[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 102 (Friday, May 25, 2018)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 24248-24250]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-11141]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2018-0449; Product Identifier 2018-NM-042-AD]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Bombardier, Inc., Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
certain Bombardier, Inc., Model DHC-8-400 series airplanes. This 
proposed AD was prompted by a report of uncommanded deployment of the 
ground spoilers when the power levers were advanced for takeoff, which 
was caused by faulty switches in the power lever module. This proposed 
AD would require revising the maintenance or inspection program, as 
applicable. We are proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on 
these products.

DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by July 9, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR 
11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
     Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket 
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
     Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail address above between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    For service information identified in this NPRM, 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.

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-
0449; 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 NPRM, 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John P. DeLuca, Aerospace Engineer, 
Avionics and Administrative Services Section, FAA, New York ACO Branch, 
1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; telephone 516-228-
7369; fax 516-794-5531; email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited

    We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments about this proposal. Send your comments to an address listed 
under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2018-0449; 
Product Identifier 2018-NM-042-AD'' at the beginning of your comments. 
We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, economic, 
environmental, and energy aspects of this NPRM. We will consider all 
comments received by the closing date and may amend this NPRM based on 
those comments.
    We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. We 
will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact we 
receive about this NPRM.

Discussion

    Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA), which is the aviation 
authority for Canada, has issued Canadian Airworthiness Directive CF-
2017-35, dated November 29, 2017 (referred to after this as the 
Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information, or ``the MCAI''), to 
correct an unsafe condition for certain Bombardier, Inc., Model

[[Page 24249]]

DHC-8-400 series airplanes. The MCAI states:

    There has been an incident of uncommanded deployment of the 
ground spoilers when the power levers were advanced for take-off. 
The warning horn sounded and the pilot rejected the take-off. The 
subsequent investigation determined the root cause of the spoiler 
deployment was faulty switches in the power lever module. An 
uncommanded deployment of the ground spoilers may lead to a runway 
excursion.
    This [Canadian] AD mandates the incorporation of a new 
Certification Maintenance Requirement (CMR) task to check the ground 
spoiler switches in the power lever module.

    Required actions include revising the maintenance or inspection 
program, as applicable. 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-2018-0449.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    Bombardier has issued Q400 Dash 8 (Bombardier) Temporary Revision 
ALI-0173, dated March 14, 2017, to Section 1-27, Certification 
Maintenance Requirements of the Maintenance Requirements Manual (MRM) 
Part 2, of Product Support Manual (PSM) 1-84-7. This service 
information describes CMR Task 276000-110, ``Operational Check of the 
Ground Spoiler Switches in the Power Lever Module.'' 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.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of This Proposed AD

    This product has been approved by the aviation authority of another 
country, and is approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant 
to our bilateral agreement with the State of Design Authority, we have 
been notified of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI and service 
information referenced above. We are proposing this AD because we 
evaluated all pertinent information and determined an unsafe condition 
exists and is likely to exist or develop on other products of the same 
type design.

Costs of Compliance

    We estimate that this proposed AD affects 86 airplanes of U.S. 
registry.
    We estimate the following costs to comply with this proposed AD:
    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).

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 proposed 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 to the Director of the System Oversight 
Division.

Regulatory Findings

    We 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 this proposed 
regulation:
    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.

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

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):

Bombardier, Inc.: Docket No. FAA-2018-0449; Product Identifier 2018-
NM-042-AD.

(a) Comments Due Date

    We must receive comments by July 9, 2018.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Bombardier, Inc., Model DHC-8-400, -401, and 
-402 airplanes, certificated in any category, serial numbers 4001 
and subsequent.

(d) Subject

    Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 27, Flight 
controls.

(e) Reason

    This AD was prompted by a report of uncommanded deployment of 
the ground spoilers when the power levers were advanced for takeoff, 
which was caused by faulty switches in the power lever module. We 
are issuing this AD to address faulty switches in the power lever 
module, which could result in uncommanded deployment of the ground 
spoilers and a possible runway excursion.

(f) Compliance

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

(g) Revision of Maintenance or Inspection Program

    Within 30 days after the effective date of this AD: Revise the 
maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate the 
information specified in Certification Maintenance Requirements

[[Page 24250]]

(CMR) Task 276000-110 of Q400 Dash 8 (Bombardier) Temporary Revision 
ALI-0173, dated March 14, 2017, to Section 1-27, Certification 
Maintenance Requirements of the Maintenance Requirements Manual 
(MRM) Part 2, of Product Support Manual (PSM) 1-84-7.

(h) Initial Compliance Time

    The initial compliance time for doing the CMR Task 276000-110 
specified in paragraph (g) of this AD is within 8,000 flight hours 
after the effective date of this AD.

(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 or 
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-2017-35, dated November 
29, 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-2018-0449.
    (2) For more information about this AD, contact John P. DeLuca, 
Aerospace Engineer, Avionics and Administrative Services Section, 
FAA, New York ACO Branch, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, 
NY 11590; telephone 516-228-7369; fax 516-794-5531; email [email protected].
    (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. 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.


    Issued in Des Moines, Washington, on May 15, 2018.
Dionne Palermo,
Acting Director, System Oversight Division, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-11141 Filed 5-24-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P