Regulation Text
(a) No person may operate an Airbus Model A300 (excluding the -600 series), British Aerospace Model BAC 1-11, Boeing Model 707, 720, 727, 737 or 747, McDonnell Douglas Model DC-8, DC-9/MD-80 or DC-10, Fokker Model F28, or Lockheed Model L-1011 airplane beyond applicable flight cycle implementation time specified below, or May 25, 2001, whichever occurs later, unless repair assessment guidelines applicable to the fuselage pressure boundary (fuselage skin, door skin, and bulkhead webs) are incorporated within its inspection program. The repair assessment guidelines must be approved by the responsible Aircraft Certification Service office for the type certificate for the affected airplane.
(1) For the Airbus Model A300 (excluding the -600 series), the flight cycle implementation time is:
(i) Model B2: 36,000 flights.
(ii) Model B4-100 (including Model B4-2C): 30,000 flights above the window line, and 36,000 flights below the window line.
(iii) Model B4-200: 25,500 flights above the window line, and 34,000 flights below the window line.
(2) For all models of the British Aerospace BAC 1-11, the flight cycle implementation time is 60,000 flights.
(3) For all models of the Boeing 707, the flight cycle implementation time is 15,000 flights.
(4) For all models of the Boeing 720, the flight cycle implementation time is 23,000 flights.
(5) For all models of the Boeing 727, the flight cycle implementation time is 45,000 flights.
(6) For all models of the Boeing 737, the flight cycle implementation time is 60,000 flights.
(7) For all models of the Boeing 747, the flight cycle implementation time is 15,000 flights.
(8) For all models of the McDonnell Douglas DC-8, the flight cycle implementation time is 30,000 flights.
(9) For all models of the McDonnell Douglas DC-9/MD-80, the flight cycle implementation time is 60,000 flights.
(10) For all models of the McDonnell Douglas DC-10, the flight cycle implementation time is 30,000 flights.
(11) For all models of the Lockheed L-1011, the flight cycle implementation time is 27,000 flights.
(12) For the Fokker F-28 Mark 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000, the flight cycle implementation time is 60,000 flights.
(b) [Reserved]
[Docket 29104, 65 FR 24125, Apr. 25, 2000; 65 FR 35703, June 5, 2000; 65 FR 50744, Aug. 21, 2000, as amended by Amdt. 91-266, 66 FR 23130, May 7, 2001; Amdt. 91-277, 67 FR 72834, Dec. 9, 2002; Amdt. 91-283, 69 FR 45941, July 30, 2004. Redesignated and amended by Amdt. 91-297, 72 FR 63410, Nov. 8, 2007; Docket FAA-2018-0119, Amdt. 91-350, 83 FR 9171, Mar. 5, 2018]
Research Notes
Section 91.1505 — Repairs assessment for pressurized fuselages — establishes the framework for assessing structural repairs to aging pressurized aircraft.
What this addresses: Pressurized airliner fuselages accumulate pressurization cycles over service life. Repairs to the structure may interact with the pressurization cycle fatigue. Subpart L's repair assessment ensures repairs are properly evaluated for ongoing service.
Operational scope: Primarily applies to aging Boeing 737/757/767 and similar transport aircraft as they accumulate pressurization cycles past the original certification basis.
Reference: AC 91-82 on aging aircraft; AC 25-22 on damage tolerance and fatigue evaluation.
Amendment History
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