Airworthiness Directives; Bombardier, Inc., Airplanes

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 202 (Thursday, October 18, 2018)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 52754-52756]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-22148]





[[Page 52754]]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION



Federal Aviation Administration



14 CFR Part 39



[Docket No. FAA-2018-0586; Product Identifier 2017-NM-151-AD; Amendment 

39-19445; AD 2018-20-11]

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 DHC-8-300 series airplanes. This AD was 

prompted by reports indicating that a certain emergency exit door could 

not be opened during maintenance. This AD requires a detailed 

inspection of the ball bearings of an emergency exit, replacement of 

bearings if necessary, application of corrosion inhibiting compound 

(CIC), and revision of the maintenance or inspection program, as 

applicable. We are issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on 

these products.



DATES: This AD is effective November 23, 2018.

    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 

reference of certain publications listed in this AD as of November 23, 

2018.



ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this final rule, 

contact Bombardier, Inc., Q-Series Technical Help Desk, 123 Garratt 

Boulevard, Toronto, Ontario M3K 1Y5, Canada; telephone 416-375-4000; 

fax 416-375-4539; email [email protected]; internet 

http://www.bombardier.com. You may view this service information at the 

FAA, Transport Standards 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 on the internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2018-

0586.



Examining the AD Docket



    You may examine the AD docket on the internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2018-

0586; 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 regulatory evaluation, any comments received, and 

other information. The address for Docket Operations (phone: 800-647-

5527) 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.



FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Darren Gassetto, Aerospace Engineer, 

Airframe and Propulsion Section, FAA, New York ACO Branch, 1600 Stewart 

Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; telephone 516-228-7323; fax 516-

794-5531; email [email protected].



SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 



Discussion



    We 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 DHC-8-300 series airplanes. The NPRM published in the Federal 

Register on July 6, 2018 (83 FR 31496). The NPRM was prompted by 

reports indicating that a certain emergency exit door could not be 

opened during maintenance. The NPRM proposed to require a detailed 

inspection of the ball bearings of an emergency exit, replacement of 

bearings if necessary, application of CIC, and revision of the 

maintenance or inspection program, as applicable.

    We are issuing this AD to address corrosion of the emergency exit 

door ball bearings, which could result in the inability to open the 

emergency exit door during an emergency evacuation and consequently 

impede airplane egress.

    Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA), which is the aviation 

authority for Canada, has issued Canadian Airworthiness Directive CF-

2017-30, dated August 30, 2017 (referred to after this as the Mandatory 

Continuing Airworthiness Information, or ``the MCAI''), to correct an 

unsafe condition for certain Bombardier, Inc., Model DHC-8-300 series 

airplanes. The MCAI states:



    An operator has reported the inability to open the Forward Right 

Hand Type I emergency exit door with either the internal or external 

handle during maintenance. Investigation has determined that the 

handle was found to be jammed due to corroded center and lower shaft 

ball bearings. Condensation has been found to be the root cause of 

the Forward Right Hand Type I emergency exit door hardware 

corrosion. Other Forward Right Hand Type I emergency exit door ball 

bearings are also susceptible to corrosion. Inability to open the 

Forward Right Hand Type I emergency exit door during an emergency 

evacuation may impede aircraft egress.

    This [Canadian] AD mandates the inspection for corrosion and 

replacement, as required, of all Forward Right Hand Type I emergency 

exit door ball bearings, and the application of corrosion inhibiting 

compound (CIC), to ensure that the Forward Right Hand Type I 

emergency exit door can be opened when required.



    You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket on the internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2018-

0586.



Comments



    We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing 

this final rule. We have considered the comment received. The Air Line 

Pilots Association, International (ALPA) indicated its support for the 

NPRM.



Conclusion



    We reviewed the relevant data, considered the comment received, and 

determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting 

this final rule as proposed, except for minor editorial changes. We 

have determined that these minor changes:

    <bullet> Are consistent with the intent that was proposed in the 

NPRM for addressing the unsafe condition; and

    <bullet> Do not add any additional burden upon the public than was 

already proposed in the NPRM.



Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51



    Bombardier has issued the following service information:

    <bullet> Service Bulletin 8-52-65, dated July 26, 2017, which 

describes procedures for a detailed inspection of the forward right-

hand type I emergency exit door ball bearings for corrosion, seal 

damage, and loss of lubricant; applying CIC; and replacing emergency 

exit door ball bearings if necessary.

    <bullet> de Havilland Inc. Dash 8 Series 300 MaintenanceTask Card 

Task Number 5220/12 (``Servicing of Forward RH Emergency Exit 

Mechanisms''), dated March 15, 2017, which describes procedures for 

servicing the forward right-hand emergency exit door mechanisms.

    <bullet> Temporary Revision (TR) 54-042, dated April 10, 2018, to 

the DHC-8-300 Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM), which describes 

procedures for servicing the type I emergency exit door mechanisms.

    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.



[[Page 52755]]



Costs of Compliance



    We estimate that this AD affects 16 airplanes of U.S. registry.

    We estimate the following costs to comply with this AD:



                                      Estimated Costs for Required Actions

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                                                    Cost per       Cost on U.S.

                          Labor cost                              Parts cost        product         operators

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3 work-hours x $85 per hour = $255...........................              $0             $255           $4,080

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



    We have determined that revising the maintenance or inspection 

program takes an average of 90 work-hours per operator, although we 

recognize that this number may vary from operator to operator. In the 

past, we have estimated that this action takes 1 work-hour per 

airplane. Since operators incorporate maintenance or inspection program 

changes for their affected fleet(s), we have determined that a per-

operator estimate is more accurate than a per-airplane estimate. 

Therefore, we estimate the total cost per operator to be $7,650 (90 

work-hours x $85 per work-hour).

    We estimate the following costs to do any necessary on-condition 

actions that would be required based on the results of any required 

actions. We have no way of determining the number of aircraft that 

might need these on-condition actions:



                 Estimated Costs of On-Condition Actions

------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                             Cost per

              Labor cost                   Parts cost        product

------------------------------------------------------------------------

6 work-hours x $85 per hour = $510....            $586           $1,096

------------------------------------------------------------------------



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.

    This AD is issued in accordance with authority delegated by the 

Executive Director, Aircraft Certification Service, as authorized by 

FAA Order 8000.51C. In accordance with that order, issuance of ADs is 

normally a function of the Compliance and Airworthiness Division, but 

during this transition period, the Executive Director has delegated the 

authority to issue ADs applicable to transport category airplanes and 

associated appliances to the Director of the System Oversight Division.



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) 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.



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 airworthiness 

directive (AD):



2018-20-11 Bombardier, Inc.: Amendment 39-19445; Docket No. FAA-

2018-0586; Product Identifier 2017-NM-151-AD.



(a) Effective Date



    This AD is effective November 23, 2018.



(b) Affected ADs



    None.



(c) Applicability



    This AD applies to Bombardier, Inc., Model DHC-8-301, -311, and 

-315 airplanes, certificated in any category, serial numbers 100 

through 672 inclusive.



(d) Subject



    Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 52, Doors.



(e) Reason



    This AD was prompted by reports indicating that the forward 

right-hand type I emergency exit door could not be opened during 

maintenance. An investigation determined that the exit door handle 

was jammed due to corroded center and lower shaft ball bearings. We 

are issuing this AD to address corrosion of the emergency exit door 

ball bearings, which could result in the inability to open the 

emergency exit door



[[Page 52756]]



during an emergency evacuation and consequently impede airplane 

egress.



(f) Compliance



    Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified, 

unless already done.



(g) Revision of Maintenance or Inspection Program



    Within 60 days after the effective date of this AD: Revise the 

maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate de 

Havilland Inc. Dash 8 Series 300 Maintenance Task Card Task Number 

5220/12 (``Servicing of Forward RH Emergency Exit Mechanisms''), 

dated March 15, 2017; and Temporary Revision 54-042, dated April 10, 

2018, to the DHC-8-300 Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM). The 

initial compliance time for doing the task is at the time specified 

in de Havilland Inc. Dash 8 Series 300 Maintenance Task Card Task 

Number 5220/12 (``Servicing of Forward RH Emergency Exit 

Mechanisms''), dated March 15, 2017, or within 60 days after the 

effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later.



(h) Inspection and Replacement



    Within 5,000 flight hours or 36 months, whichever occurs first, 

after the effective date of this AD: Do a detailed inspection of all 

ball bearings of the forward right-hand type I emergency exit for 

corrosion, seal damage, and loss of lubricant; replace bearings as 

applicable; and apply corrosion inhibiting compound (CIC); in 

accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions of Bombardier 

Service Bulletin 8-52-65, dated July 26, 2017. Do all applicable 

replacements before further flight.



(i) No Alternative Actions or Intervals



    After the maintenance or inspection program has been revised as 

required by paragraph (g) of this AD, no alternative actions (e.g., 

inspections) or intervals may be used unless the actions and 

intervals are approved as an alternative method of compliance (AMOC) 

in accordance with the procedures specified in paragraph (j)(1) of 

this AD.



(j) Other FAA AD Provisions



    The following provisions also apply to this AD:

    (1) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs): The Manager, New 

York ACO 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 local Flight Standards District Office, as appropriate. 

If sending information directly to the manager of the certification 

office, send it to ATTN: Program Manager, Continuing Operational 

Safety, FAA, New York ACO Branch, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, 

Westbury, NY 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.

    (2) Contacting the Manufacturer: For any requirement in this AD 

to obtain corrective actions from a manufacturer, the action must be 

accomplished using a method approved by the Manager, New York ACO 

Branch, FAA; or Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA); or 

Bombardier, Inc.'s TCCA Design Approval Organization (DAO). If 

approved by the DAO, the approval must include the DAO-authorized 

signature.



(k) Related Information



    (1) Refer to Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information 

(MCAI) Canadian Airworthiness Directive CF-2017-30, dated August 30, 

2017, for related information. This MCAI may be found in the AD 

docket on the internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching 

for and locating Docket No. FAA-2018-0586.

    (2) For more information about this AD, contact Darren Gassetto, 

Aerospace Engineer, Airframe and Propulsion Section, FAA, New York 

ACO Branch, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; 

telephone 516-228-7323; fax 516-794-5531; email [email protected].



(l) Material Incorporated by Reference



    (1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the 

incorporation by reference (IBR) of the service information listed 

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

    (2) You must use this service information as applicable to do 

the actions required by this AD, unless this AD specifies otherwise.

    (i) Bombardier Service Bulletin 8-52-65, dated July 26, 2017.

    (ii) de Havilland Inc. Dash 8 Series 300 Maintenance Task Card 

Task Number 5220/12 (``Servicing of Forward RH Emergency Exit 

Mechanisms''), dated March 15, 2017.

    (iii) Temporary Revision (TR) 54-042, dated April 10, 2018, to 

the DHC-8-300 Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM).

    (3) For service information identified in this AD, contact 

Bombardier, Inc., Q-Series Technical Help Desk, 123 Garratt 

Boulevard, Toronto, Ontario M3K 1Y5, Canada; telephone 416-375-4000; 

fax 416-375-4539; email [email protected]; internet 

http://www.bombardier.com.

    (4) You may view this service information at the FAA, Transport 

Standards 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 service information that is incorporated 

by reference at the National Archives and Records Administration 

(NARA). For information on the availability of this material at 

NARA, call 202-741-6030, or go to: http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.



    Issued in Des Moines, Washington, on September 20, 2018.

John P. Piccola,

Acting Director, System Oversight Division, Aircraft Certification 

Service.

[FR Doc. 2018-22148 Filed 10-17-18; 8:45 am]

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