Department of Transportation January 12, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Boeing Model 767-400ER, 777-200, and 777-300 series airplanes. This proposed AD would require replacing, with new parts, the existing tie-down fitting studs that secure galleys, purser work stations, and closets to the seat tracks. This proposed AD is prompted by a report that tie-down fitting studs were found damaged. We are proposing this AD to prevent a galley, purser work station, or closet from detaching from the tie-down fitting studs during an emergency landing, which could injure passengers or crewmembers, or obstruct escape routes and impede emergency evacuation.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus Model A330, A340-200, and A340-300 series airplanes. This proposed AD would require repetitive inspections of a certain bracket that attaches the flight deck instrument panel to the airplane structure, replacement of the bracket with a new, improved bracket, and related investigative and corrective actions if necessary. This proposed AD is prompted by reports of cracking of a certain bracket that attaches the flight deck instrument panel to the airplane structure. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct a cracked bracket. Failure of this bracket, combined with failure of the horizontal beam, could result in collapse of the left part of the flight deck instrument panel, and consequent reduced controllability of the airplane.

This notice announces FMCSA's plans to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to renew its approval of the information collection described below. This information collection is for the application forms used by for-hire motor carriers of regulated commodities, freight forwarders, property brokers, and certain Mexican motor carriers to register their operations with the FMCSA. This notice is required by the Paperwork Reduction Act.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of a meeting of RTCA Special Committee 172: Future Air-Ground Communications in the VHF Aeronautical Data Band (118-137 MHz).

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposes to rule and invites public comment on the release of approximately 49.90 acres of airport property at San Bernardino International Airport, San Bernardino, California, from all restrictions of the surplus property agreement since the land is not needed for airport purposes. Reuse of the land for commercial/light industrial purposes represents a compatible land use. Disposal of the property will provide an opportunity to acquire additional land that is needed to enhance safety and meet airport design standards.

Pursuant to FAA's rulemaking provisions governing the application, processing, and disposition of petitions for exemption, part 11 of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR), this notice contains a summary of a certain petition seeking relief from specified requirements of 14 CFR. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, this aspect of FAA's regulatory activities. Neither publication of this notice nor the inclusion or omission of information in the summary is intended to affect the legal status of any petition or its final disposition.

Pursuant to FAA's rulemaking provisions governing the application, processing, and disposition of petitions for exemption, part 11 of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR), this notice contains the disposition of certain petitions previously received. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, this aspect of FAA's regulatory activities. Neither publication of this notice nor the inclusion or omission of information in the summary is intended to affect the legal status of any petition or its final disposition.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR describes the nature of the information collections and their expected burden. The Federal Register document with a 60-day comment period was published on September 29, 2004 (69 FR 58219).

This document reopens the comment period on a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 214, ``Side Impact Protection,'' to add a dynamic pole test to the standard, and on an NPRM on adding specifications and qualification requirements for a new mid-size adult male crash test dummy for use in the pole test. The agency is taking this action in response to a petition from the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers requesting additional time to submit comments. The agency is reopening the comment period for 90 days. This document also informs readers that the agency will be placing in the docket an addendum to an initial regulatory flexibility analysis (IRFA) relating to the proposed addition of the dynamic pole test to FMVSS No. 214. Comments are requested on the addendum.

The FAA proposes to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to certain Boeing Model 707 airplanes and Model 720 and 720B series airplanes. The existing AD currently requires a preventive modification of the front spar fitting on the outboard engine nacelle. This proposed AD would remove the requirement to do this preventive modification, and would require repetitive inspections for cracking of the front spar fitting of the inboard and outboard nacelle struts, and replacement of any cracked fitting with a new fitting. The proposed AD would also apply to more airplanes. This proposed AD is prompted by a report indicating that a crack was found in a front spar fitting that had been replaced as part of the modification required by the existing AD. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct this cracking, which could result in reduced structural integrity of the engine nacelle, and consequent separation of an engine from the airplane.