[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 98 (Wednesday, May 20, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 30597-30601]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-10744]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2018-0977; Product Identifier 2018-CE-041-AD; Amendment 
39-21123; AD 2020-10-05]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Rockwell Collins, Inc. Flight 
Management Systems

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for 
certain Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rockwell Collins) flight management 
systems (FMS) installed on airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports 
of the flight management computer (FMC) software issuing incorrect turn 
commands when the altitude climb field is edited or the temperature 
compensation is activated on the FMS control display unit. This AD 
requires disabling the automatic temperature compensation feature of 
the FMS through the configuration strapping units (CSU) and revising 
the airplane flight manual (AFM) Limitations section. The FAA is 
issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: This AD is effective June 24, 2020.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of certain publications listed in this AD as of June 24, 
2020.

ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this final rule, 
contact

[[Page 30598]]

Rockwell Collins, Inc., Collins Aviation Services, 400 Collins Road NE, 
M/S 164-100, Cedar Rapids, IA 52498-0001; telephone: 888-265-5467 
(U.S.) or 319-265-5467; fax: 319-295-4941 (outside U.S.); email: 
[email protected]; internet: https://portal.rockwellcollins.com/web/publications-and-training. You may view 
this service information at the FAA, Airworthiness Products Section, 
Operational Safety Branch, 901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. For 
information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call (816) 
329-4148. It is also available on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2018-
0977.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA-2018-
0977; 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 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: Avi Acharya, Aerospace Engineer, 
Wichita Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, 1801 Airport Road, Room 
100, Wichita, Kansas 67209; phone: 316-946-4192; fax: 316-946-4107; 
email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

    The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 
CFR part 39 by adding an AD that would apply to certain part-numbered 
Rockwell Collins Pro Line 4 and Pro Line 21 FMSs. The NPRM published in 
the Federal Register on December 6, 2018 (83 FR 62736).
    The NPRM was prompted by a flight inspection on a Bombardier Model 
CRJ-200 airplane, during which Nav Canada, which is Canada's civil air 
navigation service provider, observed the FMS map displaying an 
incorrect turn for the Fort St. John airport instrument landing system 
runway 29 missed approach while using temperature compensation. Nav 
Canada assumed this was only an issue with the map display and reported 
the incident to Rockwell Collins. Rockwell Collins subsequently 
determined that an error in the design of the Pro Line 4 and Pro Line 
21 FMC software causes changes to the procedure-defined turn direction 
when the procedure has been significantly modified. The FMS removes the 
planned database turn direction when the flight crew edits the altitude 
climb field, and the flight crew may not notice the change during 
climb. The FMS also removes the planned database turn direction if the 
flight crew uses the temperature compensation to edit the altitude 
climb field, which may go unnoticed by the flight crew with the 
increased workload involved with a missed approach procedure. Editing 
the altitude or using temperature compensation does not change the 
flight segment. However, due to the design error, the software thinks 
the flight segment has changed. The change of the planned turn 
direction can occur for either left or right turns.
    The FMS commanding incorrect turn direction may result in a 
collision or controlled flight into terrain.
    The NPRM proposed to require disabling the automatic temperature 
compensation feature of the FMS through the CSU and revising the AFM 
Limitations section. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe 
condition on these products.

Comments

    The FAA gave the public the opportunity to participate in 
developing this final rule. The following presents the comments 
received on the NPRM and the FAA's response to each comment.

Request To Remove Requirement To Disable Temperature Compensation

    Bombardier Commercial Aircraft (Bombardier) and Endeavor Air 
(Endeavor) requested the FAA remove paragraph (g), which proposed to 
require disabling the automatic temperature compensation feature on the 
CSU. These commenters stated that disabling this feature would also 
disable the temperature compensation calculator, which would increase 
crew workload and introduce error by necessitating that pilots manually 
calculate this information.
    While the FAA agrees that performing manual temperature 
compensation calculations or using standard cold temperature altitude 
correction charts increases flight crew workload, the FAA finds that 
these are acceptable piloting tasks. The FMS and its built-in 
temperature compensation feature are not required under the FAA's 
airworthiness standards; rather, the temperature compensation feature 
of the FMS is an aid to the flight crew. Additionally, disabling the 
temperature compensation feature is necessary to address the unsafe 
condition. The FAA did not change the AD based on this comment.

Request To Revise the Language of the AFM Limitation Requirement

    Bombardier, Endeavor, and Collins Aerospace (Collins) requested the 
FAA revise the AFM Limitations for altitude edits. The NPRM proposed to 
require the limitation in Rockwell Collins Service Information Letter 
(SIL) FMC-XX00-18-1, dated June 27, 2018, which prohibits editing 
altitudes on departure, approach, and missed approach procedures. The 
commenters requested the FAA change the limitation to only prohibit 
editing altitudes on departure and missed approach procedures, and 
eliminate the limitation for approach procedures. Collins stated that 
following this limitation during approach prior to the missed approach 
could adversely impact Vertical Navigation (VNAV) safety and crew 
workload because it results in misleading VNAV alerts and displays 
prior to the missed approach point.
    The FAA agrees. Rockwell Collins has revised the SIL and issued SIL 
FMC-XX00-18-1, Revision 1, dated February 5, 2019, which contains the 
limitation language requested by the commenters. This final rule 
requires revising the AFM to add the information in SIL FMC-XX00-18-1, 
Revision 1, dated February 5, 2019.

Request To Reduce the Compliance Time for the AFM Revision

    Endeavor requested the FAA reduce the time to revise the AFM from 
12 months to 30 days.
    The FAA does not agree. The FAA considered the variety of aircraft 
types and operations that would be affected by this AD and determined a 
12-month compliance time is appropriate for both the AFM revisions and 
the requirement to disable the temperature compensation feature. The 
FAA did not change this AD based on this comment because 12 months 
after the effective date of this AD is necessary to allow the owner/
operator a reasonable amount of time to perform the hardware 
modification. The AFM limitations cannot be implemented without the 
hardware change.

Request To Withdraw the NPRM

    WR Ryan stated that this matter is not serious enough to warrant an 
AD. The commenter also stated that this issue is being exaggerated, as 
Collins will eventually fix the problem. The FAA

[[Page 30599]]

infers the commenter wants the FAA to withdraw the NPRM.
    The FAA does not agree. The FAA issues an airworthiness directive 
when it finds an unsafe condition exists in a product and the condition 
is likely to exist or develop in other products of the same type 
design. The FAA has determined the FMS design error is an unsafe 
condition. While an operator may choose to comply with the service 
information released by Rockwell Collins, not all operators are 
required to do so. In order for the corrective actions in a service 
document to become mandatory, and to correct the unsafe condition 
identified in the NPRM, the FAA must issue an AD. The FAA did not 
change this AD based on this comment.

Revise the Costs of Compliance

    WR Ryan stated the FAA estimated labor costs of $85 per work hour 
in the NPRM, while the majority of maintenance shops charge labor rates 
of $120 or more an hour. The FAA infers the commenter wants the FAA to 
revise the labor rate in its estimated cost of complying with the AD.
    The FAA does not agree with this comment. The labor rate of $85 per 
work-hour is provided by the FAA Office of Aviation Policy and Plans 
for the FAA to use when estimating the labor costs of complying with AD 
requirements. The FAA did not change this AD based on this comment.

Authority To Issue the AD/Extension of Comment Period

    Bombardier stated the FAA's Wichita ACO Branch lacks the legal 
authority under 49 U.S.C. 44701 to issue an AD addressing a component 
and requiring changes to an AFM. Bombardier requested the FAA's Wichita 
ACO Branch coordinate the proposed AD with the FAA's New York ACO 
Branch and consider whether the AD should instead address the aircraft. 
Bombardier disagreed with the FAA's proposed AD because Transport 
Canada, the responsible authority for the state of design for its 
airplanes, has already issued an AD covering this same unsafe 
condition. Alternatively, Bombardier requested an extension to the NPRM 
commenting period to allow Bombardier and the New York ACO Branch to 
provide input to the Wichita ACO Branch.
    The FAA does not agree. Although Canada is the state of design for 
Bombardier products, the United States is the state of design for 
Rockwell Collins products. Under the authority of 49 U.S.C. 44701 and 
the FAA's regulations regarding ADs (14 CFR part 39), the FAA issues an 
AD addressing a product (aircraft, engine, propeller, or appliance) 
that has an unsafe condition if the condition is likely to exist or 
develop in other products of the same type design. The FMS is an 
appliance, as that term is defined in 14 CFR 1.1, that may be installed 
in multiple aircraft types. Contrary to Bombardier's suggestion, 49 
U.S.C. 44701 does not require the FAA to adopt the Transport Canada AD. 
Rather, 49 U.S.C. 44701(e)(5) permits the FAA to either accept a 
foreign AD (under certain conditions) or issue an FAA AD if determined 
necessary for safety. The Transport Canada AD for this issue applies 
only to Bombardier airplanes. The FAA determined corrective action is 
necessary for U.S. operators of all aircraft with an FMS installed.
    The FAA also notes that its Wichita ACO Branch did not issue the 
NPRM. The NPRM was coordinated with all appropriate FAA offices and 
subsequently issued by the Deputy Director of the Policy and Innovation 
Division (AIR-601) of the FAA's Aircraft Certification Service. The FAA 
has not changed the AD based on this comment.

Request To Revise Preamble Information

    Collins requested the FAA replace some of the information in the 
preamble with text from Rockwell Collins Operational Service Bulletin 
0166-l7R5. Collins stated the description in the NPRM does not 
accurately describe the issue. According to Collins, the design error 
is that the FMS removes the planned turn direction if the crew manually 
edits or uses temperature compensation to edit the altitude climb 
field. In addition, Collins stated the FMS does not always turn in an 
incorrect direction, but rather only when the shortest turn differs 
from the planned turn.
    The FAA partially agrees. For clarification purposes, the FAA has 
revised the referenced text in accordance with Collins' comment. 
However, the FAA disagrees with replacing the referenced text with the 
description from Rockwell Collins Operational Service Bulletin 0166-
17R5. The specific language requested by the commenter is a detailed 
engineering description of the FMS design error that is appropriate for 
a service bulletin.

Support of AD Action

    The Air Line Pilots Association and an anonymous commenter 
supported the NPRM.

Conclusion

    The FAA reviewed the relevant data, considered the comments 
received, and determined that air safety and the public interest 
require adopting this final rule with the changes described previously. 
The FAA determined that these changes will not increase the economic 
burden on any operator or increase the scope of this final rule.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    The FAA reviewed Rockwell Collins Service Information Letter, CSU-
XX00-18-1, dated June 27, 2018. The service letter contains procedures 
for disabling the automatic temperature compensation option in Pro Line 
4 and Pro Line 21 FMC systems. The FAA also reviewed Rockwell Collins 
Service Information Letter FMC-XX00-18-1, Revision 1, dated February 5, 
2019. The service letter provides instructions for revising the 
Limitations section of the AFM by adding prohibitions on editing 
altitudes for specific Pro Line 4 and Pro Line 21 Flight Management 
Systems. 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

    The FAA estimates that this AD affects 2,855 products installed on 
airplanes of U.S. registry.
    The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this AD:

                                                 Estimated Costs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                     Cost per      Cost on U.S.
              Action                      Labor cost              Parts cost          product        operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CSU strapping change.............  2 work-hours x $85 per    Not applicable.....            $170        $485,350
                                    hour = $170.
Revision to the AFM Limitations    .5 work-hour x $85 per    Not applicable.....           42.50      121,337.50
 section.                           hour = $42.50.
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[[Page 30600]]

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.
    The FAA is 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

    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) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, 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.

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):

2020-10-05 Rockwell Collins, Inc.: Amendment 39-21123; Docket No. 
FAA-2018-0977; Product Identifier 2018-CE-041-AD.

(a) Effective Date

    This AD is effective June 24, 2020.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rockwell Collins) Pro 
Line 4 and Pro Line 21 Flight Management Systems installed on 
airplanes, certificated in any category, that has a flight 
management computer (FMC) with a Rockwell Collins part number (RCPN) 
listed in paragraph (c)(1) of this AD and with a configuration 
strapping unit (CSU) listed in paragraph (c)(2) of this AD.
    (1) FMC-3000 RCPN 822-0883-031, -036, -038, -040, -041, -053, -
054, -056, -057, -058, -059, -060, -081, -082, -083, -084; FMC-4200 
RCPN 822-0783-022, -025, -028, -032, -036, -039, -040; FMC-5000 RCPN 
822-0891-021, -027, -028, -034, -040; or FMC-6000 RCPN 822-0868-074, 
-075, -082, -083, -084, -085, -087, -089, -090, -109, -110, -111, -
112, -113, -114, -116, -117, -122, -123, -127, -130, -132, -133, -
134, -139.
    (2) CSU-3100 RCPN 822-1363-002, CSU-4000 RCPN 822-0049-002, or 
CSU-4100 RCPN 822-1364-002.

    Note 1 to paragraph (c) of this AD: To determine the CSU and FMC 
unit RCPN, refer to the aircraft manufacturer or applicable STC 
holder maintenance instructions for accessing them.

(d) Subject

    Joint Aircraft System Component (JASC)/Air Transport Association 
(ATA) of America Code 3460, Flight Management Computing Hardware 
System.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by reports of the FMC software issuing 
incorrect turn commands when the altitude climb field is edited or 
when the temperature compensation is activated. The FAA is issuing 
this AD to prevent the FMC from issuing an incorrect turn direction 
command. The unsafe condition, if not addressed, could result in a 
collision or controlled flight into terrain.

(f) Compliance

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

(g) Disable Temperature Compensation

    Within the next 12 months after June 24, 2020 (the effective 
date of this AD), disable the automatic temperature compensation 
feature on the CSU by following steps (2) through (6) of the 
Instructions in Rockwell Collins Service Information Letter CSU-
XX00-18-1, dated June 27, 2018.

(h) Revise the Airplane Flight Manual Limitations

    Within the next 12 months after June 24, 2020 (the effective 
date of this AD), revise the airplane flight manual by adding the 
information from step 2 of the Aircraft Flight Manual Recommendation 
in Rockwell Collins Service Information Letter FMC-XX00-18-1, 
Revision 1, dated February 5, 2019, into the Limitations section of 
the AFM.

(i) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)

    (1) The Manager, Wichita 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 ACO, send it to the attention of the person 
identified in paragraph (j) of this AD.
    (2) 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.

(j) Related Information

    For more information about this AD, contact Avi Acharya, 
Aerospace Engineer, Wichita ACO Branch, FAA, 1801 Airport Road, Room 
100, Wichita, Kansas 67209; phone: 316-946-4192; fax: 316-946-4107; 
email: [email protected].

(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 the AD specifies otherwise.
    (i) Rockwell Collins Service Information Letter CSU-XX00-18-1, 
dated June 27, 2018.
    (ii) Rockwell Collins Service Information Letter FMC-XX00-18-1, 
Revision 1, dated February 5, 2019.
    (3) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Rockwell Collins, Inc., Collins Aviation Services, 400 Collins Road 
NE, M/S 164-100, Cedar Rapids, IA 52498-0001; telephone: 888-265-
5467 (U.S.) or 319-265-5467; fax: 319-295-4941; email: 
[email protected]; internet: https://portal.rockwellcollins.com/web/publications-and-training.
    (4) You may view this service information at the FAA, 
Airworthiness Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 901 
Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. For information on the 
availability of this material at the FAA, call (816) 329-4148. In 
addition, you can access this service information on the internet at 
https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. 
FAA-2018-0977.
    (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, email [email protected], or go to: https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.


[[Page 30601]]


    Issued on May 14, 2020.
Lance T. Gant,
Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-10744 Filed 5-19-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P