Enhanced Airworthiness Program for Airplane Systems/Fuel Tank Safety (EAPAS/FTS), 38542-38543 [E6-10596]
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 130 / Friday, July 7, 2006 / Proposed Rules
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Before acting on this proposal, we
will consider all comments we receive
by the closing date for comments. We
will consider comments filed late if it is
possible to do so without incurring
expense or delay. We may change this
proposal in light of the comments we
receive.
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jlentini on PROD1PC65 with PROPOSAL
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VerDate Aug<31>2005
17:37 Jul 06, 2006
Jkt 208001
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Background
On April 21, 2006, the Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA)
published Notice No. 05–11, Damage
Tolerance Data for Repairs and
Alterations (71 FR 20574). Comments to
that document were to be received by
July 20, 2006.
By letters dated May 26 and 30, and
June 6, 9, and 12, the Air Transport
Association of America, Inc. (ATA),
Airbus, the Cargo Airline Association
(CAA), Boeing Commercial Airplanes,
and National Air Carrier Association,
Inc. (NACA), respectively, asked the
FAA to extend the comment period for
Notice No. 05–11. Many of the
petitioners said Notice No. 05–11, as
well as other Aging Aircraft proposals
and related guidance material, present
complex issues that would take time to
review together. Each petitioner
requested a 60-day extension, except
Boeing Commercial Airplanes, who
requested a 90-day extension, to fully
evaluate this proposal before sending
comments to the FAA.
The FAA concurs with the
petitioners’ requests for an extension of
the comment period on Notice No. 05–
11. The FAA believes that a 90-day
extension, as requested by Boeing
Commercial Airplanes, would be
excessive. As Notice No. 05–11 presents
some complex issues, the FAA initially
provided a 90-day comment period.
Although the FAA agrees that additional
time will allow industry to assess the
impact of this regulation and provide
meaningful comments, this need must
be balanced against the need to proceed
expeditiously with a rulemaking that
will allow airline operators to comply
with existing regulations.1 We believe
an additional 60 days, as requested by
most of the petitioners, would be
adequate for them to review and provide
comment to Notice No. 05–11. Absent
1 Aging Airplane Safety final rule: 70 FR 5518,
February 2, 2005.
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
unusual circumstances, the FAA does
not anticipate any further extension of
the comment period for this rulemaking.
Extension of Comment Period
In accordance with § 11.47(c) of Title
14, Code of Federal Regulations, the
FAA has reviewed the petitions made
by ATA, Airbus, Boeing Commercial
Airplanes, CAA, and NACA for
extension of the comment period to
Notice No. 05–11. These petitioners
have shown a substantive interest in the
proposed rule and good cause for the
extension. The FAA also has
determined that extension of the
comment period is consistent with the
public interest, and that good cause
exists for taking this action.
Accordingly, the comment period for
Notice No. 05–11 is extended until
September 18, 2006.
Issued in Washington, DC, June 29, 2006.
John M. Allen,
Acting Director, Flight Standards Service,
Aviation Safety.
Dorenda D. Baker,
Acting Director, Aircraft Certification Service,
Aviation Safety.
[FR Doc. E6–10598 Filed 7–6–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–13–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Parts 25, 91, 121, 125, and 129
[Docket No. FAA–2004–18379; Notice No.
05–08]
RIN 2120–AI31
Enhanced Airworthiness Program for
Airplane Systems/Fuel Tank Safety
(EAPAS/FTS)
Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Alignment of compliance times
for EAPAS and FTS.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: On October 6, 2005, the FAA
published the ‘‘Enhanced Airworthiness
Program for Airplane Systems/Fuel
Tank Safety (EAPAS/FTS)’’ proposed
rule. This proposal includes a
discussion about our intent to
coordinate the Instructions for
Continued Airworthiness (ICA) for fuel
tank system and electrical wiring
interconnection systems (EWIS) to avoid
redundancies in those ICA. It also
discusses our intent to align the
compliance dates for operators to
include those ICA in their maintenance
programs. The purpose of this document
is to advise industry that while we still
intend to avoid redundancies in the fuel
E:\FR\FM\07JYP1.SGM
07JYP1
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 130 / Friday, July 7, 2006 / Proposed Rules
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with PROPOSAL
tank system and EWIS ICA, it is no
longer practical to align the compliance
dates to incorporate those ICA into
operator maintenance programs. As a
result, the December 16, 2008
compliance date in the fuel tank safety
operational rules remains firm, and
industry should proceed with the
necessary plans to meet this date.
DATES: The mandatory compliance date
for airline operators to comply with the
fuel tank safety operational rules is
December 16, 2008.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Stephen Slotte, ANM–111, Airplane &
Flight Crew Interface, Federal Aviation
Administration, 1601 Lind Avenue,
SW., Renton, WA 98055–4056;
telephone (425) 227–2315; facsimile
(425) 227–1320, e-mail
steve.slotte@faa.gov (certification rules)
or Fred Sobeck, AFS–304, Aircraft
Maintenance Division, Federal Aviation
Administration, 800 Independence
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20591;
telephone: (202) 267–7355; facsimile
(202) 267–7335, e-mail
frederick.sobeck@faa.gov (operating
rules).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On May 7, 2001, the FAA issued the
‘‘Transport Airplane Fuel Tank System
Design Review, Flammability
Reduction, and Maintenance and
Inspection Requirements’’ final rule.1
The operational portion of this rule,
called ‘‘Fuel Tank Safety Rule,’’ requires
operators of affected transport category
airplanes to include fuel tank system
maintenance and inspection
instructions in their existing
maintenance programs by a specified
date. This final rule also included a
Special Federal Aviation Regulation
(SFAR) component, called SFAR 88,
which applies to design approval
holders (DAHs). SFAR 88 requires
DAHs, among other things, to develop
the fuel tank system maintenance and
inspection instructions that operators
need to include in their maintenance
programs.
On July 30, 2004, the FAA published
the ‘‘Fuel Tank Safety Compliance
Extension (Final Rule) and Aging
Airplane Program Update (Request for
Comments)’’ final rule.2 That action
revised the compliance date for fuel
tank safety operational rules to
December 16, 2008.
On October 6, 2005, the FAA
published the ‘‘Enhanced Airworthiness
Program for Airplane Systems and Fuel
1 66
2 69
Tank Safety (EAPAS/FTS)’’ proposal.3
In that proposed rule, we discussed our
intent to coordinate the Instructions for
Continued Airworthiness (ICA) for fuel
tank system and electrical wiring
interconnection systems (EWIS). The
intent of this approach is to facilitate a
more comprehensive treatment of those
ICA and accomplish maintenance
instructions at consistent intervals. We
also discussed our intent to align the
compliance times for incorporation of
those ICA into operators’ maintenance
programs. This would have allowed
operators to accomplish their
maintenance program revisions for both
initiatives at one time.
When we originally drafted the
EAPAS/FTS proposal, we aligned the
compliance dates at December 16, 2008,
assuming we would issue the final rule
by mid-2006. This would have allowed
operators enough time to meet the 2008
compliance date for both fuel tank
system and EWIS ICA. However, we
also realized the EAPAS/FTS
rulemaking could take longer than
expected, so we asked for comments
about the possible impact on the
compliance times. The comment period
for the proposal closed on February 3,
2006. We are currently reviewing the
comments to the proposal; we anticipate
that we will not issue a final rule that
will respond to those comments for
several months. If we were to keep the
compliance times aligned, we would
need to extend the December 16, 2008
date to coincide with the compliance
date of the EAPAS final rule. After
studying the impact of delays in issuing
the October 2005 EAPAS/FTS proposal,
and after reviewing the comments
related to compliance dates, we have
determined that public safety would not
be served by extending implementation
of the fuel tank safety operational rules
beyond the December 16, 2008 date.
Also, since adoption of the May 7, 2001
final rule, specifically SFAR 88, DAHs
have had enough time to develop the
required fuel tank system ICA and make
them available to operators.
Therefore, for the reasons stated, we
have decided not to maintain the
alignment of the fuel tank system and
EWIS compliance times specified in the
EAPAS/FTS proposal. Today’s action
gives industry notice that the December
16, 2008 date for compliance with the
fuel tank safety operational rules
remains firm.
While alignment of the fuel tank
system and EWIS ICA compliance dates
is no longer practical, coordination of
the maintenance tasks contained in the
ICA is still desirable and possible.
FR 23086.
FR 45936.
VerDate Aug<31>2005
3 70
17:37 Jul 06, 2006
Jkt 208001
PO 00000
FR 58508.
Frm 00005
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
38543
Therefore, it remains our intent to fully
coordinate these tasks to avoid possible
conflicts, remove redundancies, and
provide maximum efficiency to
accomplish them.
We are still evaluating the appropriate
compliance date for implementation of
the EWIS ICA and will provide that date
in the EAPAS final rule.
Issued in Washington, DC, June 29, 2006.
John M. Allen,
Acting Director, Flight Standards Service.
Dorenda D. Baker,
Acting Director, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. E6–10596 Filed 7–6–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–13–P
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Bureau of Prisons
28 CFR Part 511
[BOP Docket No. BOP–1137]
RIN 1120–AB37
Possession or Introduction of Personal
Firearms Prohibited on the Grounds of
Bureau of Prisons Facilities
Federal Bureau of Prisons, DOJ.
Proposed rule.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: To help ensure the safe
operation of Federal Prisons, this rule
proposes prohibiting all persons from
possessing or introducing personal
firearms, or attempting, aiding, or
abetting possession or introduction of
personal firearms, on the grounds of
Bureau of Prisons facilities, with
exceptions for possession of personal
firearms: (1) As required in the
performance of official law enforcement
duties; (2) on Bureau firing ranges by
law enforcement personnel, as
authorized by the Warden; and (3) in
Warden-designated secure locations by
Bureau employees who reside on
Bureau grounds.
DATES: Please submit written comments
no later than August 7, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Our e-mail address is
BOPRULES@BOP.GOV. Comments
should be submitted to the Rules Unit,
Office of General Counsel, Bureau of
Prisons, 320 First Street, NW.,
Washington, DC 20534. You may view
an electronic version of this rule at
https://www.regulations.gov. You may
also comment via the Internet to BOP at
BOPRULES@BOP.GOV or by using the
https://www.regulations.gov comment
form for this regulation. When
submitting comments electronically you
must include the BOP Docket No. in the
subject box.
E:\FR\FM\07JYP1.SGM
07JYP1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 130 (Friday, July 7, 2006)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 38542-38543]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-10596]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Parts 25, 91, 121, 125, and 129
[Docket No. FAA-2004-18379; Notice No. 05-08]
RIN 2120-AI31
Enhanced Airworthiness Program for Airplane Systems/Fuel Tank
Safety (EAPAS/FTS)
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Alignment of compliance times for EAPAS and FTS.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: On October 6, 2005, the FAA published the ``Enhanced
Airworthiness Program for Airplane Systems/Fuel Tank Safety (EAPAS/
FTS)'' proposed rule. This proposal includes a discussion about our
intent to coordinate the Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA)
for fuel tank system and electrical wiring interconnection systems
(EWIS) to avoid redundancies in those ICA. It also discusses our intent
to align the compliance dates for operators to include those ICA in
their maintenance programs. The purpose of this document is to advise
industry that while we still intend to avoid redundancies in the fuel
[[Page 38543]]
tank system and EWIS ICA, it is no longer practical to align the
compliance dates to incorporate those ICA into operator maintenance
programs. As a result, the December 16, 2008 compliance date in the
fuel tank safety operational rules remains firm, and industry should
proceed with the necessary plans to meet this date.
DATES: The mandatory compliance date for airline operators to comply
with the fuel tank safety operational rules is December 16, 2008.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephen Slotte, ANM-111, Airplane &
Flight Crew Interface, Federal Aviation Administration, 1601 Lind
Avenue, SW., Renton, WA 98055-4056; telephone (425) 227-2315; facsimile
(425) 227-1320, e-mail steve.slotte@faa.gov (certification rules) or
Fred Sobeck, AFS-304, Aircraft Maintenance Division, Federal Aviation
Administration, 800 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20591;
telephone: (202) 267-7355; facsimile (202) 267-7335, e-mail
frederick.sobeck@faa.gov (operating rules).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On May 7, 2001, the FAA issued the ``Transport Airplane Fuel Tank
System Design Review, Flammability Reduction, and Maintenance and
Inspection Requirements'' final rule.\1\ The operational portion of
this rule, called ``Fuel Tank Safety Rule,'' requires operators of
affected transport category airplanes to include fuel tank system
maintenance and inspection instructions in their existing maintenance
programs by a specified date. This final rule also included a Special
Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) component, called SFAR 88, which
applies to design approval holders (DAHs). SFAR 88 requires DAHs, among
other things, to develop the fuel tank system maintenance and
inspection instructions that operators need to include in their
maintenance programs.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ 66 FR 23086.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
On July 30, 2004, the FAA published the ``Fuel Tank Safety
Compliance Extension (Final Rule) and Aging Airplane Program Update
(Request for Comments)'' final rule.\2\ That action revised the
compliance date for fuel tank safety operational rules to December 16,
2008.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ 69 FR 45936.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
On October 6, 2005, the FAA published the ``Enhanced Airworthiness
Program for Airplane Systems and Fuel Tank Safety (EAPAS/FTS)''
proposal.\3\ In that proposed rule, we discussed our intent to
coordinate the Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA) for fuel
tank system and electrical wiring interconnection systems (EWIS). The
intent of this approach is to facilitate a more comprehensive treatment
of those ICA and accomplish maintenance instructions at consistent
intervals. We also discussed our intent to align the compliance times
for incorporation of those ICA into operators' maintenance programs.
This would have allowed operators to accomplish their maintenance
program revisions for both initiatives at one time.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ 70 FR 58508.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
When we originally drafted the EAPAS/FTS proposal, we aligned the
compliance dates at December 16, 2008, assuming we would issue the
final rule by mid-2006. This would have allowed operators enough time
to meet the 2008 compliance date for both fuel tank system and EWIS
ICA. However, we also realized the EAPAS/FTS rulemaking could take
longer than expected, so we asked for comments about the possible
impact on the compliance times. The comment period for the proposal
closed on February 3, 2006. We are currently reviewing the comments to
the proposal; we anticipate that we will not issue a final rule that
will respond to those comments for several months. If we were to keep
the compliance times aligned, we would need to extend the December 16,
2008 date to coincide with the compliance date of the EAPAS final rule.
After studying the impact of delays in issuing the October 2005 EAPAS/
FTS proposal, and after reviewing the comments related to compliance
dates, we have determined that public safety would not be served by
extending implementation of the fuel tank safety operational rules
beyond the December 16, 2008 date. Also, since adoption of the May 7,
2001 final rule, specifically SFAR 88, DAHs have had enough time to
develop the required fuel tank system ICA and make them available to
operators.
Therefore, for the reasons stated, we have decided not to maintain
the alignment of the fuel tank system and EWIS compliance times
specified in the EAPAS/FTS proposal. Today's action gives industry
notice that the December 16, 2008 date for compliance with the fuel
tank safety operational rules remains firm.
While alignment of the fuel tank system and EWIS ICA compliance
dates is no longer practical, coordination of the maintenance tasks
contained in the ICA is still desirable and possible. Therefore, it
remains our intent to fully coordinate these tasks to avoid possible
conflicts, remove redundancies, and provide maximum efficiency to
accomplish them.
We are still evaluating the appropriate compliance date for
implementation of the EWIS ICA and will provide that date in the EAPAS
final rule.
Issued in Washington, DC, June 29, 2006.
John M. Allen,
Acting Director, Flight Standards Service.
Dorenda D. Baker,
Acting Director, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. E6-10596 Filed 7-6-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P