Federal Aviation Administration December 21, 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces its findings on the Noise Compatibility Program (NCP) Update submitted by the City of Westfield, Massachusetts, through its Aviation Department, for Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport. The Final Noise Compatibility Program (NCP) was submitted to FAA for review and approval on May 26, 2023. The NCP was found to be sufficient for consideration by the FAA, and a Federal Register noticed appeared on July 11, 2023. The required 60-day public comment period expired on September 9, 2023. The NEM was previously determined to be in compliance on June 13, 2019, and is still valid. The NCP contained 10 noise abatement measures, nine land use measures, and four program management measures. Of the 23 measures proposed, 12 were approved, 9 were approved as voluntary, one requires no action at this time, and one was disapproved for purposes of part 150.

This action proposes to amend the Class E airspace at Ebensburg, PA. The FAA is proposing this action as the result of an airspace review conducted due to the decommissioning of the Revloc very high frequency omnidirectional range (VOR) as part of the VOR Minimum Operating Network (MON) Program. This action will bring the airspace into compliance with FAA orders to support instrument flight rule (IFR) operations.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Leonardo S.p.a Model AW189 helicopters. This proposed AD was prompted by a determination that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. This proposed AD would require revising the airworthiness limitations section (ALS) of the existing helicopter maintenance manual or instructions for continued airworthiness (ICA) for your helicopter and the existing approved maintenance or inspection program for your helicopter, as applicable, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is proposed for incorporation by reference. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This action withdraws the final rule correction published in the Federal Register on December 6, 2023. That action incorrectly stated that the action would be incorporated by reference. The FAA has determined that withdrawal of the final rule correction is warranted since the action is not incorporated by reference.

The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2022-08-12, which applies to all The Boeing Company Model 757 airplanes. AD 2022-08-12 requires repetitive inspections for skin cracking and shim migration at the upper link drag fittings, diagonal brace cracking, and fastener looseness; and applicable on-condition actions. Since the FAA issued AD 2022-08-12, it was determined that certain drag fittings may be made of alternate materials, which could result in reduced structural integrity of the engine strut, and that additional inspections and revised compliance times are needed. This proposed AD would retain the requirements of AD 2022-08-12 with revised compliance times for certain actions and would add inspections for existing repairs and applicable on-condition actions. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This action proposes to revoke Colored Federal airway Amber 15 (A-15) within United States (U.S.) airspace due to the pending decommissioning of the Nabesna, Sumner Strait, Haines, and Nichols Nondirectional Radio Beacons (NDB) in Alaska. Additionally, this action proposes to amend Alaskan Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal Airway V-428 due to the pending decommissioning of the Haines NDB.