2020-27507. Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes

AGENCY:

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION:

Final rule; correction.

SUMMARY:

The FAA is correcting an airworthiness directive (AD) that published in the Federal Register. That AD applies to all The Boeing Company Model 787-8, 787-9, and 787-10 airplanes. As published, the regulatory text of the AD included errors in certain references to the airplane flight manual (AFM) that is required to be revised. This document corrects those errors. In all other respects, the original document remains the same.

DATES:

This correction is effective December 18, 2020. The effective date of AD 2020-24-04 remains December 18, 2020.

ADDRESSES:

You may examine the AD docket at https://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 final rule, any comments received, and other information. The address for Docket Operations is U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Frank Carreras, Aerospace Engineer, Systems and Equipment Section, FAA, Seattle ACO Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; phone and fax: [phone]; email: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

As published, Airworthiness Directive 2020-24-04, Amendment 39-21334 (85 FR 77991, December 3, 2020), requires revising the existing AFM to incorporate procedures for conducting an approach with a localizer-based navigation aid, monitoring localizer raw data, calling out any significant deviations, and performing an immediate go around if the airplane has not intercepted the final approach course as shown by the localizer deviation. AD 2020-24-04 applies to all The Boeing Company Model 787-8, 787-9, and 787-10 airplanes.

As published, the regulatory text included errors in certain references to the AFM that is required to be revised. The location of the AFM text to be revised is incorrectly identified as the “Limitations section”; the correct location is the “Operating Procedures chapter.” In addition, the figure incorrectly identified the heading of the AFM text as “Operating Instructions”; the correct heading is “Autopilot Flight Director System—Operating Instructions.”

Correction of Publication

This document corrects an error and correctly adds the AD as an amendment to 14 CFR 39.13. Although no other part of the preamble or regulatory information has been corrected, the FAA is publishing the entire rule in the Federal Register.

The effective date of this AD remains December 18, 2020.

Since this action only corrects errors in certain AFM references, it has no adverse economic impact and imposes no additional burden on any person. Therefore, the FAA has determined that notice and public comment procedures are unnecessary.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

• Air transportation
• Aircraft
• Aviation safety
• Incorporation by reference
• Safety

Adoption of the Correction

Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration amends part 39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (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

[Corrected]

2. The FAA amends § 39.13 by adding the following new airworthiness directive (AD):

2020-24-04 The Boeing Company: Amendment 39-21334; Docket No. FAA-2020-1031; Project Identifier AD-2020-00846-T.

(a) Effective Date

This AD is effective December 18, 2020.

(b) Affected ADs

None.

(c) Applicability

This AD applies to all The Boeing Company Model 787-8, 787-9, and 787-10 airplanes, certificated in any category.

(d) Subject

Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 22, Auto flight.

(e) Unsafe Condition

This AD was prompted by reports indicating that the autopilot flight director system (AFDS) failed to transition to the instrument landing system localizer (LOC) beam after the consistent localizer capture function in the flight control modules initiated a transition to capture LOC during approach. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the AFDS failing to transition, which could result in localizer overshoot leading to glideslope descent on the wrong heading. Combined with a lack of flight deck effects for a consistent localizer capture mode failure, this condition could result in a controlled flight into terrain.

(f) Compliance

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

(g) Revise the Airplane Flight Manual (AFM)

Within 14 days after the effective date of this AD, revise the Operating Procedures chapter of the existing AFM and applicable corresponding operational procedures to incorporate the procedures specified in figure 1 to paragraph (g) of this AD. Revising the existing AFM to include the changes specified in paragraph (g) of this AD may be done by inserting a copy of figure 1 to paragraph (g) of this AD into the existing AFM.

(h) 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 (i) of this AD. Information may be emailed to: [e-mail].

(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.

(i) Related Information

For more information about this AD, contact Frank Carreras, Aerospace Engineer, Systems and Equipment Section, FAA, Seattle ACO Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; phone and fax: [phone]; email: [e-mail].

(j) Material Incorporated by Reference

None.

Issued on December 9, 2020.

Ross Landes,

Deputy Director for Regulatory Operations, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft Certification Service.