Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 172 / Thursday, September 9, 2021 / Proposed Rules 50485 

Federal Register on April 7, 2021 (86 FR 

17993), is withdrawn. 

Issued on August 31, 2021. 

Gaetano A. Sciortino, 

Deputy Director for Strategic Initiatives, 

Compliance & Airworthiness Division, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–19355 Filed 9–8–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2021–0685; Project 

Identifier AD–2021–00432–T] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing 

Company Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to 

supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 

2020–21–17, which applies to all The 

Boeing Company Model 757 airplanes. 

AD 2020–21–17 requires repetitive 

inspections for skin cracking and shim 

migration at the upper link drag fittings, 

diagonal brace cracking, and fastener 

looseness; and applicable on-condition 

actions. Since the FAA issued AD 2020– 

21–17, a determination has been made 

that the compliance times for certain 

groups are not adequate. This proposed 

AD would retain the requirements of AD 

2020–21–17 with reduced compliance 

times for certain airplane groups. The 

FAA is proposing this AD to address the 

unsafe condition on these products. 

DATES: The FAA must receive comments 

on this proposed AD by October 25, 

2021. 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, 

using the procedures found in 14 CFR 

11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following 

methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Fax: 202–493–2251. 

• Mail: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, 

M–30, West Building Ground Floor, 

Room W12–140, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590. 

• Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail 

address above between 9 a.m. and 5 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

For service information identified in 

this NPRM, contact Boeing Commercial 

Airplanes, Attention: Contractual & Data 

Services (C&DS), 2600 Westminster 

Blvd., MC 110–SK57, Seal Beach, CA 

90740–5600; telephone 562–797–1717; 

internet https://

www.myboeingfleet.com. You may view 

this service information at the FAA, 

Airworthiness Products Section, 

Operational Safety Branch, 2200 South 

216th St., Des Moines, WA. For 

information on the availability of this 

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

It is also available at https://

www.regulations.gov by searching for 

and locating Docket No. FAA–2021– 

0685. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket at 

https://www.regulations.gov by 

searching for and locating Docket No. 

FAA–2021–0685; or in person at Docket 

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

Monday through Friday, except Federal 

holidays. The AD docket contains this 

NPRM, any comments received, and 

other information. The street address for 

Docket Operations is listed above. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

David Truong, Aerospace Engineer, 

Airframe Section, FAA, Los Angeles 

ACO Branch, 3960 Paramount 

Boulevard, Lakewood, CA 90712–4137; 

phone: 562–627–5224; fax: 562–627– 

5210; email: david.truong@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

The FAA invites you to send any 

written relevant data, views, or 

arguments about this proposal. Send 

your comments to an address listed 

under ADDRESSES. Include ‘‘Docket No. 

FAA–2021–0685; Project Identifier AD– 

2021–00432–T’’ at the beginning of your 

comments. The most helpful comments 

reference a specific portion of the 

proposal, explain the reason for any 

recommended change, and include 

supporting data. The FAA will consider 

all comments received by the closing 

date and may amend the proposal 

because of those comments. 

Except for Confidential Business 

Information (CBI) as described in the 

following paragraph, and other 

information as described in 14 CFR 

11.35, the FAA will post all comments 

received, without change, to https://

www.regulations.gov, including any 

personal information you provide. The 

agency will also post a report 

summarizing each substantive verbal 

contact received about this proposed 

AD. 

Confidential Business Information 

CBI is commercial or financial 

information that is both customarily and 

actually treated as private by its owner. 

Under the Freedom of Information Act 

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

from public disclosure. If your 

comments responsive to this NPRM 

contain commercial or financial 

information that is customarily treated 

as private, that you actually treat as 

private, and that is relevant or 

responsive to this NPRM, it is important 

that you clearly designate the submitted 

comments as CBI. Please mark each 

page of your submission containing CBI 

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

marked submissions as confidential 

under the FOIA, and they will not be 

placed in the public docket of this 

NPRM. Submissions containing CBI 

should be sent to David Truong, 

Aerospace Engineer, Airframe Section, 

FAA, Los Angeles ACO Branch, 3960 

Paramount Boulevard, Lakewood, CA 

90712–4137; phone: 562–627–5224; fax: 

562–627–5210; email: david.truong@

faa.gov. Any commentary that the FAA 

receives which is not specifically 

designated as CBI will be placed in the 

public docket for this rulemaking. 

Background 

The FAA issued AD 2020–21–17, 

Amendment 39–21290 (85 FR 79418, 

December 10, 2020) (AD 2020–21–17), 

for all The Boeing Company Model 757 

airplanes. AD 2020–21–17 was 

prompted by reports of bolt rotation in 

the engine drag fitting joint and fastener 

heads; an inspection of the fastener 

holes revealed that cracks were found in 

the skin, and certain inspections 

revealed multiple cracks found in the 

drag fitting at fastener holes. AD 2020– 

21–17 requires repetitive inspections for 

skin cracking and shim migration at the 

upper link drag fittings, diagonal brace 

cracking, and fastener looseness; and 

applicable on-condition actions. The 

agency issued AD 2020–21–17 to 

address cracking in the wing upper skin 

and forward drag fittings, which could 

lead to a compromised upper link and 

reduced structural integrity of the 

engine strut. 

Actions Since AD 2020–21–17 Was 

Issued 

Since the FAA issued AD 2020–21– 

17, a determination has been made that 

the compliance times for group 3 and 4 

airplanes are not adequate. An operator 

reported that during performance of the 

inspections required by AD 2020–21– 

17, the wing upper skin panel was 

found cracked at hole #2. The airplane 

had 19,432 total flight cycles and was a 

group 3 airplane (Model 757–200 

airplane with Rolls-Royce engines and 

non-cold worked skin). Therefore, 

because of similar airplane 


lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with PROPOSALS1
50486 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 172 / Thursday, September 9, 2021 / Proposed Rules 

configurations, the compliance times for 

group 3 and 4 airplanes have been 

reduced to maintain structural integrity 

of the airplane. 

FAA’s Determination 

The FAA is issuing this NPRM after 

determining that the unsafe condition 

described previously is likely to exist or 

develop on other products of the same 

type design. 

Related Service Information Under 1 

CFR Part 51 

The FAA reviewed Boeing Alert 

Requirements Bulletin 757–57A0073 

RB, Revision 2, dated March 1, 2021. 

This service information specifies 

procedures for repetitive general visual 

and detailed inspections for loose 

fasteners, skin cracking, and shim 

migration at the upper link drag fittings, 

and for cracking in the diagonal brace 

and diagonal brace fittings; repetitive 

open-hole high frequency eddy current 

inspections for cracking of the fastener 

holes and loose bolt holes; and 

applicable on-condition actions. Oncondition actions include installing the 

upper link and upper link pins; 

replacing drag fittings; installing bolts, 

washers, and nuts; performing a torque 

check of fasteners on the affected shims; 

trimming affected shims and applying 

chemical conversion coating on the 

shims, fillet seal, and drag fittings; and 

repairing cracks, migrated shims, 

mistorqued bolts, and loose fasteners. 

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. 

Proposed AD Requirements in This 

NPRM 

Although this proposed AD does not 

explicitly restate the requirements of AD 

2020–21–17, this proposed AD would 

retain all of the requirements of AD 

2020–21–17. Those requirements are 

referenced in the service information 

identified previously, which, in turn, is 

referenced in paragraph (g) of this 

proposed AD. This proposed AD would 

reduce the compliance times for certain 

airplanes. This proposed AD would 

require accomplishing the actions 

specified in the service information 

already described, except for any 

differences identified as exceptions in 

the regulatory text of this proposed AD. 

For information on the procedures 

and compliance times, see this service 

information at https://

www.regulations.gov by searching for 

and locating Docket No. FAA–2021– 

0685. 

Costs of Compliance 

The FAA estimates that this AD, if 

adopted as proposed, would affect 450 

airplanes of U.S. registry. The FAA 

estimates the following costs to comply 

with this proposed AD: 

ESTIMATED COSTS

Action Labor cost Parts cost Cost per 

product 

Cost on U.S. 

operators 

Repetitive HFEC inspections 85 work-hours × $85 per hour = $7,225 per inspection 

cycle.

$0 $7,225 per inspection 

cycle.

$3,251,250 per inspection cycle. 

The FAA has received no definitive 

data on which to base the cost estimates 

for the on-condition actions 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. 

The FAA is issuing this rulemaking 

under the authority described in 

Subtitle VII, Part A, Subpart III, Section 

44701, General requirements. Under 

that section, Congress charges the FAA 

with promoting safe flight of civil 

aircraft in air commerce by prescribing 

regulations for practices, methods, and 

procedures the Administrator finds 

necessary for safety in air commerce. 

This regulation is within the scope of 

that authority because it addresses an 

unsafe condition that is likely to exist or 

develop on products identified in this 

rulemaking action. 

Regulatory Findings 

The FAA has 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) Would not affect intrastate 

aviation in Alaska, and 

(3) Would not have a significant 

economic impact, positive or negative, 

on a substantial number of small entities 

under the criteria of the Regulatory 

Flexibility Act. 

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39 

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation 

safety, Incorporation by reference, 

Safety. 

The Proposed Amendment 

Accordingly, under the authority 

delegated to me by the Administrator, 

the FAA proposes to amend 14 CFR part 

39 as follows: 

PART 39—AIRWORTHINESS 

DIRECTIVES 

■ 1. The authority citation for part 39 

continues to read as follows: 

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

§ 39.13 [Amended] 

■ 2. The FAA amends § 39.13 by: 

■ a. Removing Airworthiness Directive 

(AD) 2020–21–17, Amendment 39– 

21290 (85 FR 79418, December 10, 

2020), and 

■ b. Adding the following new AD: 

The Boeing Company: Docket No. FAA– 

2021–0685; Project Identifier AD–2021– 

00432–T. 

(a) Comments Due Date 

The FAA must receive comments on this 

airworthiness directive (AD) by October 25, 

2021. 

(b) Affected ADs 

This AD replaces AD 2020–21–17, 

Amendment 39–21290 (85 FR 79418, 

December 10, 2020) (AD 2020–21–17). 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to all The Boeing 

Company Model 757–200, –200PF, –200CB, 

and –300 series airplanes, certificated in any 

category. 


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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 172 / Thursday, September 9, 2021 / Proposed Rules 50487 

(d) Subject 

Air Transport Association (ATA) of 

America Code 57, Wings. 

(e) Unsafe Condition 

This AD was prompted by reports of bolt 

rotation in the engine drag fitting joint and 

fastener heads and cracks found in the skin 

of the fastener holes, and the need to reduce 

the compliance time for certain groups. The 

FAA is issuing this AD to address cracking 

in the wing upper skin and forward drag 

fittings, which could lead to a compromised 

upper link and reduced structural integrity of 

the engine strut, and possible separation of 

a strut and engine from the airplane during 

flight. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(g) New Required Actions 

Except as specified by paragraph (h) of this 

AD: At the applicable times specified in the 

‘‘Compliance’’ paragraph of Boeing Alert 

Requirements Bulletin 757–57A0073 RB, 

Revision 2, dated March 1, 2021, do all 

applicable actions identified in, and in 

accordance with, the Accomplishment 

Instructions of Boeing Alert Requirements 

Bulletin 757–57A0073 RB, Revision 2, dated 

March 1, 2021. 

Note 1 to paragraph (g): Guidance for 

accomplishing the actions required by this 

AD can be found in Boeing Alert Service 

Bulletin 757–57A0073, Revision 2, dated 

March 1, 2021, which is referred to in Boeing 

Alert Requirements Bulletin 757–57A0073 

RB, Revision 2, dated March 1, 2021. 

(h) Exceptions to Service Information 

Specifications 

(1) Where Boeing Alert Requirements 

Bulletin 757–57A0073 RB, Revision 2, dated 

March 1, 2021 uses the phrase ‘‘the Original 

Issue date of Requirements Bulletin 757– 

57A0073 RB,’’ this AD requires using 

September 10, 2018 (the effective date of AD 

2018–16–05, Amendment 39–19345 (83 FR 

38250, August 6, 2018)). 

(2) Where the ‘‘Effectivity’’ paragraph and 

the Condition and Compliance Time columns 

of the tables in the ‘‘Compliance’’ paragraph 

of Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 757– 

57A0073 RB, Revision 2, dated March 1, 

2021, uses the phrase ‘‘the Revision 1 date of 

Requirements Bulletin 757–57A0073 RB date 

of this service bulletin,’’ this AD requires 

using January 14, 2021 (the effective date of 

AD 2020–21–17). 

(3) Where the ‘‘Effectivity’’ paragraph and 

the Condition and Compliance Time columns 

of the tables in the ‘‘Compliance’’ paragraph 

of Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 757– 

57A0073 RB, Revision 2, dated March 1, 

2021, uses the phrase ‘‘the Revision 2 date of 

Requirements Bulletin 757–57A0073 RB,’’ 

this AD requires using the effective date of 

this AD. 

(4) Where Boeing Alert Requirements 

Bulletin 757–57A0073 RB, Revision 2, dated 

March 1, 2021, specifies contacting Boeing 

for repair instructions: This AD requires 

doing the repair using a method approved in 

accordance with the procedures specified in 

paragraph (j) of this AD. 

(i) Credit for Previous Actions 

(1) This paragraph provides credit for the 

actions specified in paragraph (g) of this AD, 

except for the open-hole high frequency eddy 

current inspections at fastener locations 11– 

18, if those actions were performed before the 

effective date of this AD using Boeing Alert 

Requirements Bulletin 757–57A0073 RB, 

dated July 14, 2017. 

(2) This paragraph provides credit for the 

actions specified in paragraph (g) of this AD, 

if those actions were performed before the 

effective date of this AD using Boeing Alert 

Requirements Bulletin 757–57A0073 RB, 

Revision 1, dated August 1, 2019. This 

service information is not incorporated by 

reference in this AD. 

(j) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, Los Angeles ACO Branch, 

FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs 

for this AD, if requested using the procedures 

found in 14 CFR 39.19. In accordance with 

14 CFR 39.19, send your request to your 

principal inspector or responsible Flight 

Standards Office, as appropriate. If sending 

information directly to the manager of the 

certification office, send it to the attention of 

the person identified in Related Information. 

Information may be emailed to: 9-ANMLAACO-AMOC-Requests@faa.gov. 

(2) Before using any approved AMOC, 

notify your appropriate principal inspector, 

or lacking a principal inspector, the manager 

of the responsible Flight Standards Office. 

(3) An AMOC that provides an acceptable 

level of safety may be used for any repair, 

modification, or alteration required by this 

AD if it is approved by The Boeing Company 

Organization Designation Authorization 

(ODA) that has been authorized by the 

Manager, Los Angeles ACO Branch, FAA, to 

make those findings. To be approved, the 

repair method, modification deviation, or 

alteration deviation must meet the 

certification basis of the airplane, and the 

approval must specifically refer to this AD. 

(4) AMOCs approved for AD 2020–21–17 

are approved as AMOCs for the 

corresponding provisions of Boeing Alert 

Requirements Bulletin 757–57A0073 RB, 

Revision 2, dated March 1, 2021, that are 

required by paragraph (g) of this AD. 

(k) Related Information 

(1) For more information about this AD, 

contact David Truong, Aerospace Engineer, 

Airframe Section, FAA, Los Angeles ACO 

Branch, 3960 Paramount Boulevard, 

Lakewood, CA 90712–4137; phone: 562–627– 

5224; fax: 562–627–5210; email: 

david.truong@faa.gov. 

(2) For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Boeing Commercial 

Airplanes, Attention: Contractual & Data 

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

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

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

www.myboeingfleet.com. You may view this 

referenced service information at the FAA, 

Airworthiness Products Section, Operational 

Safety Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des 

Moines, WA. For information on the 

availability of this material at the FAA, call 

206–231–3195. 

Issued on August 12, 2021. 

Lance T. Gant, 

Director, Compliance & Airworthiness 

Division, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–19460 Filed 9–8–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2020–1073; Project 

Identifier MCAI–2020–01303–A] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Embraer S.A. 

(Type Certificate Previously Held by 

Empresa Brasileira de Aerona ́utica 

S.A.) Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to 

supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 

2020–12–08, which applies to all 

Embraer S.A. Model EMB–505 

airplanes. AD 2020–12–08 requires 

inspections of the mass-balance weights 

of the elevators, ailerons, and rudder 

(flight control surfaces) and their 

attachment parts, and corrective actions 

if necessary, and revising the 

airworthiness limitation section of the 

maintenance manual or instructions for 

continued airworthiness to incorporate 

new airworthiness limitations. Since AD 

2020–12–08 was issued, the FAA has 

determined that new applicable airplane 

serial numbers and new criteria for the 

replacement of affected parts must be 

required in order to address the unsafe 

condition. This proposed AD would 

retain the actions required by AD 2020– 

12–08 and would require, for certain 

airplanes, cleaning and weighing certain 

mass-balances and installation or 

replacement, as applicable; and for 

certain other mass-balances for certain 

airplanes, replacement of those massbalances. The FAA is proposing this AD 

to address the unsafe condition on these 

products. 

DATES: The FAA must receive comments 

on this proposed AD by October 25, 

2021. 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, 

using the procedures found in 14 CFR 

11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following 

methods: 


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