SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR part 39 by adding an AD that would apply to certain The Boeing Company Model 737-600, -700, -700C, -800, -900, and -900ER series airplanes. The NPRM was published in the Federal Register on January 17, 2025 (90 FR 5751). The NPRM was prompted by a report that some PSU-mounted video monitors became detached from the PSU rails during a hard landing that did not exceed the emergency load requirements for the PSUs. In the NPRM, the FAA proposed to require replacing PSU-mounted video monitors that do not have secondary retention lanyards. The FAA is issuing this AD to address PSU-mounted video monitors that could become fully detached or be held at an unsafe height, which, if not addressed, could result in injury to passengers and impede passenger and crew egress during emergency evacuation.

Discussion of Final Airworthiness Directive

Comments

The FAA received a comment from Boeing, who supported the NPRM without change.

The FAA received additional comments from five commenters, including All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd. (ANA), Aviation Partners Boeing, Delta Air Lines, Inc. (Delta), Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic), and an individual. The following presents the comments received on the NPRM and the FAA's response to each comment.

Request To Clarify Method for Determining Applicability

Delta requested that the FAA clarify that they can accomplish either a physical inspection for the existence of PSU-mounted video monitors or accomplish a review of Delta's PSU Layouts (Delta's PSU drawing configuration) to determine if this AD applies.

The FAA agrees to clarify that operators can determine if their airplanes are equipped with PSU-mounted video monitors by performing a physical inspection or a records check, provided the presence of PSU-mounted video monitors can be conclusively ( printed page 65942) determined from that review; either method is acceptable to determine if this AD applies. The FAA did not change this AD in response to this comment.

Effect of Winglets on Accomplishment of the Proposed Actions

Aviation Partners Boeing stated that the installation of blended or split scimitar winglets per supplemental type certificate (STC) ST00830SE does not affect compliance with the mandated actions in the proposed rule.

The FAA agrees with the commenter that STC ST00830SE does not affect compliance with this AD. Therefore, the installation of STC ST00830SE does not affect the ability to accomplish the actions required by this AD. The FAA did not change this AD in response to this comment.

Request To Revise Paragraph (e) To Clarify Safety Concerns

Panasonic requested that the FAA revise paragraph (e) of the proposed AD to include the statement, “Although some models of PSU-mounted video monitors have not become detached under such landings, we have determined that this AD is warranted due to relative motion between the PSU rails that drive forces exceeding the approved emergency landing conditions for the attached PSU-mounted monitors.” Panasonic asserted that the improvement action for Panasonic monitors involves an enhancement to its fail-safe design and is not a result of correcting any defect or noncompliance in the PSU-mounted monitor assemblies themselves. Panasonic requested this change to avoid potentially misleading operators that Panasonic monitors have become detached because they did not meet the existing emergency landing requirements they were designed to meet.

The FAA acknowledges the commenter's concern. The FAA is unaware of Panasonic monitors that have become detached during hard landings that did not exceed emergency landing requirements. However, paragraph (e) of this AD specifies that some, not all, PSU-mounted video monitors became detached. The FAA did not change this AD in response to this comment.

Request To Include Panasonic Service Bulletin SB141908-44-001 as an Accepted Method of Compliance

Panasonic requested that the FAA include Panasonic Service Bulletin SB141908-44-001 as an accepted method of compliance for the proposed AD but did not provide the specified service bulletin to the FAA. Panasonic asserted that the effectivity of Boeing Special Attention Requirements Bulletin 737-25-1858 RB does not include airplanes with STCs that have identical parts that would be affected by the NPRM and suggested that adding this service bulletin as an accepted method of compliance would reduce the FAA's efforts to support alternative methods of compliance (AMOC) requests to address airplanes installed with FAA STC ST02908NY.

The FAA disagrees. Paragraph (g)(3) of this AD requires airplanes not identified in the effectivity paragraph of either Boeing service bulletin to perform the required actions using an AMOC. At this time, the FAA does not have enough data to approve Panasonic Service Bulletin SB141908-44-001 as an accepted method of compliance for this AD. The FAA did not change this AD in response to this comment.

Requests To Refer to Later Revisions of the Service Information

ANA requested that the FAA update the service information referenced in the proposed AD. The commenter noted that Boeing Special Attention Requirements Bulletin 737-25-1851 RB, dated December 15, 2023, and Boeing Special Attention Requirements Bulletin 737-25-1858 RB, dated December 15, 2023, will be revised by Boeing to correct an error in the airplane effectivity and asked the FAA to include the revised service information in the AD when published.

Delta requested that the FAA add the latest revisions of the Panasonic Service Bulletins referenced in Boeing Special Attention Requirements Bulletin 737-25-1858 RB, dated December 15, 2023, as a method of compliance for the proposed AD. Delta stated that Boeing released a preliminary revision of the requirements bulletin that references the latest revisions of the Panasonic Service Bulletins.

An individual noted that there are later revisions of the Burrana Service Bulletins referenced in Boeing Special Attention Requirements Bulletin 737-25-1851 RB, dated December 15, 2023. The commenter did not make a specific request for FAA action.

The FAA agrees to use the latest service information in this AD. Boeing Special Attention Requirements Bulletin 737-25-1851 RB, Revision 1, dated July 15, 2025, and Boeing Special Attention Requirements Bulletin 737-25-1858 RB, Revision 1, dated July 15, 2025, add instructions for installing lanyard retention brackets at locations where there are no holes in the PSU inboard rail and at locations with oval-shaped holes for airplanes without a Boeing Sky Interior (BSI) in groups 1 and 2. The revised service information removes from the effectivity Model 737-800 airplanes that have been modified to a Boeing Converted Freighter; this information does not affect the applicability of this AD. The revised service information specifies later revisions of the Burrana and Panasonic service bulletins, as applicable. Boeing Special Attention Requirements Bulletin 737-25-1858 RB, Revision 1, dated July 15, 2025, specifies an additional inspection for airplanes in groups 1 and 2 that have a PSU-mounted video monitor installed at a cabin temperature sensor location and have accomplished the original issue of the service information, because the original issue could not be complied with to address the unsafe condition. Boeing Special Attention Requirements Bulletin 737-25-1858 RB, Revision 1, dated July 15, 2025, also specifies credit for accomplishing the original issue of the service information for airplanes in groups 3 and 4.

The FAA has revised this AD to mandate Boeing Special Attention Requirements Bulletin 737-25-1851 RB, Revision 1, dated July 15, 2025, and Boeing Special Attention Requirements Bulletin 737-25-1858 RB, Revision 1, dated July 15, 2025. The FAA has revised paragraph (i)(1) of this AD to add credit for previous actions for airplanes that completed Boeing Special Attention Requirements Bulletin 737-25-1851 RB, dated December 15, 2023, and redesignated subsequent paragraphs accordingly. The FAA also added paragraph (i)(2) of this AD to add credit for previous actions for airplanes that completed Boeing Special Attention Requirements Bulletin 737-25-1858 RB, dated December 15, 2023, for airplanes identified as groups 3 and 4 only.

Conclusion

The FAA reviewed the relevant data, considered any comments received, and determined that air safety requires adopting this AD as proposed. Accordingly, the FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products. Except for minor editorial changes, and any other changes described previously, this AD is adopted as proposed in the NPRM. None of the changes will increase the economic burden on any operator.

Material Incorporated by Reference Under 1 CFR Part 51

The FAA reviewed Boeing Special Attention Requirements Bulletin 737-25-1851 RB, Revision 1, dated July 15, 2025. This material specifies procedures ( printed page 65943) for replacing certain Burrana PSU-mounted video monitors that do not have secondary retention lanyards with PSU-mounted video monitors that have secondary retention lanyards.

The FAA also reviewed Boeing Special Attention Requirements Bulletin 737-25-1858 RB, Revision 1, dated July 15, 2025. This material specifies procedures for replacing certain Panasonic PSU-mounted video monitors that do not have secondary retention lanyards with PSU-mounted video monitors that have secondary retention lanyards. This material specifies an additional inspection of the inboard PSU rail and applicable on-condition actions for airplanes in groups 1 and 2 that have a PSU-mounted video monitor installed at a cabin temperature sensor location and have accomplished the original issue of the service information. On-condition actions include attaching the secondary retention lanyard torsion spring to either the 1-inch hole found during inspection or the retention backet, as necessary.

This material is reasonably available because the interested parties have access to it through their normal course of business or by the means identified in the ADDRESSES section.

Costs of Compliance

The FAA estimates that this AD affects 459 airplanes of U.S. registry. The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this AD:

Authority for This Rulemaking

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.

The FAA is 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.

Regulatory Findings

This AD will not have federalism implications under Executive Order 13132. This AD will 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 that this AD:

(1) Is not a “significant regulatory action” under Executive Order 12866,

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

(3) 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.

The Amendment

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