AD NUMBER: 2018-07-20

PRODUCT: Certain Boeing Model MD-11 and MD-11F airplanes.

ACTION: Final Rule.

SUMMARY: The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2014-03-07, which applied to the aircraft listed above.

AD 2014-03-07 required inspecting certain locations of the wire bundles of the center upper auxiliary fuel tank for damage, and corrective action if necessary. AD 2014-03-07 also required installing nonmetallic barrier/shield sleeving, new clamps, new attaching hardware, and a new extruded channel.

This AD adds certain inspections and expands the applicability. This AD was prompted by the determination that it is necessary to require an inspection of the wire bundles for damage at certain center upper auxiliary fuel tank locations on certain airplanes.

DATES: This AD is effective May 21, 2018.

COST: The FAA estimates that this AD affects 125 airplanes of U.S. registry. The cost of compliance is estimated as follows:

• Inspection/installation [retained actions from AD 2009-26-16, Amendment 39-16155 (74 FR 69249, December 31, 2009)]: $29,988 to $43,475 per inspection cycle per aircraft for parts and labor.
• Inspection/installation for Groups 1, 2, and 5, all Configuration 2 airplanes (retained actions from AD 2014-03-07): Up to $6,931 per aircraft for parts and labor.
• Inspection/installation for Groups 1, 2, and 5, all Configuration 2 airplanes (new action): Up to $340 per aircraft for parts and labor.
• Inspection/installation for Line Number 579 (new action): $28,345 per aircraft for parts and labor.

FMI: AD