Airworthiness Directives; Bombardier, Inc. Airplanes

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 79 (Tuesday, April 24, 2012)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 24353-24355]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-9568]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2011-1095; Directorate Identifier 2010-NM-241-AD; 
Amendment 39-17032; AD 2012-08-15]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Bombardier, Inc. Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 
Bombardier, Inc. Model CL-600-2B16 (CL-604 Variant) airplanes. This AD 
was prompted by multiple reports of short circuit events during pre-
delivery inspections and test flights, one of which resulted in smoke 
in the cockpit. This AD requires replacing or relocating of certain 
circuit breaker panel (CBP) bus bars on certain airplanes, inspecting 
for any loose or improperly crimped lugs in certain electrical panel 
locations and replacement if necessary, and inspection for foreign 
object damage in certain areas and removal if necessary. We are issuing 
this AD to prevent arcing, damage to adjacent structure, smoke in the 
cockpit, or loss of system redundancies.

DATES: This AD becomes effective May 29, 2012.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of certain publications listed in this AD as of May 29, 2012.

ADDRESSES: You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov or in person at the U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

    We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR 
part 39 to include an AD that would apply to the specified products. 
That NPRM was published in the Federal Register on October 26, 2011 (76 
FR 66203). That NPRM proposed to correct an unsafe condition for the 
specified products. The MCAI states:

    During pre-delivery inspections and test flights, several short 
circuit events were reported, one of which resulted in smoke in the 
cockpit. There were no in-service incidents.
    Investigations have identified three conditions affecting the 
wiring of Circuit Breaker Panels 1, 2, 3 and 4 (CBP-1, CBP-2, CBP-3, 
and CBP-4) and Junction Boxes 17 and 18 (JB17 and JB18), which would 
lead to short circuiting:
    1. In CBP-1, there may be low clearance between specific bus 
bars and the circuit breaker panel structure.
    2. Some nickel-plated terminal lugs, size number 22-20 with a 
green insulating sleeve, may not have been manufactured to 
applicable standards. These terminal lugs may have been installed in 
CBP-1, CBP-2, CBP-3, CBP-4, JB17 and JB18. This manufacturing defect 
affects the mechanical hold of the wire in the crimped lug barrel.
    3. In JB17, JB18 and the above-mentioned CBPs, foreign object 
debris (FOD) may be found.
    If not corrected, these conditions could result in arcing, 
damage to adjacent structure, smoke in the cockpit, or loss of 
system redundancies.
    This TCCA directive is issued to mandate the replacement or 
relocation of the specific CBP-1 bus bars, the [detailed] 
inspection, and rework if necessary, of any loose or improperly 
crimped lugs in CBP-1, CBP-2, CBP-3, CBP-4, JB17 and JB18, and to 
ensure there is no FOD in the affected areas [via a general visual 
inspection for FOD, and removal if necessary].

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

Comments

    We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD. We considered the comment received.

Request To Change Applicability

    Bombardier, Inc. requested the applicability be revised to remove 
the CL-601-3A and CL-601-3R Variant airplanes, since only the CL-604 
Variant is affected.
    We agree because only the CL-604 Variant is affected. We have 
changed the preamble and paragraph (c) of this final rule to specify 
only the CL-604 Variant.

Conclusion

    We reviewed the available data, including the comment received, and

[[Page 24354]]

determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting the 
AD with the change described previously and minor editorial changes to 
the paragraph identifier format. We determined that these changes will 
not increase the economic burden on any operator or increase the scope 
of the AD.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD will affect 69 products of U.S. registry. 
We also estimate that it will take about 6 work-hours per product to 
comply with the basic requirements of this AD. The average labor rate 
is $85 per work-hour. Required parts will cost about $347 per product. 
Where the service information lists required parts costs that are 
covered under warranty, we have assumed that there will be no charge 
for these parts. As we do not control warranty coverage for affected 
parties, some parties may incur costs higher than estimated here. Based 
on these figures, we estimate the cost of this AD to the U.S. operators 
to be $59,133, or $857 per product.

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 determined that 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. 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 AD and placed it in the AD docket.

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 the NPRM (76 FR 66203, October 26, 
2011), 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.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

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

Adoption of 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

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:

2012-08-15 Bombardier, Inc.: Amendment 39-17032. Docket No. FAA-
2011-1095; Directorate Identifier 2010-NM-241-AD.

(a) Effective Date

    This airworthiness directive (AD) becomes effective May 29, 
2012.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Bombardier, Inc. Model CL-600-2B16 (CL-604 
Variant) airplanes, certificated in any category, serial numbers 
5701 through 5752 inclusive, 5754 through 5775 inclusive, 5777, 5779 
through 5781 inclusive, 5783 through 5790 inclusive, 5792, 5794 
through 5796 inclusive, 5798, 5801, and 5804.

(d) Subject

    Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 24: Electrical 
Power.

(e) Reason

    This AD was prompted by multiple reports of short circuit events 
during pre-delivery inspections and test flights, one of which 
resulted in smoke in the cockpit. We are issuing this AD to prevent 
arcing, damage to adjacent structure, smoke in the cockpit, or loss 
of system redundancies.

(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) Inspections, Bus Bar Actions, and Corrective Actions

    For airplanes having serial numbers 5701 through 5752 inclusive, 
5754 through 5775 inclusive, 5777, 5780 through 5781 inclusive, 5783 
through 5790 inclusive, 5792, 5794 through 5796 inclusive, 5798, 
5801, and 5804: Within 800 flight hours after the effective date of 
this AD, do the actions in paragraphs (g)(1), (g)(2), and (g)(3) of 
this AD, in accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions of 
Bombardier Service Bulletin 605-24-004, dated January 18, 2010.
    (1) Do a detailed inspection in circuit breaker panel (CBP) CBP-
1 for loose lugs and for crimped lugs that have any of the 
conditions specified in step 2.B.(9)(d) of Bombardier Service 
Bulletin 605-24-004, dated January 18, 2010. Before further flight, 
replace all loose lugs and all crimped lugs in CBP-1 that have any 
of the conditions specified in Step 2.B.(9)(d) of Bombardier Service 
Bulletin 605-24-004, dated January 18, 2010.
    (2) Relocate or replace the CBP-1 bus bars as applicable.
    (3) Do a general visual inspection for foreign object damage 
(FOD). If any FOD is found: Before further flight, remove the FOD.

(h) Inspections and Corrective Actions

    For airplanes having serial numbers 5701 through 5752 inclusive, 
5754 through 5756 inclusive, 5758 through 5775 inclusive, 5779, 
5781, 5788, 5789, 5792, 5795, 5798, 5801, and 5804: Within 800 
flight hours after the effective date of this AD, do the actions in 
paragraph (h)(1) and (h)(2) of this AD, in accordance with the 
Accomplishment Instructions of Bombardier Service Bulletin 605-24-
002, dated December 7, 2009.
    (1) Do a detailed inspection for loose lugs and for crimped lugs 
that have any of the conditions specified in step 2.B.(2)(d) of 
Bombardier Service Bulletin 605-24-002, dated December 7, 2009, in 
CBP-2, CBP-3, CBP-4, junction box (JB) JB17, and JB18. Before 
further flight, replace all loose lugs and all crimped lugs that 
have any of the conditions specified in step 2.B.(2)(d) of 
Bombardier Service Bulletin 605-24-002, dated December 7, 2009, in 
CBP-2, CBP-3, CBP-4, JB17, and JB18.
    (2) Do a general visual inspection for FOD. If any FOD is found: 
Before further flight, remove the FOD.

[[Page 24355]]

(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, 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 manager of 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

    Refer to MCAI Canadian Airworthiness Directive CF-2010-25, dated 
August 3, 2010; Bombardier Service Bulletin 605-24-002, dated 
December 7, 2009; and Bombardier Service Bulletin 605-24-004, dated 
January 18, 2010; for related information.

(k) Material Incorporated by Reference

    (1) You must use the following service information to do the 
actions required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise. The 
Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference (IBR) of the following service information under 5 U.S.C. 
552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
    (i) Bombardier Service Bulletin 605-24-002, dated December 7, 
2009.
    (ii) Bombardier Service Bulletin 605-24-004, dated January 18, 
2010.
    (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; phone: 514-855-5000; fax: 514-855-
7401; email: [email protected]; Internet: http://www.bombardier.com.
    (3) You may review copies of the service information at the FAA, 
Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, 
Washington. For information on the availability of this material at 
the FAA, call 425-227-1221.
    (4) You may also review copies of the service information that 
is incorporated by reference at the National Archives and Records 
Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this 
material at an NARA facility, call 202-741-6030, or go to http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on April 13, 2012.
John P. Piccola,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-9568 Filed 4-23-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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