DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2018-0118; Product Identifier 2017-NM-083-AD]
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: We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD)
for
certain Bombardier, Inc., Model DHC-8-400 series airplanes. This
proposed AD was prompted by reports of arcing and smoke emanating from
the windshields. This proposed AD would require a revision to the
maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to include an
inspection of the windshield moisture seal for signs of cracks,
erosion, wear, and other deterioration; doing that inspection and
repair if necessary; and re-torqueing the windshield heater terminal
lugs and applying sealant to the windshield heater screw heads. We are
proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
DATES: We must receive comments on this proposed AD by April 16,
2018.
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 http://www.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.
For service information identified in this NPRM, contact Bombardier, Inc.,
Q-Series Technical Help Desk, 123 Garratt Boulevard, Toronto, Ontario
M3K
1Y5, Canada; telephone: 416-375-4000; fax: 416-375-4539; email: thd.
qseries@aero.bombardier.com; internet: http://www.bombardier.com. You
may
view this service information at the FAA, Transport Standards Branch,
2200
South 216th St., Des Moines, WA. For information on the availability of
this material at the FAA, call 206-231-3195.
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-2018-0118;
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 NPRM, the regulatory evaluation, any comments received,
and other information. The street address for the Docket Operations
office (telephone: 800-647-5527) is in the ADDRESSES section. Comments
will be available in the AD docket shortly after receipt.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Assata Dessaline, Aerospace Engineer,
Avionics and Administrative Services Section, FAA, New York ACO Branch,
1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; telephone: 516-228-
7301; fax: 516-794-5531.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or
arguments about this proposal. Send your comments to an address listed
under the ADDRESSES section. Include "Docket No. FAA-2018-0118;
Product Identifier 2017-NM-083-AD" at the beginning of your comments.
We specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, economic,
environmental, and energy aspects of this NPRM. We will consider all
comments received by the closing date and may amend this NPRM based on
those comments.
We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://www.
regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. We
will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact we
receive about this NPRM.
Discussion
Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA), which is the aviation
authority for Canada, has issued Canadian AD CF-2017-18, dated May 26,
2017 (referred to after this as the Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness
Information, or "the MCAI"), to correct an unsafe condition for
certain Bombardier, Inc., Model DHC-8-400 series airplanes. The MCAI
states:
There have been numerous reports of arcing and smoke emanating
from the windshields. Review of these incidents revealed that the
windshield heater terminal lugs tend to loosen over time. Loose
terminal lugs could create sparks that lead to burning of the lugs
and, due to the excessive heat, cracking of the windshields. If not
corrected, this condition could cause a loss of cabin pressure
resulting in an emergency descent.
Required actions include a revision to the maintenance or
inspection program, as applicable, to include an inspection of the
windshield moisture seal for signs of cracks, erosion, wear, or other
deterioration; doing that inspection and repair if necessary; and re-
torqueing the windshield heater terminal lugs and applying sealant to
the windshield heater screw heads. 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-2018-0118.
Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51
Bombardier, Inc., has issued Service Bulletin 84-30-16, Revision A,
dated September 27, 2017. This service information describes procedures
for re-torqueing the screws that fasten the windshield heater terminal
lugs and applying sealant to the screw heads.
Bombardier, Inc., has also issued Q400 Dash 8 Temporary Revision
MRB-0099, dated December 9, 2016, to Part 1 of Bombardier, Inc., Q400
Dash 8 Maintenance Requirements Manual (MRM), PSM 1-84-7. This
temporary revision describes procedures for inspecting the moisture
seal for the left and right windshields for signs of cracks, erosion,
wear, and other deterioration.
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 and Requirements of This Proposed AD
This product has been approved by the aviation authority of another
country, and is approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant
to our bilateral agreement with the State of Design Authority, we have
been notified of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI and service
information referenced above. We are proposing this AD because we
evaluated all pertinent information and determined an unsafe condition
exists and is likely to exist or develop on other products of the same
type design.
Costs of Compliance
We estimate that this proposed AD affects 54 airplanes of U.S. registry.
We estimate the following costs to comply with this proposed AD:
Estimated Costs
Action |
Labor cost |
Parts cost |
Cost per product |
Cost on U.S. operators |
Revision/Inspection/Retorque/Seal |
Up to 4 work-hours x $85 per
hour = $340 |
$0 |
Up to $340 |
Up to $18,360 |
We have received no definitive data
that would enable us to provide
a cost estimate for the on-condition repair specified in this proposed
AD.
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.
This proposed AD is issued in accordance with authority delegated
by the Executive Director, Aircraft Certification Service, as
authorized by FAA Order 8000.51C. In accordance with that order,
issuance of ADs is normally a function of the Compliance and
Airworthiness Division, but during this transition period, the
Executive Director has delegated the authority to issue ADs applicable
to transport category airplanes to the Director of the System Oversight
Division.
Regulatory Findings
We 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. 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.
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
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):
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