2012-07-06: Flight Controls, Fuel, Landing Gear, Doors, Fuselage, Nacelles/Pylons, Stabilizers, Wings

Adoption of the Amendment \n\n\n\tAccordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the FAA amends 14 CFR part 39 as follows: \n\nPART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES \n\n0 1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows: \n\n\n\tAuthority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701. \n\n\n\nSec. 39.13 (Amended) \n\n0 2. The FAA amends Sec. 39.13 by adding the following new airworthiness directive (AD): \n\n2012-07-06 The Boeing Company: Amendment 39-17012; Docket No. FAA- 2011-0025; Directorate Identifier 2010-NM-208-AD. \n\n(a) Effective Date \n\n\n\tThis AD is effective May 15, 2012. \n\n(b) Affected ADs \n\n\n\tNone. \n\n(c) Applicability \n\n\n\tThis AD applies to The Boeing Company Model 777-200, -200LR, - 300, -300ER, and 777F series airplanes, certificated in any category, with an original airworthiness certificate or original export certificate of airworthiness issued before September 1, 2010. \n\t(1) Airplanes with an original airworthiness certificateor original export certificate of airworthiness issued on or after September 1, 2010, must already be in compliance with the airworthiness \n\n((Page 21433)) \n\nlimitations (AWLs) specified in this AD because those limitations were applicable as part of the airworthiness certification of those airplanes. \n\t(2) This AD requires revisions to certain operator maintenance documents to include new inspections. Compliance with these inspections is required by 14 CFR 91.403(c). For airplanes that have been previously modified, altered, or repaired in the areas addressed by these inspections, the operator may not be able to accomplish the inspections described in the revisions. In this situation, to comply with 14 CFR 91.403(c), the operator must request approval for an alternative method of compliance according to paragraph (j) of this AD. The request should include a description of changes to the required inspections that will ensure the continued damage tolerance of the affected structure. \n\n(d) Subject \n\n\n\tJoint Aircraft System Component (JASC)/Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Codes 27, Flight Controls; 28, Fuel; 32, Landing Gear; 52, Doors; 53, Fuselage; 54, Nacelles/Pylons; 55, Stabilizers; and 57, Wings. \n\n(e) Unsafe Condition \n\n\n\tThis AD was prompted by a new revision to the airworthiness limitations of the maintenance planning document. We are issuing this AD to ensure that fatigue cracking of various principal structural elements (PSEs) is detected and corrected; such fatigue cracking could adversely affect the structural integrity of these airplanes. \n\n(f) Compliance \n\n\n\tComply with this AD within the compliance times specified, unless already done. \n\n(g) Revision of Maintenance Program \n\n\n\t(1) Within 12 months after the effective date of this AD, revise the maintenance program by incorporating the information in Subsection B, Airworthiness Limitations--Structural Inspections, of Section 9, ''Airworthiness Limitations (AWLs) and Certification Maintenance Requirements (CMRs),'' D622W001-9, Revision July 2011, of the Boeing 777 Maintenance Planning Data (MPD) Document, except as provided by paragraph (h) of this AD. \n\t(2) The initial compliance time for the inspections is within the applicable times specified in Subsection B, Airworthiness Limitations--Structural Inspections, of Section 9, of ''Airworthiness Limitations (AWLs) and Certification Maintenance Requirements (CMRs),'' D622W001-9, Revision July 2011, of the Boeing 777 Maintenance Planning Data (MPD) Document, or within 18 months after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later, or within the applicable time specified in Subsection B, Airworthiness Limitations--Structural Inspections, of Section 9, ''Airworthiness Limitations (AWLs) and Certification Maintenance Requirements (CMRs),'' D622W001-9, Revision July 2011, of the Boeing 777 Maintenance Planning Data (MPD) Document, from the time of installation for new parts. \n\t(3) Reports specifiedin Section 9, ''Airworthiness Limitations (AWLs) and Certification Maintenance Requirements (CMRs),'' D622W001-9, Revision July 2011, of the Boeing 777 Maintenance Planning Data (MPD) Document may be submitted within 10 days after the airplane is returned to service, instead of 10 days after each individual finding as specified in this document. \n\n(h) Alternative Inspections and Inspection Intervals \n\n\n\tAfter accomplishing the actions required by paragraph (g) of this AD, no alternative inspections or inspection intervals may be used unless the alternative inspection or interval is approved as an alternative method of compliance (AMOC) in accordance with the procedures specified in paragraph (j) of this AD. \n\n(i) Paperwork Reduction Act Burden Statement \n\n\n\tA federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with a collection of information subject to the requirements of thePaperwork Reduction Act unless that collection of information displays a current valid OMB Control Number. The OMB Control Number for this information collection is 2120-0056. Public reporting for this collection of information is estimated to be approximately 5 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, completing and reviewing the collection of information. All responses to this collection of information are mandatory. Comments concerning the accuracy of this burden and suggestions for reducing the burden should be directed to the FAA at: 800 Independence Ave. SW., Washington, DC 20591, Attn: Information Collection Clearance Officer, AES-200. \n\n(j) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs) \n\n\n\t(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: 9-ANM-Seattle-ACO-AMOC-Requests@faa.gov. \n\t(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. \n\t(3) An AMOC that provides an acceptable level of safety may be used for any repair in the areas affected 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. \n\n(k) Related Information \n\n\n\tFor more information about thisAD, contact James Sutherland, Aerospace Engineer, Airframe Branch, ANM-120S, FAA, Seattle ACO, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; phone: (425) 917-6533; fax: (425) 917-6590; email: James.Sutherland@faa.gov. \n\n(l) Material Incorporated by Reference \n\n\n\t(1) You must use the following service information to do the actions required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise. The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference (IBR) under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51 of the following service information: \n\t(i) Section 9, ''Airworthiness Limitations (AWLs) and Certification Maintenance Requirements (CMRs),'' D622W001-9, Revision July 2011, of the Boeing 777 Maintenance Planning Data (MPD) Document. \n\t(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; telephone 206-544-5000, extension 1; fax 206-766-5680;email me.boecom@boeing.com; Internet https://www.myboeingfleet.com. \n\t(3) You may review copies of the 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. \n\t(4) You may also review copies of the service information that is incorporated by reference at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this material at an NARA facility, call 202-741-6030, or go to http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html.