Document ID: FAA-2013-0798-0001
Agency: faa
Document Type: Proposed Rule
Title: Airworthiness Directives: Bombardier, Inc. Airplanes
Posted Date: 2013-09-25T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 186 (Wednesday, September 25, 2013)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 58965-58967]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-23335]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2013-0798; Directorate Identifier 2013-NM-087-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Bombardier, Inc. Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
certain Bombardier, Inc. Model BD-100-1A10 (Challenger 300) airplanes. 
This proposed AD was prompted by multiple reports of erratic electrical 
status indications on the push button annunciators and the engine 
instrument and crew alerting system. Certain of those reported 
incidents resulted in the airplane experiencing a momentary loss of 
electrical power and loss of flight displays. This proposed AD would 
require modification of the direct current power centers. We are 
proposing this AD to prevent loss of electrical power, which could 
result in the loss of flight displays and reduced controllability of 
the airplane.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by November 12, 
2013.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: (202) 493-2251.

[[Page 58966]]

     Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket 
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590.
     Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket 
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    For service information identified in this proposed AD, contact 
Bombardier, Inc., 400 C[ocirc]te-Vertu Road West, Dorval, Qu[eacute]bec 
H4S 1Y9, Canada; telephone 514-855-5000; fax 514-855-7401; email 
thd.crj@aero.bombardier.com; Internet http://www.bombardier.com. You 
may review copies of the referenced service information at the FAA, 
Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA. For 
information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 425-
227-1221.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov; or in person at the Docket Operations office 
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. The AD docket contains this proposed AD, the MCAI, the 
regulatory evaluation, any comments received, and other information. 
The street address for the Docket Operations office (telephone (800) 
647-5527) is in the ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in 
the AD docket shortly after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Assata Dessaline, Aerospace Engineer, 
Avionics and Service Branch, ANE-172, FAA, New York Aircraft 
Certification Office, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, New 
York 11590; telephone (516) 228-7301; fax (516) 794-5531.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited

    We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments about this proposed AD. Send your comments to an address 
listed under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2013-0798; 
Directorate Identifier 2013-NM-087-AD'' at the beginning of your 
comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, 
economic, environmental, and energy aspects of this proposed AD. We 
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend 
this proposed AD based on those comments.
    We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. We 
will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact we 
receive about this proposed AD.

Discussion

    Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA), which is the aviation 
authority for Canada, has issued Canadian Airworthiness Directive CF-
2013-05, dated February 22, 2012 (referred to after this as the 
Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information, or ``the MCAI''), to 
correct an unsafe condition for the specified products. The MCAI 
states:

    There have been multiple in-service reports of erratic 
electrical status indications on the Push Button Annunciators (PBA) 
and the Engine Instrument & Crew Alerting System (EICAS) while on-
ground and during flight. Three of those reported incidents resulted 
in the aeroplane experiencing momentary loss of electrical power and 
loss of flight displays.
    The investigation revealed that improper insertion of a Printed 
Circuit Board (PCB) in a Direct Current Power Center (DCPC) may lead 
to erroneous electrical status indications on the PBAs and EICAS. 
The erroneous indications could mislead the pilots into turning off 
active generators and leading to partial or complete loss of 
electrical power. Loss of electrical power could result in the loss 
of flight displays and reduced controllability of the aeroplane.
    Further investigation determined that the design of the existing 
DCPC covers does not ensure that the PCBs will remain inserted into 
the motherboard of the DCPC.
    This [TCCA] AD mandates the modification of each DCPC to ensure 
that properly closed covers will retain the PCBs within the 
motherboards.

You may obtain further information by examining the MCAI in the AD 
docket.

Relevant Service Information

    Bombardier, Inc. has issued Bombardier Service Bulletin 100-24-23, 
dated November 26, 2012.
    Zodiac Services has issued the following service bulletins.
     Zodiac Services Service Bulletin 320GC03Y-24-012, Revision 
3, dated December 15, 2012.
     Zodiac Services Service Bulletin 970GC02Y-24-013, Revision 
3, dated December 15, 2012.
     Zodiac Services Service Bulletin 975GC02Y-24-013, Revision 
3, dated December 15, 2012.
    The actions described in this service information are intended to 
correct the unsafe condition identified in the MCAI.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of This Proposed AD

    This product has been approved by the aviation authority of another 
country, and is approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant 
to our bilateral agreement with the State of Design Authority, we have 
been notified of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI and service 
information referenced above. We are proposing this AD because we 
evaluated all pertinent information and determined an unsafe condition 
exists and is likely to exist or develop on other products of the same 
type design.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this proposed AD affects 92 airplanes of U.S. 
registry.
    We estimate the following costs to comply with this proposed AD:

                                                 Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                 Cost on U.S.
             Action                    Labor cost         Parts cost      Cost per product        operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Modification....................  7 work-hours x $85           $1,568   $2,163 per           $198,996 per
                                   per hour = $595                       modification.        inspection cycle.
                                   per modification.
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    According to the manufacturer, some of the costs of this proposed 
AD may be covered under warranty, thereby reducing the cost impact on 
affected individuals. We do not control warranty coverage for affected 
individuals. As a result, we have included all costs in our cost 
estimate.

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.
    We are issuing this rulemaking under the authority described in 
``Subtitle VII,

[[Page 58967]]

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

    We determined that this proposed AD would not have federalism 
implications under Executive Order 13132. This proposed AD would 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 this proposed 
regulation:
    1. Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive Order 
12866;
    2. Is not a ``significant rule'' under the DOT Regulatory Policies 
and Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979);
    3. Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska; and
    4. 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.
    We prepared a regulatory evaluation of the estimated costs to 
comply with this proposed AD and placed it in the AD docket.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

    Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by 
reference, Safety.

The Proposed Amendment

    Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the 
Administrator, the FAA proposes to amend 14 CFR part 39 as follows:

PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

0
1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:

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

Sec.  39.13  [Amended]

0
2. The FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by adding the following new AD:

Bombardier, Inc.: Docket No. FAA-2013-0798; Directorate Identifier 
2013-NM-087-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

    We must receive comments by November 12, 2013.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Bombardier, Inc. Model BD-100-1A10 
(Challenger 300) airplanes, certificated in any category, serial 
numbers 20003 and subsequent.

(d) Subject

    Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 24, Electrical 
power.

(e) Reason

    This AD was prompted by multiple reports of erratic electrical 
status indications on the push button annunciators and the engine 
instrument and crew alerting system. Certain of those reported 
incidents resulted in the airplane experiencing a momentary loss of 
electrical power and loss of flight displays. We are issuing this AD 
to prevent loss of electrical power, which could result in the loss 
of flight displays and reduced controllability of the airplane.

(f) Compliance

    You are responsible for having the actions required by this AD 
performed within the compliance times specified, unless the actions 
have already been done.

(g) Direct Current Power Centers (DCPC) Modification

    For airplanes having serial numbers 20003 through 20405 
inclusive: Within 800 flight hours after the effective date of this 
AD or within 24 months after the effective date of this AD, 
whichever occurs first, modify the left-hand DCPC, right-hand DCPC, 
and auxiliary DCPC, in accordance with the Accomplishment 
Instructions of Bombardier Service Bulletin 100-24-23, dated 
November 26, 2012.

(h) Parts Installation Limitation

    As of the effective date of this AD, no person may install a 
DCPC having a part number specified in paragraph (h)(1) through 
(h)(9) of this AD on any airplane, unless the DCPC serial number has 
a suffix ``R'' beside the serial number.

(1) 970GC02Y04
(2) 970GC02Y05
(3) 970GC02Y06
(4) 975GC02Y04
(5) 975GC02Y05
(6) 975GC02Y06
(7) 320GC03Y04
(8) 320GC03Y05
(9) 320GC03Y06

(i) Other FAA AD Provisions

    The following provisions also apply to this AD:
    (1) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs): The Manager, New 
York Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), ANE-170, 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 local Flight 
Standards District Office, as appropriate. If sending information 
directly to the ACO, send it to ATTN: Program Manager, Continuing 
Operational Safety, FAA, New York ACO, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 
410, Westbury, New York 11590; telephone 516-228-7300; fax 516-794-
5531. Before using any approved AMOC, notify your appropriate 
principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the manager 
of the local flight standards district office/certificate holding 
district office. The AMOC approval letter must specifically 
reference this AD.
    (2) Airworthy Product: For any requirement in this AD to obtain 
corrective actions from a manufacturer or other source, use these 
actions if they are FAA-approved. Corrective actions are considered 
FAA-approved if they are approved by the State of Design Authority 
(or their delegated agent). You are required to assure the product 
is airworthy before it is returned to service.

(j) Related Information

    (1) Refer to Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information 
(MCAI) Canadian Airworthiness Directive CF-2013-05, dated February 
22, 2012, for related information, which can be found in the AD 
docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov.
    (2) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Bombardier, Inc., 400 C[ocirc]te-Vertu Road West, Dorval, 
Qu[eacute]bec H4S 1Y9, Canada; telephone 514-855-5000; fax 514-855-
7401; email thd.crj@aero.bombardier.com; Internet http://www.bombardier.com. You may review copies of the referenced service 
information at the FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind 
Avenue SW., Renton, WA. For information on the availability of this 
material at the FAA, call 425-227-1221.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on September 17, 2013.
Ross Landes,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-23335 Filed 9-24-13; 8:45 am]
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