AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE
CAA-AD-024/2001
Date of issue:
March 15, 2001
AIRCRAFT - ELEVATOR TAB - INSPECTION
Applicability: Model 737-600, -700,
-800, and -700C series airplanes, as listed in Boeing Alert Service Bulletin
737-55A1072, Revision 1, including Appendix A, dated January 11, 2001;
certificated in any category.
Effective date: March 20, 2001
Compliance: Required as indicated in FAA AD 2001-04-08.
Remarks: The compliance of this AD must be recorded in Aircraft Logbook, where applicable the requirements of this AD must be integrated into Aircraft Technical Documentation. Address inquiries concerning this AD to: Civil Aviation Authority, Airworthiness Division, Ruzyne Airport, 160 08 Prague 6, Czech Republic, tel: 420 2 33320922, fax: 420 2 20562270.
Ing. Pavel MATOUŠEK
Director of
Airworthiness Division
CAA CZ
2001-04-08
BOEING:
Amendment 39-12127. Docket 2001-NM-13-AD.
Applicability:
Model 737-600, -700, -800, and -700C series airplanes, as listed in Boeing
Alert Service Bulletin 737-55A1072, Revision 1, including Appendix A,
dated January 11, 2001; certificated in any category.
NOTE 1: This AD
applies to each airplane identified in the preceding applicability provision,
regardless of whether it has been modified, altered, or repaired in the area
subject to the requirements of this AD. For airplanes that have been modified,
altered, or repaired so that the performance of the requirements of this AD is
affected, the owner/operator must request approval for an alternative method of
compliance in accordance with paragraph (e) of this AD. The request should
include an assessment of the effect of the modification, alteration, or repair
on the unsafe condition addressed by this AD; and, if the unsafe condition has
not been eliminated, the request should include specific proposed actions to address
it.
Compliance:
Required as indicated, unless accomplished previously.
To prevent
excessive in-flight vibrations of the elevator tab, which could lead to loss of
the elevator tab and reduced controllability of the airplane, do the following:
Initial and
Repetitive Inspections, and Corrective Actions (Work Package I)
(a) Within 30 days
or 100 flight cycles after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs
later: Inspect the elevator tab, as specified in the Accomplishment
Instructions for Work Package I of Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 737-55A1072,
Revision 1, including Appendix A, dated January 11, 2001, to detect any
damage or discrepancy per the service bulletin.
(1) If no damage or
discrepancy (including loose or missing parts, or excessive wear) is found,
repeat the inspections required by paragraph (a) of this AD thereafter at
intervals not to exceed 250 flight cycles.
(2) Except as
provided by paragraph (d) of this AD, if any damage or discrepancy is found,
before further flight, do the corrective actions (including follow-on
inspections; replacing, reworking, repairing, and lubricating parts; applying
inspection putty; cleaning; and aligning and torqueing components) specified in
Figure 1 of the service bulletin, as applicable. Repeat the inspections
required by paragraph (a) of this AD thereafter at intervals not to exceed
250 flight cycles.
One-Time
Freeplay Inspections and Corrective Actions (Work Package II)
(b) Within 90 days
after the effective date of this AD, or before the accumulation of 750 total
flight cycles after airplane delivery, whichever occurs later: Do the one-time
free-play inspections of the elevator tab, as specified in the Accomplishment
Instructions for Work Package II of Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 737-55A1072,
Revision 1, including Appendix A, dated January 11, 2001, to detect any damage
or discrepancy per the service bulletin.
(1) If no damage or
discrepancy is found, no further action is required by this paragraph.
(2) If any damage
or discrepancy is found, before further flight, do the corrective actions
specified in Figures 2 and 3 of the service bulletin, as applicable.
Repetitive
Inspections and Corrective Actions (Work Package III)
(c) Within 1,500
flight hours or 750 flight cycles, whichever occurs earlier, after doing Work
Package II: Inspect the elevator tab, as specified in the Accomplishment
Instructions for Work Package III of Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 737-55A1072,
Revision 1, including Appendix A, dated January 11, 2001, to detect any damage
or discrepancy per the service bulletin.
(1) If no damage or
discrepancy is found, repeat the inspections required by paragraph (c) of
this AD thereafter at intervals not to exceed 1,500 flight hours or
750 flight cycles, whichever occurs earlier.
(2) If any damage
or discrepancy is found, before further flight, do the applicable corrective
actions specified in Figure 2, as specified by the Accomplishment Instructions
for Work Package III, of the service bulletin.
Repair
(d) Repair any
damage or discrepancy of the elevator tab assembly that is outside the limits
specified by the Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert Service Bulletin
737-55A1072, Revision 1, including Appendix A, dated January 11, 2001, per a
method approved by the Manager, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office (ACO),
FAA, or per data meeting the type certification basis of the airplane approved
by a Boeing Company Designated Engineering Representative (DER) who has been
authorized by the Manager, Seattle ACO, to make such findings. For a repair
method to be approved by the Manager, Seattle ACO, as required by this
paragraph, the Manager’s approval letter must specifically reference this AD.
Alternative
Methods of Compliance
(e) An
alternative method of compliance or adjustment of the compliance time that
provides an acceptable level of safety may be used if approved by the Manager,
Seattle ACO. Operators shall submit their requests through an appropriate FAA
Principal Maintenance Inspector, who may add comments and then send it to the
Manager, Seattle ACO.
NOTE 2: Information
concerning the existence of approved alternative methods of compliance with
this AD, if any, may be obtained from the Seattle ACO.
Special Flight
Permits
(f) Special
flight permits may be issued in accordance with sections 21.197 and 21.199 of
the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 21.197 and 21.199) to operate the
airplane to a location where the requirements of this AD can be done.
Incorporation by
Reference
(g) Except
as provided by paragraph (d) of this AD, the actions shall be done in
accordance with Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 737-55A1072, Revision 1,
including Appendix A, dated January 11, 2001. This incorporation by
reference was approved by the Director of the Federal Register in accordance
with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. Copies may be obtained from
Boeing Commercial Airplane Group, P.O. Box 3707, Seattle, Washington
98124-2207. Copies may be inspected at the FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate,
1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington; or at the Office of the
Federal Register, 800 North Capitol Street, NW., suite 700,
Washington, DC.
Effective Date
(h) This amendment
becomes effective on March 20, 2001.
FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT: Nancy Marsh, Aerospace Engineer, Airframe Branch,
ANM-120S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW.,
Renton, Washington 98055-4056; telephone (425) 227-2028; fax
(425) 227-1181.
Issued in Renton,
Washington, on February 21, 2001.
Donald L. Riggin,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.