81 FR 83653 - Airworthiness Directives; Bombardier, Inc. Airplanes

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 225 (November 22, 2016)

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier, Inc. Model CL-600-2C10 (Regional Jet Series 700, 701, and 702), CL-600-2D15 (Regional Jet Series 705), CL-600-2D24 (Regional Jet Series 900), and CL-600-2E25 (Regional Jet Series 1000) airplanes. This AD was prompted by a determination that wear and possible leakage of the high-pressure seal in the cylinder of the No. 3 hydraulic system reservoir could occur and cause high hydraulic fluid temperature and/or prevent the system from reaching normal operating pressure. This AD requires repetitive operational checks for wear and leakage of the high-pressure seal in the cylinder of the reservoir of the No. 3 hydraulic system, and corrective actions if necessary. We are issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 225 (Tuesday, November 22, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 83653-83655]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-26618]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2016-7421; Directorate Identifier 2015-NM-145-AD; 
Amendment 39-18705; AD 2016-22-16]
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-600-2C10 (Regional Jet Series 700, 701, and 
702), CL-600-2D15 (Regional Jet Series 705), CL-600-2D24 (Regional Jet 
Series 900), and CL-600-2E25 (Regional Jet Series 1000) airplanes. This 
AD was prompted by a determination that wear and possible leakage of 
the high-pressure seal in the cylinder of the No. 3 hydraulic system 
reservoir could occur and cause high hydraulic fluid temperature and/or 
prevent the system from reaching normal operating pressure. This AD 
requires repetitive operational checks for wear and leakage of the 
high-pressure seal in the cylinder of the reservoir of the No. 3 
hydraulic system, and corrective actions if necessary. We are issuing 
this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: This AD is effective December 27, 2016.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of December 27, 
2016.

ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this final rule, 
contact Bombardier, Inc., 400 C[ocirc]te Vertu Road West, Dorval, 
Qu[eacute]bec H4S 1Y9, Canada; Widebody Customer Response Center North 
America toll-free telephone 1-866-538-1247 or direct-dial telephone 1-
514-855-2999; fax 514-855-7401; email [email protected]; 
Internet http://www.bombardier.com. You may view this 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. It is also available on 
the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and 
locating Docket No. FAA-2016-7421.

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-2016-
7421; or in person at the Docket Management Facility between 9 a.m. and 
5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD docket 
contains this AD, the regulatory evaluation, any comments received, and 
other information. The street address for the Docket Office (telephone 
800-647-5527) is Docket Management Facility, 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: Cesar Gomez, Aerospace Engineer, 
Airframe and Mechanical Systems Branch, ANE-171, FAA, New York Aircraft 
Certification Office, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 
11590; telephone 516-228-7318; fax 516-794-5531.

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 CL-600-2C10 (Regional Jet Series 700, 701, and 702), CL-600-2D15 
(Regional Jet Series 705), CL-600-2D24 (Regional Jet Series 900), and 
CL-600-2E25 (Regional Jet Series 1000) airplanes. The NPRM published in 
the Federal Register on July 1, 2016 (81 FR 43122) (``the NPRM''). The 
NPRM was prompted by a determination that wear and possible leakage of 
the high-pressure seal in the cylinder of the No. 3 hydraulic system 
reservoir could occur and cause high hydraulic fluid temperature and/or 
prevent the system from reaching normal operating pressure. The NPRM 
proposed to require repetitive operational checks for wear and leakage 
of the high-pressure seal in the cylinder of the reservoir of the No. 3 
hydraulic system, and corrective actions if necessary. We are issuing 
this AD to detect and correct wear and leakage of the high-pressure 
seal in the cylinder of the reservoir of the No. 3 hydraulic system, 
which can result in high hydraulic fluid temperature. High hydraulic 
fluid temperature combined with a temperature transducer malfunction 
could result in un-annunciated overheating of the hydraulic system and 
consequent ignition sources inside the fuel tank, which, combined with 
flammable fuel vapors, could result in a fuel tank explosion and 
consequent loss of the airplane.
    Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA), which is the aviation 
authority for Canada, has issued Canadian Airworthiness Directive CF-
2015-27, dated September 14, 2015 (referred to after this as the 
Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information, or ``the MCAI''), to 
correct an unsafe condition for certain Bombardier, Inc. Model CL-600-
2C10 (Regional Jet Series 700, 701, and 702), CL-600-2D15 (Regional Jet 
Series 705), CL-600-2D24 (Regional Jet Series 900), and CL-600-2E25 
(Regional Jet Series 1000) airplanes. The MCAI states:


[[Page 83654]]


    It was discovered that the high-pressure seal in the cylinder of 
the No. 3 hydraulic system reservoir with P/N 960450-1 could wear 
and leak. This can cause high hydraulic fluid temperature and/or 
prevent the system from reaching normal operating pressure. High 
hydraulic fluid temperature, in combination with a temperature 
transducer malfunction, could result in an unannunciated overheat of 
the hydraulic system that could result in a potential ignition 
source within the fuel system.
    This [Canadian] AD mandates the repetitive operational check of 
the hydraulic system No. 3 fluid temperature indication as an 
interim mitigating action.

    Required actions include repeating any operational check that fails 
until the operational check passes. 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-2016-7421.

Comments

    We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing 
this AD. We received no comments on the NPRM or on the determination of 
the cost to the public.

Clarification of Applicability in This AD

    Bombardier, Inc. Model CL-600-2D15 airplanes are derivatives of the 
Model CL-600-2D24 and should have been included in paragraph (c)(2) of 
the proposed AD. Therefore, Model CL-600-2D15 is added to paragraph 
(c)(2) of this AD. The serial number range specified in paragraph 
(c)(2) of the proposed AD remains unchanged.

Clarification of Unsafe Condition

    In the SUMMARY and Discussion sections of the NPRM and paragraph 
(e) of the proposed AD, we specified that the AD was to detect and 
correct a malfunctioning temperature indication of the No. 3 hydraulic 
system. However, the operational check is for wear and leakage of the 
high-pressure seal in the cylinder of the reservoir of the No. 3 
hydraulic system, which can result in high hydraulic fluid temperature. 
We have revised the SUMMARY and Discussion sections of the final rule 
and paragraph (e) of this AD accordingly.

Conclusion

    We reviewed the relevant data and determined that air safety and 
the public interest require adopting this AD with the change described 
previously and minor editorial changes. We have determined that these 
minor changes:
     Are consistent with the intent that was proposed in the 
NPRM for correcting the unsafe condition; and
     Do not add any additional burden upon the public than was 
already proposed in the NPRM.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    We reviewed Bombardier Service Bulletin 670BA-29-018, Revision A, 
dated October 13, 2015. The service information describes procedures 
for performing an operational check for wear and leakage of the high-
pressure seal in the cylinder of the reservoir of the No. 3 hydraulic 
system. 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.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this AD affects 509 airplanes of U.S. registry.
    We also estimate that it takes about 1 work-hour per product to 
comply with the basic requirements of this AD. The average labor rate 
is $85 per work-hour. Based on these figures, we estimate the cost of 
this AD on U.S. operators to be $43,265, or $85 per airplane.
    We have received no definitive data that enables us to provide a 
cost estimate for the on-condition actions specified in this AD.

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.

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):

2016-22-16 Bombardier, Inc.: Amendment 39-18705; Docket No. FAA-
2016-7421; Directorate Identifier 2015-NM-145-AD.

(a) Effective Date

    This AD is effective December 27, 2016.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to the Bombardier, Inc. airplanes identified in 
paragraph (c)(1), (c)(2), or (c)(3) of this AD, certificated in any 
category, equipped with No. 3 hydraulic system reservoir having part 
number 960450-1.
    (1) Model CL-600-2C10 (Regional Jet Series 700, 701, and 702) 
airplanes, having serial numbers 10002 through 10999 inclusive.
    (2) Model CL-600-2D15 (Regional Jet Series 705) and CL-600-2D24 
(Regional Jet Series 900) airplanes, having serial numbers 15001 
through 15990 inclusive.
    (3) Model CL-600-2E25 (Regional Jet Series 1000) airplanes, 
having serial numbers 19001 through 19990 inclusive.

(d) Subject

    Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 29, Hydraulic 
power.

[[Page 83655]]

(e) Reason

    This AD was prompted by a determination that wear and possible 
leakage of the high-pressure seal in the cylinder of the No. 3 
hydraulic system reservoir could occur and cause high hydraulic 
fluid temperature and/or prevent the system from reaching normal 
operating pressure. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct 
wear and leakage of the high-pressure seal in the cylinder of the 
reservoir of the No. 3 hydraulic system, which can result in high 
hydraulic fluid temperature. High hydraulic fluid temperature 
combined with a temperature transducer malfunction could result in 
un-annunciated overheating of the hydraulic system and consequent 
ignition sources inside the fuel tank, which, combined with 
flammable fuel vapors, could result in a fuel tank explosion and 
consequent loss of the airplane.

(f) Compliance

    Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified, 
unless already done.

(g) Operational Check and Repair, if Necessary

    Within 660 flight hours or 4 months after the effective date of 
this AD, whichever occurs first: Perform an operational check for 
wear and leakage of the high-pressure seal in the cylinder of the 
reservoir of the No. 3 hydraulic system, in accordance with the 
Accomplishment Instructions of Bombardier Service Bulletin 670BA-29-
018, Revision A, dated October 13, 2015. If the operational check 
fails, before further flight, do applicable corrective actions and 
repeat the operational check and applicable corrective actions until 
the operational check passes. Repeat the operational check 
thereafter at intervals not to exceed 660 flight hours or 4 months, 
whichever occurs first.

(h) Credit for Previous Actions

    This paragraph provides credit for the applicable actions 
required by paragraph (g) of this AD, if those actions were 
performed before the effective date of this AD using Bombardier 
Service Bulletin 670BA-29-018, dated June 25, 2015.

(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. Send information to ATTN: Program 
Manager, Continuing Operational Safety, FAA, New York ACO, 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, 
ANE-170, 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.

(j) Related Information

    (1) Refer to Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information 
(MCAI) Canadian Airworthiness Directive CF-2015-27, dated September 
14, 2015, 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-2016-7421.
    (2) Service information identified in this AD that is not 
incorporated by reference is available at the addresses specified in 
paragraphs (k)(3) and (k)(4) of this AD.

(k) 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 670BA-29-018, Revision A, dated 
October 13, 2015.
    (ii) Reserved.
    (3) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Bombardier, Inc., 400 C[ocirc]te Vertu Road West, Dorval, 
Qu[eacute]bec H4S 1Y9, Canada; Widebody Customer Response Center 
North America toll-free telephone 1 866 538 1247 or direct-dial 
telephone 1 514 855 2999; fax 514 855-7401; email 
[email protected]; Internet http://www.bombardier.com.
    (4) You may view this 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.
    (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 Renton, Washington, on October 25, 2016.
Dionne Palermo,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.

[FR Doc. 2016-26618 Filed 11-21-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P