DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2016-3990; Directorate Identifier 2015-NM-153-AD;
Amendment 39-18622; AD 2016-17-09]
RIN 2120-AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Bombardier, Inc. Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all
Bombardier, Inc. Model CL-600-2D15 (Regional Jet Series 705) and CL-
600-2D24 (Regional Jet Series 900) airplanes. This AD was prompted by
two in-service incidents reported on Bombardier, Inc. Model CL-600-2C10
(Regional Jet Series 700, 701, & 702) airplanes regarding a loss of all
air data information in the flight deck. This AD requires revision of
the airplane flight manual (AFM) to provide procedures to guide the
crew to stabilize the airplane's airspeed and attitude for continued
safe flight. We are issuing this AD to prevent loss of air data
information that may affect continued safe flight.

DATES: This AD is effective September 30, 2016.
The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by
reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of September
30, 2016.

ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this final rule,
contact Bombardier, Inc., 400 C[ocirc]te-Vertu Road West, Dorval,
Qu[eacute]bec H4S 1Y9, Canada; Widebody Customer Response Center North
America toll-free telephone: 1-866-538-1247 or direct-dial telephone:
1-514-855-2999; fax 514-855-7401; email: ac.yul@aero.bombardier.com;
Internet: http://www.bombardier.com. You may view this referenced
service information at the FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601
Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA. For information on the availability of
this material at the FAA, call 425-227-1221. It is also available on
the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and
locating Docket No. FAA-2016-3990.

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-2016-
3990; 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 AD, the regulatory evaluation, any comments received, and
other information. The street address for the Docket Office (telephone:
800-647-5527) is Docket Management Facility, 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: Assata Dessaline, Aerospace Engineer,
Avionics and Services Branch, ANE-172, FAA, New York Aircraft
Certification Office (ACO), 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury,
NY 11590; telephone: 516-228-7301; fax: 516-794-5531.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR
part 39 by adding an AD that would apply to all Bombardier, Inc. Model
CL-600-2D15 (Regional Jet Series 705) and CL-600-2D24 (Regional Jet
Series 900) airplanes. The NPRM published in the Federal Register on
March 4, 2016 (81 FR 11467) (``the NPRM''). The NPRM was prompted by
two in-service incidents reported on Bombardier, Inc. Model CL-600-2C10
(Regional Jet Series 700, 701, & 702) airplanes regarding a loss of all
air data information in the flight deck. The NPRM proposed to require
revision of the airplane flight manual (AFM) to provide procedures to
guide the crew to stabilize the airplane's airspeed and attitude for
continued safe flight. We are issuing this AD to prevent loss of air
data information that may affect continued safe flight.
Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA), which is the aviation
authority for Canada, has issued Canadian AD CF-2015-08, dated April
28, 2015 (referred to after this as the Mandatory Continuing
Airworthiness Information, or ``the MCAI''), to correct an unsafe
condition for all Bombardier, Inc. Model CL-600-2D15 (Regional Jet
Series 705) and CL-600-2D24 (Regional Jet Series 900) airplanes. The
MCAI states:

Two in-service incidents have been reported on CL-600-2C10
aeroplanes regarding a loss of all air data information in the
cockpit. The air data information was recovered as the aeroplane
descended to lower altitudes. An investigation determined that the
root cause in both events was high altitude icing (ice crystal
contamination). If not addressed, this condition may affect
continued safe flight.
Due to similarities in the air data systems, such events could
happen on all Bombardier CRJ models, CL-600-2B19, CL-600-2C10, CL-
600-2D15, CL-600-2D24 and CL-600-2E25. Therefore, the corrective
actions for these models will be mandated once their respective
Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) revisions become available.
This [Canadian] AD mandates the incorporation of AFM procedures
to guide the crew to stabilize the aeroplanes airspeed and attitude
for continued safe flight.

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-2016-3990.

Comments

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

Request for Further Investigation

The Air Line Pilots Association stated that the AFM revision will
not address the root cause of the high-altitude icing (ice crystal
contamination), and requested that further investigation be done for
the ice crystal contamination issue and remedies be provided in
addition to the AFM amendments.
We agree that the AFM revision will not address the root cause of
the high-altitude icing (ice crystal contamination). The manufacturer
is investigating the issue, but there is no timetable for a final
resolution. Should the manufacturer develop modifications to prevent
this problem, the FAA will consider further rulemaking. The
incorporation of the AFM procedures is meant to be used to guide the
crew on how to stabilize the airplane airspeed and altitude for
continued safe flight in icing conditions. However, further
investigation into this matter extends beyond the scope of this AD.

Conclusion

We reviewed the relevant data, considered the comment received, and
determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting
this AD as proposed except for minor editorial changes. We have
determined that these minor changes:
Are consistent with the intent that was proposed in the
NPRM for correcting the unsafe condition; and
Do not add any additional burden upon the public than was
already proposed in the NPRM.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

Bombardier, Inc. has issued Emergency Procedure 1., Unreliable
Airspeed, of Section 03-19, Emergency Procedures--Unreliable Airspeed,
of Chapter 3, Emergency Procedures, in Volume 1 of the Bombardier CRJ
Series Regional Jet CL-600-2D15 and CL-600-2D24 Airplane Flight Manual
CSP C-012, Revision 11A, dated May 25, 2015. The service information
describes procedures to guide the crew to stabilize the airplane's
airspeed and attitude for continued safe flight. 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.

Interim Action

Required actions in this AD apply only to Bombardier, Inc. Model
CL-600-2D15 (Regional Jet Series 705) and CL-600-2D24 (Regional Jet
Series 900) airplanes. We may consider issuing further rulemaking on
the other Bombardier airplane models identified previously.

Costs of Compliance

We estimate that this AD affects 230 airplanes of U.S. registry.
We estimate the following costs to comply with this AD:

Estimated Costs

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.

Regulatory Findings

We determined that 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. 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.

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

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]

2. The FAA amends Sec. 39.13 by adding the following new airworthiness
directive (AD):