[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 151 (Tuesday, August 8, 2023)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 53402-53406]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-16870]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2023-1704; Project Identifier MCAI-2022-00866-T]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; MHI RJ Aviation ULC (Type Certificate 
Previously Held by Bombardier, Inc.) Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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[[Page 53403]]

SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) 
for all MHI RJ Aviation ULC (Type Certificate Previously Held by 
Bombardier, Inc.) Model CL-600-2C10 (Regional Jet Series 700, 701 & 
702), CL-600-2C11 (Regional Jet Series 550), CL-600-2D15 (Regional Jet 
Series 705), CL-600-2D24 (Regional Jet Series 900), and CL-600-2E25 
(Regional Jet Series 1000) airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by 
a determination that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations 
are necessary. This proposed AD would require revising the existing 
maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or 
more restrictive airworthiness limitations. The FAA is proposing this 
AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: The FAA must receive comments on this proposed AD by September 
22, 2023.

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 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.
    AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at regulations.gov under 
Docket No. FAA-2023-1704; 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 NPRM, the mandatory continuing airworthiness 
information (MCAI), any comments received, and other information. The 
street address for Docket Operations is listed above.
    Material Incorporated by Reference:
     For service information identified in this NPRM, contact 
MHI RJ Aviation Group, Customer Response Center, 3655 Ave. des Grandes-
Tourelles, Suite 110, Boisbriand, Qu[eacute]bec J7H 0E2 Canada; North 
America toll-free telephone 833-990-7272 or direct-dial telephone 450-
990-7272; fax 514-855-8501; email: mhirj.com">thd.crj@mhirj.com; internet: 
mhirj.com.
     You may view this service information at the FAA, 
Airworthiness Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 2200 South 
216th Street, Des Moines, WA. For information on the availability of 
this material at the FAA, call 206-231-3195.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Yaser Osman, Aviation Safety Engineer, 
FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; telephone 516-
228-7300; email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited

    The FAA invites you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments about this proposal. Send your comments to an address listed 
under ADDRESSES. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2023-1704; Project Identifier 
MCAI-2022-00866-T'' at the beginning of your comments. The most helpful 
comments reference a specific portion of the proposal, explain the 
reason for any recommended change, and include supporting data. The FAA 
will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend 
the proposal because of those comments.
    Except for Confidential Business Information (CBI) as described in 
the following paragraph, and other information as described in 14 CFR 
11.35, the FAA will post all comments received, without change, to 
regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. The 
agency will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal 
contact received about this NPRM.

Confidential Business Information

    CBI is commercial or financial information that is both customarily 
and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the Freedom of 
Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public 
disclosure. If your comments responsive to this NPRM contain commercial 
or financial information that is customarily treated as private, that 
you actually treat as private, and that is relevant or responsive to 
this NPRM, it is important that you clearly designate the submitted 
comments as CBI. Please mark each page of your submission containing 
CBI as ``PROPIN.'' The FAA will treat such marked submissions as 
confidential under the FOIA, and they will not be placed in the public 
docket of this NPRM. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to Yaser 
Osman, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, 
Westbury, NY 11590; telephone 516-228-7300; email [email protected]. Any commentary that the FAA receives which is not 
specifically designated as CBI will be placed in the public docket for 
this rulemaking.

Background

    Transport Canada, which is the aviation authority for Canada, has 
issued Transport Canada AD CF-2022-35, dated June 29, 2022 (Transport 
Canada AD CF-2022-35) (also referred to after this as the MCAI), to 
correct an unsafe condition for all MHI RJ Aviation ULC Model CL-600-
2C10 (Regional Jet Series 700, 701 & 702), CL-600-2C11 (Regional Jet 
Series 550), 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 that new or more restrictive airworthiness 
limitations have been developed.
    The FAA is proposing this AD to address cracks in the principal 
structural elements of the fuselage and wings. The unsafe condition, if 
not addressed, could result in reduced the structural integrity of the 
airplane. You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at regulations.gov 
under Docket No. FAA-2023-1704.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    The FAA reviewed MHI RJ Aviation CRJ550/700/705/900/1000 
Maintenance Requirements Manual (MRM) Part 2, CSP B-053, Revision 26, 
dated March 25, 2022. This service information manual specifies new or 
revised tasks to detect cracks in the principal structural elements of 
the fuselage and wings.
    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 ADDRESSES section.

FAA's Determination

    This product has been approved by the aviation authority of another 
country, and is approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant 
to the FAA's bilateral agreement with the State of Design Authority, 
the FAA has been notified of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI 
and service information referenced above. The FAA is proposing this AD 
because the FAA evaluated all the relevant information and determined 
the unsafe condition described previously is likely to exist or develop 
on other products of the same type design.

Proposed Requirements of This NPRM

    This proposed AD would require revising the existing maintenance or 
inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more 
restrictive airworthiness limitations.
    This proposed AD would require revisions to certain operator 
maintenance documents to include new

[[Page 53404]]

actions (e.g., inspections). Compliance with these actions is required 
by 14 CFR 91.403(c). For airplanes that have been previously modified, 
altered, or repaired in the areas addressed by this proposed AD, the 
operator may not be able to accomplish the actions described in the 
revisions. In this situation, to comply with 14 CFR 91.403(c), the 
operator must request approval for an alternative method of compliance 
according to paragraph (i)(1) of this proposed AD.

Costs of Compliance

    The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would 
affect 601 airplanes of U.S. registry. The FAA estimates the following 
costs to comply with this proposed AD:
    The FAA has determined that revising the maintenance or inspection 
program takes an average of 90 work-hours per operator, although the 
agency recognizes that this number may vary from operator to operator. 
Since operators incorporate maintenance or inspection program changes 
for their affected fleet(s), the FAA has determined that a per-operator 
estimate is more accurate than a per-airplane estimate. Therefore, the 
agency estimates the average 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.
    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

    The FAA 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) Would not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
    (3) Would 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:

MHI RJ Aviation ULC (Type Certificate Previously Held by Bombardier, 
Inc.): Docket No. FAA-2023-1704; Project Identifier MCAI-2022-00866-
T.

(a) Comments Due Date

    The FAA must receive comments on this airworthiness directive 
(AD) by September 22, 2023.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to all MHI RJ Aviation ULC (Type Certificate 
Previously Held by Bombardier, Inc.) Model CL-600-2C10 (Regional Jet 
Series 700, 701 & 702), CL-600-2C11 (Regional Jet Series 550), CL-
600-2D15 (Regional Jet Series 705), CL-600-2D24 (Regional Jet Series 
900), and CL-600-2E25 (Regional Jet Series 1000) airplanes, 
certificated in any category.

(d) Subject

    Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code: 05, Time 
Limits/Maintenance Checks.

(e) Reason

    This AD was prompted by a determination that new or more 
restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. The FAA is 
issuing this AD to address cracks in the principal structural 
elements of the fuselage and wings. The unsafe condition, if not 
addressed, could result in reduced structural integrity of the 
airplane.

(f) Compliance

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

(g) Maintenance or Inspection Program Revision

    Within 60 days after the effective date of this AD, revise the 
existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to 
incorporate the tasks identified in figure 1 to paragraph (g) of 
this AD as specified in MHI RJ Aviation CRJ550/700/705/900/1000 
Maintenance Requirements Manual (MRM) Part 2, CSP B-053, Revision 
26, dated March 25, 2022. The initial compliance time for doing the 
tasks is at the applicable times specified in MHI RJ Aviation 
CRJ550/700/705/900/1000 Maintenance Requirements Manual (MRM) Part 
2, CSP B-053, Revision 26, dated March 25, 2022, or within 60 days 
after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later.

[[Page 53405]]

Figure 1 to paragraph (g)--MRM Tasks
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(h) No Alternative Actions or Intervals

    After the existing 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 (i)(1) of this AD.

(i) Other FAA AD Provisions

    The following provisions also apply to this AD:
    (1) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs): The Manager, 
International Validation 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 responsible Flight Standards Office, as 
appropriate. If sending information directly to the manager of the 
International Validation Branch, send it to ATTN: Program Manager, 
Continuing Operational Safety, at the address identified in 
paragraph (j)(2) of this AD or email to: [email protected]. If 
mailing information, also submit information by email. Before using 
any approved AMOC, notify your appropriate principal inspector, or 
lacking a principal inspector, the manager of the responsible Flight 
Standards Office.
    (2) Contacting the Manufacturer: For any requirement in this AD 
to obtain instructions from a manufacturer, the instructions must be 
accomplished using a method approved by the Manager, International 
Validation Branch, FAA; or Transport Canada; or MHI RJ Aviation 
ULC's Transport Canada Design Approval Organization (DAO). If 
approved by the DAO, the approval must include the DAO-authorized 
signature.

(j) Additional Information

    (1) Refer to Transport Canada AD CF-2022-35, dated June 29, 
2022, for related information. This Transport Canada AD may be found 
in the AD docket at regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2023-1704.
    (2) For more information about this AD, contact Yaser Osman, 
Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, 
Westbury, NY 11590; telephone 516-228-7300; 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.

[[Page 53406]]

    (2) You must use this service information as applicable to do 
the actions required by this AD, unless this AD specifies otherwise.
    (i) MHI RJ Aviation CRJ550/700/705/900/1000 Maintenance 
Requirements Manual (MRM) Part 2, CSP B-053, Revision 26, dated 
March 25, 2022.
    (ii) [Reserved]
    (3) For service information identified in this AD, contact MHI 
RJ Aviation Group, Customer Response Center, 3655 Ave. des Grandes-
Tourelles, Suite 110, Boisbriand, Qu[eacute]bec J7H 0E2 Canada; 
North America toll-free telephone 833-990-7272 or direct-dial 
telephone 450-990-7272; fax 514-855-8501; email mhirj.com">thd.crj@mhirj.com; 
website mhirj.com.
    (4) You may view this service information at the FAA, 
Airworthiness Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 2200 
South 216th Street, 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, email [email protected], or go to: www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.

    Issued on August 1, 2023.
Victor Wicklund,
Deputy Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-16870 Filed 8-7-23; 8:45 am]
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