[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 241 (Thursday, December 15, 2011)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 77937-77939]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-32077]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2011-1320; Directorate Identifier 2011-NM-208-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all
The Boeing Company Model 777 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted
by four reports of retaining cross bolt hardware not fully engaged into
the fuse pins of the forward trunnion lower housing of the main landing
gear (MLG), which could result in an incorrect MLG emergency landing
break-away sequence. This proposed AD would require a detailed
inspection of the fuse pin cross bolts and fuse pins of the left and
right MLG forward trunnion lower housing to verify that the cross bolts
are correctly installed and that there are no missing fuse pins, and
replacement of the fuse pins if necessary. We are proposing this AD to
prevent an incorrect emergency landing MLG break-away sequence, which
could result in puncturing of the wing box and consequent fuel leaks
and an airplane fire. Failure of the fuse pins could also result in a
premature landing gear collapse causing a runway excursion during take-
off or landing.
DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by January 30,
2012.
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 proposed AD, contact
Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Attention: Data & Services Management,
P.O. Box 3707, MC 2H-65, Seattle, Washington 98124-2207; phone: (206)
544-5000, extension 1; fax: (206) 766-5680; email:
[email protected]; Internet: https://www.myboeingfleet.com. You may
review copies of the referenced service information at the FAA,
Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton,
Washington. 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; 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 (phone: (800) 647-5527) is in the
ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly
after receipt.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Sutherland, Aerospace Engineer,
Airframe Branch, ANM-120S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office
(ACO), 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; phone:
(425) 917-6533; fax: (425) 917-6590; email: [email protected].
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-2011-1320;
Directorate Identifier 2011-NM-208-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 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
We have received four reports of retaining cross bolt hardware not
fully engaged into the fuse pins of the MLG forward trunnion lower
housing. Reports indicated the incorrectly installed cross bolts were
found during a scheduled C-check inspection, an MLG replacement, a 4C
inspection, and a hard landing inspection. All findings indicated that
the cross bolt and lock wire were intact, but the cross bolt had not
properly engaged in the fuse pin. The cross bolt and lock wire are used
to prevent the fuse pin from migrating out of position. A migrated or
missing fuse pin in the MLG forward trunnion lower housing can cause
the remaining fuse pins in the MLG forward trunnion upper and lower
housing to wear at a faster rate and also result in possible failure of
the adjacent fuse pins in the MLG forward trunnion upper and lower
housing. Failure of the fuse pins in the MLG forward trunnion upper and
lower housing could result in an incorrect emergency landing MLG break-
away sequence, which will cause the MLG to puncture the wing box and
consequent fuel leaks and possible airplane fire. Failure of the fuse
pins could also result in a premature landing gear collapse causing a
runway excursion during take-off or landing.
Relevant Service Information
We reviewed Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 777-57A0090, dated August
24, 2011. This service information describes procedures for doing a
detailed inspection of the fuse pin cross bolts and fuse pins of the
left and right MLG forward trunnion lower housing to verify that the
cross bolts are correctly
[[Page 77938]]
installed and that there are no missing fuse pins, and replacing all
fuse pins in the MLG forward trunnion upper and lower housing with new
fuse pins if necessary.
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 accomplishing the actions specified
in the service information described previously.
Costs of Compliance
We estimate that this proposed AD will affect 166 airplanes of U.S.
registry.
We estimate the following costs to comply with this proposed AD:
Estimated Costs
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Cost per Cost on U.S.
Action Labor cost Parts cost product operators
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Detailed Inspection...................... 3 work-hours x $85 per hour $0 $255 $42,330
= $255.
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We estimate the following costs to do any necessary replacements
that would be required based on the results of the proposed inspection.
We have no way of determining the number of aircraft that might need
these replacements.
On-Condition Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Action Labor cost Parts cost Cost per product
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Replace fuse pins.................... 44 work-hours x $85 per Between $15,216 and Between $18,956 and
hour = $3,740. $52,620. $56,360.
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According to the manufacturer, some of the costs of this proposed
AD may be covered under warranty, thereby reducing the cost impact on
affected individuals. We do not control warranty coverage for affected
individuals. As a result, we have included all costs in our cost
estimate.
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 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.
Sec. 39.13 [Amended]
2. The FAA amends Sec. 39.13 by adding the following new
airworthiness directive (AD):
The Boeing Company: Docket No. FAA-2011-1320; Directorate Identifier
2011-NM-208-AD.
(a) Comments Due Date
We must receive comments by January 30, 2012.
(b) Affected ADs
None.
(c) Applicability
This AD applies to all The Boeing Company Model 777-200, -200LR,
-300, -300ER, and 777F series airplanes; certificated in any
category.
(d) Subject
Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC)/Air Transport Association
(ATA) of America Code 57, Wings.
(e) Unsafe Condition
This AD was prompted by four reports of retaining cross bolt
hardware not fully engaged into the fuse pins of the forward
trunnion lower housing of the main landing gear (MLG), which could
result in an incorrect MLG emergency landing break-away sequence. We
are issuing this AD to prevent an incorrect emergency landing MLG
break-away sequence, which could result in puncturing of the wing
box and consequent fuel leaks and an airplane fire. Failure of the
fuse pins could also result in a premature landing gear collapse
causing a runway excursion during take-off or landing.
(f) Compliance
Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified,
unless already done.
(g) Detailed Inspection and Replacement
Within 1,125 days after the effective date of this AD, perform a
detailed inspection of
[[Page 77939]]
the fuse pin cross bolts and fuse pins of the left and right MLG
forward trunnion lower housing to verify that the cross bolts are
installed correctly and that there are no missing fuse pins, in
accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert
Service Bulletin 777-57A0090, dated August 24, 2011. If any cross
bolt of the MLG forward trunnion lower housing is not installed
correctly, or if any fuse pin of the MLG forward trunnion lower
housing is missing: Before further flight, replace all fuse pins in
the MLG forward trunnion upper and lower housing, in accordance with
the Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert Service Bulletin
777-57A0090, dated August 24, 2011.
Note 1: The service bulletin accomplishment instructions might
refer to other procedures. When the words ``refer to'' are used and
the operator has an accepted alternative procedure, the accepted
alternative procedure can be used to comply with the AD. When the
words ``in accordance with'' are included in the instruction, the
procedure in the design approval holder (DAH) document must be used
to comply with the AD.
(h) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)
(1) The Manager, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office (ACO),
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 ACO, send it to the
attention of the person identified in the Related Information
section 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 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 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 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.
(i) Related Information
(1) For more information about this AD, contact James
Sutherland, Aerospace Engineer, Airframe Branch, ANM-120S, FAA,
Seattle Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), 1601 Lind Avenue SW.,
Renton, Washington 98057-3356; phone: (425) 917-6533; fax: (425)
917-6590; email: [email protected].
(2) For service information identified in this AD, contact
Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Attention: Data & Services Management,
P.O. Box 3707, MC 2H-65, Seattle, Washington 98124-2207; phone:
(206) 544-5000, extension 1; fax: (206) 766-5680; email:
[email protected]; Internet: https://www.myboeingfleet.com. You
may review copies of the referenced service information at the FAA,
Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton,
Washington. For information on the availability of this material at
the FAA, call (425) 227-1221.
Issued in Renton, Washington, on December 6, 2011.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-32077 Filed 12-14-11; 8:45 am]
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