Airworthiness directives: Bombardier,
[Federal Register: February 17, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 33)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 8547-8549]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr17fe06-23]
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
[Docket No. FAA-2006-23936; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-215-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Bombardier Model CL-600-2B19 (Regional Jet Series 100 and 440) Airplanes
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier Model CL-600-2B19 (Regional Jet Series 100 & 440) airplanes. This proposed AD would require an inspection of the manufacturer's date code on certain electrical relays to identify defective Leach TDH-series electrical relays and replacement of identified relays. This proposed AD results from a report of defective electrical relays affecting emergency equipment. We are proposing this AD to prevent the malfunction of emergency equipment (the passenger oxygen system, the thrust reverse control system, and the auxiliary power unit fire detection, warning, and extinguishing system) during an emergency.
DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by March 20, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Use one of the following addresses to submit comments on this proposed AD.
DOT Docket Web site: Go to http://dms.dot.gov and follow
the instructions for sending your comments electronically.
Government-wide rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the instructions for sending your
comments electronically.
Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, room PL-401, Washington, DC 20590.
Fax: (202) 493-2251.
Hand Delivery: Room PL-401 on the plaza level of the Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
Contact Bombardier, Inc., Canadair, Aerospace Group, P.O. Box 6087, Station Centre-ville, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3G9, Canada, for service information identified in this proposed AD.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wing Chan, Aerospace Engineer, Systems and Flight Test Branch, ANE-172, FAA, New York Aircraft Certification Office, 1600 Stewart Avenue, suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; telephone (516) 228-7311; fax (516) 794-5531.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
We invite you to submit any relevant written data, views, or arguments regarding this proposed AD. Send your comments to an address listed in the ADDRESSES section. Include the docket number ``FAA-2006- 23936; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-215-AD'' at the beginning of your comments. We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the proposed AD. We will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend the proposed AD in light of those comments.
We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://dms.dot.gov , including any personal information you provide. We will
also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact with FAA personnel concerning this proposed AD. Using the search function of that Web site, anyone can find and read the comments in any of our dockets, including the name of the individual who sent the comment (or signed the comment on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review the DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78), or you may visit http://dms.dot.gov.
Examining the Docket
You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov , or in person at the Docket Management Facility office
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The Docket Management Facility office (telephone (800) 647- 5227) is located on the plaza level of the Nassif Building at the DOT street address stated in the ADDRESSES section. Comments will be available in the AD docket shortly after the Docket Management System receives them.
[[Page 8548]]
Discussion
Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA), which is the airworthiness authority for Canada, notified us that an unsafe condition may exist on certain Bombardier Model CL-600-2B19 (Regional Jet Series 100 & 440) airplanes. TCCA advises that Leach International, a manufacturer of electrical relays, has reported a manufacturing defect in a batch of its TDH-series electrical relays installed on the subject airplanes. The material in the time delay module of these relays can crack at temperatures higher than 140 degrees Fahrenheit. If there is a crack in the time delay module, the relay coil will break and the relay will not operate. The systems affected by these relays include the passenger oxygen system, the thrust reverse control system, and the auxiliary power unit (APU) fire detection, warning, and extinguishing system. No in-service problems caused by these relays have been reported to date. However, this condition, if not corrected, could result in the malfunction of emergency equipment (the passenger oxygen system, the thrust reverse control system, and the APU fire detection, warning, and extinguishing system) during an emergency.
Relevant Service Information
Bombardier has issued Service Bulletin 601R-24-118, Revision A, dated August 8, 2005. The service bulletin describes procedures for inspecting the manufacturer's date code on certain electrical relays to identify defective Leach TDH-series relays and replacement of those relays with serviceable relays, as identified in the service bulletin. The subject relays are the K4WQ, K5WQ, K3QA, K4QA, K4WG, K1CN, and K2CN relays. TCCA mandated the service information and issued Canadian airworthiness directive CF-2005-35, dated September 1, 2005, to ensure the continued airworthiness of these airplanes in Canada.
FAA's Determination and Requirements of the Proposed AD
This airplane model is manufactured in Canada and is type certificated for operation in the United States under the provisions of section 21.29 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR 21.29) and the applicable bilateral airworthiness agreement. Pursuant to this bilateral airworthiness agreement, TCCA has kept the FAA informed of the situation described above. We have examined TCCA's findings, evaluated all pertinent information, and determined that we need to issue an AD for airplanes of this type design that are certificated for operation in the United States.
Therefore, we are proposing this AD, which would require accomplishing the actions specified in the service information described previously.
Costs of Compliance
The following table provides the estimated costs for U.S. operators to comply with this proposed AD.
Estimated Costs
Number of U.S.- Action
Work hours Average labor Cost per airplane registered
Fleet cost rate per hour
airplanes
Inspection of Part A relays..............................
6
$65
$390
753
$293,670 Inspection of Part B relays..............................
6
65
390
753
293,670 Inspection of Part C relays..............................
2
65
130
753
97,890 Inspection of Part D relays..............................
6
65
390
753
293,670 Inspection of Part E relays..............................
6
65
390
753
293,670
Total for inspection of all relays...................
26
65
$1,690
753
1,272,570
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, 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 have 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 that the proposed regulation:
-
Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive Order 12866;
-
Is not a ``significant rule'' under the DOT Regulatory Policies and Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979); and
-
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. See the ADDRESSES section for a location to examine the regulatory evaluation.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, 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
-
The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.
Sec. 39.13 [Amended]
-
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) amends Sec. 39.13 by adding the following new airworthiness directive (AD):
[[Page 8549]]
Bombardier, Inc. (Formerly Canadair): Docket No. FAA-2006-23936; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-215-AD.
Comments Due Date
(a) The FAA must receive comments on this AD action by March 20, 2006.
Affected ADs
(b) None.
Applicability
(c) This AD applies to Bombardier Model CL-600-2B19 (Regional Jet Series 100 & 440) airplanes, certificated in any category, serial numbers (S/N) 7003 and subsequent.
Unsafe Condition
(d) This AD results from a report of defective electrical relays affecting emergency equipment. We are issuing this AD to prevent the malfunction of emergency equipment (the passenger oxygen system, the thrust reverse control system, and the auxiliary power unit (APU) fire detection, warning, and extinguishing system) during an emergency.
Compliance
(e) You are responsible for having the actions required by this AD performed within the compliance times specified, unless the actions have already been done.
Service Bulletin References
(f) The term ``service bulletin,'' as used in this AD, means the Accomplishment Instructions of Parts A through E of Bombardier Service Bulletin 601R-24-118, Revision A, dated August 8, 2005.
Relay Inspection
(g) Within 5,500 flight hours or 36 months after the effective date of this AD, whichever is first: Do an inspection of the manufacturer's date code on the K4WQ, K5WQ, K3QA, K4QA, K4WG, K1CN, and K2CN electrical relays, in accordance with the service bulletin, except as provided by paragraph (h) of this AD.
Alternative To Relay Inspection for Certain Airplanes
(h) For airplanes having S/Ns 7003 through 7363 inclusive, and 7889 and subsequent, which were not manufactured with the subject Leach TDH-series relays installed: A review of the airplane maintenance records is acceptable in lieu of the inspection of the manufacturer's date code on the K4WQ, K5WQ, K3QA, K4QA, K4WG, K1CN, and K2CN electrical relays, if the manufacturer's date code can be conclusively determined from that review.
Replacement of Identified Relays
(i) Prior to further flight: Replace any electrical relay having a manufacturer's date code specified in paragraph 1.A., ``Effectivity,'' of the service bulletin that is identified during the inspection or maintenance records review specified in paragraph (g) or (h) of this AD with a serviceable relay, in accordance with the service bulletin.
Inspections and Replacements According to Previous Issue of Service Bulletin
(j) Inspecting and replacing the subject electrical relays is also acceptable for compliance with the requirements of paragraphs (g) and (i) of this AD, as applicable, if done before the effective date of this AD in accordance with Accomplishment Instructions of Parts A through E of Bombardier Service Bulletin 601R-24-118, dated January 3, 2005.
Parts Installation
(k) As of the effective date of this AD, no person may install a Leach TDH-series K4WQ, K5WQ, K3QA, K4QA, K4WG, K1CN, or K2CN relay with a manufacturer's date code specified in paragraph 1.A., ``Effectivity,'' of the service bulletin on any airplane.
Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)
(I)(1) The Manager, New York Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested in accordance with the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19.
(2) Before using any AMOC approved in accordance with Sec. 39.19 on any airplane to which the AMOC applies, notify the appropriate principal inspector in the FAA Flight Standards Certificate Holding District Office.
Related Information
(m) Canadian airworthiness directive CF-2005-35, dated September 1, 2005, also addresses the subject of this AD.
Issued in Renton, Washington, on February 9, 2006. Kalene C. Yanamura, Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. [FR Doc. E6-2319 Filed 2-16-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
