AD 2006-13-09

This AD becomes effective July 27, 2006.

The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of a certain publication listed in the AD as of July 27, 2006.

You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov or in person at the Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, Room PL-401, Washington, DC.

Contact Boeing Commercial Airplanes, P.O. Box 3707, Seattle, Washington 98124-2207, for service information identified in this AD.

Patrick Gillespie, Aerospace Engineer, Cabin Safety and Environmental Systems Branch, ANM-150S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98055-4056; telephone (425) 917-6429; fax (425) 917-6590.

You may examine the airworthiness directive (AD) docket on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov or in person at the Docket Management Facility office between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The Docket Management Facility office (telephone (800) 647-5227) is located on the plaza level of the Nassif Building at the street address stated in the ADDRESSES section.

The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR part 39 to include an AD that would apply to certain Boeing Model 747-400 and 747-400D series airplanes. That NPRM was published in the Federal Register on March 14, 2006 (71 FR 13060). That NPRM proposed to require replacing specified tie rods of the center overhead stowage bins.

We provided the public the opportunity to participate in the development of this AD. We have considered the comments received.

Boeing expresses support for the NPRM.

The Air Transport Association (ATA), on behalf of its member Northwest Airlines (NWA), requests that we revise the costs of compliance shown in the NPRM. NWA states that the cost of the parts kit has increased from $1,090 to $2,301.

We agree with this request. We have confirmed that the cost of the parts kit has increased as specified and have revised the costs of compliance of this AD accordingly.

We have carefully reviewed the available data, including the comments received, and determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting the AD as proposed. We have determined that the changes in cost will not significantly increase the economic burden on any operator.

There are about 380 airplanes of the affected design in the worldwide fleet. This AD will affect about 62 airplanes of U.S. registry. The required actions, depending on whether an airplane has tie rods on both sides or one side only, will take between 2 and 3 work hours per airplane, at an average labor rate of $65 per work hour. Required parts will cost about $2,301 per tie rod replacement kit (one kit per side). Based on these figures, the estimated cost of the AD for U.S. operators is between $150,722 and $297,414, or between $2,431 and $4,797 per airplane.

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.

We are 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.

We have determined that this AD will not have federalism implications under Executive Order 13132. This AD will 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 that this AD:

(1) Is not a “significant regulatory action” under Executive Order 12866;

(2) Is not a “significant rule” under DOT Regulatory Policies and Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979); and

(3) 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.

We prepared a regulatory evaluation of the estimated costs to comply with this AD and placed it in the AD docket. See the ADDRESSES section for a location to examine the regulatory evaluation.

Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the FAA amends 14 CFR part 39 as follows:

1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:

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