engineer, 

International Branch, ANM–116, Transport 

Airplane Directorate, FAA, 1601 Lind 

Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 98057– 

3356; telephone 425–227–1138; fax 425–227– 

1149. Information may be emailed to: 9- 

ANM-116-AMOC-REQUESTS@faa.gov. 

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. The AMOC 

approval letter must specifically reference 

this AD. 

(2) Airworthy Product: For any requirement 

in this AD to obtain corrective actions from 

a manufacturer or other source, use these 

actions if they are FAA-approved. Corrective 

actions are considered FAA-approved if they 

are approved by the State of Design Authority 

(or their delegated agent). You are required 

to assure the product is airworthy before it 

is returned to service. 

(l) Related Information 

(1) Refer to Mandatory Continuing 

Airworthiness Information (MCAI) EASA 

Airworthiness Directive 2011–0199R1, dated 

February 17, 2012, and the service 

information identified in paragraphs (i)(1)(i) 

through (i)(1)(viii) of this AD. 

(i) Airbus Mandatory Service Bulletin 

A330–27–3176, Revision 02, dated April 24, 

2012. 

(ii) Airbus Mandatory Service Bulletin 

A330–27–3177, dated December 21, 2011. 

(iii) Airbus Mandatory Service Bulletin 

A340–27–4162, Revision 01, dated 

September 17, 2012. 

(iv) Airbus Mandatory Service Bulletin 

A340–27–4174, dated November 21, 2011. 

(v) Airbus A330 Temporary Revision 

4.02.00/46, Issue 3, dated January 13, 2009, 

to the Airbus A330 Airplane Flight Manual. 

(vi) Airbus A340 Temporary Revision 

4.02.00/54, Issue 3, dated January 13, 2009, 

to the Airbus A340 Airplane Flight Manual. 

(vii) Airbus A330/A340 Temporary 

Revision TR149, Issue 1.0, dated December 

20, 2010, to the Airbus A330/A340 Airplane 

Flight Manual. 

(viii) Airbus A330/A340 Temporary 

Revision TR150, Issue 1.0, dated December 

20, 2010, to the Airbus A330/A340 Airplane 

Flight Manual. 

(2) For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Airbus SAS—Airworthiness 

Office—EAL, 1 Rond Point Maurice Bellonte, 

31707 Blagnac Cedex, France; telephone +33 

5 61 93 36 96; fax +33 5 61 93 45 80; email 

airworthiness.A330-A340@airbus.com; 

Internet http://www.airbus.com. You may 

review copies of the 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 4, 

2013. 

Ali Bahrami, 

Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2013–08909 Filed 4–15–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2013–0328; Directorate 

Identifier 2012–NM–184–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing 

Company Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to supersede an 

existing airworthiness directive (AD) 

that applies to certain The Boeing 

Company Model 747–400 and –400D 

series airplanes. The existing AD 

currently requires repetitive inspections 

to detect cracks in the floor panel 

attachment fastener holes of the Section 

41 upper deck floor beam upper chords, 

and corrective actions if necessary; and 

repetitive post-repair and postmodification inspections, and corrective 

actions if necessary. Since we issued 

that AD, an evaluation by the design 

approval holder (DAH) indicated that 

certain upper chords of the upper deck 

floor beam are subject to widespread 

fatigue damage (WFD). A replacement 

was developed to support the airplane’s 

limit of validity (LOV) of the 

engineering data that support the 

established structural maintenance 

program. This proposed AD would add 

repetitive inspections of Section 44 

upper deck floor beam upper chords, 

and corrective actions if necessary; 

repetitive post-repair and postmodification inspections, and corrective 

actions if necessary; and replacing the 

upper deck floor beam upper chords. 

We are proposing this AD to detect and 

correct fatigue cracking in certain upper 

chords of the upper deck floor beam, 

which could become large and cause the 

floor beams to become severed and 

result in rapid decompression or 

reduced controllability of the airplane. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by May 31, 2013. 

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 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. You may 

review copies of the referenced service 

information at the FAA, 1601 Lind 

Avenue SW., Renton, WA. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call 425–227–1221. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the Internet at http:// 

www.regulations.gov; 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: 

Roger Caldwell, Aerospace Engineer, 

Technical Operations Center, ANM– 

100D, FAA, Denver Aircraft 

Certification Office (ACO), 26805 East 

68th Avenue, Room 214, Denver, CO 

80249; phone: 303–342–1086; fax: 303– 

342–1088; email: 

roger.caldwell@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

We invite you to send any written 

relevant data, views, or arguments about 

this proposed AD. Send your comments 

to an address listed under the 

ADDRESSES section. Include ‘‘Docket No. 

FAA–2013–0328; Directorate Identifier 

2012–NM–184–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. 

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22436 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 73 / Tuesday, April 16, 2013 / Proposed Rules 

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 

Structural fatigue damage is 

progressive. It begins as minute cracks, 

and those cracks grow under the action 

of repeated stresses. This can happen 

because of normal operational 

conditions and design attributes, or 

because of isolated situations or 

incidents such as material defects, poor 

fabrication quality, or corrosion pits, 

dings, or scratches. Fatigue damage can 

occur locally, in small areas or 

structural design details, or globally. 

Global fatigue damage is general 

degradation of large areas of structure 

with similar structural details and stress 

levels. Multiple-site damage is global 

damage that occurs in a large structural 

element such as a single rivet line of a 

lap splice joining two large skin panels. 

Global damage can also occur in 

multiple elements such as adjacent 

frames or stringers. Multiple-sitedamage and multiple-element-damage 

cracks are typically too small initially to 

be reliably detected with normal 

inspection methods. Without 

intervention, these cracks will grow, 

and eventually compromise the 

structural integrity of the airplane, in a 

condition known as widespread fatigue 

damage (WFD). As an airplane ages, 

WFD will likely occur, and will 

certainly occur if the airplane is 

operated long enough without any 

intervention. 

The FAA’s WFD final rule (75 FR 

69746, November 15, 2010) became 

effective on January 14, 2011. The WFD 

rule requires certain actions to prevent 

structural failure due to WFD 

throughout the operational life of 

certain existing transport category 

airplanes and all of these airplanes that 

will be certificated in the future. For 

existing and future airplanes subject to 

the WFD rule, the rule requires that 

DAHs and applicants establish a LOV of 

the engineering data that support the 

structural maintenance program. 

Operators affected by the WFD rule may 

not fly an airplane beyond its LOV, 

unless an extended LOV is approved. 

The WFD rule (75 FR 69746, 

November 15, 2010) does not require 

identifying and developing maintenance 

actions if the DAHs can show that such 

actions are not necessary to prevent 

WFD before the airplane reaches the 

LOV. Many LOVs, however, do depend 

on accomplishment of future 

maintenance actions. As stated in the 

WFD rule, any maintenance actions 

necessary to reach the LOV will be 

mandated by airworthiness directives 

through separate rulemaking actions. 

In the context of WFD, this action is 

necessary to enable DAHs to propose 

LOVs that allow operators the longest 

operational lives for their airplanes, and 

still ensure that WFD will not occur. 

This approach allows for an 

implementation strategy that provides 

flexibility to DAHs in determining the 

timing of service information 

development (with FAA approval), 

while providing operators with certainty 

regarding the LOV applicable to their 

airplanes. 

On May 1, 2009, we issued AD 2009– 

10–06, Amendment 39–15901 (74 FR 

22424, May 13, 2009), for certain Boeing 

Model 747–400 and 747–400D series 

airplanes. That AD requires repetitive 

inspections to detect cracks in the floor 

panel attachment fastener holes of the 

Section 41 upper deck floor beam upper 

chords, and related investigative and 

corrective actions if necessary. That AD 

resulted from reports of cracks found in 

the Section 41 upper deck floor beam 

upper chords. We issued that AD to 

detect and correct cracks in these 

chords, which could become large and 

cause the floor beams to become severed 

and result in rapid decompression or 

reduced controllability of the airplane. 

Actions Since Existing AD 2009–10–06, 

Amendment 39–15901 (74 FR 22424, 

May 13, 2009) Was Issued 

Since we issued AD 2009–10–06, 

Amendment 39–15901 (74 FR 22424, 

May 13, 2009), an evaluation by the 

DAH indicating that certain upper 

chords of the upper deck floor beam are 

subject to WFD. The replacement was 

developed to support the airplane’s LOV 

of the engineering data that support the 

established structural maintenance 

program. 

Relevant Service Information 

We reviewed Boeing Alert Service 

Bulletin 747–53A2688, Revision 1, 

dated September 19, 2012. For 

information on the procedures and 

compliance times, see this service 

information at http:// 

www.regulations.gov by searching for 

Docket No. FAA–2013–0328. 

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 retain all 

requirements of AD 2009–10–06, 

Amendment 39–15901 (74 FR 22424, 

May 13, 2009). This proposed AD would 

add repetitive inspections of Section 44 

upper deck floor beam upper chords, 

and corrective actions if necessary; 

repetitive post-repair and postmodification inspections, and corrective 

actions if necessary; and replacing the 

upper deck floor beam upper chords. 

In addition, the phrase ‘‘corrective 

actions’’ might be used in this proposed 

AD. ‘‘Corrective actions’’ are actions 

that correct or address any condition 

found. Corrective actions in an AD 

could include, for example, repairs. 

Changes to Existing Language in 

Paragraph (g) of This AD 

We have revised paragraph (g) of this 

AD to clarify the terminology and 

repetitive inspections. We have 

removed the term ‘‘related investigative 

actions’’ from the paragraph and added 

a sentence describing the repetitive 

inspections for airplanes on which a 

repair or modification has been done. 

Differences Between the Proposed AD 

and the Service Information 

Where Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 

747–53A2688, Revision 1, dated 

September 19, 2012, specifies to contact 

Boeing for repair instructions, this AD 

requires repairing using a method 

approved in accordance with the 

procedures specified in paragraph (p) of 

this AD. 

Explanation of Compliance Time 

The compliance time for the 

replacement specified in this proposed 

AD for addressing WFD was established 

to ensure that discrepant structure is 

replaced before WFD develops in 

airplanes. Standard inspection 

techniques cannot be relied on to detect 

WFD before it becomes a hazard to 

flight. We will not grant any extensions 

of the compliance time to complete any 

AD-mandated service bulletin related to 

WFD unless extensive new data are 

provided. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this proposed AD 

affects 84 airplanes of U.S. registry. 

We estimate the following costs to 

comply with this proposed AD: 

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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 73 / Tuesday, April 16, 2013 / Proposed Rules 22437 

ESTIMATED COSTS

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

Inspection [retained actions 

from existing AD 2009–10– 

06, Amendment 39–15901 

(74 FR 22424, May 13, 

2009)].

Up to 50 work-hours × $85 

per hour = Up to $4,250 

per inspection cycle.

$0 Up to $4,250 per inspection 

cycle.

Up to $357,000 per inspection 

cycle 

Inspection [new proposed action].259 work-hours × $85 per 

hour = $22,015 per inspection cycle.

0 $22,015 per inspection cycle $1,849,260 per inspection 

cycle 

We have received no definitive data 

that would enable us to provide a cost 

estimate for the repair or modification 

specified in this proposed 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 

We have 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 that the 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 

■ 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 

removing airworthiness directive (AD) 

2009–10–06, Amendment 39–15901 (74 

FR 22424, May 13, 2009), and adding 

the following new AD: 

The Boeing Company: Docket No. FAA– 

2013–0328; Directorate Identifier 2012– 

NM–184–AD. 

(a) Comments Due Date 

The FAA must receive comments on this 

AD action by May 31, 2013. 

(b) Affected ADs 

This AD supersedes AD 2009–10–06, 

Amendment 39–15901 (74 FR 22424, May 13, 

2009). 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to The Boeing Company 

Model 747–400 and –400D series airplanes; 

certificated in any category; as identified in 

Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747–53A2688, 

Revision 1, dated September 19, 2012. 

(d) Subject 

Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC)/ 

Air Transport Association (ATA) of America 

Code 53, Fuselage. 

(e) Unsafe Condition 

This AD was prompted by an evaluation by 

the design approval holder (DAH) indicating 

that certain upper chords of the upper deck 

floor beam are subject to widespread fatigue 

damage (WFD). A replacement was 

developed to support the airplane’s limit of 

validity (LOV) of the engineering data that 

support the established structural 

maintenance program. We are issuing this 

AD to detect and correct fatigue cracking in 

certain upper chords of the upper deck floor 

beam, which could become large and cause 

the floor beams to become severed and result 

in rapid decompression or reduced 

controllability of the airplane. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(g) Retained Inspections and Corrective 

Actions With Revised Service Information 

and Compliance Times 

This paragraph restates the actions 

required by paragraph (g) of AD 2009–10–06, 

Amendment 39–15901 (74 FR 22424, May 13, 

2009) with revised service information and 

compliance times. Except as required by 

paragraphs (h)(1) and (h)(2) of this AD: At the 

applicable times in paragraph 1.E., 

‘‘Compliance,’’ of Boeing Alert Service 

Bulletin 747–53A2688, dated August 21, 

2008, do an inspection (open-hole or surface 

high frequency eddy current (HFEC)) to 

detect cracks in the floor panel attachment 

fastener holes of the Section 41 upper deck 

floor beam upper chords, and do applicable 

corrective actions, by accomplishing all the 

applicable actions specified in the 

Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert 

Service Bulletin 747–53A2688, dated August 

21, 2008; or Revision 1, dated September 19, 

2012. Repeat the inspections, including the 

post-modification and post-repair repetitive 

inspections, thereafter at the applicable times 

specified in paragraph 1.E., ‘‘Compliance,’’ of 

Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747–53A2688, 

dated August 21, 2008, except as required by 

paragraph (i) of this AD. As of the effective 

date of this AD, use only Boeing Alert 

Service Bulletin 747–53A2688, Revision 1, 

dated September 19, 2012, to accomplish the 

actions in this paragraph. 

(h) Retained Exceptions 

(1) This paragraph restates the exception 

stated in paragraph (h) of AD 2009–10–06, 

Amendment 39–15901 (74 FR 22424, May 13, 

2009). If any crack is found during any 

inspection required by paragraph (g) of this 

AD, and Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747– 

53A2688, dated August 21, 2008; or Revision 

1, dated September 19, 2012; specifies to 

contact Boeing for appropriate action: Before 

further flight, repair the crack using a method 

approved in accordance with the procedures 

specified in paragraph (p) of this AD. 

(2) This paragraph restates the exception 

stated in paragraph (i) of AD 2009–10–06, 

Amendment 39–15901 (74 FR 22424, May 13, 

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22438 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 73 / Tuesday, April 16, 2013 / Proposed Rules 

2009). Where Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 

747–53A2688, dated August 21, 2008, 

specifies a compliance time after the date on 

the service bulletin, this AD requires 

compliance within the specified compliance 

time after June 17, 2009 (the effective date of 

AD 2009–10–06). 

(i) New Compliance Time for Airplanes on 

Which a Repair or Modification Is Done 

For airplanes on which a repair or 

modification identified in Table 2 of 1.E., 

‘‘Compliance,’’ of Boeing Alert Service 

Bulletin 747–53A2688, Revision 1, dated 

September 19, 2012, has been done: At the 

times specified in Table 2 of paragraph 1.E., 

‘‘Compliance,’’ of Boeing Alert Service 

Bulletin 747–53A2688, Revision 1, dated 

September 19, 2012, except as required by 

paragraph (n)(3) of this AD, do open-hole and 

surface HFEC inspections, as applicable, for 

cracking, in accordance with the 

Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert 

Service Bulletin 747–53A2688, Revision 1, 

dated September 19, 2012. Repeat at the 

applicable intervals specified in Table 2 of 

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

Alert Service Bulletin 747–53A2688, 

Revision 1, dated September 19, 2012. If any 

cracking is found in the repaired or modified 

locations, before further flight, repair the 

crack using a method approved in 

accordance with the procedures specified in 

paragraph (p) of this AD. 

(j) New Inspections and Repair 

For Group 1 airplanes identified in Boeing 

Alert Service Bulletin 747–53A2688, 

Revision 1, dated September 19, 2012: At the 

applicable times specified in paragraph 1.E., 

‘‘Compliance,’’ of Boeing Alert Service 

Bulletin 747–53A2688, Revision 1, dated 

September 19, 2012, except as specified in 

paragraph (n)(2) of this AD: Do an open-hole 

or surface HFEC inspection to detect cracking 

in the floor panel attachment fastener holes 

of the Section 44 upper deck floor beam 

upper chords, and all applicable corrective 

actions, in accordance with the 

Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert 

Service Bulletin 747–53A2688, Revision 1, 

dated September 19, 2012, except as required 

by paragraph (n)(1) of this AD. Repeat the 

inspections thereafter at the applicable 

intervals specified in paragraph 1.E., 

‘‘Compliance,’’ of Boeing Alert Service 

Bulletin 747–53A2688, Revision 1, dated 

September 19, 2012. Do all applicable 

corrective actions before further flight. 

(k) New Optional Terminating Modification 

Doing a hole modification or repair as a 

hole modification, in accordance with the 

Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert 

Service Bulletin 747–53A2688, Revision 1, 

dated September 19, 2012, terminates the 

repetitive inspections specified in paragraph 

(j) of this AD. 

(l) New Inspection and Repair of Repaired 

or Modified Locations 

(1) For airplanes on which a repair or 

modification specified in the ‘‘Condition’’ 

column of Table 4 of paragraph 1.E., 

‘‘Compliance,’’ of Boeing Alert Service 

Bulletin 747–53A2688, Revision 1, dated 

September 19, 2012, has been done: At the 

times specified in Table 4 of paragraph 1.E., 

‘‘Compliance,’’ of Boeing Alert Service 

Bulletin 747–53A2688, Revision 1, dated 

September 19, 2012, except as required by 

paragraph (n)(3) of this AD, do open hole and 

surface HFEC inspections, as applicable, for 

cracking, in accordance with the 

Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert 

Service Bulletin 747–53A2688, Revision 1, 

dated September 19, 2012. Repeat at the 

applicable intervals specified in Table 4 of 

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

Alert Service Bulletin 747–53A2688, 

Revision 1, dated September 19, 2012. If any 

cracking is found in the repaired or modified 

locations, before further flight, repair the 

crack using a method approved in 

accordance with the procedures specified in 

paragraph (p) of this AD. 

(m) New Replacement 

At the time specified in paragraph 1.E., 

‘‘Compliance,’’ of Boeing Alert Service 

Bulletin 747–53A2688, Revision 1, dated 

September 19, 2012: Replace Section 41 and 

44 upper deck floor beam upper chords, in 

accordance with the Accomplishment 

Instructions of Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 

747–53A2688, Revision 1, dated September 

19, 2012. 

(n) New Exceptions 

(1) If any crack is found during any 

inspection required by paragraph (i) of this 

AD, and Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747– 

53A2688, Revision 1, dated September 19, 

2012, specifies to contact Boeing for 

appropriate action: Before further flight, 

repair the crack using a method approved in 

accordance with the procedures specified in 

paragraph (p) of this AD. 

(2) Where Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 

747–53A2688, Revision 1, dated September 

19, 2012, specifies a compliance time ‘‘after 

the Revision 1 date of this service bulletin,’’ 

this AD requires compliance within the 

specified compliance time after the effective 

date of this AD. 

(3) Where Table 2 or Table 4 of paragraph 

1.E., ‘‘Compliance,’’ of Boeing Alert Service 

Bulletin 747–53A2688, Revision 1, dated 

September 19, 2012, specifies to contact 

Boeing for inspections and compliance times: 

Before further flight, contact the FAA for 

inspections and compliance times, and 

accomplish the inspections at the given 

times. 

(o) New Credit for Previous Actions 

This paragraph provides credit for the 

actions required by paragraph (g) of this AD, 

if those actions were performed before the 

effective date of this AD using Boeing Alert 

Service Bulletin 747–53A2688, dated August 

21, 2008, which has not been incorporated by 

reference in this AD. 

(p) 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 (q)(2) of 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. 

(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. 

(4) AMOCs approved for AD 2009–10–06, 

Amendment 39–15901 (74 FR 22424, May 13, 

2009) are approved as AMOCs for the 

corresponding actions of this AD. 

(q) Related Information 

(1) For more information about this AD, 

contact Roger Caldwell, Aerospace Engineer, 

Technical Operations Center, ANM–100D, 

FAA, Denver Aircraft Certification Office 

(ACO), 26805 East 68th Avenue, Room 214, 

Denver, CO 80249; phone: 303–342–1086; 

fax: 303–342–1088; email: 

roger.caldwell@faa.gov. 

(2) For information about AMOCs, contact 

Bill Ashforth, Aerospace Engineer, Airframe 

Branch, ANM–120S, FAA, Seattle ACO, 1601 

Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98057–3356; 

phone: 425–917–6432; fax: 425–917–6590; 

email: bill.ashforth@faa.gov. 

(3) 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; telephone 206– 

544–5000, extension 1; fax 206–766–5680; 

Internet https://www.myboeingfleet.com. You 

may review copies of the referenced service 

information at the FAA, 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 5, 

2013. 

Ali Bahrami, 

Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2013–08904 Filed 4–15–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

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