Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 206 / Wednesday, October 26, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 61727 

Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on 

October 19, 2005. 

David R. Showers, 

Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 05–21255 Filed 10–25–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2005–20692; Directorate 

Identifier 2004–NM–229–AD; Amendment 

39–14350; AD 2005–22–06] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Boeing 

Model 747–100, 747–100B, 747–100B 

SUD, 747–200B, 747–200C, 747–200F, 

747–300, 747SR, and 747SP Series 

Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 

Boeing Model 747–100, 747–100B, 747–

100B SUD, 747–200B, 747–200C, 747–

200F, 747–300, 747SR, and 747SP series 

airplanes. This AD requires doing a onetime high-frequency eddy current 

inspection and repetitive detailed 

inspections for cracks in the frame web 

of main entry door number 1; and 

repairing the door frame web if 

necessary. This AD also provides for 

optional terminating action for the 

repetitive inspections. This AD is 

prompted by reports of cracking at the 

upper aft corner of the cutout for main 

entry door number 1 in the station 488 

frame web. We are issuing this AD to 

detect and correct cracks in the frame 

web. These cracks could cause the frame 

to break and lead to rapid 

decompression of the airplane. 

DATES: This AD becomes effective 

November 30, 2005. 

The incorporation by reference of a 

certain publication listed in the AD is 

approved by the Director of the Federal 

Register as of November 30, 2005. 

ADDRESSES: For service information 

identified in this AD, contact Boeing 

Commercial Airplanes, P.O. Box 3707, 

Seattle, Washington 98124–2207. 

Docket: The AD docket contains the 

proposed AD, comments, and any final 

disposition. You can 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 U.S. Department of Transportation, 

400 Seventh Street SW., room PL–401, 

Washington, DC. This docket number is 

FAA–2005–20692; the directorate 

identifier for this docket is 2004–NM–

229–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: The FAA 

proposed to amend 14 CFR part 39 with 

an AD for certain Boeing Model 747–

100, 747–100B, 747–100B SUD, 747–

200B, 747–200C, 747–200F, 747–300, 

747SR, and 747SP series airplanes. That 

action, published in the Federal 

Register on March 23, 2005 (70 FR 

14589), proposed to require doing a onetime high-frequency eddy current 

inspection and repetitive detailed 

inspections for cracks in the frame web 

of main entry door number 1; and 

repairing the door frame web if 

necessary. That action also proposed to 

provide for optional terminating action 

for the repetitive inspections. 

Comments 

We provided the public the 

opportunity to participate in the 

development of this AD. We have 

considered the comments that have 

been submitted on the proposed AD. 

Request To Include Optional Inspection 

One commenter requests that we 

include an option for Group 3 airplanes 

in paragraph (f) of the proposed AD to 

perform an open-hole high-frequency 

eddy current (HFEC) inspection every 

3,000 flight cycles instead of a detailed 

inspection every 1,500 flight cycles. The 

commenter states that the manufacturer 

has found this optional inspection to be 

structurally acceptable. 

We agree with the commenter that 

performing an HFEC inspection every 

3,000 flight cycles would provide an 

equivalent level of safety as intended by 

this AD. However, the repetitive 

detailed inspection requirement is 

actually specified in paragraph (g) of the 

proposed AD, not paragraph (f). 

Therefore, we have revised paragraph 

(g) of the final rule, for Group 3 

airplanes only, to include an option to 

perform a surface HFEC inspection of 

the frame web between the upper door 

sill and door stop number 8 for cracks 

every 3,000 flight cycles in accordance 

with the method referenced in Figure 3 

or Figure 4 of the Accomplishment 

Instructions of Boeing Alert Service 

Bulletin (ASB) 747–53A2508, dated 

August 19, 2004. 

Request To Revise Frame Inner Chord 

Inspection Requirement 

One commenter requests that we 

delete paragraph (j) of the proposed AD 

or revise it to state that when the frame 

inner chord is being replaced 

concurrently with the required frame 

web repairs, the open-hole HFEC 

inspection of the frame inner chord is 

not required. The commenter states that 

the intent of paragraph (j) should be that 

when the frame inner chord is being 

replaced, there is no need to inspect the 

existing fastener holes in the chord 

because the chord is a new part. The 

commenter refers to the applicable 

Boeing Structural Repair Manual (SRM) 

and Boeing ASB 747–53A2508 to 

support this contention. 

We agree with this request. Open-hole 

HFEC inspection of the frame inner 

chord is a conditional inspection 

included in the repair procedures 

specified in paragraph (h) of this AD. 

However, AD 91–11–01, amendment 

39–6997 (dated May 15, 1991), 

referenced in paragraph (j) of the 

proposed AD, only requires inspecting 

the frame inner chord, while AD 90–06–

06, amendment 39–6490 (dated March 

7, 1990), actually requires replacing the 

frame inner chord. Therefore, we have 

concluded that paragraph (j) of the 

proposed AD should have referred to 

AD 90–06–06, rather than AD 91–11–01, 

regarding concurrent replacement of the 

frame inner chord. We have revised 

paragraph (j) of the final rule to reflect 

the commenter’s request and to 

correctly refer to AD 90–06–06. Further, 

to ensure that there is no confusion 

about the HFEC inspection, we also 

revised paragraph (h) of the final rule to 

include a reference to an ‘‘open-hole’’

HFEC inspection. 

Request To Clarify Use of Structural 

Repair Manual 

The same commenter requests that 

paragraph (h) of the proposed AD be 

clarified. The commenter asserts that 

paragraph (h) should be revised to state 

that the Boeing SRM meets the intent of 

the proposed AD. Further, the 

commenter requests that we clarify the 

statement ‘‘For a repair method to be 

approved, the approval must 

specifically reference this AD.’’ The 

commenter feels that paragraph (h) as 

written might lead to confusion. 

We agree with the commenter that the 

Boeing SRM procedures specified in the 

61728 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 206 / Wednesday, October 26, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 

service bulletin are appropriate sources 

of service information for the required 

repairs. We also agree with the 

commenter that the statement ‘‘For a 

repair method to be approved, the 

approval must specifically reference this 

AD’’ applies only when the service 

bulletin advises the operators to contact 

Boeing for repair procedures, because 

that statement relates only to damage 

that is not addressed by the SRM repair 

procedures. To make it clear that any 

repair that is done in accordance with 

the SRM requires no further FAA 

approval, we have added Note 1 after 

paragraph (h) of the final rule, which 

states that the service bulletin 

‘‘references the Boeing structural repair 

manual as an additional source of 

service information to comply with the 

intent of paragraph (h) this AD.’’

Related Rulemaking 

We have determined that certain 

detailed inspections required by 

paragraph (f) of AD 2005–20–30, 

amendment 39–14327 (70 FR 59252, 

October 12, 2005), or paragraph (f) of 

AD 2005–08–01, amendment 39–14053 

(70 FR 18290, April 11, 2005), are 

considered acceptable for 

accomplishing the repetitive detailed 

inspections required for Group 1 and 

Group 2 airplanes by paragraph (g)(1) of 

this AD or for Group 3 airplanes by 

paragraph (g)(2)(i) of this AD. Therefore, 

to give credit for accomplishing the 

corresponding actions described in AD 

2005–20–30 and AD 2005–08–01, we 

have retitled and reidentified paragraph 

(j) as paragraph (j)(1), and inserted new 

paragraph (j)(2) in the final rule. 

Explanation of Editorial Corrections to 

Proposed AD 

We have made certain minor changes 

to punctuation, spelling and other 

mechanical elements of the proposed 

AD. These changes do not affect the 

technical content of the final rule. 

Clarification of Alternative Method of 

Compliance (AMOC) Paragraph 

We have revised this action to clarify 

the appropriate procedure for notifying 

the principal inspector before using any 

approved AMOC on any airplane to 

which the AMOC applies. 

Explanation of Change Made to This 

AD 

We have simplified paragraph (h) of 

this AD by referring to the ‘‘Alternative 

Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)’’

paragraph of this AD for repair methods. 

Conclusion 

We have carefully reviewed the 

available data, including the comments 

that have been submitted, and 

determined that air safety and the 

public interest require adopting the AD 

with the changes described previously. 

We have determined that these changes 

will neither increase the economic 

burden on any operator nor increase the 

scope of the AD. 

Costs of Compliance 

There are about 274 airplanes of the 

affected design in the worldwide fleet. 

This AD will affect about 140 airplanes 

of U.S. registry. The following table, 

using an estimated labor rate of $65 per 

work hour, provides the estimated costs 

for U.S. operators to comply with this 

AD. 

Airplanes Number of 

airplanes Work hours Cost per airplane Fleet cost 

Group 1 (left and right side HFEC inspection) .. 119 2 $130 ......................................... $15,470. 

Group 1 (left and right side detailed inspection) 119 2 130, per inspection cycle ......... 15,470, per inspection cycle. 

Group 2 (left side HFEC inspection) .................. 16 1 65 ............................................. 1,040. 

Group 2 (left side detailed inspection) ............... 16 1 65, per inspection cycle ........... 1,040, per inspection cycle. 

Group 3 (left and right side HFEC inspection) .. 5 2 130 ........................................... 650. 

Group 3 (left and right side detailed inspection) 5 2 130, per inspection cycle ......... 650, 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. 

Regulatory Findings 

We have determined that this AD will 

not have federalism implications under 

Executive Order 13132. This AD will 

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 this AD: 

(1) Is not a ‘‘significant regulatory 

action’’ under Executive Order 12866; 

(2) Is not a ‘‘significant rule’’ under 

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 AD. 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, Incorporation by reference, 

Safety. 

Adoption of the Amendment 

■ Accordingly, under the authority 

delegated to me by the Administrator, 

the FAA amends 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 adding 

the following new airworthiness 

directive (AD): 

2005–22–06 Boeing: Amendment 39–14350. 

Docket No. FAA–2005–20692; 

Directorate Identifier 2004–NM–229–AD. 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 206 / Wednesday, October 26, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 61729 

Effective Date 

(a) This AD becomes effective November 

30, 2005. 

Affected ADs 

(b) None. 

Applicability 

(c) This AD applies to Boeing Model 747–

100, 747–100B, 747–100B SUD, 747–200B, 

747–200C, 747–200F, 747–300, 747SR, and 

747SP series airplanes, certificated in any 

category; as identified in Boeing Alert 

Service Bulletin 747–53A2508, dated August 

19, 2004. 

Unsafe Condition 

(d) This AD was prompted by reports of 

cracking at the upper aft corner of the cutout 

for main entry door number 1 in the station 

488 frame web. We are issuing this AD to 

detect and correct cracks in the frame web. 

These cracks could cause the frame to break 

and lead to rapid decompression 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. 

Initial Inspections 

(f) Before the accumulation of 16,000 total 

flight cycles, or within 1,000 flight cycles 

after the effective date of this AD, whichever 

occurs later, do a high frequency eddy 

current (HFEC) inspection and a detailed 

inspection of the station 488 frame web, by 

doing all of the actions specified in the 

Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert 

Service Bulletin (ASB) 747–53A2508, dated 

August 19, 2004; except as provided by 

paragraph (h) or (j) of this AD. 

Repetitive Inspections 

(g) If no crack is found during the 

inspections required by paragraph (f) of this 

AD, do the applicable actions specified in 

paragraph (g)(1) or (g)(2) of this AD. 

(1) For airplanes identified in the service 

bulletin as Groups 1 and 2: Repeat the 

detailed inspection required by paragraph (f) 

of this AD at intervals not to exceed 3,000 

flight cycles. 

(2) For airplanes identified in the service 

bulletin as Group 3, do the actions specified 

in either paragraph (g)(2)(i) or (g)(2)(ii) of this 

AD. 

(i) Repeat the detailed inspection required 

by paragraph (f) of this AD thereafter at 

intervals not to exceed 1,500 flight cycles. 

(ii) Within 1,500 flight cycles after the 

inspections required by paragraph (f) of this 

AD, perform a HFEC inspection for cracks of 

the frame web between the upper door sill 

and door stop number 8 in accordance with 

the method referenced in Figure 3 or Figure 

4 of the Accomplishment Instructions of the 

service bulletin. Repeat the HFEC inspection 

thereafter at intervals not to exceed 3,000 

flight cycles. 

Repairs 

(h) If any crack in the main entry door 

frame web is found during any inspection 

required by this AD: Before further flight, 

perform repairs—including an open-hole 

HFEC inspection of the frame inner chord—

in accordance with the Accomplishment 

Instructions of Boeing ASB 747–53A2508, 

dated August 19, 2004. Where the service 

bulletin specifies to contact Boeing for 

appropriate action: Before further flight, 

repair the door frame web and any frame 

chord damage using a method approved in 

accordance with paragraph (k) of this AD. 

Note 1: Boeing ASB 747–53A2508, dated 

August 19, 2004, references the Boeing 

Structural Repair Manual as an additional 

source of service information to comply with 

the intent of paragraph (h) this AD. 

Termination of Repeat Inspections 

(i) For the repaired frame web only, 

accomplishing the door frame web repair 

required by paragraph (h) of this AD ends the 

repetitive inspections required by paragraph 

(g) of this AD. 

Credit for Actions Accomplished Using 

Alternative ADs 

(j)(1) If the frame inner chord replacement 

required by AD 90–06–06, amendment 39–

6490, (which identifies Boeing Service 

Bulletin 747–53–2272, as listed in Boeing 

Document No. D6–35999, dated March 31, 

1989, as a source of service information) is 

accomplished concurrently with the repair of 

the station 488 door frame web specified by 

paragraph (h) of this AD, the open-hole HFEC 

inspection required by paragraph (h) of this 

AD is not required for the new frame inner 

chord. 

(2) Accomplishing the repetitive detailed 

inspections of the station 488 frame required 

by paragraph (f) of AD 2005–20–30, 

amendment 39–14327, or paragraph (f) of AD 

2005–08–01, amendment 39–14053, satisfies 

the requirements for the corresponding 

repetitive detailed inspections described by 

paragraphs (g)(1) and (g)(2)(i) of this AD, 

provided those inspections are performed at 

intervals corresponding with the applicable 

intervals required by this AD. 

Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(k)(1) The Manager, Seattle 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 DOA 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) Before using any AMOC approved in 

accordance with 14 CFR 39.19 on any 

airplane to which the AMOC applies, notify 

the appropriate principal inspector in the 

FAA Flight Standards Certificate Holding 

District Office. 

Material Incorporated by Reference 

(1) You must use Boeing Alert Service 

Bulletin 747–53A2508, dated August 19, 

2004, to perform the actions that are required 

by this AD, unless the AD specifies 

otherwise. The Director of the Federal 

Register approves the incorporation by 

reference of this document in accordance 

with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. To 

get copies of the service information, contact 

Boeing Commercial Airplanes, P.O. Box 

3707, Seattle, Washington 98124–2207. To 

view the AD docket, go to the Docket 

Management Facility, U.S. Department of 

Transportation, 400 Seventh Street SW., 

room PL–401, Nassif Building, Washington, 

DC. To review copies of the service 

information, go to the National Archives and 

Records Administration (NARA). For 

information on the availability of this 

material at the NARA, call (202) 741–6030, 

or go to http://www.archives.gov/ 

federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ 

ibr_locations.html. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on October 

18, 2005. 

Kevin M. Mullin, 

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 05–21293 Filed 10–25–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2004–18564; Directorate 

Identifier 2004–NM–16–AD; Amendment 39–

14352; AD 2005–22–08] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Empresa 

Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A. 

(EMBRAER) Model EMB–135BJ, 

–135ER, –135KE, –135KL, –135LR, 

–145, –145ER, –145MR, –145LR, 

–145XR, –145MP, and –145EP 

Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 

EMBRAER airplane models as identified 

above. This AD requires modifying the 

total air temperature (TAT) sensor 

heating system. This AD also allows 

replacing the fully automated digital 

electronic control (FADEC) assemblies 

with new or modified assemblies as an 

additional means of compliance. This 

AD results from a report indicating that 

the FADEC unit failed to compensate for 

ice accretion on the engine fan blades 

due to a false temperature signal from 

the TAT sensor to the FADEC. We are 

issuing this AD to prevent failure of the 

TAT sensor, which could result in