Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 171 / Tuesday, September 6, 2005 / Proposed Rules 52945 

the cracking in accordance with Figure 3 of 

the service bulletin. If any cracking is found 

during the detailed inspection of the upper 

deck floor beam, and the service bulletin 

specifies to contact Boeing for appropriate 

action: Before further flight, repair the 

cracking using a method approved in 

accordance with paragraph (g) of this AD. 

Reporting Requirement 

(2) Submit a report of the findings (both 

positive and negative) of the inspections 

required by paragraph (f)(1) of this AD to 

Boeing Commercial Airplanes; Attention: 

Manager, Airline Support; P.O. Box 3707 MC 

04–ER; Seattle, Washington 98124–2207; fax 

(425) 266–5562; at the applicable time 

specified in paragraph (f)(2)(i) or (f)(2)(ii) of 

this AD. The report must include the 

inspection results, a description of any 

discrepancies found, the airplane serial 

number, and the number of landings and 

flight hours on the airplane. Under the 

provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 

1980 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) has 

approved the information collection 

requirements contained in this AD and has 

assigned OMB Control Number 2120–0056. 

(i) If the inspections were done after the 

effective date of this AD: Submit the report 

within 30 days after the inspection. 

(ii) If the inspections were done prior to 

the effective date of this AD: Submit the 

report within 30 days after the effective date 

of this AD. 

Preventative Modification 

(3) Before an airplane has accumulated 

20,000 total flight cycles, do a preventative 

modification using a method approved in 

accordance with paragraph (g) of this AD. 

Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(g)(1) The Manager, Seattle Aircraft 

Certification Office (ACO), FAA, has the 

authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if 

requested in accordance with the procedures 

found in 14 CFR 39.19. 

(2) An AMOC that provides an acceptable 

level of safety may be used for any repair 

required by this AD, if it is approved by an 

Authorized Representative for the Boeing 

Commercial Airplanes Delegation Option 

Authorization Organization who 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. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on August 

29, 2005. 

Kalene C. Yanamura, 

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 05–17608 Filed 9–2–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2005–22289; Directorate 

Identifier 2005–NM–101–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Boeing 

Model 747–100, 747–100B, 747–200B, 

747–200C, 747–200F, 747–400F, 747SR, 

and 747SP Series Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a 

new airworthiness directive (AD) for 

certain Boeing Model 747–100, 747–

100B, 747–200B, 747–200C, 747–200F, 

747–400F, 747SR, and 747SP series 

airplanes, without a stretched upper 

deck or stretched upper deck 

modification. This proposed AD would 

require detailed and high-frequency 

eddy current inspections for cracks at 

the outboard ends of each affected 

tension tie and of the surrounding 

structure, and related investigative and 

corrective actions if necessary. This 

proposed AD results from a report of a 

crack in the tension tie at the body 

station 820 frame connection, and 

cracks found on the Boeing 747SR 

fatigue-test airplane in both the tension 

ties and frames at the tension tie to 

frame connections at body stations 800, 

820, and 840. We are proposing this AD 

to find and fix cracks in the tension ties, 

which could lead to cracks in the skin 

and body frame and result in rapid inflight depressurization of the airplane. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by October 21, 2005. 

ADDRESSES: Use one of the following 

addresses to submit comments on this 

proposed AD. 

• DOT Docket Web site: Go to 

http://dms.dot.gov and follow the 

instructions for sending your comments 

electronically. 

• Government-wide rulemaking Web 

site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov 

and follow the instructions for sending 

your comments electronically. 

• Mail: Docket Management Facility, 

U.S. Department of Transportation, 400 

Seventh Street SW., Nassif Building, 

Room PL–401, Washington, DC 20590. 

• Fax: (202) 493–2251. 

• Hand Delivery: Room PL–401 on 

the plaza level of the Nassif Building, 

400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, 

DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday 

through Friday, except Federal holidays. 

Contact Boeing Commercial 

Airplanes, P.O. Box 3707, Seattle, 

Washington 98124–2207, for the service 

information identified in this proposed 

AD. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ivan 

Li, Aerospace Engineer, Airframe 

Branch, ANM–120S, FAA, Seattle 

Aircraft Certification Office, 1601 Lind 

Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 

98055–4056; telephone (425) 917–6437; 

fax (425) 917–6590. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

We invite you to submit any relevant 

written data, views, or arguments 

regarding this proposed AD. Include the 

docket number ‘‘FAA–2005–22289; 

Directorate Identifier 2005–-NM–101–

AD’’ at the beginning of your comments. 

We specifically invite comments on the 

overall regulatory, economic, 

environmental, and energy aspects of 

the proposed AD. We will consider all 

comments received by the closing date 

and may amend the proposed AD in 

light of those comments. 

We will post all comments we 

receive, without change, to http:// 

dms.dot.gov, including any personal 

information you provide. We will also 

post a report summarizing each 

substantive verbal contact with FAA 

personnel concerning this proposed AD. 

Using the search function of that web 

site, anyone can find and read the 

comments in any of our dockets, 

including the name of the individual 

who sent the comment (or signed the 

comment on behalf of an association, 

business, labor union, etc.). You may 

review DOT’s complete Privacy Act 

Statement in the Federal Register 

published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 

19477–78), or you may visit http:// 

dms.dot.gov. 

Examining the Docket 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov, or in 

person at the Docket Management 

Facility office between 9 a.m. and 5 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. The Docket 

Management Facility office (telephone 

(800) 647–5227) is located on the plaza 

level of the Nassif Building at the DOT 

street address stated in the ADDRESSES

section. Comments will be available in 

the AD docket shortly after the Docket 

Management System receives them. 

Discussion 

We have received a report indicating 

that, during routing maintenance on a 

747–200F series airplane, one operator 

found a crack in the tension tie at the 

body station (STA) 820 frame 

52946 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 171 / Tuesday, September 6, 2005 / Proposed Rules 

connection. The crack was 0.125 inch 

long and located at a fastener hole. The 

manufacturer then inspected the 747SR 

fatigue-test airplane and found similar 

cracks in both the tension ties and 

frames at the tension ties to the frame 

connection. The cracks were found at 

STAs 800, 820, and 840 at 40,000 total 

flight cycles (20,000 operating cycles, 

20,000 test cycles). Cracks in the frames 

were up to 1.25 inches long, and cracks 

in the tension ties were up to 0.20 inch 

long. Cracks in the tension ties, if not 

detected and corrected before they reach 

critical crack lengths, could lead to 

cracks in the skin and body frame and 

result in rapid in-flight depressurization 

of the airplane. 

Other Relevant Rulemaking 

On September 4, 1984, we issued AD 

84–19–01, amendment 39–4913 (49 FR 

35365, September 17, 1984) for Boeing 

Model 747 series airplanes. That AD 

was prompted by a report of a crack that 

occurred during fatigue testing. That AD 

requires repetitive close visual 

inspections for cracks of the tension tie 

at STA 760 for certain airplanes and at 

STA 780 for certain other airplanes, and 

repair if necessary. We issued that AD 

to detect cracks and prevent failure of 

the frame to tension tie joint structure. 

The airplanes in the applicability of AD 

84–19–01 would also be subject to the 

requirements of this proposed AD. 

On June 14, 1994, we issued AD 94–

13–06, amendment 39–8946 (59 FR 

32879, June 27, 1994), for certain Boeing 

Model 747 series airplanes. That AD 

requires inspections to detect cracking 

in certain fuselage upper deck tension 

ties, and repair or modification of any 

cracked tension ties. We issued that AD 

to prevent failure of two or more tension 

ties and the resultant rapid 

decompression of the airplane. The 

airplanes in the applicability of AD 94–

13–06 would also be subject to the 

requirements of this proposed AD. 

On March 24, 2004, we issued AD 

2004–07–22, amendment 39–13566 (69 

FR 18250, April 7, 2004), for all Boeing 

Model 747 series airplanes. That AD 

requires revising the FAA-approved 

maintenance or inspection program to 

include repetitive inspections for 

discrepancies of various structural 

significant items (SSIs); as listed in 

Boeing Document No. D6–35022, 

‘‘Supplemental Structural Inspection 

Document (SSID),’’ Revision G, dated 

December 2000 (referred to after this as 

‘‘the SSID’’); and repair if necessary. 

Relevant Service Information 

We have reviewed Boeing Special 

Attention Service Bulletin 747–53–

2502, dated April 21, 2005. The service 

bulletin describes procedures for doing 

repetitive detailed and high-frequency 

eddy current (HFEC) inspections for 

cracks at the outboard ends of each 

affected tension tie and of the 

surrounding structure. If any cracking is 

found, the service bulletin describes 

procedures for related investigative and 

corrective actions. These actions 

include doing all applicable repairs and 

doing further HFEC inspections of 

certain fastener holes until the 

inspection indicates that the repair has 

removed all cracking. If the cracking 

exceeds certain limits defined in the 

service bulletin, or if the area cannot be 

repaired without exceeding certain 

limits, or if the discrepancy is at certain 

locations defined in the service bulletin, 

the corrective action is contacting 

Boeing for repair instructions. 

FAA’s Determination and Requirements 

of the Proposed AD 

We have evaluated all pertinent 

information and identified an unsafe 

condition that is likely to exist or 

develop on other airplanes of this same 

type design. For this reason, we are 

proposing this AD, which would require 

accomplishing the actions specified in 

the service information described 

previously, except as discussed under 

‘‘Difference Between the Proposed AD 

and the Service Bulletin.’’

Certain actions in this proposed AD 

are alternative methods of compliance 

(AMOCs) for certain actions in the ADs 

referenced below. All provisions of the 

referenced ADs, including applicable 

post-modification inspection thresholds, 

remain fully applicable and must be 

complied with. 

• Repairs of the aft tension tie 

channels in accordance with this 

proposed AD would be AMOCs to the 

repair requirements of paragraph A. of 

AD 84–19–01, and paragraphs (a)(2) and 

(b)(2) of AD 94–13–06. 

• The inspection requirements of this 

proposed AD would be AMOCs for the 

post-modification inspection 

requirements of paragraph B. of AD 84–

19–01, and paragraph (b) of AD 94–13–

06. 

• The inspection requirements of this 

proposed AD would be AMOCs for the 

corresponding requirements of 

paragraphs (c) and (d) of AD 2004–07–

22 for the inspections of SSI item F–19A 

of the SSID in the area addressed by this 

proposed AD. 

Difference Between the Proposed AD 

and the Service Bulletin 

The service bulletin specifies that you 

may contact the manufacturer for 

instructions on how to repair certain 

conditions, but this proposed AD would 

require you to repair those conditions in 

one of the following ways: 

• Using a method that we approve; or 

• Using data that meet the 

certification basis of the airplane, and 

that have been approved by an 

Authorized Representative for the 

Boeing Commercial Airplanes 

Delegation Option Authorization 

Organization whom we have authorized 

to make those findings. 

This difference has been coordinated 

with the manufacturer. 

Interim Action 

We consider this proposed AD 

interim action. The manufacturer is 

currently developing a modification that 

will address the unsafe condition 

identified in this AD. Once this 

modification is developed, approved, 

and available, we may consider 

additional rulemaking. 

Costs of Compliance 

There are about 458 airplanes of the 

affected design in the worldwide fleet. 

This proposed AD would affect about 

141 airplanes of U.S. registry. The 

proposed inspections would take about 

8 work hours per airplane, per tension 

tie location. There are between 8 and 12 

tension tie locations on each airplane, 

depending on the airplane’s 

configuration. The average labor rate is 

$65 per work hour. Based on these 

figures, the estimated cost of the 

proposed AD for U.S. operators is 

between $586,560 and $879,840, or 

between $4,160 and $6,240 per airplane, 

per inspection cycle. 

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. 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 171 / Tuesday, September 6, 2005 / Proposed Rules 52947 

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); and 

3. 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. 

We prepared a regulatory evaluation 

of the estimated costs to comply with 

this proposed AD and placed it in the 

AD docket. See the ADDRESSES section 

for a location to examine the regulatory 

evaluation. 

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39 

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation 

safety, 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 Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA) amends § 39.13 

by adding the following new 

airworthiness directive (AD): 

Boeing: Docket No. FAA–2005–22289; 

Directorate Identifier 2005–NM–101–AD. 

Comments Due Date 

(a) The FAA must receive comments on 

this AD action by October 21, 2005. 

Affected ADs 

(b) None. 

Applicability 

(c) This AD applies to Boeing Model 747–

100, 747–100B, 747–200B, 747–200C, 747–

200F, 747–400F, 747SR, and 747SP series 

airplanes, certificated in any category; 

without a stretched upper deck or stretched 

upper deck modification; as identified in 

Boeing Special Attention Service Bulletin 

747–53–2502, dated April 21, 2005. 

Unsafe Condition 

(d) This AD results from a report of a crack 

in the tension tie at the body station 820 

frame connection, and cracks found on the 

Boeing 747SR fatigue-test airplane in both 

the tension ties and frames at the tension tie 

to frame connections at body stations 800, 

820, and 840. We are issuing this AD to find 

and fix cracks in the tension ties, which 

could lead to cracks in the skin and body 

frame and result in rapid in-flight 

depressurization of the airplane. 

Compliance 

(e) You are responsible for having the 

actions required by this AD performed within 

the compliance times specified, unless the 

actions have already been done. 

Repetitive Inspections and Corrective 

Actions 

(f) At the applicable time in paragraph 

(f)(1) or (f)(2) of this AD: Do detailed and 

high-frequency eddy current inspections for 

cracks at the outboard ends of each affected 

tension tie and of the surrounding structure. 

If any cracking is found: Before further flight, 

do all applicable corrective and related 

investigative actions. Do all actions in 

accordance with the Accomplishment 

Instructions of Boeing Special Attention 

Service Bulletin 747–53–2502, dated April 

21, 2005. Where the service bulletin specifies 

to contact Boeing for repair instructions: 

Before further flight, repair the area using a 

method approved in accordance with 

paragraph (g) of this AD. 

(1) For airplanes identified in the service 

bulletin as Group 1, 3, and 6 airplanes: Do 

the first inspections before the accumulation 

of 20,000 total flight cycles, or within 1,000 

flight cycles after the effective date of this 

AD, whichever occurs later; and repeat the 

inspections thereafter at intervals not to 

exceed 4,000 flight cycles. 

(2) For airplanes identified in the service 

bulletin as Group 2, 4, and 5 airplanes: Do 

the first inspections before the accumulation 

of 17,000 total flight cycles, or within 1,000 

flight cycles after the effective date of this 

AD, whichever occurs later; and repeat the 

inspections thereafter at intervals not to 

exceed 3,000 flight cycles. 

Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(g)(1) The Manager, Seattle Aircraft 

Certification Office (ACO), FAA, has the 

authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if 

requested in accordance with the procedures 

found in 14 CFR 39.19. 

(2) An AMOC that provides an acceptable 

level of safety may be used for any repair 

required by this AD, if it is approved by an 

Authorized Representative for the Boeing 

Commercial Airplanes Delegation Option 

Authorization Organization who 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. 

(3) Certain actions required by paragraph 

(f) of this AD are AMOCs for certain 

requirements in the ADs identified in 

paragraphs (g)(1)(i), (g)(2)(ii), and (g)(3)(iii) of 

this AD. All provisions of the referenced 

ADs, including applicable post-modification 

inspection thresholds, remain fully 

applicable and must be complied with. 

(i) Repairs of the aft tension tie channels 

done in accordance with this AD are AMOCs 

for the repair requirements of paragraph A. 

of AD 84–19–01, amendment 39–4913, and 

paragraphs (a)(2) and (b)(2) of AD 94–13–06, 

amendment 39–8946. 

(ii) The inspection requirements of this AD 

are AMOCs for the post modification 

inspection requirements of paragraph B. of 

AD 84–19–01, and paragraph (b) of AD 94–

13–06. 

(iii) The inspection requirements of this 

AD are AMOCs for the inspections of 

structural significant item (SSI) F–19A of 

Boeing Supplemental Structural Inspection 

Document D6–35022, Revision G, dated 

December 2000, as required by paragraphs (c) 

and (d) of AD 2004–07–22, amendment 39–

13566. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on August 

29, 2005. 

Kalene C. Yanamura, 

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 05–17609 Filed 9–2–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2005–22290; Directorate 

Identifier 2005–NM–129–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; BAE 

Systems (Operations) Limited 

(Jetstream) Model 4101 Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a 

new airworthiness directive (AD) for all 

BAE Systems (Operations) Limited 

(Jetstream) Model 4101 airplanes. This 

proposed AD would require modifying 

the wiring of the starter-generator 

terminal block. This proposed AD 

results from a report of total electrical 

failure just as the airplane landed. We 

are proposing this AD to prevent total 

electrical failure and consequent 

reduced controllability of the airplane. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by October 6, 2005. 

ADDRESSES: Use one of the following 

addresses to submit comments on this 

proposed AD. 

• DOT Docket Web site: Go to