[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 54 (Tuesday, March 19, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 19505-19507]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-05498]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2023-2146; Project Identifier MCAI-2023-00646-T; 
Amendment 39-22687; AD 2024-04-08]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Canada Limited Partnership (Type 
Certificate Previously Held by C Series Aircraft Limited Partnership 
(CSALP); Bombardier, Inc.) Airplanes

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 Airbus Canada Limited Partnership Model BD-500-1A10 and BD-500-
1A11 airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report of possible chafing of 
a power harness at fuselage frame (FR) 65. This AD requires rerouting 
the power harness, as specified in a Transport Canada AD, which is 
incorporated by reference. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the 
unsafe condition on these products.

DATES: This AD is effective April 23, 2024.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of April 23, 
2024.

ADDRESSES: 
    AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at regulations.gov under 
Docket No. FAA-2023-2146; 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 mandatory continuing airworthiness 
information (MCAI), any comments received, and other information. The 
address for Docket Operations is U.S. Department of Transportation, 
Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room

[[Page 19506]]

W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
    Material Incorporated by Reference:
     For material identified in this final rule, contact 
Transport Canada, Transport Canada National Aircraft Certification, 159 
Cleopatra Drive, Nepean, Ontario K1A 0N5, Canada; telephone 888-663-
3639; email [email protected]; website tc.canada.ca/en/aviation.
     You may view this material 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. It is also available in the AD docket at 
regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2023-2146.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Reisenauer, Aviation Safety 
Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; 
telephone: 516-228-7301; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 
CFR part 39 by adding an AD that would apply to certain Airbus Canada 
Limited Partnership Model BD-500-1A10 and BD-500-1A11 airplanes. The 
NPRM published in the Federal Register on November 6, 2023 (88 FR 
76144). The NPRM was prompted by AD CF-2023-27, dated May 4, 2023, 
issued by Transport Canada, which is the aviation authority for Canada 
(Transport Canada AD CF-2023-27) (also referred to as the MCAI). The 
MCAI states that during production, a possibility of chafing between a 
power harness and the left side window shade at fuselage FR 65 was 
detected. Damage to the power harness can result in an emergency 
equipment failure, including the partial loss of the public address 
system and the inability to deploy half the passenger oxygen masks when 
required.
    In the NPRM, the FAA proposed to require rerouting the power 
harness, as specified in Transport Canada AD CF-2023-27. The FAA is 
issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
    You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at regulations.gov under 
Docket No. FAA-2023-2146.

Discussion of Final Airworthiness Directive

Comments

    The FAA received a comment from the Air Line Pilots Association, 
International (ALPA) who supported the NPRM without change.
    The FAA received an additional comment from Delta Air Lines 
(Delta). The following presents the comment received on the NPRM and 
the FAA's response to the comment.

Request To Confirm Intent To Allow Usage of Later Service Bulletin 
Revisions

    Delta requested confirmation that a later service bulletin revision 
could be used to comply with paragraph (g) of the proposed AD. Delta 
noted that, per Transport Canada AD CF-2023-27 Corrective Actions, a 
later revision of the service bulletin can be used to comply with the 
required corrective actions and added that Airbus A220 Service Bulletin 
BD500-352004 Issue 02, dated June 6, 2023, was recently issued.
    The FAA confirms that it intends to allow the use of applicable 
later-approved service information to comply with the requirements of 
this AD. This AD refers to Transport Canada AD CF-2023-27 as the 
appropriate source of service information for accomplishing the 
required actions. Transport Canada AD CF-2023-27 includes a Corrective 
Actions section, which accepts the use of later approved revisions of 
the referenced service information for compliance. Therefore, 
applicable later approved service information revisions are acceptable. 
The FAA has not changed this AD in this regard.

Conclusion

    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 this State of Design Authority, it 
has notified the FAA of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI 
referenced above. The FAA reviewed the relevant data, considered the 
comments received, and determined that air safety requires adopting 
this AD as proposed. Accordingly, the FAA is issuing this AD to address 
the unsafe condition on this product. Except for minor editorial 
changes, this AD is adopted as proposed in the NPRM. None of the 
changes will increase the economic burden on any operator.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    Transport Canada AD CF-2023-27 specifies procedures for rerouting 
the power harness, which requires the modification of an insulation 
blanket and the installation of a standoff and a clamp on the left side 
stringer 11 between fuselage FR 65 and FR 67 to prevent damage to the 
harness. This material 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 29 airplanes of U.S. 
registry. The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this AD:

                                      Estimated Costs for Required Actions
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                                                                                    Cost per       Cost on U.S.
                          Labor cost                              Parts cost        product         operators
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4 work-hours x $85 per hour = $340...........................             $10             $350          $10,150
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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

[[Page 19507]]

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.

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:

2024-04-08 Airbus Canada Limited Partnership (Type Certificate 
Previously Held by C Series Aircraft Limited Partnership (CSALP); 
Bombardier, Inc.): Amendment 39-22687; Docket No. FAA-2023-2146; 
Project Identifier MCAI-2023-00646-T.

(a) Effective Date

    This airworthiness directive (AD) is effective April 23, 2024.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Airbus Canada Limited Partnership (Type 
Certificate previously held by C Series Aircraft Limited Partnership 
(CSALP); Bombardier, Inc.) Model BD-500-1A10 and BD-500-1A11 
airplanes, certificated in any category, as identified in Transport 
Canada AD CF-2023-27, dated May 4, 2023 (Transport Canada AD CF-
2023-27).

(d) Subject

    Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 24, Electrical 
power.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by a report of possible chafing of a power 
harness at fuselage frame (FR) 65. The FAA is issuing this AD to 
address chafing of the power harness. The potential unsafe 
condition, if not addressed, could result in an emergency equipment 
failure, including the partial loss of the public address system and 
the inability to deploy half the passenger oxygen masks when 
required.

(f) Compliance

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

(g) Requirements

    Except as specified in paragraph (h) of this AD: Comply with all 
required actions and compliance times specified in, and in 
accordance with, Transport Canada AD CF-2023-27.

(h) Exceptions to Transport Canada AD CF-2023-27

    (1) Where Transport Canada AD CF-2023-27 refers to its effective 
date, this AD requires using the effective date of this AD.
    (2) Where Transport Canada AD CF-2023-27 refers to hours air 
time, this AD requires using flight hours.

(i) Additional 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 International 
Validation Branch, mail it to the attention of the person identified 
in paragraph (j) 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 Airbus Canada 
Limited Partnership's Transport Canada Design Approval Organization 
(DAO). If approved by the DAO, the approval must include the DAO-
authorized signature.

(j) Additional Information

    For more information about this AD, contact William Reisenauer, 
Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, 
Westbury, NY 11590; telephone: 516-228-7301; 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 this AD specifies otherwise.
    (i) Transport Canada AD CF-2023-27, dated May 4, 2023.
    (ii) [Reserved]
    (3) For Transport Canada AD CF-2023-27, contact Transport 
Canada, Transport Canada National Aircraft Certification, 159 
Cleopatra Drive, Nepean, Ontario K1A 0N5, Canada; telephone 888-663-
3639; email [email protected]; website tc.canada.ca/en/
aviation.
    (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 material at the National Archives and 
Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability 
of this material at NARA, visit www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations or email [email protected].

    Issued on February 21, 2024.
Victor Wicklund,
Deputy Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-05498 Filed 3-18-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P