Department of Transportation April 7, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FHWA has forwarded the new information collection request described in this notice to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. We published a Federal Register notice with a 60-day public comment period on this information collection on August 10, 2004 (69 FR 48556). We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

This document proposes adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the specified Eurocopter France (ECF) model helicopters. This proposal would require replacing the hydraulic fluid at a specified time interval when operating in cold weather. This proposal is prompted by reports of ice forming due to condensation in some parts of the hydraulic system during cold weather operation. The actions specified by this proposed AD are intended to prevent ice from forming in the hydraulic system resulting in an unintended movement of the flight controls and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain McDonnell Douglas airplanes identified above. This proposed AD would require repetitive functional tests for noisy or improper operation of the exterior emergency control handle assemblies of the mid, overwing, and aft passenger doors, and corrective actions if necessary. This proposed AD also would provide for optional terminating action for the repetitive tests. This proposed AD is prompted by a report that the exterior emergency control mechanism handles were inoperative on a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 airplane. We are proposing this AD to prevent failure of the passenger doors to operate properly in an emergency condition, which could delay an emergency evacuation and possibly result in injury to passengers and flightcrew.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the availability of funds in fiscal year (FY) 2005 for the Over-the-Road Bus (OTRB) Accessibility Program, authorized by section 3038 of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). The OTRB Accessibility Program makes funds available to private operators of over-the-road buses to finance the incremental capital and training costs of complying with DOT's over- the-road bus accessibility final rule, 49 CFR part 37, published in a Federal Register notice on September 28, 1998 (63 FR 51670). The authorizing legislation calls for national solicitation of applications, with grantees to be selected on a competitive basis. Federal transit funds are available to intercity fixed-route providers and other OTRB providers at up to 90 percent of the project cost. In FY 2005, $5,208,000 was appropriated for intercity fixed-route service providers and $1,686,400 was appropriated for other over-the- road bus service providers. This announcement is available on the Internet on the FTA Web site at: https://www.fta.dot.gov. FTA will announce final selections on the Web site and in the Federal Register. A synopsis of this announcement will be posted in the FIND module of the government-wide electronic grants Web site at https://www.grants.gov. Applications may be submitted to FTA in hard copy or electronically through the GRANTS.GOV APPLY function.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Boeing Model 737-600, -700, -800, and -900 series airplanes. This AD requires installing and testing an updated version of the operational program software of the flight control computers. This AD is prompted by a report of an airplane pitching up with rapidly decreasing indicated airspeed after the flightcrew set a new altitude into the autopilot. We are issuing this AD to prevent anomalous autopilot operation that produces a hazardous combination of airplane attitude and airspeed, which could result in loss of control of the airplane.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Boeing Model 737-100, -200, -200C, -300, -400, and -500 series airplanes. This AD requires repetitive detailed and eddy current inspections to detect cracking of the frame web around the cutout for the doorstop intercostal strap at the aft side of the body station 291.5 frame at stringer 16R, and corrective actions if necessary. This AD is prompted by reports of fatigue cracks in the web of the body station 291.5 frame near the forward galley door. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct fatigue cracking of the aft frame and frame support structure of the forward galley door, which could result in a severed fuselage frame web, rapid decompression of the airplane, and possible loss of the forward galley door.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier Model CL-600-2B19 (Regional Jet Series 100 and 440) airplanes. This AD requires modification of the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) cooling air exhaust. This AD is prompted by reports of incomplete drainage of the APU enclosure. We are issuing this AD to prevent a negative pressure condition from developing in the APU enclosure when the APU is operating on the ground, which could create a potential fire hazard if flammable liquid leakage occurs inside the APU enclosure and cannot be drained overboard.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Boeing Model 767-400ER, 777-200, and 777-300 series airplanes. This AD requires replacing, with new parts, the existing tie-down fitting studs that secure galleys, purser work stations, and closets to the seat tracks. This AD is prompted by a report that tie-down fitting studs were found damaged. We are issuing 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.