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 757-200 and -300 series airplanes. The NPRM was published in the Federal Register on January 17, 2025 (90 FR 5754). 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 one commenter, an individual, who supported the NPRM without change.

The FAA received additional comments from four commenters, including Aviation Partners Boeing, Delta Air Lines (Delta), Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic), and Precision Conversions, LLC (Precision). 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 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.

Request To Revise Applicability

Precision requested that the FAA revise the applicability of the proposed AD to exclude Boeing Model 757-200 series airplanes that have been converted from passenger to freighter in accordance with a certain supplemental type certificate (STC). Precision STC ST01529SE, which converts Model 757-200 series airplanes from passenger to freighter airplanes, removes all PSU-mounted video monitors to convert the main deck into a cargo compartment, thus eliminating the unsafe condition referenced in the NPRM.

The FAA acknowledges that this AD does not apply to Model 757-200 airplanes converted to freighter in accordance with STC ST01529SE. This AD applies to Model 757-200 and -300 series airplanes equipped with PSU-mounted video monitors. Since Model 757-200 series airplanes converted to freighter in accordance with STC ST01529SE no longer have PSU-mounted video monitors installed, this AD does not apply. 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 scimitar blended winglets per STC ST01518SE does not affect compliance with the mandated actions in the proposed rule.

The FAA agrees with the commenter that STC ST01518SE does not affect compliance with this AD. Therefore, the installation of STC ST01518SE 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. ( printed page 67443)

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 PSUs 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.

Requests To Include Panasonic Service Bulletins as an Accepted Method of Compliance

Delta requested that the FAA allow the use of Panasonic Service Bulletin RDAA902940-01-44-07 Revision 5, dated December 5, 2024, or RDAA902941-01-44-07 Revision 6, dated December 13, 2024, to meet the requirements of the proposed AD. Delta stated that the affected part numbers (P/Ns) installed on their fleet are P/N RD-AA902940-01 and P/N RD-AA902941-01, which are addressed by the Panasonic service bulletins noted, and requested the FAA add these service bulletins as a method of compliance for the requirements of the proposed AD.

Panasonic requested that the FAA include Panasonic Service Bulletin SB141908-44-002 as an accepted corrective action 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 757-25-0321 RB does not include airplanes with STC alterations 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 ST03183NY.

The FAA disagrees. Paragraph (g)(3) of this AD already requires airplanes not identified in the effectivity paragraph of either Boeing service bulletin to perform the required actions with an approved AMOC. At this time, the FAA does not have enough data to approve Panasonic Service Bulletin RDAA902940-01-44-07 Revision 5, dated December 5, 2024, RDAA902941-01-44-07 Revision 6, dated December 13, 2024, or Panasonic Service Bulletin SB141908-44-002 as an accepted method of compliance for this AD. The FAA did not change this AD in response to these comments.

Additional Changes to the Final Rule

Since the FAA issued the NPRM, Boeing published Boeing Special Attention Requirements Bulletins 757-25-0320 RB, Revision 1, and 757-25-0321 RB, Revision 1, both dated August 6, 2025. The revised service information specifies an additional inspection of the inboard PSU rail to determine rail lightening hole configuration and applicable on-condition actions, because the original issue could not be complied with to address the unsafe condition. The revised service information adds instructions for installing lanyard retention brackets at locations that do not have 1.0-inch diameter holes in the PSU rail to support secondary retention lanyard installation and at locations that have temperature sensors installed in the inboard PSU rail area, where the existing holes do not allow for correct lanyard installation.

The FAA has revised this AD to mandate Boeing Special Attention Requirements Bulletin 757-25-0320 RB, Revision 1, dated August 6, 2025, and Boeing Special Attention Requirements Bulletin 757-25-0321 RB, Revision 1, dated August 6, 2025. The FAA has revised paragraph (i) of this AD to add credit for previous actions for airplanes that completed Boeing Special Attention Requirements Bulletin 757-25-0320 RB, dated January 19, 2024, and redesignated subsequent paragraphs accordingly.

The revised service information also provides updated cost information. The FAA has revised the cost estimate in this final rule to reflect the updated cost information.

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.

Material Incorporated by Reference Under 1 CFR Part 51

The FAA reviewed Boeing Special Attention Requirements Bulletins 757-25-0320 RB, Revision 1, and 757-25-0321 RB, Revision 1, both dated August 6, 2025. This material specifies procedures for replacing all PSU-mounted video monitors that do not have secondary retention lanyards with PSU-mounted video monitors that have secondary retention lanyards, performing a detailed inspection of the inboard PSU rail, and applicable on-condition actions. On-condition actions include attaching the secondary retention lanyard to either the adjacent 1-inch holes in the inboard PSU rail or installing a retention bracket on the inboard PSU rail and attaching the secondary retention lanyard to the retention bracket. These documents are distinct since Boeing Special Attention Requirements Bulletin 757-25-0320 RB, Revision 1, dated August 6, 2025, addresses airplanes with certain Burrana monitors, and Boeing Special Attention Requirements Bulletin 757-25-0321 RB, Revision 1, dated August 6, 2025, addresses airplanes with certain Panasonic monitors. 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 85 airplanes of U.S. registry. The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this AD: ( printed page 67444)

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: