Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 13 / Thursday, January 21, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 3313 Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on January 6, 4000; fax 416–375–4539; email cracks, if not detected, could propagate to 2016. [email protected]; result in the structural failure of the steps. Bruce E. Cain, Internet http://www.bombardier.com. In the event of an emergency egress situation, the failure of the airstair step Acting Manager, Rotorcraft Directorate, You may view this referenced service assembly could impede the evacuation of Aircraft Certification Service. information at the FAA, Transport passengers. [FR Doc. 2016–00664 Filed 1–20–16; 8:45 am] Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue This [Canadian] AD mandates the BILLING CODE 4910–13–P SW., Renton, WA. For information on replacement of the affected forward the availability of this material at the passenger airstair step assembly with a new FAA, call 425–227–1221. It is also or reworked step assembly. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION available on the Internet at http:// Revision 1 of this [Canadian] AD provides www.regulations.gov by searching for additional instructions for performing an Federal Aviation Administration and locating Docket No. FAA–2014– electronic tap test of the airstair step 0447. assembly if the Serial Number (S/N) of the 14 CFR Part 39 airstair step assembly cannot be found. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: [Docket No. FAA–2014–0447; Directorate Required actions include an Jeffrey Zimmer, Aerospace Engineer, inspection to determine the serial Identifier 2014–NM–019–AD; Amendment Airframe and Mechanical Systems 39–18368; AD 2016–01–09] number of the airstair door step Branch, ANE–171, FAA, New York assembly, and if necessary, an electronic RIN 2120–AA64 Aircraft Certification Office, 1600 tap test and reidentification and Stewart Avenue, Suite 410, Westbury, replacement of the assembly. You may Airworthiness Directives; Bombardier, NY 11590; telephone 516–228–7306; fax Inc. Airplanes examine the MCAI in the AD docket on 516–794–5531. the Internet at http:// AGENCY: Federal Aviation SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: www.regulations.gov/ Administration (FAA), Department of Discussion #!documentDetail;D=FAA-2014-0447- Transportation (DOT). 0004. ACTION: Final rule. We issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR Comments SUMMARY: We are adopting a new part 39 by adding an AD that would We gave the public the opportunity to airworthiness directive (AD) for certain apply to certain Bombardier Model participate in developing this AD. The Bombardier Model DHC–8–400 series DHC–8–400 series airplanes. The NPRM following presents the comments airplanes. This AD was prompted by a published in the Federal Register on received on the NPRM (79 FR 41661, report of several cracks found on the July 17, 2014 (79 FR 41661). The NPRM July 17, 2014) and the FAA’s response forward passenger airstair door step was prompted by a report of several to each comment. assembly. This AD requires an cracks found on the forward passenger Request To Refer to Latest Service inspection to determine the serial airstair door step assembly. The NPRM Information number of the airstair door step proposed to require an inspection to assembly, and if necessary, an electronic determine the serial number of the Republic Airlines and Horizon Air tap test, reidentification of the airstair airstair door step assembly, and if requested that we revise the NPRM (79 door step assembly, and replacement of necessary, an electronic tap test, FR 41661, July 17, 2014) to refer to the the airstair door step assembly. We are reidentification of the airstair door step latest service information. issuing this AD to detect and correct assembly, and replacement of the We agree with the request. The cracks in the forward passenger airstair airstair door step assembly. We are revised service information, Bombardier door step assembly; such cracking could issuing this AD to detect and correct Service Bulletin 84–52–77, Revision C, propagate and result in the structural cracks in the forward passenger airstair dated June 5, 2014, provides minor failure of the steps and impede the door step assembly; such cracking could wording changes but does not change evacuation of passengers in the event of propagate and result in the structural the procedures or add any airplanes. We an emergency egress situation. failure of the steps and impede the have revised paragraphs (g) and (h) in this AD to refer to the new service DATES: This AD becomes effective evacuation of passengers in the event of an emergency egress situation. information, and added Bombardier February 25, 2016. Service Bulletin 84–52–77, Revision B, The Director of the Federal Register Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA), which is the aviation authority dated October 31, 2013, to paragraph (i) approved the incorporation by reference of this AD, to provide credit for of a certain publication listed in this AD for Canada, has issued Canadian Airworthiness Directive CF–2013–20R1, previous actions done before the as of February 25, 2016. effective date of this AD. ADDRESSES: You may examine the AD dated December 30, 2013 (referred to docket on the Internet at http:// after this as the Mandatory Continuing Request To Allow Records Review Airworthiness Information, or ‘‘the www.regulations.gov/ Horizon Air requested that we revise MCAI’’), to correct an unsafe condition #!docketDetail;D=FAA-2014-0447; or in paragraph (g) of the proposed AD (79 FR for the specified products. The MCAI person at the Docket Management 41661, July 17, 2014) to allow a review states: Facility, U.S. Department of of aircraft records, in addition to a Transportation, Docket Operations, M– There has been one in-service report of physical inspection, as a way to 30, West Building Ground Floor, Room several cracks being found on the forward determine the serial number of the W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., passenger airstair door step assembly airstair door step assembly. Washington, DC. between the steps and the sidewall panels. We disagree with the request. A The investigation revealed that the For service information identified in application of potting compound may have review of aircraft records may provide this final rule, contact Bombardier, Inc., been omitted during the bonding at the joint an appropriate means to determine Q-Series Technical Help Desk, 123 of the airstair door steps and the sidewalls. serial numbers. For the airstair door step Garratt Boulevard, Toronto, Ontario The omission of potting compound could assembly, however, we understand that M3K 1Y5, Canada; telephone 416–375– cause the bonding sealant to crack. The operators may remove and exchange the VerDate Sep<11>2014 15:08 Jan 20, 2016 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00025 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 E:\FR\FM\21JAR1.SGM 21JAR1 jstallworth on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with RULES 3314 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 13 / Thursday, January 21, 2016 / Rules and Regulations assemblies within their fleet for repair, in paragraph 3.A., ‘‘Job Set-up,’’ and up to 9 work-hours and require parts and replace them relatively quickly to paragraph 3.C., ‘‘Close Out,’’ of the costing $206,175, for a cost of $206,940 minimize airplane downtime. In these Accomplishment Instructions of per product. We have no way of cases, there may be a lag between the Bombardier Service Bulletin 84–52–77, determining the number of aircraft that removal and replacement action and Revision C, dated June 5, 2014. Horizon might need these actions. updating the records typically used to Air added that incorporating the Job Set- Authority for This Rulemaking conduct a records review. In up and Close Out as a requirement of coordination with TCCA, we have the AD would restrict an operator’s Title 49 of the United States Code determined that airplane records may ability to perform other maintenance in specifies the FAA’s authority to issue not reliably reflect the serial numbers of conjunction with the incorporation of rules on aviation safety. Subtitle I, all airstair door step assemblies present the service information. section 106, describes the authority of on the affected airplanes. However, We agree with the request and the the FAA Administrator. ‘‘Subtitle VII: under the provisions of paragraph (j)(1) commenter’s rationale. We have revised Aviation Programs,’’ describes in more of this AD, we will consider requests for paragraph (g) of this AD accordingly. detail the scope of the Agency’s approval of an alternative method of authority. compliance for determining serial Conclusion We are issuing this rulemaking under numbers, if sufficient data are submitted We reviewed the relevant data, the authority described in ‘‘Subtitle VII, to substantiate that the new method considered the comments received, and Part A, Subpart III, Section 44701: would provide an acceptable level of determined that air safety and the General requirements.’’ Under that safety. We have not changed this final public interest require adopting this AD section, Congress charges the FAA with rule regarding this issue. with the changes described previously promoting safe flight of civil aircraft in and minor editorial changes. We have air commerce by prescribing regulations Request To Allow Maintenance Manual determined that these minor changes: for practices, methods, and procedures Tasks for Airstair Replacement • Are consistent with the intent that the Administrator finds necessary for Horizon Air requested that we revise was proposed in the NPRM (79 FR safety in air commerce. This regulation paragraph (g)(1)(ii) of the proposed AD 41661, July 17, 2014) for correcting the is within the scope of that authority (79 FR 41661, July 17, 2014), which unsafe condition; and because it addresses an unsafe condition would conditionally require replacing • Do not add any additional burden that is likely to exist or develop on the airstair door step assembly in upon the public than was already products identified in this rulemaking accordance with Bombardier Service proposed in the NPRM (79 FR 41661, action.