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FAA Safety Order for Bombardier Jets

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Steveair

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FAA Safety Order for Bombardier Jets
Wednesday August 29, 12:56 pm ET
By Dan Caterinicchia, AP Business Writer FAA, Canadian Authorities Issue Safety Mandates for Bombardier Jets After Wing Problems

WASHINGTON (AP) -- U.S. and Canadian aviation regulators have ordered Bombardier Inc. to address wing malfunctions on certain jets flown by regional carriers such as Air Wisconsin and SkyWest Inc.
Air Wisconsin operates flights for US Airways Group Inc., while SkyWest is a feeder airline for UAL Corp.'s United, Delta Air Lines Inc. and Midwest Air Group Inc's Midwest Airlines.
The Federal Aviation Administration's directive, which goes into effect Sept. 5, covers 684 airplanes in the U.S. fleet that were built by Montreal-based Bombardier.
The airplanes have experienced so-called flap failures over several years, according to Transport Canada, which issued its own safety order on the jets last month.
"Flap failure may result in a significant increase in required landing distances and higher fuel consumption than planned during a diversion," according to the FAA order.
The FAA requires a revision of the airplane flight manual to address flap failures, training for the new operations, and mandates cleaning and maintenance of the affected shafts. The Canadian order includes additional training and maintenance requirements.
An FAA spokeswoman on Wednesday said while the flap problems are potentially unsafe, there was no immediate danger, which is why the company was given between 30 and 120 days from the effective date to make the required changes.
Representatives from Bombardier and Transport Canada were not immediately available for comment. The affected Bombardier regional jets hold roughly 50 people. The company's main competition in this niche is Brazil's Embraer.
 
FAA Safety Order for Bombardier Jets
Wednesday August 29, 12:56 pm ET
By Dan Caterinicchia, AP Business Writer FAA, Canadian Authorities Issue Safety Mandates for Bombardier Jets After Wing Problems




Does this mean a change in the way fuel requirements are planned to the alternate?

This could dramatically affect the amount of useful load on these RJs...
 
More Info?

I am not sure exactly what this means.... Is it just a manual revision and some sort of new mx procedure? Anyhow, I'll bet it is related to something I heard early this year:

An ASA guy who is way up in training told me that we were averaging more than a flap failure a day.... He said that whoever makes the flex shafts had changed the lubricant and the new stuff let more water get into the shafts and they would freeze up-hence all the failures.

-Don't know exactly what the FAA is doing abou this, though.
 
Actions and Compliance

(f) Unless already done, do the following actions.

(1) Part I. Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) Change: Within 30 days after the effective date of this AD, revise the Canadair Regional Jet Airplane Flight Manual CSP A-012, by incorporating the information in Canadair Regional Jet Temporary Revision (TR) RJ/165, dated July 6, 2007, into the AFM.

Note 1:
The actions required by paragraph (f)(1) of this AD may be done by inserting a copy of Canadair Regional Jet TR RJ/165, dated July 6, 2007, into the Canadair Regional Jet Airplane Flight Manual CSP A-012. When this TR has been included in general revisions of the AFM, the general revisions may be inserted in the AFM.

(2) Part II. Operational Procedures: Within 30 days after the effective date of this AD, revise the Limitations Section of the Canadair Regional Jet Airplane Flight Manual CSP A-012, to include the following statement. This may be done by inserting a copy of paragraph (f)(2) of this AD in the AFM.

"1. Flap Extended Diversion

Upon arrival at the destination airport, an approach shall not be commenced, nor shall the flaps be extended beyond the 0 degree position, unless one of the following conditions exists:

a. When conducting a precision approach, the reported visibility (or RVR) is confirmed to be at or above the visibility associated with the landing minima for the approach in use, and can be reasonably expected to remain at or above this visibility until after landing; or

b. When conducting a non-precision approach, the reported ceiling and visibility (or RVR) are confirmed to be at or above the ceiling and visibility associated with the landing minima for the approach in use, and can be reasonably expected to remain at or above this ceiling and visibility until after landing; or
c. An emergency or abnormal situation occurs that requires landing at the nearest suitable airport; or

d. The fuel remaining is sufficient to conduct the approach, execute a missed approach, divert to a suitable airport with the flaps extended to the landing position, conduct an approach at the airport and land with 1000 lb (454 kg) of fuel remaining.

Note 1: The fuel burn factor (as per AFM TR/165) shall be applied to the normal fuel consumption for calculation of the flaps extended missed approach, climb, diversion and approach fuel consumption.

Note 2:
Terrain and weather must allow a minimum flight altitude not exceeding 15,000 feet along the diversion route.

Note 3: For the purpose of this AD, a "suitable airport'' is an airport that has at least one usable runway, served by an instrument approach if operating under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR), and the airport is equipped as per the applicable regulations and standards for marking and lighting. The existing and forecast weather for this airport shall be at or above landing minima for the approach in use.

2. Flap Failure After Takeoff


When a takeoff alternate is filed, terrain and weather must allow a minimum flight altitude not exceeding 15,000 feet along the diversion route to that alternate, or other suitable airport. The fuel at departure shall be sufficient to divert to the takeoff alternate or other suitable airport with the flaps extended to the takeoff position, conduct and approach and land with 1000 lb (454 kg) of fuel remaining.

Note:
The fuel burn factor (as per AFM TR/165) shall be applied to the normal fuel consumption for calculation of the flaps extended, climb, diversion and approach fuel consumption.

3. Flap Zero Landing


Operations where all useable runways at the destination and alternate airports are forecast to be wet or contaminated (as defined in the AFM) are prohibited during the cold weather season (December to March inclusive in the northern hemisphere) unless one of the following conditions exists:

a. The flap actuators have been verified serviceable in accordance with Part C (Low Temperature Torque Test of the Flap Actuators) of SB 601R-27-150, July 12, 2007, or

b. The flight is conducted at a cruise altitude where the SAT is -60 deg C or warmer. If the SAT in flight is colder than -60 deg C, descent to warmer air shall be initiated within 10 minutes, or

c. The Landing Distance Available on a useable runway at the destination airport is at least equal to the actual landing distance required for flaps zero. This distance shall be based on Bombardier performance data, and shall take into account forecast weather and anticipated runway conditions, or

d. The Landing Distance Available on a useable runway at the filed alternate airport, or other suitable airport is at least equal to the actual landing distance for flaps zero. This distance shall be based on Bombardier performance data, and shall take into account forecast weather and anticipated runway conditions.

Note 1
: If the forecast destination weather is less than 200 feet above DH or MDA, or less than 1 mile (1500 meters) above the authorized landing visibility (or equivalent RVR), as applied to the usable runway at the destination airport, condition 3.a., 3.b., or 3.d. above must be satisfied.

Note 2:
When conducting No Alternate IFR (NAIFR) operations, condition 3.a., 3.b., or 3.c. above must be satisfied.''

(3) Part III. Training: As of 30 days after the effective date of this AD, no affected airplane may be operated unless the flight crewmembers of that airplane and the operational control/dispatch personnel for that airplane have received training that is acceptable to the Principal Operations Inspector (POI) on the operational procedures required by paragraph (f)(2) of this AD.

(4) Part IV. Maintenance Actions: Within 120 days after the effective date of this AD, do the cleaning and lubrication of the flexible shafts, installation of metallic seals in the flexible drive-shafts, and all applicable related investigative and corrective actions by doing all the applicable actions specified in "PART A'' of the Accomplishment Instructions of Bombardier Service Bulletin 601R-27-150, dated July 12, 2007; except if torque test results are not satisfactory, before further flight, install a serviceable actuator in accordance with the service bulletin or, if no serviceable actuators are available, contact the Manager, New York Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, for corrective action. Do all applicable related investigative and corrective actions before further flight.
 
I once had 2 flap failures in one day and was carrying parts & a mechanic on board to the destination to fix another airplane that had a flap failure.
 
A Dispatcher's Nightmare.

You beat me to it. This is going to suck so hard. Figuring out these fuel burns and when to calculate them is going to be such a pain in the arse.

The weight restrictions are going to be ridiculous and the costs of flying the big hunk of crap when an alternate is required will be astronomical due to pax compensation.

If anything good comes out of this, maybe this could be the death blow to the CRJ-200 for U.S. airlines. I absolutely loathe the little piggy.
 
A Dispatcher's Nightmare.

I'd love to hear the gate agent announcement too.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we are looking for 20 volunteers to give up their seats and take a later flight. We are offering 200 Delta Dollars and a meal voucher for that ********************hole Wendy's down by C-30."
 

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