Airworthiness Directives; Boeing Model 747-100, -200B, -200F, -200C, -100B, -300, -100B SUD, -400, -400D, and -400F Series Airplanes; and Model 747SR Series Airplanes

The FAA is superseding two existing airworthiness directives (AD), which apply to certain Boeing transport category airplanes. One AD currently requires doing certain inspections to detect cracks and corrosion around the lower bearing of the actuator attach fittings of the inboard and outboard flaps; repairing if necessary; and either overhauling the fittings or replacing them, which ends certain repetitive inspections. The other AD currently requires certain other inspections to detect discrepancies of the actuator attach fittings of the flaps, and follow-on and corrective actions if necessary, which ends the repetitive inspections of the first AD. For certain airplanes, this AD requires new inspections for discrepancies of the actuator attach fittings of the flaps, and follow-on and corrective actions if necessary, which ends the repetitive inspections of both existing ADs. For all airplanes, this AD requires repetitive overhaul/replacements of the actuator attach fittings of both the inboard and outboard flaps. This AD results from reports of cracks of the actuator attach fittings of the trailing edge flaps. We are issuing this AD to prevent cracking and other damage of the actuator attach fittings of the trailing edge flaps, which could result in abnormal operation or retraction of a trailing edge flap, and possible loss of controllability of the airplane.