Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 193 / Friday, October 6, 2017 / Proposed Rules 46725 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2017–0903; Product 

Identifier 2017–NM–074–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing 

Company Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 

The Boeing Company Model 737–300 

and –500 series airplanes. This 

proposed AD was prompted by a report 

indicating that fatigue cracks were 

found in the lower wing skin of an 

airplane with winglets installed. This 

proposed AD would require repetitive 

inspections for cracking of the lower 

wing skin, and repair if necessary. We 

are proposing this AD to address the 

unsafe condition on these products. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by November 20, 

2017. 

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 

http://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 Aviation Partners 

Boeing, 2811 South 102nd Street, Suite 

200, Seattle, WA 98168; phone: 1–206– 

830–7699; fax: 1–206–767–3355; email: 

leng@aviationpartners.com; Internet: 

http://www.aviationpartnersboeing.com. 

You may view this service information 

at the FAA, Transport Standards 

Branch, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, 

WA. For information on the availability 

of this material at the FAA, call 425– 

227–1221. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the Internet at http://

www.regulations.gov by searching for 

and locating Docket No. FAA–2017– 

0903; 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 NPRM, the regulatory 

evaluation, any comments received, and 

other information. The street address for 

the Docket Office (phone: 800–647– 

5527) is in the ADDRESSES section. 

Comments will be available in the AD 

docket shortly after receipt. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Lu Lu, Aerospace Engineer, Airframe 

Section, FAA, Seattle ACO Branch, 1601 

Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98057– 

3356; phone: 425–917–6478; fax: 425– 

917–6590; email: lu.lu@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

We invite you to send any written 

relevant data, views, or arguments about 

this proposal. Send your comments to 

an address listed under the ADDRESSES

section. Include ‘‘Docket No. FAA– 

2017–0903; Product Identifier 2017– 

NM–074–AD’’ at the beginning of your 

comments. We specifically invite 

comments on the overall regulatory, 

economic, environmental, and energy 

aspects of this NPRM. We will consider 

all comments received by the closing 

date and may amend this NPRM 

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 NPRM. 

Discussion 

We have received a report indicating 

that fatigue cracks were found in the 

lower wing skin at the farthest outboard 

fastener of stringer L–5 between wing 

station (WSTA) 479 and WSTA 505 on 

a Model 737–300 airplane with Aviation 

Partners Boeing blended winglet kit 

installed per Supplemental Type 

Certificate (STC) ST01219SE. If not 

corrected, fatigue cracking of the lower 

wing skin common to the runout of 

stringer L–5 on Boeing Model 737–300 

and 737–500 airplanes with winglets 

installed could grow and result in loss 

of the structural integrity of the wing, 

and reduced, or complete loss of, 

controllability of the airplane. 

Related Service Information Under 1 

CFR Part 51 

We reviewed Aviation Partners 

Boeing Service Bulletin AP737C–57– 

002, dated April 5, 2017. The service 

information describes procedures for 

repetitive inspections for cracking of the 

lower wing skin, and on-condition 

actions. 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. 

FAA’s Determination 

We are proposing this AD because we 

evaluated all the relevant information 

and determined the unsafe condition 

described previously is likely to exist or 

develop in other products of the same 

type design. 

Proposed AD Requirements 

This proposed AD would require 

accomplishment of the actions specified 

in the service information described 

previously, except as discussed under 

‘‘Differences Between this Proposed AD 

and the Service Information.’’ 

Differences Between This Proposed AD 

and the Service Information 

Aviation Partners Boeing Service 

Bulletin AP737C–57–002, dated April 5, 

2017, specifies to contact the 

manufacturer for certain instructions, 

but this proposed AD would require 

using repair methods, modification 

deviations, and alteration deviations in 

one of the following ways: 

• In accordance with a method that 

we approve; or 

• Using data that meet the 

certification basis of the airplane, and 

that have been approved by the Boeing 

Commercial Airplanes Organization 

Designation Authorization (ODA) whom 

we have authorized to make those 

findings. 

Costs of Compliance 

We estimate that this proposed AD 

affects 93 airplanes of U.S. registry. We 

estimate the following costs to comply 

with this proposed AD: 


asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with PROPOSALS
46726 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 193 / Friday, October 6, 2017 / Proposed Rules 

ESTIMATED COSTS

Action Labor cost Parts cost Cost per product Cost on U.S. operators 

Repetitive inspection .......... 1 work-hour × $85 per hour = $85 

per inspection cycle.

$0 $85 per inspection 

cycle.

Up to $7,905 per inspection cycle. 

We have received no definitive data 

that would enable us to provide 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. 

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. 

This proposed AD is issued in 

accordance with authority delegated by 

the Executive Director, Aircraft 

Certification Service, as authorized by 

FAA Order 8000.51C. In accordance 

with that order, issuance of ADs is 

normally a function of the Compliance 

and Airworthiness Division, but during 

this transition period, the Executive 

Director has delegated the authority to 

issue ADs applicable to transport 

category airplanes to the Director of the 

System Oversight Division. 

Regulatory Findings 

We 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 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), 

(3) Will not affect intrastate aviation 

in Alaska, and 

(4) 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. 

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 adding 

the following new airworthiness 

directive (AD): 

The Boeing Company: Docket No. FAA– 

2017–0903; Product Identifier 2017– 

NM–074–AD. 

(a) Comments Due Date 

We must receive comments by November 

20, 2017. 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to The Boeing Company 

Model 737–300 and –500 series airplanes, 

certificated in any category, with blended 

winglet kits installed in accordance with 

Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) 

ST01219SE. 

(d) Subject 

Air Transport Association (ATA) of 

America Code 57, Wings. 

(e) Unsafe Condition 

This AD was prompted by a report 

indicating that fatigue cracks were found in 

the lower wing skin at stringer L–5 of a 

Boeing Model 737–300 airplane with 

winglets installed. We are issuing this AD to 

detect and correct fatigue cracking of the 

lower wing skin common to the runout of 

stringer L–5, which could grow and result in 

loss of structural integrity of the wing, and 

consequent reduced, or complete loss of, 

controllability of the airplane. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(g) Repetitive Inspection 

Within 18 months after the effective date 

of this AD: Do a detailed inspection for 

cracking of the lower wing skin external 

surface at the stringer L–5 location on the left 

and right wings, in accordance with the 

Accomplishment Instructions of Aviation 

Partners Boeing Service Bulletin AP737C– 

57–002, dated April 5, 2017. Repeat the 

inspection thereafter at intervals not to 

exceed 6,000 flight cycles or 9,000 flight 

hours, whichever occurs first. 

(h) Repair 

If any crack is found during any inspection 

required by paragraph (g) of this AD, repair 

before further flight using a method approved 

in accordance with the procedures specified 

in paragraph (i) of this AD. Although 

Aviation Partners Boeing Service Bulletin 

AP737C–57–002, dated April 5, 2017, 

specifies to contact Boeing for repair 

instructions, and specifies that action as 

‘‘RC’’ (Required for Compliance), this AD 

requires repair as specified in this paragraph. 

(i) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs) 

(1) The Manager, Seattle 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 local Flight Standards 

District Office, as appropriate. If sending 

information directly to the manager of the 

certification office, send it to the attention of 

the person identified in paragraph (j)(1) of 

this AD. Information may be emailed to: 9- 

ANM-Seattle-ACO-AMOC-Requests@faa.gov. 

(2) Before using any approved AMOC, 

notify your appropriate principal inspector, 

or lacking a principal inspector, the manager 

of the local flight standards district office/ 

certificate holding district 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 

Commercial Airplanes Organization 

Designation Authorization (ODA) that has 

been authorized by the Manager, Seattle ACO 

Branch, 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) Except as required by paragraph (h) of 

this AD: For service information that 

contains steps that are labeled as RC, the 


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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 193 / Friday, October 6, 2017 / Proposed Rules 46727 

provisions of paragraphs (i)(4)(i) and (i)(4)(ii) 

of this AD apply. 

(i) The steps labeled as RC, including 

substeps under an RC step and any figures 

identified in an RC step, must be done to 

comply with the AD. If a step or substep is 

labeled ‘‘RC Exempt,’’ then the RC 

requirement is removed from that step or 

substep. An AMOC is required for any 

deviations to RC steps, including substeps 

and identified figures. 

(ii) Steps not labeled as RC may be 

deviated from using accepted methods in 

accordance with the operator’s maintenance 

or inspection program without obtaining 

approval of an AMOC, provided the RC steps, 

including substeps and identified figures, can 

still be done as specified, and the airplane 

can be put back in an airworthy condition. 

(j) Related Information 

(1) For more information about this AD, 

contact Lu Lu, Aerospace Engineer, Airframe 

Section, FAA, Seattle ACO Branch, 1601 

Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98057–3356; 

phone: 425–917–6478; fax: 425–917–6590; 

email: lu.lu@faa.gov. 

(2) For service information identified in 

this AD, contact Aviation Partners Boeing, 

2811 South 102nd Street, Suite 200, Seattle, 

WA 98168; phone: 1–206–830–7699; fax: 1– 

206–767–3355; email: leng@

aviationpartners.com; Internet: http://

www.aviationpartnersboeing.com. You may 

view this referenced service information at 

the FAA, Transport Standards Branch, 1601 

Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call 425–227–1221. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on 

September 25, 2017. 

Dionne Palermo, 

Acting Director, System Oversight Division, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2017–21225 Filed 10–5–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2009–0889; Product 

Identifier 2009–NE–35–AD] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Safran 

Helicopter Engines, S.A., Turboshaft 

Engines 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: We propose to supersede 

airworthiness directive (AD) 2012–03– 

11 that applies to all Safran Helicopter 

Engines, S.A., Arriel 2B and 2B1 

turboshaft engines. AD 2012–03–11 

requires checking the transmissible 

torque between the low-pressure (LP) 

pump impeller and the high-pressure 

(HP) pump shaft on the HP/LP pump 

and metering valve assembly, hereafter 

referred to as the hydro-mechanical 

metering unit (HMU). Since we issued 

AD 2012–03–11, the manufacturer 

determined that incorporating 

Modification TU 178 is a more effective 

method to reduce the risk of uncoupling 

between the LP fuel pump impeller and 

the HP fuel pump shaft than the prior 

Modification TU 147. This proposed AD 

would require inspection and possible 

replacement of the HMU. We are 

proposing this AD to address the unsafe 

condition on these products. 

DATES: We must receive comments on 

this proposed AD by November 20, 

2017. 

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 

http://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 Safran Helicopter 

Engines, S.A., 40220 Tarnos, France; 

phone: (33) 05 59 74 40 00; fax: (33) 05 

59 74 45 15. You may view this service 

information at the FAA, Engine and 

Propeller Standards Branch, 1200 

District Avenue, Burlington, MA. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call 781–238–7125. 

It is also available on the Internet at 

http://www.regulations.gov by searching 

for and locating Docket No. FAA–2009– 

0889. 

Examining the AD Docket 

You may examine the AD docket on 

the Internet at http://

www.regulations.gov by searching for 

and locating Docket No. FAA–2009– 

0889; 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 

mandatory continuing airworthiness 

information, regulatory evaluation, any 

comments received, and other 

information. The address for the Docket 

Office (phone: 800–647–5527) is in the 

ADDRESSES section. Comments will be 

available in the AD docket shortly after 

receipt. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Robert Green, Aerospace Engineer, ECO 

Branch, FAA, 1200 District Avenue, 

Burlington, MA 01803; phone: 781– 

238–7754; fax: 781–238–7199; email: 

robert.green@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

We invite you to send any written 

relevant data, views, or arguments about 

this proposal. Send your comments to 

an address listed under the ADDRESSES

section. Include ‘‘Docket No. FAA– 

2009–0889; Product Identifier 2009– 

NE–35–AD’’ at the beginning of your 

comments. We specifically invite 

comments on the overall regulatory, 

economic, environmental, and energy 

aspects of this NPRM. We will consider 

all comments received by the closing 

date and may amend this NPRM 

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 NPRM. 

Discussion 

We issued AD 2012–03–11, 

Amendment 39–16953 (77 FR 8092, 

February 14, 2012), ‘‘AD 2012–03–11,’’ 

for all Turbomeca S.A. Arriel 2B and 

2B1 turboshaft engines. AD 2012–03–11 

requires checking the transmissible 

torque between the LP pump impeller 

and the HP pump shaft on the pre- and 

post-Modification TU 147 HMUs. AD 

2012–03–11 resulted from instances of 

uncoupling between the LP fuel pump 

impeller and the HP fuel pump shaft. 

We issued AD 2012–03–11 to prevent an 

uncommanded in-flight shutdown, 

which can result in a forced 

autorotation landing or accident. 

Actions Since AD 2012–03–11 Was 

Issued 

Since we issued AD 2012–03–11, the 

manufacturer determined that 

modification of an engine to incorporate 

Modification TU 178 is a more effective 

method to reduce the risk of uncoupling 

between the LP fuel pump impeller and 

the HP fuel pump shaft than the prior 

Modification TU 147. Also since we 

issued AD 2012–03–11, the European 

Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has 

issued AD 2017–0102, dated June 13, 

2017, which requires inspection and 

possible replacement of the HMU. 


asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with PROPOSALS