[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 73 (Monday, April 15, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 16412-16413]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-9237]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. 94-NM-197-AD]
Airworthiness Directives; Boeing Model 727 Series Airplanes
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Proposed rule; withdrawal.
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SUMMARY: This action withdraws a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM)
that proposed a new airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to Boeing
Model 727 series airplanes. That action would have superseded an
existing AD to require repetitive visual inspections to detect cracking
in the elevator rear spar and repair, if necessary; provide for an
optional terminating action for the repetitive inspections; and add a
one-time inspection of certain airplanes for clearance between the
shear plate and the radii of the rear spar. Since the issuance of the
NPRM, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued other
rulemaking that requires actions equivalent to those proposed.
Accordingly, the proposed rule is withdrawn.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Walter Sippel, Aerospace Engineer,
Airframe Branch (ANM-121S), Seattle Aircraft Certification Office, FAA,
Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton,
Washington 98055-4056; telephone (206) 227-2774; fax (206) 227-1181.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A proposal to amend part 39 of the Federal
Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) to add a new airworthiness
directive (AD), applicable to Boeing Model 727 series airplanes, was
published in the Federal Register as a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
(NPRM) on January 4, 1995 (60 FR 386). The proposed rule would have
superseded AD 87-24-03, amendment 39-5769 (52 FR 43742, November 16,
1987), which was issued in 1987 to require repetitive visual
inspections to detect cracking in the elevator rear spar and repair, if
necessary. AD 87-24-03 also provided for an optional terminating action
for the repetitive visual inspections. The issuance of AD 87-24-03 was
prompted by reports of cracking in the rear spar of the elevator at the
hinge fitting attachment of the control tab and reports of loose hinge
fittings at the crack locations.
The NPRM would have superseded AD 87-24-03 to continue to require
the repetitive visual inspections, but also to add an additional one-
time inspection of certain airplanes for clearance between the shear
plate and the radii of the rear spar. The NPRM also would have provided
additional instructions for the terminating action. The actions
specified by both the NPRM and AD 87-24-03 were intended to prevent
cracking of the elevator rear spar, which could cause excessive free
play of the elevator control tab and possible tab flutter, and could
result in loss of controllability of the airplane.
Since the issuance of that NPRM, the FAA has issued AD 96-06-05,
amendment 39-9542 (61 FR 11529, March 21, 1996), which is applicable to
Boeing Model 727 series airplanes. That AD supersedes AD 87-24-03, as
well as AD 84-22-02, amendment 39-4951 (49 FR 45743, November 20,
1984). It requires various repetitive inspections to detect cracks and
loose brackets of the elevator rear spar, and repair, if necessary; and
provides for a terminating modification for the inspections. That AD
was prompted by reports of cracking in the spar radii at the tab hinge
location of the elevator rear spar on certain airplanes. The actions
specified by that AD are intended to prevent cracking in elements of
the elevator rear spar assembly, which could result in excessive free
play of the elevator control tab and possible tab flutter.
[[Page 16413]]
The requirements of AD 96-06-05 incorporate and implement the same
actions that were proposed by the NPRM issued as Docket 94-NM-197-AD.
In light of this, the issuance of a final action for that NPRM is
unnecessary. Accordingly, the proposed rule is hereby withdrawn.
Withdrawal of this NPRM constitutes only such action, and does not
preclude the agency from issuing another notice in the future, nor does
it commit the agency to any course of action in the future.
Since this action only withdraws a notice of proposed rulemaking,
it is neither a proposed nor a final rule and therefore, is not covered
under Executive Order 12866, the Regulatory Flexibility Act, or DOT
Regulatory Policies and Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979).
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Safety.
The Withdrawal
Accordingly, the notice of proposed rulemaking, Docket 94-NM-197-
AD, published in the Federal Register on January 4, 1995 (60 FR 386),
is withdrawn.
Issued in Renton, Washington, on April 9, 1996.
Darrell M. Pederson,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 96-9237 Filed 4-12-96; 8:45 am]
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