January 6, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) to supersede (AD) 98-15-13, which applies to certain Raytheon Aircraft Company 90, 100, 200, and 300 series airplanes. This AD adds the Raytheon Beech 99 series to the applicability listed in AD 98-15-13. The compliance actions remain the same for those aircraft originally affected by AD 98-15-13. AD 98-15-13 currently requires you to check the airplane maintenance records from January 1, 1994, up to and including the effective date of that AD, for any MIL-H-6000B fuel hose replacements on the affected airplanes; inspecting any replaced rubber fuel hose for a spiral or diagonal external wrap with a red or orange- red stripe along the length of the hose with 94519 printed along the stripe; and replacing any MIL-H-6000B rubber fuel hose matching this description with an FAA-approved hose having a criss-cross or braided external wrap. We are issuing this AD to prevent fuel flow interruption, which could lead to uncommanded loss of engine power and loss of control of the airplane.

This document revises an earlier proposed airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to certain Boeing Model 747-400, 777-200, and 777-300 series airplanes, that would have required, for certain airplanes, replacement of the cell stack of the flight deck humidifier with a supplier-tested cell stack, or replacement with an end plate and subsequent deactivation of the flight deck humidifier. For other airplanes, that proposed AD would have required replacement of the cell stack with a blanking plate or a new cell stack, or replacement of the blanking plate with a supplier-tested cell stack. This new action revises the proposed AD by adding airplanes to the applicability; adding new inspections to determine certain part numbers; requiring replacement of the blanking plate with a supplier-tested cell stack if necessary; and changing certain words to clarify the intent of the proposed AD. The actions specified by this new proposed AD are intended to prevent an increased pressure drop across the humidifier and consequent reduced airflow to the flight deck, which could result in the inability to clear any smoke that might appear in the flight deck. This action is intended to address the identified unsafe condition.

The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD), which applies to certain Airbus Model A320 series airplanes. That AD currently requires repetitive inspections to detect fatigue cracking in certain areas of the fuselage, and corrective action if necessary. That AD also provides for an optional terminating action for the repetitive inspections. This new AD revises the compliance threshold and repetitive intervals for the inspections required by the existing AD. This AD is prompted by a full-scale fatigue survey on the Model A320 fleet. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct fatigue cracking of the fuselage, which could result in reduced structural integrity of the airplane.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will hold a public meeting to gather additional comment and data on a proposed Airworthiness Directive published as a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), Docket Number FAA-2004-18038, (Directorate Identifier 2004-NE- 01-AD), in the Federal Register on June 16, 2004. This public meeting will follow the procedure provided in Sec. 11.53 of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR 11.53).

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is correcting a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register of December 10, 2004 (69 FR 72020). This document renamed the Instructional Television Fixed Service (ITFS) as the Educational Broadband Service (EBS) and renaming the Multichannel Multipoint Distribution Service (MMDS) and the Multipoint Distribution Service (MDS) as the Broadband Radio Service (BRS). The rules restructure the 2500-2690 MHz band, designate the 2495-2500 MHz band for use in connection with the 2500-2690 MHz band, establish a plan to transition licenses to the restructured 2500-2690 MHz band, adopt licensing, service, and technical rules to govern licensees in the EBS and BRS, permit spectrum leasing for BRS and EBS licensees under the Commission's secondary markets leasing policies and procedures, and permit unlicensed operation in the 2655-2690 MHz band.

These special conditions are issued for a Dassault-Breguet Model Falcon 10 airplane modified by Long Beach Avionics of Long Beach, California. The modified airplane will have novel and unusual design features when compared to the state of technology envisioned in the airworthiness standards for transport category airplanes. The modification incorporates the installation of a Collins Model ALI-80 Altimeter and Model MSI-80 Mach Airspeed Indicator. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for the protection of these systems from the effects of high- intensity radiated fields (HIRF). These special conditions contain the additional safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary to establish a level of safety equivalent to that provided by the existing airworthiness standards.

This amendment establishes, amends, suspends, or revokes Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) for operations at certain airports. These regulatory actions are needed because of the adoption of new or revised criteria, or because of changes occurring in the National Airspace System, such as the commissioning of new navigational facilities, addition of new obstacles, or changes in air traffic requirements. These changes are designed to provide safe and efficient use of the navigable airspace and to promote safe flight operations under instrument flight rules at the affected airports.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary fixed security zone in the waters from the Don Holt, I-526 Bridge, on the Cooper River to the entrance of Foster Creek on the Cooper River. This security zone is necessary to protect the public and port from potential subversive acts during port embarkation operations. Vessels are prohibited from entering, transiting, anchoring, mooring, or loitering within this zone, unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port, Charleston, South Carolina, or the Captain of the Port's designated representative.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) establish a rule for the nonessential experimental populations (NEPs) of the Western Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of the gray wolf (Canis lupus), so that in States and on Tribal reservations with Service- approved wolf management plans, we can better address the concerns of affected landowners and the impacts of a biologically recovered wolf population. In addition, States and Tribes with Service accepted wolf management plans can petition the Service for lead management authority for experimental wolves consistent with this rule. Within the Yellowstone and central Idaho experimental population areas, only the States of Idaho and Montana currently have approved management plans for gray wolves. The State of Wyoming has prepared a wolf management plan that was not approved by the Service. No Tribes have approved management plans. Therefore, at this point in time these regulatory changes only affect wolf management within the experimental population areas in Montana and Idaho. As we discussed in our advance notice of proposed rulemaking regarding delisting the Western DPS of the gray wolf (68 FR 15879; April 1, 2003), once Wyoming has an approved wolf management plan, we intend to propose removing the gray wolf in the Western DPS from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. This rule does not affect gray wolves in the Eastern DPS, the Southwestern DPS, or the non-experimental wolves in the Western DPS.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus Model A318, A319, A320, and A321 series airplanes equipped with certain forward and aft passenger door emergency escape slides. This AD requires modifying the forward and aft door slides. This AD is prompted by manufacturer testing that has shown contact between the inflation hose and fabric roll, within a short period of time after inflation of the emergency escape slides, can rupture the inflation hose at its end fittings. We are issuing this AD to prevent interference between the inflation hose and slide fabric and rupture of the inflation hose, which could result in incomplete inflation of the emergency escape slides and consequent unavailability of those slides during an emergency evacuation.