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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2024-1693; Project Identifier AD-2023-01229-T]
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: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive
(AD)
for certain The Boeing Company Model 737-300, -400, and -800 series
airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a report that the
protective spiral wrap used on certain galley wire bundles does not
have the correct flammability properties. This proposed AD would
require inspecting certain galleys to determine part numbers,
inspecting for an existing galley modification placard and marking on
galleys with affected part numbers, and replacing wire bundle spiral
wrap sleeving as applicable. This proposed AD would also prohibit the
installation of affected parts. The FAA is proposing this AD to address
the unsafe condition on these products.
DATES: The FAA must receive comments on this proposed AD by August
8,
2024.
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 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.
AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at regulations.gov under
Docket No. FAA-2024-1693; or in person at Docket Operations between 9
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD
docket contains this NPRM, any comments received, and other
information. The street address for Docket Operations is listed above.
Material Incorporated by Reference:
For Boeing service information, contact Boeing Commercial
Airplanes, Attention: Contractual & Data Services (C&DS), 2600
Westminster Blvd., MC 110-SK57, Seal Beach, CA 90740-5600; telephone
562-797-1717; website myboeingfleet.com.
You may view this service information at the FAA,
Airworthiness Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 2200 South
216th St., Des Moines, WA. For information on the availability of this
material at the FAA, call 206-231-3195. It is also available at
regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2024-1693.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie Linn, Aviation Safety Engineer,
FAA, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; phone: 206-231-3584;
email: julie.linn@faa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
The FAA invites you to send any written relevant data, views, or
arguments about this proposal. Send your comments to an address listed
under ADDRESSES. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2024-1693; Project Identifier
AD-2023-01229-T'' at the beginning of your comments. The most helpful
comments reference a specific portion of the proposal, explain the
reason for any recommended change, and include supporting data. The FAA
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend
this proposal because of those comments.
Except for Confidential Business Information (CBI) as described in
the following paragraph, and other information as described in 14 CFR
11.35, the FAA will post all comments received, without change, to
regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. The
agency will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal
contact received about this NPRM.
Confidential Business Information
CBI is commercial or financial information that is both customarily
and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public
disclosure. If your comments responsive to this NPRM contain commercial
or financial information that is customarily treated as private, that
you actually treat as private, and that is relevant or responsive to
this NPRM, it is important that you clearly designate the submitted
comments as CBI. Please mark each page of your submission containing
CBI as ``PROPIN.'' The FAA will treat such marked submissions as
confidential under the FOIA, and they will not be placed in the public
docket of this NPRM. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to Julie
Linn, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines,
WA 98198; phone and fax: 206-231-3584; email: julie.linn@faa.gov. Any
commentary that the FAA receives that is not specifically designated as
CBI will be placed in the public docket for this rulemaking.
Background
The FAA has received a report indicating that the polyethylene
protective spiral wrap used on wire bundles on some Safran (formerly
Driessen) galleys does not have the correct flammability properties.
Tests found that it does not meet the vertical flammability standard
and thus may catch fire without the ability to self-extinguish. This
condition, if not addressed, could result in electrical arcing or
sparking, ignition of the spiral wire wrapping, and smoke and/or fire
in the flight compartment, leading to loss of continued safe flight and
landing.
The FAA previously issued AD 2006-12-06, Amendment 39-14631 (71 FR
32811, June 7, 2006) (AD 2006-12-06) to address the identified unsafe
condition on certain The Boeing Company Model 737-300, -400, -500, -
700, and -800 series airplanes; Model 747-400 and -400F series
airplanes; Model 757-200 series airplanes; Model 767-300 series
airplanes; and Model 777-300 series airplanes. AD 2006-12-06 requires
inspecting to determine if certain galleys and closets are installed
and replacing the spiral wire wrapping
of the electrical cables of the galleys and closets with new spiral
wire wrapping if necessary. Since the FAA issued AD 2006-12-06, Boeing
and the FAA determined that certain additional airplanes and galley
part numbers are also subject to the unsafe condition, and this
proposed AD is necessary to address the unsafe condition on those
additional airplanes and galley part numbers.
FAA's Determination
The FAA is issuing this NPRM after determining that the unsafe
condition described previously is likely to exist or develop on other
products of the same type design.
Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51
The FAA reviewed Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 737-25A1873 RB,
dated August 25, 2023; and Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 737-
25A1876 RB, dated September 1, 2023. This service information specifies
procedures for an inspection or records check to determine the part
number of certain galleys; and for any galley with an affected part
number found, an inspection for an existing galley modification placard
and any marking indicating the galley was modified using certain
service information; and if applicable, replacement of wire bundle
polyethylene protective spiral wrap protective sleeving with Boeing
Material Specification (BMS) 13-81 wire protective sleeving. These
documents are distinct because they apply to different airplane models.
This service information is reasonably available because the
interested parties have access to it through their normal course of
business or by the means identified in ADDRESSES.
Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM
This proposed AD would require accomplishing the actions specified
in the service information already described, except for any
differences identified as exceptions in the regulatory text of this
proposed AD. This proposed AD would also prohibit the installation of
affected parts. For information on the procedures and compliance times,
see this service information at regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-
2024-1693.
Costs of Compliance
The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would
affect 4 airplanes of U.S. registry. The FAA estimates the following
costs to comply with this proposed AD:
Estimated Costs
|
Action
|
Labor cost
|
Parts cost
|
Cost per
product
|
Cost on
U.S. operators
|
| Inspection for galley part number |
1 work-hour x $85 per hour =
$85 |
$0
|
$85
|
$340
|
The FAA estimates the following costs
to do any necessary
inspections or replacements that would be required based on the results
of the proposed inspection. The agency has no way of determining the
number of aircraft that might need these inspections or replacements:
On-Condition Costs
| Action |
Labor cost |
Parts cost |
Cost per product |
| Inspection for modification placard |
1 work-hour x $85 per hour =
$85 |
$0 |
$85 |
| Replacement |
Up to 218 work-hours
x $85 per hour = $18,530 |
Up to $1,185 |
Up to $19,715 |
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.
The FAA is 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
The FAA 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) Would not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
(3) Would 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:
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