[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 61 (Thursday, March 28, 2024)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 21443-21446]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-06521]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2024-0767; Project Identifier MCAI-2023-00723-T]
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: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) 
for

[[Page 21444]]

certain Bombardier, Inc., Model BD-700-2A12 airplanes. This proposed AD 
was prompted by reports that the baggage bay discharge push-button 
annunciator (PBA) switch was making contact but was not fully engaged, 
and the tabs were not fully locked. This proposed AD would require a 
verification of the baggage bay discharge PBA functionality and tab 
installation. 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 May 13, 
2024.

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-2024-0767; 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 Bombardier service information identified in this 
NPRM, contact Bombardier Business Aircraft Customer Response Center, 
400 C[ocirc]te-Vertu Road West, Dorval, Qu[eacute]bec H4S 1Y9, Canada; 
telephone 514-855-2999; email bombardier.com">ac.yul@aero.bombardier.com; website 
bombardier.com.
     You may view this service information at the FAA, 
Airworthiness Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 2200 South 
216th St., Des Moines, WA. For information on the availability of this 
material at the FAA, call 206-231-3195.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Reisenauer, Aviation Safety 
Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; 
phone: 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-2024-0767; Project Identifier 
MCAI-2023-00723-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 
William Reisenauer, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, 
Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; phone: 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-2023-36, dated May 29, 2023 (Transport 
Canada AD CF-2023-36) (also referred to after this as the MCAI), to 
correct an unsafe condition on certain Bombardier, Inc., Model BD-700-
2A12 airplanes. The MCAI states that during the execution of a 
functional test procedure (FTP) during production, the baggage bay 
discharge PBA switch was partially engaged and failed to make 
electrical contact. Further investigation showed that in some 
instances, the baggage bay discharge PBA switch was making contact but 
was not fully engaged and the tabs were not fully locked, so while the 
PBA may pass the FTP, vibration could eventually lead to a loss of 
electrical contact and subsequent loss of baggage bay discharge PBA 
switch functionality.
    The FAA is issuing this AD to address the possible inability to 
discharge halon into the baggage compartment in case of a fire. The 
unsafe condition, if not addressed, could result in the inability to 
control a baggage compartment fire.
    You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket at regulations.gov under 
Docket No. FAA-2024-0767.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

    The FAA reviewed Bombardier Service Bulletin 700-26-7505, dated 
February 10, 2023. This service information specifies procedures for 
doing a general visual inspection of the baggage bay discharge PBA 
switch for proper installation and a functional operation test. 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

    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 
and service information referenced above. The FAA is issuing this NPRM 
after determining that the unsafe condition described previously is 
likely to exist or develop on other products of the same type design.

Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM

    This proposed AD would require accomplishing the actions specified 
in the service information already described.

Costs of Compliance

    The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would 
affect 42 airplanes of U.S. registry. The FAA

[[Page 21445]]

estimates the following costs to comply with this proposed AD:

                                      Estimated Costs for Required Actions
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                    Cost per       Cost on U.S.
                          Labor cost                              Parts cost        product         operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 work-hours x $85 per hour = $170...........................              $0             $170           $7,140
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The FAA has included all known costs in its cost estimate. 
According to the manufacturer, however, some or all of the costs of 
this proposed AD may be covered under warranty, thereby reducing the 
cost impact on affected operators.

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:

Bombardier, Inc.: Docket No. FAA-2024-0767; Project Identifier MCAI-
2023-00723-T.

(a) Comments Due Date

    The FAA must receive comments on this airworthiness directive 
(AD) by May 13, 2024.

(b) Affected ADs

    None.

(c) Applicability

    This AD applies to Bombardier, Inc., Model BD-700-2A12 
airplanes, certificated in any category, serial numbers 70006 
through 70099 inclusive.

(d) Subject

    Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 26, Fire 
protection.

(e) Unsafe Condition

    This AD was prompted by reports that the baggage bay discharge 
push-button annunciator (PBA) switch was making contact but was not 
fully engaged, and the tabs were not fully locked. The FAA is 
issuing this AD to address the possible inability to discharge halon 
into the baggage compartment in case of a fire. The unsafe 
condition, if not addressed, could result in the inability to 
control a baggage compartment fire.

(f) Compliance

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

(g) Required Actions

    Within 36 months after the effective date of this AD: Perform 
the inspection and testing of the baggage bay discharge PBA switch, 
in accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions of Bombardier 
Service Bulletin 700-26-7505, dated February 10, 2023.

(h) 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 manager of the 
International Validation Branch, mail it to the address identified 
in paragraph (i)(2) of this AD. Information may be emailed to: [email protected]. 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 Bombardier, Inc.'s 
Transport Canada Design Approval Organization (DAO). If approved by 
the DAO, the approval must include the DAO-authorized signature.

(i) Additional Information

    (1) Refer to Transport Canada AD CF-2023-36, dated May 29, 2023 
(Transport Canada AD CF-2023-36) for related information. This 
Transport Canada AD may be found in the AD docket at regulations.gov 
under Docket No. FAA-2024-0767.
    (2) For more information about this AD, contact William 
Reisenauer, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 1600 Stewart Avenue, 
Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; phone: 516-228-7300; email: [email protected].

(j) 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 700-26-7505, dated February 10, 
2023.
    (ii) [Reserved]

[[Page 21446]]

    (3) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Bombardier Business Aircraft Customer Response Center, 400 
C[ocirc]te-Vertu Road West, Dorval, Qu[eacute]bec H4S 1Y9, Canada; 
telephone 514-855-2999; email bombardier.com">ac.yul@aero.bombardier.com; website 
bombardier.com.
    (4) You may view this service information at the FAA, 
Airworthiness Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 2200 
South 216th St., 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 March 21, 2024.
Victor Wicklund,
Deputy Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-06521 Filed 3-27-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P