Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 108 / Tuesday, June 5, 2001 / Proposed Rules 30095

Actions Compliance Procedures

(1) Inspect the inner flexible (drive) shaft of all

four flap flexible shaft assemblies for the correct diagonal wrap and the correct installation.

Within the next 200 hours time-in-service

(TIS) after the effective date of this AD, unless already accomplish.

In accordance with the ACCOMPLISHMENT

INSTRUCTIONS section of Raytheon Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin SB 27–

3397, Issued: January 2, 2001.

(2) Replace any flap flexible shaft assembly

found to have an incorrect diagonal wrap or

incorrect installation during the inspection required by paragraph (d)(1) of this AD.

Prior to further flight after the inspection required in paragraph (d)(1) of this AD.In accordance with the ACCOMPLISHMENT

INSTRUCTIONS section of Raytheon Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin SB 27–

3397, Issued: January, 2001, and the applicable maintenance manual.

(e) Can I comply with this AD in any other

way? You may use an alternative method of

compliance or adjust the compliance time if:

(1) Your alternative method of compliance

provides an equivalent level of safety; and

(2) The Manager, Wichita Aircraft

Certification Office (ACO), approves your

alternative. Submit your request through an

FAA Principal Maintenance Inspector, who

may add comments and then send it to the

Manager, Wichita ACO.

Note: This AD applies to each airplane is

identified in paragraph (a) of this AD,

regardless of whether it has been modified,

altered, or repaired in the area subject to the

requirements of this AD. For airplanes that

have been modified, altered, or repaired so

that the performance of the requirements of

this AD is affected, the owner/operator must

request approval for an alternative method of

compliance in accordance with paragraph (e)

of this AD. The request should include an

assessment of the effect of the modification,

alternation, or repair on the unsafe condition

addressed by this AD; and, if you have not

eliminated the unsafe condition, specific

actions you propose to address it.

(f) Where can I get information about any

already-approved alternative methods of

compliance? Contact Paul DeVore, Aerospace

Engineer, FAA, Wichita Aircraft Certification

Office, 1801 Airport Road Mid-Continent

Airport, Wichita, Kansas 67209; telephone:

(316) 946–4142; facsimile: (316) 946–4407.

(g) What if I need to fly the airplane to

another location to comply with this AD? The

FAA can issue a special flight permit under

sections 21.197 and 21.199 of the Federal

Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 21.197 and

21.199) to operate your airplane to a location

where you can accomplish the requirements

of this AD.

(h) How do I get copies of the documents

referenced in this AD? You may obtain copies

of the documents referenced in this AD from

Raytheon Aircraft Company, P.O. Box 85,

Wichita, Kansas 67201–0085; telephone (800)

429–5372 or (316) 676–3140. You may

examine these documents at FAA, Central

Region, Office of the Regional Counsel, 901

Locust, Room 506, Kansas City, Missouri

64106.

Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on May

25, 2001.

James E. Jackson,

Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate,

Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 01–14006 Filed 6–4–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–M

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 2000–NM–163–AD]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; McDonnell

Douglas Model DC–9–81, –82, –83, and

–87 Series Airplanes, and Model MD–

88 Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking

(NPRM).

SUMMARY: This document proposes the

supersedure of an existing airworthiness

directive (AD), applicable to certain

McDonnell Douglas Model DC–9–81,

–82, –83, and –87 series airplanes, and

Model MD–88 airplanes, that currently

requires an inspection to detect damage,

burn marks, or discoloration at certain

electrical plugs and receptacles of the

sidewall lighting in the passenger cabin,

and correction of discrepancies. That

AD also requires modification of the

electrical connectors, which terminates

the inspection requirement. That action

was prompted by reports of failures of

the electrical connectors in the sidewall

fluorescent lighting, which resulted in

smoke or lighting interruption in the

passenger cabin. This action would

expand the applicability of the existing

AD to include additional airplanes. The

actions specified by the proposed AD

are intended to prevent failures of the

electrical connectors, which could

result in poor socket/pin contact,

excessive heat, electrical arcing, and

subsequently, connector burn through

and smoke and/or fire in the passenger

cabin.

DATES: Comments must be received by

July 20, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in

triplicate to the Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), Transport

Airplane Directorate, ANM–114,

Attention: Rules Docket No. 2000–NM–

163–AD, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW.,

Renton, Washington 98055–4056.

Comments may be inspected at this

location between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.,

Monday through Friday, except Federal

holidays. Comments may be submitted

via fax to (425) 227–1232. Comments

may also be sent via the Internet using

the following address: 9-anmnprmcomment@faa.gov. Comments sent

via fax or the Internet must contain

‘‘Docket No. 2000–NM–163–AD’’ in the

subject line and need not be submitted

in triplicate. Comments sent via the

Internet as attached electronic files must

be formatted in Microsoft Word 97 for

Windows or ASCII text.

The service information referenced in

the proposed rule may be obtained from

Boeing Commercial Aircraft Group,

Long Beach Division, 3855 Lakewood

Boulevard, Long Beach, California

90846, Attention: Data and Service

Management, Dept. C1–L5A (D800–

0024). This information may be

examined at the FAA, Transport

Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind

Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington; or at

the the FAA, Los Angeles Aircraft

Certification Office, 3960 Paramount

Boulevard, Lakewood, California.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Elvin Wheeler, Aerospace Engineer,

Systems and Equipment Branch, ANM–

130L, FAA, Los Angeles Aircraft

Certification Office, 3960 Paramount

Boulevard, Lakewood, California 90712;

telephone (562) 627–5344; fax (562)

627–5210.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

Interested persons are invited to

participate in the making of the

proposed rule by submitting such

written data, views, or arguments as

they may desire. Communications shall

identify the Rules Docket number and

be submitted in triplicate to the address

specified above. All communications

received on or before the closing date

for comments, specified above, will be

considered before taking action on the

proposed rule. The proposals contained

in this action may be changed in light

of the comments received.

30096 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 108 / Tuesday, June 5, 2001 / Proposed Rules

Submit comments using the following

format:

• Organize comments issue-by-issue.

For example, discuss a request to

change the compliance time and a

request to change the service bulletin

reference as two separate issues.

• For each issue, state what specific

change to the proposed AD is being

requested.

• Include justification (e.g., reasons or

data) for each request.

Comments are specifically invited on

the overall regulatory, economic,

environmental, and energy aspects of

the proposed rule. All comments

submitted will be available, both before

and after the closing date for comments,

in the Rules Docket for examination by

interested persons. A report

summarizing each FAA-public contact

concerned with the substance of this

proposal will be filed in the Rules

Docket.

Commenters wishing the FAA to

acknowledge receipt of their comments

submitted in response to this action

must submit a self-addressed, stamped

postcard on which the following

statement is made: ‘‘Comments to

Docket Number 2000–NM–163–AD.’’

The postcard will be date stamped and

returned to the commenter.

Availability of NPRMs

Any person may obtain a copy of this

NPRM by submitting a request to the

FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate,

ANM–114, Attention: Rules Docket No.

2000–NM–163–AD, 1601 Lind Avenue,

SW., Renton, Washington 98055–4056.

Discussion

On September 7, 1995, the FAA

issued AD 95–19–09, amendment 39–

9371 (60 FR 48639, September 20,

1995), applicable to certain McDonnell

Douglas Model DC–9–81, –82, –83, and

–87 series airplanes, and Model MD–88

airplanes, to require an inspection to

detect damage, burn marks, or

discoloration at certain electrical plugs

and receptacles of the sidewall lighting

in the passenger cabin, and correction of

discrepancies. That AD also requires

modification of the electrical

connectors, which terminates the

inspection requirement. That action was

prompted by reports of failures of the

electrical connectors in the sidewall

fluorescent lighting, which resulted in

smoke or lighting interruption in the

passenger cabin. The requirements of

that AD are intended to prevent failures

of the electrical connectors, which

could result in poor socket/pin contact,

excessive heat, electrical arcing, and

subsequently, connector burn through

and smoke in the passenger cabin.

Actions Since Issuance of Previous Rule

Since the issuance of that AD, the

FAA has reviewed and approved

McDonnell Douglas MD–80 Service

Bulletin 33–99, Revision 02, dated

December 15, 1995, and Boeing Alert

Service Bulletin MD80–33A099,

Revision 03, dated January 27, 2000.

The inspection, replacement, if

necessary, and modification procedures

described in these revisions are

essentially identical to those in Revision

01 of the service bulletin, which was

referenced in AD 95–19–09 as the

appropriate source of service

information for accomplishing the

required actions in that AD. However,

Revision 02 of the service bulletin

added additional airplanes to the

effectivity listing that are subject to the

identified unsafe condition.

Accomplishment of the actions

specified in these service bulletins is

intended to adequately address the

identified unsafe condition.

Explanation of Requirements of

Proposed Rule

Since an unsafe condition has been

identified that is likely to exist or

develop on other products of this same

type design, the proposed AD would

supersede AD 95–19–09 to continue to

require an inspection to detect damage,

burn marks, or discoloration at certain

electrical plugs and receptacles of the

sidewall lighting in the passenger cabin,

and correction of discrepancies. The

proposed AD also would continue to

require modification of the electrical

connectors, which would terminate the

inspection requirement. In addition, the

proposed AD would expand the

applicability of the existing AD to

include additional airplanes. The

actions would be required to be

accomplished in accordance with the

service bulletins described previously.

Cost Impact

There are approximately 970 Model

DC–9–81, –82, –83, and –87 series

airplanes, and Model MD–88 airplanes

of the affected design in the worldwide

fleet. The FAA estimates that 470

airplanes of U.S. registry would be

affected by this proposed AD.

The actions that are proposed in this

AD action would take approximately

between 24 and 31 work hours per

airplane to accomplish, at an average

labor rate of $60 per work hour.

Required parts would cost

approximately $1,199 per airplane.

Based on these figures, the cost impact

of the proposed requirements of this AD

on U.S. operators is estimated to be

between $1,240,330, and $1,437,730, or

between $2,639, and $3,059 per

airplane.

The cost impact figures discussed

above are based on assumptions that no

operator has yet accomplished any of

the current or proposed requirements of

this AD action, and that no operator

would accomplish those actions in the

future if this AD were not adopted. The

cost impact figures discussed in AD

rulemaking actions represent only the

time necessary to perform the specific

actions actually required by the AD.

These figures typically do not include

incidental costs, such as the time

required to gain access and close up,

planning time, or time necessitated by

other administrative actions.

Regulatory Impact

The regulations proposed herein

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. Therefore,

it is determined that this proposal

would not have federalism implications

under Executive Order 13132.

For the reasons discussed above, I

certify that 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); and (3) if

promulgated, 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. A copy of the draft

regulatory evaluation prepared for this

action is contained in the Rules Docket.

A copy of it may be obtained by

contacting the Rules Docket at the

location provided under the caption

ADDRESSES.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation

safety, Safety.

The Proposed Amendment

Accordingly, pursuant to the

authority delegated to me by the

Administrator, the Federal Aviation

Administration proposes to amend part

39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations

(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.

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 108 / Tuesday, June 5, 2001 / Proposed Rules 30097

§ 39.13 [Amended]

2. Section 39.13 is amended by

removing amendment 39–9371 (60 FR

48639, September 20, 1995), and by

adding a new airworthiness directive

(AD), to read as follows:

McDonnell Douglas: Docket 2000–NM–163–

AD. Supersedes AD 95–19–09,

Amendment 39–9371.

Applicability: Model DC–9–81, –82, –83,

and –87 series airplanes, and Model MD–88

airplanes, as listed in Boeing Alert Service

Bulletin MD80–33A099, Revision 03, dated

January 27, 2000; certificated in any category.

Note 1: This AD applies to each airplane

identified in the preceding applicability

provision, regardless of whether it has been

modified, altered, or repaired in the area

subject to the requirements of this AD. For

airplanes that have been modified, altered, or

repaired so that the performance of the

requirements of this AD is affected, the

owner/operator must request approval for an

alternative method of compliance in

accordance with paragraph (d) of this AD.

The request should include an assessment of

the effect of the modification, alteration, or

repair on the unsafe condition addressed by

this AD; and, if the unsafe condition has not

been eliminated, the request should include

specific proposed actions to address it.

Compliance: Required as indicated, unless

accomplished previously.

Note 2: Actions required by this AD that

were done before the effective date of this AD

per McDonnell Douglas MD–80 Service

Bulletin 33–99, Revision 1, dated February

23, 1995, or Revision 02, dated December 15,

1995, are considered acceptable for

compliance with the requirements of this AD.

To prevent failures of the electrical

connectors, which could result in poor

socket/pin contact, excessive heat, electrical

arcing, and subsequently, connector burn

through and smoke and/or fire in the

passenger cabin, accomplish the following:

General Visual Inspection

(a) At the applicable time indicated in

Table 1 of this AD, do a general visual

inspection to detect damage, burn marks, or

black or brown discoloration caused by

electrical arcing at electrical plugs, having

part number (P/N) MS3126F–15P, and

receptacles, having P/N MS3124E–15S, of the

sidewall lighting in the passenger cabin, per

Boeing Alert Service Bulletin MD80–33A099,

Revision 03, dated January 27, 2000.

TABLE 1

Affected airplanes Compliance time

(1) DC–9–81, –82, –83, and –87 series airplanes, and MD–88 airplanes, serial numbers 49614, 49626 through 49632 inclusive,

49668, and 49707.

Within 18 months after October 5, 1995 (the effective date of AD 95–

19–09).

(2) Other than those airplanes identified in paragraph (a)(1) of this AD Within 18 months after the effective date of this AD.

Note 3: For the purposes of this AD, a

general visual inspection is defined as ‘‘A

visual examination of an interior or exterior

area, installation, or assembly to detect

obvious damage, failure, or irregularity. This

level of inspection is made under normally

available lighting conditions such as

daylight, hangar lighting, flashlight, or droplight, and may require removal or opening of

access panels or doors. Stands, ladders, or

platforms may be required to gain proximity

to the area being checked.’’

Corrective Action

(b) If any discrepancy is found during the

inspection required by paragraph (a) of this

AD, before further flight, replace the

damaged connectors, pins, sockets, or wire

with new parts, per Boeing Alert Service

Bulletin MD80–33A099, Revision 03, dated

January 27, 2000.

Modification

(c) At the applicable time indicated in

Table 1 of this AD, modify the electrical

connectors of the sidewall lighting in the

passenger cabin, per Boeing Alert Service

Bulletin MD80–33A099, Revision 03, dated

January 27, 2000. Accomplishment of this

modification constitutes compliance with the

requirements of this AD.

Alternative Methods of Compliance

(d) An alternative method of compliance or

adjustment of the compliance time that

provides an acceptable level of safety may be

used if approved by the Manager, Los

Angeles Aircraft Certification Office (ACO),

FAA. Operators shall submit their requests

through an appropriate FAA Principal

Maintenance Inspector, who may add

comments and then send it to the Manager,

Los Angeles ACO.

Note 4: Information concerning the

existence of approved alternative methods of

compliance with this AD, if any, may be

obtained from the Los Angeles ACO.

Special Flight Permits

(e) Special flight permits may be issued in

accordance with §§ 21.197 and 21.199 of the

Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 21.197

and 21.199) to operate the airplane to a

location where the requirements of this AD

can be accomplished.

Issued in Renton, Washington, on May 25,

2001.

Vi L. Lipski,

Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate,

Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 01–14005 Filed 6–4–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–U

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 2000–NM–162–AD]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; McDonnell

Douglas DC–9–81, –82, –83, and –87

Series Airplanes, and Model MD–88

Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking

(NPRM).

SUMMARY: This document proposes the

adoption of a new airworthiness

directive (AD) that is applicable to

certain McDonnell Douglas Model DC–

9–81, –82, –83, and –87 series airplanes,

and Model MD–88 airplanes. This

proposal would require replacing the

interface connectors of the cabin

fluorescent lighting ballast in the wiring

harness of the overhead stowage

compartment with new connectors. This

action is necessary to prevent electrical

shorting and arcing due to the presence

of water in the lighting ballast interface

connectors, which could result in smoke

in the main cabin. This action is

intended to address the identified

unsafe condition.

DATES: Comments must be received by

July 20, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in

triplicate to the Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), Transport

Airplane Directorate, ANM–114,

Attention: Rules Docket No. 2000–NM–

162–AD, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW.,

Renton, Washington 98055–4056.

Comments may be inspected at this

location between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.,

Monday through Friday, except Federal

holidays. Comments may be submitted

via fax to (425) 227–1232. Comments

may also be sent via the Internet using

the following address: 9-anmnprmcomment@faa.gov. Comments sent

via fax or the Internet must contain

‘‘Docket No. 2000–NM–162–AD’’ in the

subject line and need not be submitted

in triplicate. Comments sent via the

Internet as attached electronic files must