[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 28 (Monday, February 11, 2008)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 7690-7692]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 08-571]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2008-0150; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-325-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Boeing Model 767-200, -300, and -400ER 
Series Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to supersede an existing airworthiness 
directive (AD) that applies to certain Boeing Model 767 series 
airplanes. The existing AD currently requires a one-time inspection for 
missing, damaged, or incorrectly installed parts in the separation link 
assembly on the deployment bar of the emergency escape system on the 
entry or service door, and installation of new parts if necessary. This 
proposed AD would require replacing the separation link assembly on the 
applicable entry and service doors with an improved separation link 
assembly, and related investigative and corrective actions if 
necessary. This proposed AD would also remove certain airplanes from 
the applicability. This proposed AD results from reports that entry and 
service doors did not open fully during deployment of emergency escape 
slides, and additional reports of missing snap rings. We are proposing 
this AD to prevent failure of an entry or service door to open fully in 
the event of an emergency evacuation, which could impede exit from the 
airplane. This condition could result in injury to passengers or 
crewmembers.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by March 27, 2008.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by any of the following methods:
    <bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
    <bullet> Fax: 202-493-2251.
    <bullet> 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.
    <bullet> Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket 
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, 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, P.O. Box 3707, Seattle, Washington 98124-2207.

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 (telephone 800-647-5527) is in the 
ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly 
after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith Ladderud, Aerospace Engineer, 
Cabin Safety and Environmental Systems Branch, ANM-150S, FAA, Seattle 
Aircraft Certification Office, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, 
Washington 98057-3356; telephone (425) 917-6435; fax (425) 917-6590.

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-2008-0150; 
Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-325-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

[[Page 7691]]

consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend this 
proposed AD because of those comments.
    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

    On December 21, 2001, we issued AD-2001-26-19, amendment 39-12585 
(67 FR 265, January 3, 2002, for certain Boeing Model 767 series 
airplanes. That AD requires a one-time inspection for missing, damaged, 
or incorrectly installed parts in the separation link assembly on the 
deployment bar of the emergency escape system on the entry or service 
door, and installation of new parts if necessary. That AD resulted from 
reports that entry and service doors did not open fully during 
deployment of emergency escape slides on several Boeing Model 767 
series airplanes. We issued that AD to prevent failure of an entry or 
service door to open fully in the event of an emergency evacuation, 
which could impede exit from the airplane. This condition could result 
in injury to passengers or crewmembers.

Actions Since Existing AD Was Issued

    Since we issued AD-2001-26-19, we have received additional reports 
of missing snap rings, which are used for securing the separation link 
assembly. Investigation revealed that the snap rings fell off after 
they were possibly damaged during the inspection of the separation link 
assembly as required by paragraph (a) of AD-2001-26-19. As a result, 
the manufacturer has developed a new corrective action that replaces 
the snap rings with nuts and washers. Therefore, we have determined 
that the existing separation link assembly must be secured with a nut 
and washer instead of a snap ring to adequately address the unsafe 
condition. This replacement would eliminate the need for inspecting the 
separation link assembly. We have also removed Model 767-300F series 
airplanes from the applicability of this proposed AD, since those 
airplanes are not equipped with the affected escape slides.

Relevant Service Information

    We have reviewed Boeing Special Attention Service Bulletin 767-25-
0428, dated August 23, 2007, for Model 767-200, -300, and -400ER series 
airplanes. The service bulletin describes procedures for replacing the 
separation link assembly having a snap ring with an improved separation 
link assembly secured with a nut and washer, on the deployment bar of 
the emergency escape system on the applicable entry and service doors. 
The service bulletin also describes procedures for doing related 
investigative and corrective actions if necessary. The related 
investigative actions include doing a general visual inspection of the 
separation link housing assembly for worn primer around the assembly, 
and inspecting the spring in the separation link housing to determine 
the spring tolerance. The corrective action includes applying two coats 
of a certain primer if the separation link housing assembly is worn, 
and replacing any spring that does not fall within a certain tolerance 
with a new spring. Accomplishing the actions specified in the service 
information is intended to adequately address the unsafe condition.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of the Proposed AD

    We have evaluated all pertinent information and identified an 
unsafe condition that is likely to develop on other airplanes of the 
same type design. For this reason, we are proposing this AD, which 
would supersede AD-2001-26-19. This proposed AD would require 
accomplishing the actions specified in the service information 
described previously. This proposed AD would also remove Model 767-300F 
series airplanes from the applicability.

Costs of Compliance

    There are about 1,225 airplanes of the affected design in the 
worldwide fleet. This proposed AD would affect about 355 airplanes of 
U.S. registry. The new proposed actions would take up to about 6 work 
hours per airplane, at an average labor rate of $80 per work hour. 
Required parts would cost up to about $10,671 per airplane. Based on 
these figures, the estimated cost of the new actions specified in this 
proposed AD for U.S. operators is $3,958,605, or $11,151 per airplane.

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); 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.


Sec.  39.13  [Amended]

    2. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) amends Sec.  39.13 by 
removing amendment 39-12585 (67 FR 265, January 3, 2002) and adding the 
following new airworthiness directive (AD):

?>Boeing: Docket No. FAA-2008-0150; Directorate Identifier 2007-NM-
325-AD.

[[Page 7692]]

Comments Due Date

    (a) The FAA must receive comments on this AD action by March 27, 
2008.

Affected ADs

    (b) This AD supersedes AD 2001-26-19.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to Boeing Model 767-200, -300, and -400ER 
series airplanes, certificated in any category, as identified in 
Boeing Special Attention Service Bulletin 767-25-0428, dated August 
23, 2007.

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from reports that entry and service doors 
did not open fully during deployment of emergency escape slides, and 
additional reports of missing snap rings. We are issuing this AD to 
prevent failure of an entry or service door to open fully in the 
event of an emergency evacuation, which could impede exit from the 
airplane. This condition could result in injury to passengers or 
crewmembers.

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.

Replacement

    (f) Within 48 months after the effective date of this AD, 
replace the separation link assembly on the deployment bar of the 
emergency escape system on all the applicable entry and service 
doors with an improved separation link assembly, and do all the 
applicable related investigative and corrective actions, by 
accomplishing all of the applicable actions specified in the 
Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Special Attention Service 
Bulletin 767-25-0428, dated August 23, 2007.

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (g)(1) The Manager, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office, 
Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, has the authority to approve 
AMOCs for this AD, if requested in accordance with the procedures 
found in 14 CFR 39.19.
    (2) To request a different method of compliance or a different 
compliance time for this AD, follow the procedures in 14 CFR 39.19. 
Before using any approved AMOC on any airplane to which the AMOC 
applies, notify your appropriate principal inspector (PI) in the FAA 
Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), or lacking a PI, your local 
FSDO.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on January 31, 2008.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 08-571 Filed 2-8-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P