88886 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 218 / Tuesday, November 12, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 

(i) Other FAA AD Provisions 

The following provisions also apply to this 

AD: 

(1) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs): The Manager, International 

Validation Branch, FAA, has the authority to 

approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested 

using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. 

In accordance with 14 CFR 39.19, send your 

request to your principal inspector or 

responsible Flight Standards Office, as 

appropriate. If sending information directly 

to the manager of the International Validation 

Branch, mail it to the address identified in 

paragraph (j) of this AD. Information may be 

emailed to: AMOC@faa.gov. Before using any 

approved AMOC, notify your appropriate 

principal inspector, or lacking a principal 

inspector, the manager of the responsible 

Flight Standards Office. 

(2) Contacting the Manufacturer: For any 

requirement in this AD to obtain instructions 

from a manufacturer, the instructions must 

be accomplished using a method approved 

by the Manager, International Validation 

Branch, FAA; or Transport Canada; or 

Bombardier, Inc.’s Transport Canada Design 

Approval Organization (DAO). If approved by 

the DAO, the approval must include the 

DAO-authorized signature. 

(j) Additional Information 

For more information about this AD, 

contact Steven Dzierzynski, Aviation Safety 

Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 

410, Westbury, NY 11590; telephone: 516– 

228–7300; email: 9-avs-nyaco-cos@faa.gov. 

(k) Material Incorporated by Reference 

(1) The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

(IBR) of the material listed in this paragraph 

under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. 

(2) You must use this material as 

applicable to do the actions required by this 

AD, unless this AD specifies otherwise. 

(i) Task 24–61–01–101*, ‘‘Restoration of 

the left DC Power Center (DCPC) (Pre SB100– 

24–30),’’ Section 5–10–20, ‘‘Time Limits— 

Supplementary Limitations,’’ of Part 2, 

‘‘Airworthiness Limitations’’, of the 

Bombardier Challenger 300 Time Limits/ 

Maintenance Checks, Publication No. CH 300 

TLMC, Revision 24, dated August 9, 2023. 

Note 2 to paragraph (k)(2)(i): The asterisk 

(or ‘‘one star’’) with the last three digits of the 

task numbers listed in paragraphs (k)(2)(i) 

and (ii) of this AD indicates that the task is 

an airworthiness limitation task. 

(ii) Task 24–61–01–101*, ‘‘Restoration of 

the Left DC Power Center (DCPC) (Pre 

SB350–24–005),’’ Section 5–10–20, ‘‘Time 

Limits—Supplementary Limitations,’’ of Part 

2, ‘‘Airworthiness Limitations,’’ of the 

Bombardier Challenger 350 Time Limits/ 

Maintenance Checks, Publication No. CH 350 

TLMC, Revision 14, dated August 9, 2023. 

(3) For Bombardier Inc. material identified 

in this AD, contact Bombardier Business 

Aircraft Customer Response Center, 400 Coˆte 

Vertu Road West, Dorval, Que ́bec H4S 1Y9, 

Canada; telephone 514 855–2999; email 

ac.yul@aero.bombardier.com; website 

bombardier.com. 

(4) You may view this material at the FAA, 

Airworthiness Products Section, Operational 

Safety Branch, 2200 South 216th Street, Des 

Moines, WA. For information on the 

availability of this material at the FAA, call 

206–231–3195. 

(5) You may view this material at the 

National Archives and Records 

Administration (NARA). For information on 

the availability of this material at NARA, 

visit www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ 

ibr-locationsoremailfr.inspection@nara.gov. 

Issued on October 24, 2024. 

Victor Wicklund, 

Deputy Director, Compliance & Airworthiness 

Division, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–25979 Filed 11–8–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 39 

[Docket No. FAA–2024–0767; Project 

Identifier MCAI–2023–00723–T; Amendment 

39–22786; AD 2024–14–05] 

RIN 2120–AA64 

Airworthiness Directives; Bombardier, 

Inc., Airplanes 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new 

airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 

Bombardier, Inc., Model BD–700–2A12 

airplanes. This AD was prompted by 

reports that the baggage bay discharge 

push-button annunciator (PBA) switch 

was making contact but was not fully 

engaged, and the tabs were not fully 

locked. This AD requires a verification 

of the baggage bay discharge PBA 

functionality and tab installation. The 

FAA is issuing this AD to address the 

unsafe condition on these products. 

DATES: This AD is effective December 

17, 2024. 

The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

of a certain publication listed in this AD 

as of December 17, 2024. 

ADDRESSES: 

AD Docket: You may examine the AD 

docket at regulations.gov under Docket 

No. FAA–2024–0767; or in person at 

Docket Operations between 9 a.m. and 

5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. The AD docket 

contains this final rule, the mandatory 

continuing airworthiness information 

(MCAI), any comments received, and 

other information. The address for 

Docket Operations is U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 

Washington, DC 20590. 

Material Incorporated by Reference: 

• For Bombardier material, contact 

Bombardier Business Aircraft Customer 

Response Center, 400 Coˆte-Vertu Road 

West, Dorval, Que ́bec H4S 1Y9, Canada; 

telephone 514–855–2999; email ac.yul@

aero.bombardier.com; website 

bombardier.com. 

• You may view this material at the 

FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, 

Operational Safety Branch, 2200 South 

216th St., Des Moines, WA. For 

information on the availability of this 

material at the FAA, call 206–231–3195. 

It is also available at regulations.gov 

under Docket No. FAA–2024–0767. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

William Reisenauer, Aviation Safety 

Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, 

Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; phone: 

516–228–7300; email: 9-avs-nyaco-cos@

faa.gov. 

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 Bombardier, Inc., Model 

BD–700–2A12 airplanes. The NPRM 

published in the Federal Register on 

March 28, 2024 (89 FR 21443). The 

NPRM was prompted by AD CF–2023– 

36, dated May 29, 2023, issued by 

Transport Canada, which is the aviation 

authority for Canada (referred to after 

this as the MCAI). The MCAI states that 

during the execution of a functional test 

procedure (FTP) during production, the 

baggage bay discharge PBA switch was 

partially engaged and failed to make 

electrical contact. Further investigation 

showed that in some instances, the 

baggage bay discharge PBA switch was 

making contact but was not fully 

engaged and the tabs were not fully 

locked, so while the PBA may pass the 

FTP, vibration could eventually lead to 

a loss of electrical contact and 

subsequent loss of baggage bay 

discharge PBA switch functionality. 

In the NPRM, the FAA proposed to 

require a verification of the baggage bay 

discharge PBA functionality and tab 

installation. The FAA is issuing this AD 

to address the possible inability to 

discharge halon into the baggage 

compartment in case of a fire. The 

unsafe condition on these products, if 

not addressed, could result in the 

inability to control a baggage 

compartment fire. 

You may examine the MCAI in the 

AD docket at regulations.gov under 

Docket No. FAA–2024–0767. 


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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 218 / Tuesday, November 12, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 88887 

Discussion of Final Airworthiness 

Directive 

Comments 

The FAA received no comments on 

the NPRM or on the determination of 

the cost to the public. 

Conclusion 

This product has been approved by 

the aviation authority of another 

country and is approved for operation in 

the United States. Pursuant to the FAA’s 

bilateral agreement with this State of 

Design Authority, it has notified the 

FAA of the unsafe condition described 

in the MCAI referenced above. The FAA 

reviewed the relevant data and 

determined that air safety requires 

adopting this AD as proposed. 

Accordingly, the FAA is issuing this AD 

to address the unsafe condition on this 

product. Except for minor editorial 

changes, this AD is adopted as proposed 

in the NPRM. None of the changes will 

increase the economic burden on any 

operator. 

Related Material Under 1 CFR Part 51 

The FAA reviewed Bombardier 

Service Bulletin 700–26–7505, dated 

February 10, 2023. This service 

information specifies procedures for 

doing a general visual inspection of the 

baggage bay discharge PBA switch for 

proper installation and a functional 

operation test. This service information 

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 42 airplanes of U.S. registry. The 

FAA estimates the following costs to 

comply with this AD: 

ESTIMATED COSTS FOR REQUIRED ACTIONS

Labor cost Parts cost Cost per 

product 

Cost on U.S. 

operators 

2 work-hours × $85 per hour = $170 .......................................................................................... $0 $170 $7,140 

The FAA has included all known 

costs in its cost estimate. According to 

the manufacturer, however, some or all 

of the costs of this AD may be covered 

under warranty, thereby reducing the 

cost impact on affected operators. 

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. 

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39 

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation 

safety, Incorporation by reference, 

Safety. 

The Amendment 

Accordingly, under the authority 

delegated to me by the Administrator, 

the FAA amends 14 CFR part 39 as 

follows: 

PART 39—AIRWORTHINESS 

DIRECTIVES 

■ 1. The authority citation for part 39 

continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701. 

§ 39.13 [Amended] 

■ 2. The FAA amends § 39.13 by adding 

the following new airworthiness 

directive: 

2024–14–05 Bombardier, Inc.: Amendment 

39–22786; Docket No. FAA–2024–0767; 

Project Identifier MCAI–2023–00723–T. 

(a) Effective Date 

This airworthiness directive (AD) is 

effective December 17, 2024. 

(b) Affected ADs 

None. 

(c) Applicability 

This AD applies to Bombardier, Inc., 

Model BD–700–2A12 airplanes, certificated 

in any category, serial numbers 70006 

through 70099 inclusive. 

(d) Subject 

Air Transport Association (ATA) of 

America Code 26, Fire protection. 

(e) Unsafe Condition 

This AD was prompted by reports that the 

baggage bay discharge push-button 

annunciator (PBA) switch was making 

contact but was not fully engaged, and the 

tabs were not fully locked. The FAA is 

issuing this AD to address the possible 

inability to discharge halon into the baggage 

compartment in case of a fire. The unsafe 

condition, if not addressed, could result in 

the inability to control a baggage 

compartment fire. 

(f) Compliance 

Comply with this AD within the 

compliance times specified, unless already 

done. 

(g) Required Actions 

Within 36 months after the effective date 

of this AD: Perform the inspection and 

testing of the baggage bay discharge PBA 

switch, in accordance with the 

Accomplishment Instructions of Bombardier 

Service Bulletin 700–26–7505, dated 

February 10, 2023. 

(h) Additional AD Provisions 

The following provisions also apply to this 

AD: 

(1) Alternative Methods of Compliance 

(AMOCs): The Manager, International 

Validation Branch, FAA, has the authority to 

approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested 

using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. 

In accordance with 14 CFR 39.19, send your 

request to your principal inspector or 

responsible Flight Standards Office, as 

appropriate. If sending information directly 

to the manager of the International Validation 

Branch, mail it to the address identified in 

paragraph (i) of this AD. Information may be 

emailed to: 9-AVS-AIR-730-AMOC@faa.gov. 


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88888 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 218 / Tuesday, November 12, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 

Before using any approved AMOC, notify 

your appropriate principal inspector, or 

lacking a principal inspector, the manager of 

the responsible Flight Standards Office. 

(2) Contacting the Manufacturer: For any 

requirement in this AD to obtain instructions 

from a manufacturer, the instructions must 

be accomplished using a method approved 

by the Manager, International Validation 

Branch, FAA; or Transport Canada; or 

Bombardier, Inc.’s Transport Canada Design 

Approval Organization (DAO). If approved by 

the DAO, the approval must include the 

DAO-authorized signature. 

(i) Additional Information 

For more information about this AD, 

contact William Reisenauer, Aviation Safety 

Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 

410, Westbury, NY 11590; phone: 516–228– 

7300; email: 9-avs-nyaco-cos@faa.gov. 

(j) Material Incorporated by Reference 

(1) The Director of the Federal Register 

approved the incorporation by reference 

(IBR) of the material listed in this paragraph 

under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. 

(2) You must use this material as 

applicable to do the actions required by this 

AD, unless this AD specifies otherwise. 

(i) Bombardier Service Bulletin 700–26– 

7505, dated February 10, 2023. 

(ii) [Reserved] 

(3) For Bombardier material identified in 

this AD, contact Bombardier Business 

Aircraft Customer Response Center, 400 CoˆteVertu Road West, Dorval, Que ́bec H4S 1Y9, 

Canada; telephone 514–855–2999; email 

ac.yul@aero.bombardier.com; website 

bombardier.com. 

(4) You may view this material at the FAA, 

Airworthiness Products Section, Operational 

Safety Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des 

Moines, WA. For information on the 

availability of this material at the FAA, call 

206–231–3195. 

(5) You may view this material at the 

National Archives and Records 

Administration (NARA). For information on 

the availability of this material at NARA, 

visit www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ 

ibr-locations, or email fr.inspection@

nara.gov. 

Issued on July 10, 2024. 

James D. Foltz, 

Deputy Director, Compliance & Airworthiness 

Division, Aircraft Certification Service. 

Editorial Note: This document was 

received for publication by the Office of the 

Federal Register on November 5, 2024. 

[FR Doc. 2024–25978 Filed 11–8–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 

AFFAIRS 

38 CFR Part 70 

RIN 2900–AS19 

Changes in Rates VA Pays for Special 

Modes of Transportation; Delay of 

Effective Date From February 16, 2025, 

Until February 16, 2029 

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs. 

ACTION: Final rule; delay of effective 

date. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans 

Affairs (VA) published in the Federal 

Register on February 16, 2023, a final 

rule to amend its beneficiary travel 

regulations to establish a new payment 

methodology for special modes of 

transportation available through the VA 

beneficiary travel program. The 

preamble of that final rule stated the 

effective date was February 16, 2024. 

VA published in the Federal Register on 

December 29, 2023, a final rule to delay 

the effective date for the rule from 

February 16, 2024, to February 16, 2025. 

This rulemaking further delays the 

effective date of February 16, 2025, to 

February 16, 2029. 

DATES: Effective Date: The effective date 

for the final rule published February 16, 

2023, at 88 FR 10032, and delayed on 

December 29, 2023, at 88 FR 90120, 

until February 16, 2025, is further 

delayed until February 16, 2029. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ben 

Williams, Director, Veterans 

Transportation Program (15MEM), 

Veterans Health Administration, 

Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 

Vermont Avenue NW, Washington, DC 

20420, (404) 828–5691. (This is not a 

toll-free number.) 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On 

November 5, 2020, VA proposed 

amending its beneficiary travel 

regulations to implement the 

discretionary authority in 38 U.S.C. 

111(b)(3)(C), which permits VA to pay 

the lesser of the actual charge for 

ambulance transportation or the amount 

determined by the Centers for Medicare 

and Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare 

Part B Ambulance Fee Schedule 

(hereafter referred to the CMS 

ambulance fee schedule) established 

under section 1834(l) of the Social 

Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m(l)), 

unless VA has entered into a contract 

for that transportation. We provided a 

60-day comment period that ended on 

January 4, 2021, and we received six 

comments, five of which were 

substantive. Those five comments all 

raised similar concerns about 38 CFR 

70.30(a)(4) introductory text and (a)(4)(i) 

and (ii) as proposed, related to using the 

CMS ambulance fee schedule or, in the 

case of travel by modes other than 

ambulance, the posted rates from each 

State. We responded to all comments in 

a final rule published in the Federal 

Register on February 16, 2023 (88 FR 

10032), wherein we stated that we 

would not make changes from the 

proposed rule related to application of 

the CMS ambulance fee schedule but 

would delay the effective date of the 

final rule by one year (to be February 16, 

2024) to ensure that ambulance 

providers have adequate time to adjust 

to VA’s new methodology for 

calculating ambulance rates. (88 FR 

10035). We further stated in the final 

rule that such adjustment could include 

ambulance providers entering 

negotiations with VA to contract for 

payment rates different than those 

under the CMS ambulance fee schedule, 

as contemplated in the final rule. 

After the final rule was published, VA 

received feedback from both internal 

and external stakeholders, including VA 

employees, ambulance providers, and 

industry experts, that more time would 

be necessary for successful 

implementation of the rule. Specifically, 

delaying the effective date was intended 

to accommodate unforeseen difficulties 

in air ambulance broker contracting. At 

the time, VA believed it would be able 

to enter into contracts and/or 

subcontract relationships with air 

ambulance service providers for non-VA 

initiated service calls if given more time 

for negotiations. Based on this feedback 

and evaluation of the continued effort 

that would be required by air ambulance 

brokers to negotiate and enter into 

contracts before February 16, 2024, VA 

published a final rule on December 29, 

2023, (88 FR 90120) that delayed the 

effective date of the regulation by one 

year to February 16, 2025. 

After the final rule delaying the 

effective date to February 2025 was 

published, however, VA learned 

through continued discussions with 

industry experts, including air 

ambulance providers and brokers, that 

contracting for emergency, non-VA 

initiated air transportation is not 

feasible at this time. Impediments 

include the lack of air industry 

infrastructure for air ambulance brokers 

to enter into subcontracts with 

providers for non-VA initiated 

ambulance transports, as well as the 

general lack of authority of non-VA 

individuals to enter into orders or other 

contractually binding agreements for 

transportation on behalf of VA. 

Air ambulance providers contend that 

the Medicare reimbursement rate that 


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