Department of Transportation June 14, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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 certain petitions 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.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier Model DHC-8-401 and -402 airplanes. This proposed AD would require a one-time inspection of the fuel and hydraulic tubes, and corrective actions if necessary. This proposed AD would also require modifying fairlead plate assemblies. This proposed AD is prompted by reports of chafing between fuel and hydraulic tubes and the fairlead plate where the tubes pass through the firewall. We are proposing this AD to prevent chafing of the fuel and hydraulic tubes, which could lead to fuel and/or hydraulic fluid leakage in the engine nacelle area and consequent fire or explosion.

The FAA proposes to revise an earlier proposed airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to all Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. (Pilatus) (also identified as Fairchild Republic Company and Fairchild Heli Porter) Model PC-6 airplanes. The earlier NPRM proposed to require you to repetitively inspect the stabilizer-trim attachment and structural components for cracks, corrosion, and discrepancies and replace any defective part with a new part. The earlier NPRM also proposed to require you to replace all Fairchild connecting pieces with a Pilatus connecting piece. The earlier NPRM resulted from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the airworthiness authority for Switzerland. This proposed AD would retain the actions from the earlier NPRM and would require you to replace fittings without an index after the part number (P/N) with an improved part. This proposed AD results from incorporating revised manufacture service information to include a procedure for replacing certain fittings with an improved part and to correct the allowable limits of the actuator attachment hole diameters. This proposed AD also clarifies the applicability. Since this action imposes an additional burden over that proposed in the NPRM, we are reopening the comment period to allow the public the chance to comment on this additional action.

This statement summarizes the major changes and the implications of publishing the revised policy, and background on the need for a revised policy. The revised FIS Policy updates the existing 1998 FAA Airborne FIS Policy to reflect the current FIS data link status and provides the basis for transition from the current (FAA) industry Flight Information Services Data Link (FISDL) service to the planned evolution of an FAA FIS data link service using National Airspace System (NAS) technologies such as the Universal Access Transceiver (UAT) and/or Next Generation Air-Ground Communication (NEXCOM). During the transition, the revised FIS Policy supports continuation of the FISDL service by temporarily extending the current use of VHF channels through FAA-industry agreement. In 1998 the FAA Administrator published the current Airborne Flight Information Services Policy Statement (see attachment). That policy provided the basis for implementing the existing FISDL service through FAA-industry agreement. Under the agreement, FAA provides two VHF frequencies and management oversight while industry (Honeywell) provides the FISDL network and cockpit products. In 2002 the FAA published the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Link Decision which includes providing FIS-B services via the UAT network. The Safe Flight 21 program is developing the ADS-B technology and has intalled a ``pocket'' UAT network along the East Coast. The major purpose for publishing the revised FIS Policy is to establish a strategy for transitioning from the existing industry- government FIS data link service to one or more FAA-only FIS data link services. The existing industry-government service, called FIS Data Link (FISDL), is owned and operated by Honeywell Inc. The replacement FAA-only system(s) will be the Universal Access Transceiver (UAT) and/ or NEXCOM. During the transition to an FAA FIS data link service, the FAA will provide temporary extension of two VHF channels for continuation of the FISDL service.

The Federal Highway Administration is issuing this notice to advise the public that an environmental impact statement will be prepared for the extension of Elizabeth Brady Road in Hillsborough, Orange County, North Carolina (TIP Project U-3808).

The FAA adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all GROB-WERKE (GROB) Model G120A airplanes. This AD requires you to repetitively inspect the nose landing gear (NLG) assembly, paying special attention to the NLG swivel tube and the engine truss in the area of the NLG attachment, for cracks and damaged (defective) welding seams. If you find cracks or defects during any inspection, this AD requires you to replace the cracked or defective part. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the airworthiness authority for Germany. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracks and defects in the NLG assembly, which could result in failure of the NLG. This failure could lead to a hard landing and/or loss of control of the airplane during landing operations.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) to supersede AD 79-10-15, which applies to all Cessna Aircraft Company (Cessna) Models 401, 401A, 401B, 402, 402A, 402B, 411, and 411A airplanes. AD 79-10-15 currently requires repetitive inspections of the right and left wing spar lower cap areas for fatigue cracks and requires wing spar cap repair or replacement as necessary. This AD is the result of fatigue and crack growth analyses of the wings of these airplanes, recent cracks found on similar design Model 402C airplanes, and the FAA's determination that repetitive inspections and a wing spar modification are necessary to address the unsafe condition. Consequently, this AD would require repetitive inspections and a spar strap modification on each wing. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent wing spar cap failure caused by undetected fatigue cracks. Such failure could result in loss of a wing with consequent loss of airplane control. FAA is also issuing AD 2005-12-13 to require the spar strap modification and long-term inspections on Models 402C and 414A airplanes.

The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for Teledyne Continental Motors (TCM) (formerly Bendix) S-20, S- 1200, D-2000, and D-3000 series magnetos equipped with impulse coupling assemblies. That AD currently requires replacing riveted-impulse coupling assemblies and snap-ring coupling assemblies, which are worn beyond limits, with serviceable riveted-impulse coupling assemblies or snap-ring impulse coupling assemblies. This ad requires a reduced inspection interval for magnetos with riveted-impulse coupling assemblies installed on certain Lycoming engine models. This AD does not lower the inspection interval for magnetos with snap-ring impulse coupling assemblies. This AD also limits the applicability to certain Lycoming engine models. This AD results from data provided by the manufacturer that shows a need to reduce the inspection intervals for riveted-impulse coupling assemblies used on certain Lycoming engine models. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of the magneto impulse coupling assembly and possible engine failure.

This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Sikorsky) Model S-92A helicopters. This action requires replacing the main gearbox (MGB) lubrication/scavenge pump vespel spline adapters (vespel spline adapters) before further flight, and thereafter, replacing them at certain intervals. This amendment is prompted by a reported incident of an in-flight loss of oil pressure. The actions specified in this AD are intended to prevent loss of lubrication to the MGB, which could cause failure of one or both engine input drives, or planetary gear to sun gear tooth mesh failure, resulting in loss of power to the rotor system and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD), which applies to certain transport category airplanes. That AD currently requires modification of the reinforced flight deck door. This new AD expands the applicability of the existing AD and requires other actions related to the reinforced flight deck door. These other actions include modifying the door, inspecting and modifying wiring in the area, and revising the maintenance program to require more frequent testing of the decompression panels of the flight deck door. This AD is prompted by reports of discrepancies with the reinforced flight deck door. We are issuing this AD to prevent inadvertent release of the decompression latch and consequent opening of the decompression panel in the flight deck door, or penetration of the flight deck door by smoke or shrapnel, any of which could result in injury to the airplane flightcrew. This AD also requires finding and fixing wire chafing, which could result in arcing, fire, and/or reduced controllability of the airplane.