Airworthiness Directive · Amendment 39-23233 · Wings
The Boeing Company Airplanes
This AD applies to The Boeing Company Model 757-200 and -300 series airplanes, certificated in any category, as specified in paragraph 1.A.1 of Aviation Partners Boeing Service Bulletin AP757-57-012, Revision 1, dated October 17, 2024.
The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 757-200 and -300 series airplanes. This AD was prompted by cracking found during an inspection on an airplane equipped with Aviation Partners Boeing (APB) scimitar blended winglets. This AD requires performing a general visual inspection (GVI) or maintenance records check of certain stringers for an approved freeze plug repair, performing a high frequency eddy current (HFEC) inspection of the same area for any crack common to a certain stringer and a reinforcement strap, and applicable on-condition actions. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
Except as specified in paragraphs (h) and (i) of this AD: At the applicable times specified in paragraph 1.E., “Compliance,” of Aviation Partners Boeing Service Bulletin AP757-57-012, Revision 1, dated October 17, 2024, do all applicable actions identified as “RC” (required for compliance) in, and in accordance with, the Accomplishment Instructions of Aviation Partners Boeing Service Bulletin AP757-57-012, Revision 1, dated October 17, 2024.
(1) Where the Compliance Time columns of the tables in “Compliance” paragraph of Aviation Partners Boeing Service Bulletin AP757-57-012, Revision 1, dated October 17, 2024, refer to the original issue date of this Service Bulletin, this AD requires using the effective date of this AD.
(2) Where Table 2 and Table 3 of the “Compliance” paragraph of Aviation Partners Boeing Service Bulletin AP757-57-012, Revision 1, dated October 17, 2024, specify Action 1 without a compliance time, for this AD, the compliance time is before 9,500 flight cycles after the blended winglet installation, within 3,000 flight cycles after the effective date of this AD, or within 24 months after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later.
(3) Where Table 5 and Table 6 of the “Compliance” paragraph of Aviation Partners Boeing Service Bulletin AP757-57-012, Revision 1, dated October 17, 2024, specify Action 1 without a compliance time, for this AD, the compliance time is before 8,000 flight cycles after the blended winglet installation, within 3,000 flight cycles after the effective date of this AD, or within 24 months after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later.
(4) Where Table 9 and Table 10 of the “Compliance” paragraph of Aviation Partners Boeing Service Bulletin AP757-57-012, Revision 1, dated October 17, 2024, specify Action 1 without a compliance time, for this AD, the compliance time is before 9,500 flight cycles after the blended winglet installation, within 3,000 flight cycles after the effective date of this AD, or within 22 months after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later.
(5) Where Table 12 and Table 13 of the “Compliance” paragraph of Aviation Partners Boeing Service Bulletin AP757-57-012, Revision 1, dated October 17, 2024, specify Action 1 without a compliance time, for this AD, the compliance time is before 8,000 flight cycles after the blended winglet installation, within 3,000 flight cycles after the effective date of this AD, or within 22 months after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later.
(6) Where Condition 2 of Table 6 in the Accomplishment Instructions of Aviation Partners Boeing Service Bulletin AP757-57-012, Revision 1, dated October 17, 2024, includes “remove crack” as part of the actions, the action “remove crack” is not required by this AD for Condition 2 of Table 6.
(7) Where Action 2 of Condition 4.2 in Table 3 of the Accomplishment Instructions of Aviation Partners Boeing Service Bulletin AP757-57-012, Revision 1, dated October 17, 2024, does not include a method of compliance for the inspection, for this AD, the method of compliance is Figure 3 of the Accomplishment Instructions of Aviation Partners Boeing Service Bulletin AP757-57-012, Revision 1, dated October 17, 2024.
(8) Where Action 2 of Condition 4.2 in Table 6 of the Accomplishment Instructions of Aviation Partners Boeing Service Bulletin AP757-57-012, Revision 1, dated October 17, 2024, does not include a method of compliance for the inspection, for this AD, the method of compliance is Figure 8 of the Accomplishment Instructions of Aviation Partners Boeing Service Bulletin AP757-57-012, Revision 1, dated October 17, 2024.
(9) Where flag notes (b) and (c) of Figure 3 and Figure 8 of the Accomplishment Instructions of Aviation Partners Boeing Service Bulletin AP757-57-012, Revision 1, dated October 17, 2024, specify doing a surface high frequency eddy current (HFEC) inspection of the applicable lower stringer vertical web flange “around each of the four fasteners for any crack”, this AD requires replacing that text with “around each fastener, including any washers or freeze plug retainer washers (washer removal is not required) for any crack”.
(10) Where Step 4 of Figure 3 and Figure 8 of the Accomplishment Instructions of Aviation Partners Boeing Service Bulletin AP757-57-012, Revision 1, dated October 17, 2024, specifies applying both BMS 5-45 and BMS 5-168 sealants, this AD requires application of either BMS 5-45 or BMS 5-168 sealant.
(11) Where flag note (b) of Figure 5 and Figure 10 of the Accomplishment Instructions of Aviation Partners Boeing Service Bulletin AP757-57-012, Revision 1, dated October 17, 2024, specifies “Maximum hole diameter 0.80 inch”, this AD requires replacing that text with “Maximum hole diameter 0.80 inch. Do an open-hole HFEC inspection of the hole in the stringer in accordance with 757 NDT Manual Part 6, 51-00-04, 51-00-11, or 51-00-16”.
(12) Where flag note (e) of Figure 6 and Figure 11 of the Accomplishment Instructions of Aviation Partners Boeing Service Bulletin AP757-57-012, Revision 1, dated October 17, 2024, specifies “The retainer washer must have 0.15-0.20 inch overlap with the freeze plug”, this AD requires replacing that text with “The retainer washer must have a 0.15-0.20-inch radius greater than the freeze plug”.
(13) Where Aviation Partners Boeing Service Bulletin AP757-57-012, Revision 1, dated October 17, 2024, specifies contacting Aviation Partners Boeing for repair instructions: This AD requires repair using a method approved in accordance with the procedures specified in paragraph (j) of this AD.
Although Aviation Partners Boeing Service Bulletin AP757-57-012, Revision 1, dated October 17, 2024, specifies to report existing repairs, this AD does not require any report.
The aircraft, engines and makers this AD names, by the model designations in its text. A model listed here may still be outside the AD's serial ranges.
Aircraft
