Discussion
On April 18, 2001, we issued AD 2001-08-21, amendment 39-12198 (66 FR 21072, April 27, 2001), for all Lockheed Model L-1011 series airplanes. That AD requires a general visual inspection of the fuel level control switch, the fuel level control switch wiring harness, and the wiring harness conduit for damage, wear or chafing, broken or missing O-rings, or indications of electrical arcing. That AD also requires replacement of a certain conduit in the fuel level control switch wiring harness, installation of electrical sleeving over the fuel level control switch wiring harness, and installation of the fuel level control switch that has been so modified. That AD resulted from a design review of the fuel tank systems. We issued that AD to prevent chafing of the fuel level control switch wiring harness, which could cause arcing and result in a fire in the fuel tank. That AD refers to the original issue of Lockheed Service Bulletin 093-28-094, dated March 3, 2000, as the appropriate source of service information for accomplishing the actions required by that AD.
Actions Since Existing AD Was Issued
Since we issued AD 2001-08-21, we issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR part 39 to include an airworthiness directive (AD) that would apply to all Lockheed Model L-1011 series airplanes. That NPRM, Docket No. FAA-2008-0181, was published in the Federal Register on February 20, 2008 (73 FR 9235). That NPRM proposed to require revising the FAA-approved maintenance program by incorporating new airworthiness limitations for fuel tank systems to satisfy Special Federal Aviation Regulation No. 88 ("SFAR 88'') requirements. That NPRM also proposed to require the accomplishment of certain fuel system modifications, the initial inspections of certain repetitive fuel system limitations (FSLs) to phase in those inspections, and repair if necessary. One of those FSLs involved accomplishing the actions specifiedin Lockheed Service Bulletin 093- 28-094, Revision 1, dated June 23, 2006.
We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing that NPRM, and we received a comment from ATA Airlines requesting that we revise the NPRM by removing the proposed requirement to accomplish the FSL specified in Revision 1 of Lockheed Service Bulletin 093-28- 094. The commenter further requested that we instead issue a separate rulemaking action to supersede AD 2001-08-21 to require the accomplishment of Revision 1 of the service bulletin. As stated in the NPRM, AD 2001-08-21 requires the accomplishment of the original issue of the service bulletin, but more work is necessary for Revision 1 of the service bulletin. The additional work includes replacing any wiring harness conduit having part number (P/N) 741652-105 with new conduit having P/N 741652-121, removing any braided fiberglass sleeving installed in accordance with the original issue of the service bulletin, and installing PVC electricalsleeving having P/N PVC-105-2 over the wiring harness of the fuel level control switch.
We agree that it is more appropriate to supersede AD 2001-08-21 to require the additional work specified in Revision 1 of the service bulletin. Therefore, we are issuing this new action to amend 14 CFR part 39 to include an AD that supersedes AD 2001-08-21. Further, we also removed the proposed requirement to accomplish the FSL specified in Revision 1 of the service bulletin from the NPRM, and we issued AD 2008-11-02, amendment 39-15524 (73 FR 29410, May 21, 2008), on May 8, 2008, to require all other actions proposed by the NPRM.
Relevant Service Information
We have reviewed Revision 1 of Lockheed Service Bulletin 093-28- 094. That service bulletin describes the following procedures:
Inspecting the fuel level control switch, wiring harness, and wiring harness conduit for any visible damage, wear or chafing, broken or missing O-rings, or indications of electrical arcing.
Verifyingthe part number of the wiring harness conduit.
Removing any braided fiberglass sleeving installed in accordance with the original issue of the service bulletin, and installing PVC electrical sleeving having P/N PVC-105-2 over the wiring harness of the fuel level control switch.
Doing corrective actions if necessary.
The corrective actions include replacing the fuel level control switch with a new part if any visible damage, wear or chafing, broken or missing O-ring, or indication of electrical arcing is found; and replacing any wiring harness conduit having P/N 741652-103 or -105 with new conduit having P/N 741652-121.
The service bulletin also describes procedures for notifying Lockheed of any discrepancies found during the inspection, and revising the airplane records and maintenance planning documents to repeat the inspection at intervals not to exceed 120 months.
FAA's Determination and Requirements of the AD
We have evaluated all pertinent information and identified an unsafe condition that is likely to develop on other airplanes of the same type design. For this reason, we are issuing this AD, which would supersede AD 2001-08-21 and would retain the requirements of the existing AD. This AD would also require the following actions:
A general visual inspection of the fuel level control switch, wiring harness, and wiring harness conduit for any visible damage, wear or chafing, broken or missing O-rings, or indications of electrical arcing, and corrective action as applicable.
An inspection to determine the part number of the wiring harness conduit, and corrective action as applicable.
Replacement of any braided fiberglass sleeving with PVC electrical sleeving over the wiring harness of the fuel level control switch.
A revision to the FAA-approved maintenance program to incorporate repetitive general visual inspections of the fuel level control switch, wiring harness, and wiring harness conduit for any visible damage, wear or chafing, broken or missing O-rings, or indications of electrical arcing.
This AD allows accomplishing the revision to the FAA-approved maintenance program in accordance with later revisions of Lockheed Service Bulletin 093-28-094 as an acceptable method of compliance if they are approved by the Manager, Atlanta Aircraft Certification Office, FAA.
Difference Between This AD and Service Bulletin
Although Lockheed Service Bulletin 093-28-094, Revision 1, describes procedures for notifying Lockheed of any discrepancies found during the inspection, this AD does not require that action.
Clarification of Inspection Terminology
The "inspection'' specified in Lockheed Service Bulletin 093-28- 094, Revision 1, is referred to as a "general visual inspection'' in this AD. We have included the definition for a general visual inspection in a note in this AD.
Change to Existing AD
This AD retains all requirements of AD 2001-08-21. Since AD 2001- 08-21 was issued, the AD format has been revised, and certain paragraphs have
been rearranged. As a result, the corresponding paragraph identifiers have changed in this AD, as listed in the following table:
Revised Paragraph Identifiers
Requirement in AD 2001-08-21
Corresponding requirement in this AD
paragraph (a)
paragraph (f)
paragraph (b)
paragraph (g)
Costs of Compliance
There are about 108 airplanes of the affected design in the worldwide fleet. The following table provides the estimated costs, at an average labor rate of $80 per work hour, for U.S. operators to comply with this AD.
Estimated Costs
Action
Work hours
Parts
Cost per airplane
Number of U.S.-registered airplanes
Fleet cost
Inspection of fuel level control switch and installation of braided fiberglass sleeving (required by AD 2001-08-21)
19
$200
$1,720
63
$108,360
Inspection of fuel level control switch and installation of PVC sleeving
(new action)
3
$41,785
$42,025
63
$2,647,575
Maintenance program revision to incorporate repetitive inspection
(new action)
1
None
$80
63
$5,040
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.
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.
Regulatory Findings
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.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by reference, Safety.
Adoption of the Amendment
Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the FAA amends 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 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) amends Sec. 39.13 by removing amendment 39-12198 (66 FR 21072, April 27, 2001) and by adding the following new airworthiness directive (AD):