• DATES:
• ADDRESSES:
• Examining the AD Docket
• FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
• SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
• Comments Invited
• Discussion
• Relevant Service Information
• FAA’s Determination
• Proposed AD Requirements
• Differences Between This Proposed AD and the Service Information
• Costs of Compliance
• Authority for This Rulemaking
• Regulatory Findings
• List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
• The Proposed Amendment
• PART 39—AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
• (a) Comments Due Date
• (b) Affected ADs
• (c) Applicability
• (d) Subject
• (e) Unsafe Condition
• (f) Compliance
• (g) Maintenance or Operations Program Revision
• (h) No Alternative Actions and Intervals
• (i) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)
• (j) Related Information

• Estimated Costs

We must receive comments on this proposed AD by October 27, 2014.

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 http://www.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.

For service information identified in this proposed AD, contact Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Attention: Data & Services Management, 3855 Lakewood Boulevard, MC D800-0019, Long Beach, CA 90846-0001; telephone 206-544-5000, extension 2; fax 206-766-5683; Internet https://www.myboeingfleet.com. You may view this referenced service information at the FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA. For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 425-227-1221.

You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2014-0624; or in person at the Docket Management Facility between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD docket contains this proposed AD, the regulatory evaluation, any comments received, and other information. The street address for the Docket Office (phone: 800-647-5527) is in the ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly after receipt.

Jen Pei, Aerospace Engineer, Systems and Equipment Branch, ANM-130L, FAA, Los Angeles Aircraft Certification Office, 3960 Paramount Boulevard, Lakewood, CA 90712-4137; phone: 562-627-5320; fax: 562-627-5210; email: jen.pei@faa.gov.

We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or arguments about this proposal. Send your comments to an address listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include “Docket No. FAA-2014-0624; Directorate Identifier 2014-NM-005-AD” at the beginning of your comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this proposed AD. We will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend this proposed AD because of those comments.

We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. We will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact we receive about this proposed AD.

We have received reports of latent air data transducer degradation. This condition, if not corrected, could result in erroneous air data information, which could lead to a mid-air collision within reduced vertical separation minimum (RVSM) airspace.

We reviewed the following service information, which describes procedures for doing a functional test of the captain’s and first officer’s altimeters.

• Boeing Report No. MDC-02K1003, Trijet Special Compliance Item (SCI) Report 34-4, “Functional Test of the Captain and First Officer’s Altimeter,” Revision K, dated February 1, 2013.
• Boeing Report No. MDC-92K9145, Twinjet SCI Report 34-1—“Functional Test of the Captain and First Officer’s Altimeter,” Revision M, dated February 5, 2013.

We are proposing this AD because we evaluated all the relevant information and determined the unsafe condition described previously is likely to exist or develop in other products of the same type design.

This proposed AD would require revising the maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate special compliance items (SCIs).

This proposed AD requires revisions to certain operator maintenance documents to include new inspections. Compliance with these inspections is required by section 91.403(c) of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 91.403(c)). For airplanes that have been previously modified, altered, or repaired in the areas addressed by these inspections, an operator might 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 of an alternative method of compliance (AMOC) in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (i) of this proposed AD. The request should include a description of changes to the required inspections that will ensure the continued operational safety of the airplane.

Boeing Report No. MDC-02K1003, Trijet SCI Report 34-4, “Functional Test of the Captain and First Officer’s Altimeter,” Revision K, dated February 1, 2013, describes actions that apply to The Boeing Company Model MD-11 and MD-11F airplanes. Based on in-service data, we have determined that rulemaking action is unnecessary at this time for these airplanes. However, we might consider additional rulemaking if further data is received that identifies an unsafe condition on these airplanes.

We estimate that this proposed AD affects 716 airplanes of U.S. registry.

We estimate the following costs to comply with this proposed AD:

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

(3) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and

(4) 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.

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

[FR Doc. 2014-21763 Filed 9-11-14; 8:45 am]

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