Airworthiness Directives; Bombardier Model DHC-8-400 Series Airplanes

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 101 (Friday, May 25, 2007)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 29239-29241]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-10035]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2007-27016; Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-176-AD; 
Amendment 39-15066; AD 2007-11-09]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Bombardier Model DHC-8-400 Series 
Airplanes

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

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive 
(AD), which applies to certain Bombardier Model DHC-8-400 series 
airplanes. That AD currently requires inspecting the electrical 
connectors of the fire bottles for the forward and aft baggage 
compartments and for the auxiliary power unit (APU) and engine nacelles 
to determine if they are connected correctly, and doing related 
investigative and corrective actions if necessary. This new AD adds a 
requirement to install/modify lanyards, mounts, and clamps to the 
forward and aft baggage compartment, APU, and engine nacelle fire 
extinguishing systems. This new AD also requires revising the aircraft 
maintenance manual to incorporate installation and removal procedures 
for certain fire bottles and fire extinguisher cartridges. This new AD 
also adds two airplanes to the applicability. This AD results from 
reports of the electrical connectors for the fire bottles in the 
forward and aft baggage compartments, APU, and engine nacelle being 
cross-connected. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct cross-
connection of the fire bottles and to prevent cross-connection, which 
could result in failure of the fire bottles to discharge and consequent 
inability to extinguish a fire in the affected areas.

DATES: This AD becomes effective June 29, 2007.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of certain publications listed in the AD as of June 29, 2007.
    On July 5, 2005 (70 FR 35172, June 17, 2005), the Director of the 
Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of Bombardier 
Alert Service Bulletin A84-26-06, dated May 12, 2005.

ADDRESSES: You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov or in person at the Docket Management Facility, U.S. 
Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, 
Room PL-401, Washington, DC.
    Contact Bombardier, Inc., Bombardier Regional Aircraft Division, 
123 Garratt Boulevard, Downsview, Ontario M3K 1Y5, Canada, for service 
information identified in this AD.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ezra Sasson, Aerospace Engineer, 
Systems and Flight Test Branch, ANE-172, FAA, New York Aircraft 
Certification Office, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, New 
York 11590; telephone (516) 228-7320; fax (516) 794-5531.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Examining the Docket

    You may examine the airworthiness directive (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 street address stated in the ADDRESSES section.

Discussion

    The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 
CFR part 39 to include an AD that supersedes AD 2005-12-17, amendment 
39-14133 (70 FR 35172, June 17, 2005). The existing AD applies to 
certain Bombardier Model DHC-8-400 series airplanes. That NPRM was 
published in the Federal Register on January 26, 2007 (72 FR 3756). 
That NPRM proposed to require inspecting the electrical connectors of 
the fire bottles for the forward and aft baggage compartments and for 
the auxiliary power unit (APU) and engine nacelles to determine if they 
are connected correctly; and doing related investigative and corrective 
actions, if necessary. That NPRM proposed to add a requirement to 
install/modify lanyards, mounts, and clamps to the forward and aft 
baggage compartment, APU, and engine nacelle fire extinguishing 
systems. That NPRM also proposed to require installation and removal 
procedures for certain fire bottles and fire extinguisher cartridges. 
That NPRM also proposed to add two airplanes to the applicability.

Comments

    We provided the public the opportunity to participate in the 
development of this AD. No comments have been received on the NPRM or 
on the determination of the cost to the public.

Change to Installation and Removal Requirement

    We have revised the requirement specified in paragraph (h) of the 
NPRM. Paragraph (h) of the NPRM specifies to do certain installations 
and removals of the fire bottles and cartridges in accordance with a 
method approved by the FAA or Transport Canada Civil Aviation (or its 
delegated agent). Paragraph (h) of the NPRM also specifies that 
Bombardier Dash 8 Series 400 Aircraft Maintenance Manual, Product 
Support Manual (PSM) 1-84-2, Revision 22, dated June 5, 2006, is one 
approved method.
    We have determined that operators need to only revise the FAA-
approved maintenance program to incorporate the information for those 
installations and removals of the fire bottles and cartridges specified 
in Bombardier Dash 8 Series 400 Aircraft Maintenance Manual, Product 
Support Manual (PSM) 1-84-2, Revision 22, dated June 5, 2006. This will 
place less of a burden on operators because operators will not need to 
make a maintenance log entry to show compliance every time one of the 
installations or removals is done. We have revised paragraph (h) of 
this AD accordingly.

Clarification of Alternative Method of Compliance (AMOC) Paragraph

    We have revised this action to clarify the appropriate procedure 
for notifying the principal inspector before using any approved AMOC on 
any airplane to which the AMOC applies.

Conclusion

    We have carefully reviewed the available data and determined that 
air safety and the public interest require adopting the AD with the 
changes described previously. We have determined that these changes 
will neither increase the economic burden on any operator nor increase 
the scope of the AD.

Costs of Compliance

    The following table provides the estimated costs for U.S. operators 
to comply with this AD.

[[Page 29240]]



                                                                     Estimated Costs
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                                                                                                               Number of U.S.-
               Action                   Work hours     Average labor           Parts              Cost per       registered            Fleet cost
                                                       rate per hour                              airplane        airplanes
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Inspection (required by AD 2005-12-                2             $80  $0.....................            $160              19  $3,040.
 17).
Modification (new action)...........               4              80  Up to $200.............             520              21  Up to $10,920.
Revision............................               1              80  0......................              80              19  $1,520.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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 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 DOT Regulatory Policies and 
Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979); 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.
    We prepared a regulatory evaluation of the estimated costs to 
comply with this 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, Incorporation by 
reference, Safety.

Adoption of the Amendment

0
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 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) amends Sec.  39.13 by 
removing amendment 39-14133 (70 FR 35172, June 17, 2005) and by adding 
the following new airworthiness directive (AD):

2007-11-09 Bombardier, Inc. (Formerly de Havilland, Inc.): Amendment 
39-15066. Docket No. FAA-2007-27016; Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-
176-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This AD becomes effective June 29, 2007.

Affected ADs

    (b) This AD supersedes AD 2005-12-17.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to Bombardier Model DHC-8-400 series 
airplanes, certificated in any category; serial numbers (S/Ns) 4001 
through 4107 inclusive.

Unsafe Condition

    (d) This AD results from reports of the electrical connectors 
for the fire bottles in the forward and aft baggage compartments, 
auxiliary power unit (APU), and engine nacelle being cross-
connected. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct cross-
connection of the fire bottles and to prevent cross-connection, 
which could result in failure of the fire bottles to discharge and 
consequent inability to extinguish a fire in the affected areas.

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.

Restatement of Requirements of AD 2005-12-17

Inspection and Corrective Action

    (f) For airplanes having S/Ns 4001 through 4105 inclusive: 
Within 14 days after July 5, 2005 (the effective date of AD 2005-12-
17), inspect the electrical connectors of the fire bottles for the 
forward and aft baggage compartments and for the APU and engine 
nacelles to determine if they are connected correctly; and, before 
further flight, do the related investigative and corrective actions, 
as applicable; by doing all of the applicable actions specified in 
the Accomplishment Instructions of Bombardier Alert Service Bulletin 
A84-26-06, dated May 12, 2005; or Revision `A,' dated June 6, 2005. 
Although the service bulletins specify to submit certain information 
to the manufacturer, this AD does not include that requirement.

New Requirements of This AD

Installation/Modification

    (g) For all airplanes: Within 5,000 flight hours after the 
effective date of this AD, install/modify lanyards, mounts, and 
clamps to the forward and aft baggage compartment, APU, and engine 
nacelle fire extinguishing systems by doing all the actions 
specified in the Accomplishment Instructions of Bombardier Service 
Bulletin 84-26-07, Revision `B,' dated November 1, 2006.

Revision of Aircraft Maintenance Manual

    (h) For airplanes having S/Ns 4001 through 4105 inclusive: 
Within 30 days after the effective date of this AD, incorporate the 
information in the page blocks of Bombardier Dash 8 Series 400 
Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM), Product Support Manual (PSM) 1-
84-2, Revision 22, dated June 5, 2006, specified in paragraphs 
(h)(1), (h)(2), (h)(3), (h)(4), (h)(5), (h)(6), and (h)(7) of this 
AD, into the FAA-approved maintenance program to specify an 
installation and removal of nacelle fire bottles, an installation of 
aft high-rate fire bottles, an installation of forward high-rate 
fire bottles, an installation and removal of low-rate fire bottles, 
an installation of APU fire bottles, an installation and removal of 
low-rate fire extinguisher cartridges, and an installation and 
removal of nacelle fire extinguisher cartridges, in accordance with 
a method approved by either the Manager, New York Aircraft 
Certification Office (ACO), FAA; or Transport Canada Civil Aviation 
(or its delegated agent). The page blocks of the Bombardier Dash 8 
Series 400 AMM specified in paragraphs (h)(1), (h)(2), (h)(3), 
(h)(4), (h)(5), (h)(6), and (h)(7) of this AD, are one approved 
method for the actions required by this paragraph.
    (1) Chapter 26-21-01, Page Block 401, dated December 5, 2005.
    (2) Chapter 26-21-06, Page Block 401, dated December 5, 2005.
    (3) Chapter 26-22-02, Page Block 401, dated December 5, 2005.

[[Page 29241]]

    (4) Chapter 26-22-03, Page Block 401, dated December 5, 2005.
    (5) Chapter 26-22-11, Page Block 401, dated December 5, 2005.
    (6) Chapter 26-22-16, Page Block 401, dated December 5, 2005.
    (7) Chapter 26-23-01, Page Block 401, dated December 5, 2005.

Actions Accomplished According to Previous Issue of Service Bulletin

    (i) Actions accomplished before the effective date of this AD in 
accordance with Bombardier Service Bulletin 84-26-07, dated June 15, 
2005; and Revision `A,' dated February 21, 2006; are considered 
acceptable for compliance with the corresponding action specified in 
paragraph (g) of this AD, provided the intended restriction of the 
connectors was done as specified in Bombardier Service Bulletin 84-
26-07, Revision `B,' dated November 1, 2006.

Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (j)(1) The Manager, New York 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) To request a different method of compliance or a different 
compliance time for this AD, follow the procedures in 14 CFR 39.19. 
Before using any approved AMOC on any airplane to which the AMOC 
applies, notify your appropriate principal inspector (PI) in the FAA 
Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), or lacking a PI, your local 
FSDO.

Related Information

    (k) Canadian airworthiness directive CF-2005-14R1, dated May 8, 
2006, also addresses the subject of this AD.

Material Incorporated by Reference

    (l) You must use the service information identified in Table 1 
of this AD to perform the actions that are required by this AD, 
unless the AD specifies otherwise.

            Table 1.--All Material Incorporated by Reference
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Bombardier Service  Bulletin   Revision level            Date
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A84-26-06.....................  Original......  May 12, 2005.
A84-26-06.....................  `A'...........  June 6, 2005.
84-26-07......................  `B'...........  November 1, 2006.
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    (1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the 
incorporation by reference of Bombardier Alert Service Bulletin A84-
26-06, Revision `A,' dated June 6, 2005; and Bombardier Service 
Bulletin 84-26-07, Revision `B,' dated November 1, 2006; in 
accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
    (2) On July 5, 2005 (70 FR 35172, June 17, 2005), the Director 
of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of 
Bombardier Alert Service Bulletin A84-26-06, dated May 12, 2005.
    (3) Contact Bombardier, Inc., Bombardier Regional Aircraft 
Division, 123 Garratt Boulevard, Downsview, Ontario M3K 1Y5, Canada, 
for a copy of this service information. You may review copies at the 
FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, 
Washington; or 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 Renton, Washington, on May 15, 2007.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. E7-10035 Filed 5-24-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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