Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all The Boeing Company Model 737 series airplanes, excluding Model 737-100, -200, -200C, -300, -400, and -500 series airplanes. This AD requires revising the existing maintenance or inspection program to remove text that allows the size of the thrust reverser upper locking actuator lock sensor target to be changed, and, for certain airplanes, performing repetitive integrity tests of the thrust reverser upper locking actuator. This AD was prompted by a report indicating that alteration of thrust reverser upper locking actuators in accordance with certain data in the Boeing aircraft maintenance manual (AMM) could delay or prevent detection of the failure of the locking mechanism of a thrust reverser upper locking actuator. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.