AD 2015-20-07

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier, Inc. Model CL-600-2C10 (Regional Jet Series 700, 701, & 702), CL-600-2D15 (Regional Jet Series 705), and CL-600-2D24 (Regional Jet Series 900) airplanes. This AD was prompted by a determination that no instructions for continued airworthiness exist for the nose landing gear (NLG) alternate extension actuator of the NLG alternate release system. This AD requires revising the maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate a new airworthiness limitation task for the NLG alternate extension actuator. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of the NLG alternate release system and, if the normal NLG extension system also fails, failure of the NLG to extend, and consequent damage to the airplane and injury to occupants.

Final rule.

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

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 (AD): 2015-20-07 Bombardier, Inc.: Amendment 39-18286. Docket No. FAA- 2014-1046; Directorate Identifier 2014-NM-021-AD.

(a) Effective Date

This AD becomes effective November 10, 2015.

(b) Affected ADs

None.

(c) Applicability

This AD applies to the airplanes identified in paragraphs (c)(1) and (c)(2) of this AD, certificated in any category.
(1) Bombardier, Inc. Model CL-600-2C10 (Regional Jet Series 700, 701, & 702) airplanes, serial number (S/N) 10002 and subsequent.
(2) Bombardier, Inc. Model CL-600-2D15 (Regional Jet Series705), and CL-600-2D24 (Regional Jet Series 900) airplanes, S/N 15001 and subsequent.

(d) Subject

Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 32, Landing Gear.

(e) Reason

This AD was prompted by a determination that no instructions for continued airworthiness exist for the nose landing gear (NLG) alternate extension actuator of the NLG alternate release system. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of the NLG alternate release system and, if the normal NLG extension system also fails, failure of the NLG to extend, and consequent damage to the airplane and injury to occupants.

(f) Compliance

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

(g) Maintenance or Inspection Program Revision

Within 30 days after the effective date of this AD, revise the maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate the information specified in Task 320100-225, Restoration of the NLG Manual Release Actuator, of Subject 1-32, Landing Gear, of Section 1, Systems and Powerplant Program, Volume 1 of Part 1, Maintenance Review Board Report, Revision 14, dated July 10, 2013, of the CRJ 700/900/1000 Maintenance Requirements Manual, CSP-B-053. The initial compliance time for the task is specified in paragraph (h) of this AD.

(h) Initial Task Compliance Time

Before the accumulation of 20,000 total flight cycles, or within 5,500 flight cycles after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs later: Perform the initial restoration specified in Task 320100-225, Restoration of the NLG Manual Release Actuator, of Subject 1-32, Landing Gear, of Section 1, Systems and Powerplant Program, Volume 1 of Part 1, Maintenance Review Board Report, Revision 14, dated July 10, 2013, of the CRJ 700/900/1000 Maintenance Requirements Manual, CSP-B-053.

(i) No Alternative Actions and Intervals

After accomplishing the revision required by paragraph (g) of this AD, no alternative actions (e.g., inspections) or intervals may be used unless the actions or intervals are approved as an alternative method of compliance (AMOC) in accordance with the procedures specified in paragraph (j)(1) of this AD.

(j) Other FAA AD Provisions

The following provisions also apply to this AD:
(1) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs): The Manager, New York Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), ANE-170, 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 local Flight Standards District Office, as appropriate. If sending information directly to the ACO, send it to Program Manager, Continuing Operational Safety, FAA, New York ACO, 1600 Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, NY 11590; telephone (516) 228-7300; fax (516) 794- 5531. Before using any approved AMOC, notify your appropriate principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the managerof the local flight standards district office/certificate holding district office. The AMOC approval letter must specifically reference this AD.
(2) Contacting the Manufacturer: For any requirement in this AD to obtain corrective actions from a manufacturer, the action must be accomplished using a method approved by the Manager, New York ACO, ANE-170, Engine and Propeller Directorate, FAA; or Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA); or Bombardier, Inc.'s TCCA Design Approval Organization (DAO). If approved by the DAO, the approval must include the DAO-authorized signature.

(k) Related Information

Refer to MCAI Canadian Airworthiness Directive CF-2013-24R1, dated December 24, 2013, for related information. This MCAI may be found in the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=FAA-2014-1046-0002.

(l) 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) Task 320100-225, Restoration of the NLG Manual Release Actuator, of Subject 1-32, Landing Gear, of Section 1, Systems and Powerplant Program, Volume 1 of Part 1, Maintenance Review Board Report, Revision 14, dated July 10, 2013, of the CRJ 700/900/1000 Maintenance Requirements Manual, CSP-B-053.
(ii) Reserved.
(3) For service information identified in this AD, Bombardier, Inc., 400 C[ocirc]te-Vertu Road West, Dorval, Qu[eacute]bec H4S 1Y9, Canada; telephone 514-855-5000; fax 514-855-7401; email thd.crj@aero.bombardier.com; Internet http://www.bombardier.com.
(4) You may view this service information at the FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate,

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1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA. For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 425-227-1221.
(5) You may view this service information that is incorporated by reference at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this material at NARA, call 202-741-6030, or go to: http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.

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 CL-600-2C10 (Regional Jet Series 700, 701, & 702), CL-600-2D15 (Regional Jet Series 705), and CL-600-2D24 (Regional Jet Series 900) airplanes. The NPRM published in the Federal Register on January 23, 2015 (80 FR 3502).
Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA), which is the aviation authority for Canada, has issued Canadian Airworthiness Directive CF- 2013-24R1, dated December 24, 2013 (referred to after this as the Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information, or ``the MCAI''), to correct an unsafe condition for certain Bombardier, Inc. Model CL-600- 2C10 (Regional Jet Series 700, 701, & 702), CL-600-2D15 (Regional Jet Series 705), and CL-600-2D24 (Regional Jet Series 900) airplanes. The MCAI states:

It was discovered that there are no instructions for continued airworthiness for the NoseLanding Gear (NLG) alternate extension actuator. Without an effective maintenance task to maintain the aeroplane's inherent level of safety, there is a potential that a dormant failure of the alternate release system of the NLG could occur. Failure of the NLG alternate release system could prevent the nose landing gear from extending in the case of a failure of the normal NLG extension system.
This [Canadian] AD is to mandate the incorporation of a new maintenance task to prevent failure of the NLG alternate release system.
Revision 1 of this [Canadian] AD changes the phase-in time to be based on the NLG manual release actuators instead of aeroplanes.

You may examine the MCAI in the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=FAA-2014-1046-0002.

Comments

We gave the public the opportunity to participate in developing this AD. The following presents the comments received on the NPRM (80 FR 3502, January 23, 2015) and the FAA's response to each comment.

Support for the NPRM (80 FR 3502, January 23, 2015)

Airline Pilots Association (ALPA) International agreed with the intent of the NPRM (80 FR 3502, January 23, 2015).

Request To Revise Compliance Time

Envoy Airlines and Mesa Airlines asked that we revise the compliance time language in paragraph (h) of the proposed AD (80 FR 3502, January 23, 2015) from ``whichever occurs first'' to ``whichever occurs later.'' The compliance time, as written, could result in airplanes being grounded. Envoy Airlines added that the compliance time referred to in the TCCA AD is ``whichever occurs later.'' Mesa Airlines noted that changing the compliance time would also allow for scheduling and parts procurement.
We agree with the commenters' request for the reasons provided, and due to the fact that this was an inadvertent error. We have revised the compliance time in paragraph (h) of this AD as requested.

Conclusion

We reviewed the relevant data, considered the comments received, and determined that air safety and the public interest require adopting this AD with the change described previously and minor editorial changes. We have determined that these minor changes:
Are consistent with the intent that was proposed in the NPRM (80 FR 3502, January 23, 2015) for correcting the unsafe condition; and
Do not add any additional burden upon the public than was already proposed in the NPRM (80 FR 3502, January 23, 2015).
We also determined that these changes will not increase the economic burden on any operator or increase the scope of this AD.

Related Service Information Under 1 CFR Part 51

Bombardier, Inc. has issued Task 320100-225, Restoration of the NLG Manual Release Actuator, of Subject 1-32, Landing Gear, of Section 1, Systems and Powerplant Program, Volume 1 of Part 1, Maintenance Review Board Report, Revision 14, dated July 10, 2013, of the CRJ 700/900/1000 Maintenance Requirements Manual, CSP-B-053. Thisservice information describes an airworthiness limitation task for the NLG alternate extension actuator. 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 of this AD.

Costs of Compliance

We estimate that this AD affects 416 airplanes of U.S. registry.
We also estimate that it takes about 1 work-hour per product to comply with the basic requirements of this AD. The average labor rate is $85 per work-hour. Required parts will cost about $0 per product. Based on these figures, we estimate the cost of this AD on U.S. operators to be $35,360, or $85 per product.
In addition, we estimate that any necessary follow-on actions take about 1 work-hour and require parts costing $0, for a cost of $85 per product. We have no way of determining the number of aircraft that might need these actions.

Authority for This Rulemaking

Title 49of 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

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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.

Examining the AD Docket

You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=FAA-2014-1046; 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 Operations office (telephone 800-647- 5527) is in the ADDRESSES section.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by reference, Safety.