Document ID: FAA-2022-0985-0001
Agency: faa
Document Type: Proposed Rule
Title: Airworthiness Directives: The Boeing Company Airplanes
Posted Date: 2022-09-20T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 181 (Tuesday, September 20, 2022)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 57422-57424]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-20320]

 ========================================================================
 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
 the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
 notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
 the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
 
 ========================================================================
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 181 / Tuesday, September 20, 2022 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 57422]]

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2022-0985; Project Identifier AD-2022-00096-T]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) 
for certain The Boeing Company Model 747-400 and 747-8 series 
airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of three opened 
door 5 right ceiling stowage boxes that fell freely and injured a 
flight attendant in each event. For certain airplanes, this proposed AD 
would require replacing certain snubbers of the door 5 ceiling stowage 
boxes and, for certain other airplanes, replacing certain snubbers and 
changing the location of the snubber attachments. This proposed AD 
would also require an operation check of the stowage boxes or snubber, 
as applicable, and applicable on-condition actions. The FAA is 
proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: The FAA must receive comments on this proposed AD by November 4, 
2022.

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 https://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 Boeing 
Commercial Airplanes, Attention: Contractual & Data Services (C&DS), 
2600 Westminster Blvd., MC 110-SK57, Seal Beach, CA 90740-5600; 
telephone 562-797-1717; internet https://www.myboeingfleet.com. You may 
view this referenced service information at the FAA, Airworthiness 
Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des 
Moines, WA. For information on the availability of this material at the 
FAA, call 206-231-3195. It is also available at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2022-
0985.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket at https://www.regulations.gov by 
searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2022-0985; or in person at 
Docket Operations between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays. The AD docket contains this NPRM, any comments 
received, and other information. The street address for Docket 
Operations is listed above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie Linn, Aerospace Engineer, Cabin 
Safety and Environmental Systems Section, FAA, Seattle ACO Branch, 2200 
South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; phone and fax: 206-231-3684; 
email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited

    The FAA invites you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments about this proposal. Send your comments to an address listed 
under ADDRESSES. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2022-0985; Project Identifier 
AD-2022-00096-T'' at the beginning of your comments. The most helpful 
comments reference a specific portion of the proposal, explain the 
reason for any recommended change, and include supporting data. The FAA 
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend 
this proposal because of those comments.
    Except for Confidential Business Information (CBI) as described in 
the following paragraph, and other information as described in 14 CFR 
11.35, the FAA will post all comments received, without change, to 
https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you 
provide. The agency will also post a report summarizing each 
substantive verbal contact received about this NPRM.

Confidential Business Information

    CBI is commercial or financial information that is both customarily 
and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the Freedom of 
Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public 
disclosure. If your comments responsive to this NPRM contain commercial 
or financial information that is customarily treated as private, that 
you actually treat as private, and that is relevant or responsive to 
this NPRM, it is important that you clearly designate the submitted 
comments as CBI. Please mark each page of your submission containing 
CBI as ``PROPIN.'' The FAA will treat such marked submissions as 
confidential under the FOIA, and they will not be placed in the public 
docket of this NPRM. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to Julie 
Linn, Aerospace Engineer, Cabin Safety and Environmental Systems 
Section, FAA, Seattle ACO Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 
98198; phone and fax: 206-231-3684; email: [email protected]. Any 
commentary that the FAA receives that is not specifically designated as 
CBI will be placed in the public docket for this rulemaking.

Background

    The FAA has received reports of an opened door 5 right ceiling 
stowage box that fell freely approximately 12 inches on a Model 747-8 
airplane, and two additional door 5 ceiling stowage box free fall 
events on Model 747-400 airplanes. In one reported occurrence, an 
opened door 5 ceiling stowage box fell freely approximately 10 inches; 
in another, the stowage box fell freely approximately 8 inches. In each 
occurrence, a flight attendant was injured. Boeing and the supplier 
have since investigated and analyzed affected snubbers, part number (P/
N) SP5378, used on the door 5 ceiling stowage boxes on Model 747-400 
and 747-8 airplanes. It was determined that over time, air can get into 
the cylinder of the affected snubber and delay its damping

[[Page 57423]]

functionality, which means the affected snubber will not meet the 
requirement of the door 5 ceiling stowage boxes to open at a rate of 
not more than 15 degrees per second, when open more than 2.5 inches. 
The supplier has designed a replacement snubber, P/N SP26172, which 
meets those requirements. An unlatched door 5 ceiling stowage box, if 
not addressed, can open and fall freely more than 2.5 inches, possibly 
resulting in injury to the flightcrew or maintenance personnel.

FAA's Determination

    The FAA is issuing this NPRM after determining that the unsafe 
condition described previously is likely to exist or develop on other 
products of the same type design.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    The FAA reviewed Boeing Special Attention Requirements Bulletin 
747-25-3726 RB, dated January 6, 2022. This service information 
specifies procedures for replacing certain snubbers of the door 5 
ceiling stowage boxes on certain airplanes, and for replacing certain 
snubbers and changing the location of the snubber attachments on other 
airplanes. The service information also specifies procedures for an 
operation check of the stowage boxes or snubbers, as applicable, to 
ensure that the free-fall distance is no greater than 2.5 inches, and 
applicable on-condition actions. The on-condition actions include a 
post-snubber-replacement check until eventual replacement of any 
affected snubber.
    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 ADDRESSES.

Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM

    This proposed AD would require accomplishing the actions specified 
in the service information already described, except for any 
differences identified as exceptions in the regulatory text of this 
proposed AD. For information on the procedures and compliance times, 
see this service information at https://www.regulations.gov by 
searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2022-0985.

Costs of Compliance

    The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would 
affect 45 airplanes of U.S. registry. The FAA estimates the following 
costs to comply with this proposed AD:

                                                 Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                    Cost per       Cost on U.S.
               Action                        Labor cost           Parts cost        product         operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Replace snubber and do operation      2 work-hours x $85 per           $3,712           $3,882         $174,690
 check.                                hour = $170.
Replace snubber, relocate snubber     7 work-hours x $85 per            4,232            4,827          217,215
 attachment, and do operation check.   hour = $595.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The FAA estimates the following costs to do any necessary 
replacements that would be required based on the results of the 
proposed inspection. The agency has no way of determining the number of 
aircraft that might need this replacements:

                                               On-Condition Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                     Cost per
                    Action                                 Labor cost               Parts cost        product
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Replace snubber...............................  1 work-hour x $85 per hour = $85            $928          $1,013
Post-snubber-replacement check................  1 work-hour x $85 per hour = $85               0              85
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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.
    The FAA is 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

    The FAA 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) Would not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
    (3) Would 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

0
1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:

[[Page 57424]]

    Authority:  49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.

Sec.  39.13  [Amended]

0
2. The FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by adding the following new airworthiness 
directive:

The Boeing Company: Docket No. FAA-2022-0985; Project Identifier AD-
2022-00096-T.

(a) Comments Due Date

    The FAA must receive comments on this airworthiness directive 
(AD) by November 4, 2022.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to The Boeing Company Model 747-400 and 747-8 
series airplanes, certificated in any category, as identified in 
Boeing Special Attention Requirements Bulletin 747-25-3726 RB, dated 
January 6, 2022.

(d) Subject

    Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 25, Equipment/
Furnishings.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by reports of three opened door 5 right 
ceiling stowage boxes that fell freely and injured a flight 
attendant in each event. The FAA is issuing this AD to address an 
unlatched door 5 ceiling stowage box, which can open and fall freely 
more than 2.5 inches, possibly resulting in injury to the flightcrew 
or maintenance personnel.

(f) Compliance

    Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified, 
unless already done.

(g) Required Actions

    Except as specified by paragraph (h) of this AD: At the 
applicable times specified in the ``Compliance'' paragraph of Boeing 
Special Attention Requirements Bulletin 747-25-3726 RB, dated 
January 6, 2022, do all applicable actions identified in, and in 
accordance with, the Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Special 
Attention Requirements Bulletin 747-25-3726 RB, dated January 6, 
2022.

    Note 1 to paragraph (g):  Guidance for accomplishing the actions 
required by this AD can be found in Boeing Special Attention Service 
Bulletin 747-25-3726, dated January 6, 2022, which is referred to in 
Boeing Special Attention Requirements Bulletin 747-25-3726 RB, dated 
January 6, 2022.

(h) Exceptions to Service Information Specifications

    Where the Compliance Time columns of the tables in the 
``Compliance'' paragraph of Boeing Special Attention Requirements 
Bulletin 747-25-3726 RB, dated January 6, 2022, use the phrase ``the 
original issue date of Requirements Bulletin 747-25-3726 RB,'' this 
AD requires using ``the effective date of this AD.''

(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 responsible Flight Standards 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) of this AD. Information may be emailed 
to: [email protected].
    (2) Before using any approved AMOC, notify your appropriate 
principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the manager 
of the responsible Flight Standards 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 Company Organization Designation 
Authorization (ODA) that has been authorized by the Manager, Seattle 
ACO Branch, FAA, 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.

(j) Related Information

    (1) For more information about this AD, contact Julie Linn, 
Aerospace Engineer, Cabin Safety and Environmental Systems Section, 
FAA, Seattle ACO Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; 
phone and fax: 206-231-3684; email: [email protected].
    (2) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Attention: Contractual & Data Services 
(C&DS), 2600 Westminster Blvd., MC 110-SK57, Seal Beach, CA 90740-
5600; telephone 562-797-1717; internet https://www.myboeingfleet.com. You may view this referenced service 
information at the FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, Operational 
Safety Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA. For information 
on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 206-231-3195.

    Issued on July 26, 2022.
Christina Underwood,
Acting Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-20320 Filed 9-19-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P