[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 6 (Tuesday, January 9, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 634-636]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-260]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. 95-NM-93-AD]
Airworthiness Directives; Boeing Model 747-100, -200, and -300
Series Airplanes
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking; reopening of
comment period.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This document revises an earlier proposed airworthiness
directive (AD), applicable to certain Boeing Model 747-100, -200, and -
300 series airplanes, that would have required an inspection to
determine if hinge bolts and nuts are installed in the overhead stowage
bins, and the installation of hinge bolts and nuts, if necessary. That
proposal was prompted by reports that overhead stowage bins in the
passenger compartment have fallen out of position due to missing hinge
bolts. This action revises the proposed rule by revising the
applicability to include additional airplanes. The actions specified by
this proposed AD are intended to ensure that hinge bolts are installed
in the overhead storage bins. Missing hinge bolts could result in the
overhead stowage bins falling out of position and injuring airplane
occupants.
DATES: Comments must be received by January 29, 1996.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments in triplicate to the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), Transport Airplane Directorate, ANM-103,
Attention: Rules Docket No. 95-NM-93-AD, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton,
Washington 98055-4056. Comments may be inspected at this location
between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal
holidays.
The service information referenced in the proposed rule may be
obtained from Boeing Commercial Airplane Group, P.O. Box 3707, Seattle,
Washington 98124-2207. This information may be examined at the FAA,
Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton,
Washington.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dorothy Lundy, Aerospace Engineer,
Airframe Branch, ANM-120S, FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, Seattle
Aircraft Certification Office, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton,
Washington; telephone (206) 227-1675; fax (206) 227-1181.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
Interested persons are invited to participate in the making of the
proposed rule by submitting such written data, views, or arguments as
they may desire. Communications shall identify the Rules Docket number
and be submitted in triplicate to the address specified above. All
communications received on or before the closing date for comments,
specified above, will be considered before taking action on the
proposed rule. The proposals contained in this notice may be changed in
light of the comments received.
Comments are specifically invited on the overall regulatory,
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the proposed rule. All
comments submitted will be available, both before and after the closing
date for comments, in the Rules Docket for examination by interested
persons. A report summarizing each FAA-public contact concerned with
the substance of this proposal will be filed in the Rules Docket.
Commenters wishing the FAA to acknowledge receipt of their comments
submitted in response to this notice must submit a self-addressed,
stamped postcard on which the following statement is made: ``Comments
to Docket Number 95-NM-93-AD.'' The postcard will be date stamped and
returned to the commenter.
Availability of NPRMs
Any person may obtain a copy of this NPRM by submitting a request
to the FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, ANM-103, Attention: Rules
Docket No. 95-NM-93-AD, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington
98055-4056.
Discussion
A proposal to amend part 39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14
CFR part 39) to add an airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to
certain Boeing Model 747-100, -200, and -300 series airplanes, was
published as a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal
Register on August 23, 1995 (60 FR 43728). That NPRM would have
required a one-time visual inspection to determine if the hinge bolts
and nuts are installed in the overhead stowage bins. That NPRM also
would have required installation of hinge bolts and nuts, if necessary.
That NPRM was prompted by reports indicating that overhead stowage bins
in the passenger compartment of certain Model 747 series airplanes have
fallen out of position and injured passengers due to missing hinge
bolts. Missing
[[Page 635]]
hinge bolts could result in the overhead stowage bins falling out of
position and injuring airplane occupants.
Since the issuance of that NPRM, the FAA has reviewed and approved
Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-25A3095, Revision 1, dated September
28, 1995. This service bulletin revises the effectivity listing of the
original issue of the service bulletin by adding airplanes RA006, and
RD251 through RD262 inclusive. In addition, certain passenger airplanes
(which have been converted to special freighters) are removed from the
effectivity of the alert service bulletin. This revision of the service
bulletin does not describe any additional work requirements.
The FAA has determined that these additional airplanes are subject
to the same unsafe condition as described previously, and therefore,
must be subject to the requirements of the proposed AD. The FAA has
revised the proposal to add these airplanes to the applicability of the
rule.
Since this change expands the scope of the originally proposed
rule, the FAA has determined that it is necessary to reopen the comment
period to provide additional opportunity for public comment.
In addition, the FAA has given due consideration to the following
comments received in response to the proposal:
Three commenters request that the ``credit time'' for inspections
accomplished prior to the effective date of the AD be extended. The
commenters note that several operators have accomplished the inspection
on their fleets as far back as when the original service bulletin was
issued in April 1995. Because the proposed AD would provide credit only
if the inspection previously had been accomplished within the last 6
months prior to the effective date of the AD, these operators would be
required to perform the inspection again. Therefore, one of these
commenters requests that the credit time be extended from 6 months to
18 months prior to the effective date of the rule.
The FAA concurs. Since the relevant service bulletin containing the
instructions for the inspection was issued originally in April 1995,
the FAA considers that inspections conducted at least since then will
satisfy the intent of the proposed AD. In light of this, and taking
into account the number of days normally required for the rulemaking
process, the FAA has revised the proposal to provide credit for
inspections that were accomplished within 18 months prior to the
effective date of this AD. The FAA finds that extending this credit
time for previously accomplished inspections will not adversely affect
safety and will prevent an unnecessary economic burden on operators who
have performed the inspection within that credit time.
There are approximately 573 Model 747-100, -200, and -300 series
airplanes of the affected design in the worldwide fleet. The FAA
estimates that 157 airplanes of U.S. registry would be affected by this
proposed AD, that it would take approximately 1 work hour per airplane
to accomplish the proposed actions, and that the average labor rate is
$60 per work hour. Based on these figures, the cost impact of the
proposed AD on U.S. operators is estimated to be $9,420, or $60 per
airplane.
The cost impact figure discussed above is based on assumptions that
no operator has yet accomplished any of the proposed requirements of
this AD action, and that no operator would accomplish those actions in
the future if this AD were not adopted.
The regulations proposed herein would not have substantial direct
effects 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. Therefore, in
accordance with Executive Order 12612, it is determined that this
proposal would not have sufficient federalism implications to warrant
the preparation of a Federalism Assessment.
For the reasons discussed above, I certify that 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);
and (3) if promulgated, 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. A copy of the draft
regulatory evaluation prepared for this action is contained in the
Rules Docket. A copy of it may be obtained by contacting the Rules
Docket at the location provided under the caption ADDRESSES.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Safety.
The Proposed Amendment
Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the
Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration proposes to amend
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 USC 106(g), 40101, 40113, 44701.
Sec. 39.13 [Amended]
2. Section 39.13 is amended by adding the following new
airworthiness directive:
Boeing: Docket 95-NM-93-AD.
Applicability: Model 747-100, -200, and -300 series airplanes,
as listed in Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 747-25A3095, Revision 1,
dated September 28, 1995; certificated in any category.
Note 1: This AD applies to each airplane identified in the
preceding applicability provision, regardless of whether it has been
modified, altered, or repaired in the area subject to the
requirements of this AD. For airplanes that have been modified,
altered, or repaired so that the performance of the requirements of
this AD is affected, the owner/operator must use the authority
provided in paragraph (b) of this AD to request approval from the
FAA. This approval may address either no action, if the current
configuration eliminates the unsafe condition; or different actions
necessary to address the unsafe condition described in this AD. Such
a request should include an assessment of the effect of the changed
configuration on the unsafe condition addressed by this AD. In no
case does the presence of any modification, alteration, or repair
remove any airplane from the applicability of this AD.
Compliance: Required as indicated.
To ensure that hinge bolts are installed in the overhead storage
bins, accomplish the following:
(a) Within 90 days after the effective date of this AD, unless
accomplished previously within the last 18 months prior to the
effective date of this AD, perform a one-time visual inspection to
determine if hinge bolts and nuts are installed in the overhead
stowage bins, in accordance with either Boeing Alert Service
Bulletin 747-25A3095, dated April 27, 1995, or Revision 1, dated
September 28, 1995.
(1) If the hinge bolts and nuts are installed, no further action
is required by this AD.
(2) If any hinge bolt or nut is not installed, prior to further
flight, install a hinge bolt and nut in accordance with either alert
service bulletin.
(b) An alternative method of compliance or adjustment of the
compliance time that provides an acceptable level of safety may be
used if approved by the Manager, Seattle Aircraft Certification
Office (ACO), FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate. Operators shall
submit their requests through an appropriate FAA Principal
Maintenance Inspector, who may add comments and then send it to the
Manager, Seattle ACO.
Note 2: Information concerning the existence of approved
alternative methods of compliance with this AD, if any, may be
obtained from the Seattle ACO.
[[Page 636]]
(c) Special flight permits may be issued in accordance with
sections 21.197 and 21.199 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14
CFR 21.197 and 21.199) to operate the airplane to a location where
the requirements of this AD can be accomplished.
Issued in Renton, Washington, on January 3, 1996.
Darrell M. Pederson,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 96-260 Filed 1-8-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-U
