AD 2003-03-15 R1

AD Final Rules - 030315R1.pdf
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AD Number:
2003-03-15 R1
Document Type:
AD Final Rules
Docket Number:
2003-NM-91-AD
Subject Heading:
Airworthiness Directives; Various Boeing and McDonnell Douglas Transport Category Airplanes
Subject:
Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) - oxygen masks
Status:
Current
Citation:
(Federal Register: November 17, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 221))
Citation Publish Date:
11/17/2003
Effective Date:
12/22/2003
Make:
The Boeing Company
Model:
707-100 Long Body | 707-100B Long Body | 707-100B Short Body | 707-200 | 707-300 Series | 707-300B Series | 707-300C Series | 707-400 Series ...Show more
Product Type:
Aircraft
Product Subtype:
Large Airplane
Affected AD:
Superseded AD:
2003-03-15
Affected By:
Superseded By:
Service/Office:
Office of Primary Responsibility:
CFR Part Reference:
Part 39
Comments:
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[Federal Register: November 17, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 221)]


[Rules and Regulations]


[Page 64802-64805]


From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]


[DOCID:fr17no03-2]


–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––


DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION


Federal Aviation Administration


14 CFR Part 39


[Docket No. 2003-NM-91-AD; Amendment 39-13366; AD 2003-03-15 R1]


RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Various Boeing and McDonnell Douglas Transport Category


Airplanes


AGENCY:
 
Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.


ACTION:
 
Final rule.


–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––


SUMMARY:
 
This amendment revises an existing airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to


various Boeing and McDonnell Douglas transport category airplanes, that currently requires revising


the Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) to advise the flightcrew to don oxygen masks as a first and


immediate step when the cabin altitude warning horn sounds. The actions specified by that AD are


intended to prevent incapacitation of the flightcrew due to lack of oxygen, which could result in loss


of control of the airplane. This amendment removes certain requirements for certain airplanes and


revises the direction to the flightcrew to don oxygen masks as a first and immediate step when the


cabin altitude warning occurs, rather than ''when the cabin altitude warning horn sounds.'' This action


is intended to address the identified unsafe condition.


DATES:
 
Effective December 22, 2003.


ADDRESSES:
 
Information pertaining to this admendment may be examined at the Federal Aviation


Administration (FAA), Transport Airplane Directorate, Rules Docket, 1601 Lind Avenue SW,


Renton, Washington; or at the FAA, Los Angeles Aircraft Certification Office, 3960 Paramount


Boulevard, Lakewood, California.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
 
Boeing Airplane Models: Don Eiford, Aerospace


Engineer, Systems and Equipment Branch, ANM-130S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office,


1601 Lind Avenue SW, Renton, Washington 98055-4056; telephone (425) 917-6465; fax (425) 917-


6590.


McDonnell Douglas Airplane Models: Joe Hashemi, Aerospace Engineer, Flight Test Branch,


ANM-160L, FAA, Los Angeles Aircraft Certification Office, 3960 Paramount Boulevard, Lakewood,


California 90712-4137; telephone (562) 627-5380; fax (562) 627-5210.
2


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
 
A proposal to amend part 39 of the Federal Aviation


Regulations (14 CFR part 39) by revising AD 2003-03-15, amendment 39-13039 (68 FR 4892,


January 31, 2003), which is applicable to various Boeing and McDonnell Douglas transport category


airplanes, was published in the Federal Register on July 9, 2003 (68 FR 40823). That action proposed


to revise the wording of the existing AD to remove reference to the word ''Emergency'' when


specifying ''Crew Oxygen Mask–ON/100%.'' That action also proposed to revise the existing AD to


specify that the words ''If the cabin altitude warning occurs'' be used rather than the words, ''If the


cabin altitude warning horn sounds.''


Comments


Interested persons have been afforded an opportunity to participate in the making of this


amendment. Due consideration has been given to the comments received.


Request To Revise the Applicability of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM)


One commenter notes that the existing AD requires flightcrew action to don oxygen masks as a


first and immediate step, ''when the cabin altitude warning horn sounds,'' and that the NPRM


proposes to revise the wording to ''when the cabin altitude warning occurs.'' The commenter suggests


that, since the NPRM addresses those airplanes that may not have a warning horn, it should exclude


those airplanes that do not have warning horns.


The FAA does not agree with the commenter's request. For those airplanes that are equipped


with warning horns, we are not changing the AFM revision required by AD 2003-13-15. While no


further action is required by this revised AD for those airplanes, it is still necessary for this AD to


apply to them to continue to require the appropriate AFM revision.


Request To Clarify Table 2


One commenter notes that Table 2 of the NPRM does not address McDonnell Douglas Model


DC-8 series airplanes, as currently specified in AD 2003-03-15. The commenter assumes that the


information for Model DC-8 series airplanes should also be included in Table 2 of the NPRM.


We agree with the commenter. Although those airplanes were included in the applicability of the


NPRM, we inadvertently did not include Model DC-8 series airplanes in Table 2 of the NPRM. We


have revised Table 2 of the AD to include those airplanes in this AD.


Editorial Changes


In Table 2 of paragraph (a) of the NPRM, we noted several instances where the word ''mask''


should have been plural. We have revised the AD to reflect the word ''masks.''


Conclusion


After careful review of the available data, including the comments noted above, the FAA has


determined that air safety and the public interest require the adoption of the rule with the changes


previously described. The FAA has determined that these changes will neither increase the economic


burden on any operator nor increase the scope of the AD.