DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2018-0118; Product Identifier 2017-NM-083-AD; Amendment
39-19371; AD 2018-17-17]
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
certain
Bombardier, Inc., Model DHC-8-400 series airplanes. This AD was
prompted by reports of arcing and smoke emanating from the windshields.
This AD requires 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 screws that
fasten the windshield heater terminal lugs and applying sealant to the
screw heads of the windshield heaters. We are issuing this AD to
address the unsafe condition on these products.
DATES: This AD is effective October 2, 2018.
The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by
reference of certain publications listed in this AD as of October 2,
2018.
ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this final rule,
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 referenced 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. It is also available on the
internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating
Docket No. FAA-2018-0118.
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 Docket Operations between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD docket contains
this final rule, the regulatory evaluation, any comments received, and
other information. The address for Docket Operations (phone: 800-647-
5527) is Docket Operations, 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: Steve Dzierzynski, Aerospace Engineer,
Avionics and Administrative Services Section, FAA, New York ACO Branch,
1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; telephone 516-228-
7367; 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 certain Bombardier, Inc.,
Model DHC-8-400 series airplanes. The NPRM published in the Federal
Register on March 1, 2018 (83 FR 8810). The NPRM was prompted by
reports of arcing and smoke emanating from the windshields. The NPRM
proposed to 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 screws that fasten the windshield heater terminal lugs
and applying sealant to the screw heads of the windshield heaters.
We are issuing this AD to detect and correct loose windshield
heater terminal lugs. 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, such a condition could cause a loss of
cabin pressure resulting in an emergency descent.
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 screws that fasten the windshield heater terminal lugs
and applying sealant (Humiseal) to the screw heads of the windshield
heaters. 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.
Comments
We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing
this final rule. The following presents the comments received on the
NPRM and the FAA's response to each comment.
Request To Revise Requirements Related to Temporary Revision (TR)
Horizon Air requested that paragraph (g) of the proposed AD be
revised to either refer to Bombardier Q400 Dash 8 Maintenance
Requirements Manual (MRM) Part 1, Revision 13, dated March 15, 2017
(``MRM Part 1, Revision 13''), or include a statement that, ``When this
temporary revision has been included in general revisions of the PSM
[product support manual], the general revisions may be inserted in the
maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, provided the relevant
information in the general revision is identical to that in Bombardier
[Q400 Dash 8 Maintenance Review Board Report] TR MRB-0099 [dated
December 9, 2016 (``TR MRB-0099'')].'' The commenter noted that
paragraph (g) of the proposed AD would require incorporation of TR MRB-
0099 and that this TR has already been incorporated into MRM Part 1,
Revision 13.
We agree to clarify the requirement in paragraph (g) of the AD. As
noted by the commenter, the TR has already been incorporated into MRM
Part 1, Revision 13. Therefore, if operators incorporate MRM Part 1,
Revision 13, into the maintenance or inspection program, as applicable,
they are in compliance with paragraph (g)(1) of this AD (i.e., since
the MRM Part 1, Revision 13, contains the information in TR MRB-0099,
by incorporating MRM Part 1, Revision 13, the operator is complying
with the requirement to incorporate the information specified in TR
MRB-0099). We have revised paragraph (g) of this AD to include a
statement in paragraph (g)(2) of this AD that specifies if the
information in TR MRB-0099 has been included in the general revisions
of the maintenance requirements manual and the general revisions have
been inserted in the maintenance or inspection program, as applicable,
the requirement of paragraph (g)(1) of this AD is met.
Request To Include Instructions for Doing Inspection
Horizon Air requested that Bombardier Q400 Dash 8 MRB Task
561001E201, ``General Visual Inspection of the Windshield Moisture
Seal,'' (``MRB Task 561001E201''), Task 56-10-01-210-801, of the
Bombardier Q400 Dash 8 Airplane Maintenance Manual, be included in
paragraph (i) of the proposed AD as approved instructions for doing the
inspection of the moisture seal on the left and right windshields.
We agree with the commenter's request. We have included information
in Note 1 to paragraph (i) of this AD that guidance for doing the
inspection of the moisture seal can be found in MRB Task 561001E201. We
also re-designated Note 1 to paragraph (i) of the proposed AD to Note
2
to paragraph (i) of this AD.
Request To Include Additional Information in Note 1 to Paragraph (i)
of
the Proposed AD
Horizon Air requested that Note 1 to paragraph (i) of the proposed
AD include PPG Sierracin Component Maintenance Manual (CMM) 56-10-12,
Revision B, dated October 21, 2004. The commenter observed that Note 1
to paragraph (i) of the proposed AD provided additional guidance for
repair of the moisture seal and referred to PPG Aerospace
Transparencies Abbreviated CMM, Part Number NP-157901, Revision 6,
dated June 16, 2015. The commenter did not provide justification for
this request.
We partially agree with the commenter's request. We have moved the
content of Note 1 to paragraph (i) of the proposed AD into Note 2 to
paragraph (i) of this AD. Instead of Revision B, we have included
Revision D, dated April 6, 2017, of PPG Sierracin CMM, 56-10-12, as an
additional source of guidance for repair of the moisture seal.
Request To Exclude Job Set-Up and Close Out From Required Actions
Horizon Air requested that only the sections of the Accomplishment
Instructions of Bombardier Service Bulletin 84-30-16, Revision A, dated
September 27, 2017, that address the unsafe condition be specified in
paragraph (j) of the proposed AD. The commenter stated that including
the job set-up and close out sections of the Accomplishment
Instructions restricts an operator's ability to perform other
maintenance in conjunction with the incorporation of the actions
specified in this service bulletin.
We agree with the commenter's request to clarify which section of
the Accomplishment Instructions of Bombardier Service Bulletin 84-30-
16, Revision A, dated September 27, 2017, that operators must use to
accomplish the actions required by paragraph (j) of this AD. We have
revised paragraph (j) of this AD to specify that operators must do the
applicable actions in accordance with paragraph 3.B., ``Procedure,'' of
the Accomplishment Instructions of Bombardier Service Bulletin 84-30-
16, Revision A, dated September 27, 2017.
Conclusion
We reviewed the relevant data, considered the comments received,
and determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting
this final rule with the changes described previously and minor
editorial changes. We have determined that these minor changes:
Are consistent with the intent that was proposed in the
NPRM for addressing the unsafe condition; and
Do not add any additional burden upon the public than was
already proposed in the NPRM.
We also determined that these changes will not increase the
economic burden on any operator or increase the scope of this final
rule.
Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51
Bombardier 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 of the windshield heaters.
Bombardier has also issued Q400 Dash 8 Maintenance Review Board
Report Temporary Revision (TR) MRB-0099, dated December 9, 2016. 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.
Costs of Compliance
We estimate that this AD affects 54 airplanes of U.S. registry.
We estimate the following costs to comply with this AD:
Estimated Costs
Action |
Labor cost |
Parts cost |
Cost per product |
Cost on U.S. operators |
Inspection/Re-torque/Seal |
Up to 3 work-hours x
$85 per hour = $255
|
$0 |
Up to $255 |
Up to $13,770 |
We have determined that revising
the maintenance or inspection
program takes an average of 90 work-hours per operator, although we
recognize that this number may vary from operator to operator. In the
past, we have estimated that this action takes 1 work-hour per
airplane. Since operators incorporate maintenance or inspection program
changes for their affected fleet(s), we have determined that a per-
operator estimate is more accurate than a per-airplane estimate.
Therefore, we estimate the total cost per operator to be $7,650 (90
work-hours x $85 per work-hour).
We have received no definitive data that will enable us to provide
a cost estimate for the on-condition repair specified in this 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 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 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):
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