Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2015-12- 03, which applied to certain The Boeing Company Model 777-200, -200LR, -300, and -300ER series airplanes. AD 2015-12-03 required repetitive freeplay inspections and lubrication of the right and left elevators, rudder, and rudder tab, and related investigative and corrective actions if necessary. This AD was prompted by engineering testing which revealed that the force being applied to the elevator to detect excessive freeplay was insufficient. This AD continues to require certain actions in AD 2015-12-03 for certain airplanes, and requires revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, for certain other airplanes, to incorporate a revised or new elevator freeplay maintenance procedure, as applicable. This AD also adds airplanes to the applicability. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.