Department of Transportation June 22, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice proposes to create a Class E surface area at Storm Lake, IA. It also proposes to modify the Class E5 airspace at Storm Lake, IA.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces its findings on the noise compatibility program submitted by the city of Georgetown under the provisions of 49 U.S.C. (the Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act, hereinafter referred to as ``the Act'') and 14 CFR Part 150. These findings are made in recognition of the description of Federal and nonfederal responsibilities in Senate Report No. 96-52 (1980). On January 26, 2004, the FAA determined that the noise exposure maps submitted by the city of Georgetown under Part 150 were in compliance with applicable requirements. On May 27, 2005, the FAA approved the Georgetown Municipal Airport noise compatibility program. Most of the recommendations of the program were approved.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is considering a proposal to change a portion of the airport from aeronautical use to non-aeronautical use and to authorize the sale of the airport property. The proposal consists of a parcel of land totaling approximately 5.76 acres. Current use and present condition is vacant grassland. The parcel is hilly and partially wooded. The land was acquired under FAA Project No. 9-20-072-6001. There are no impacts to the airport by allowing the airport to dispose of the property. The proposal concerns selling the land to the Michigan Department of Transportation to provide a right-of-way for the proposed Interstate-96 interchange with 36th Street. The project will improve traffic flow to areas along the northern boundary of the airport. Approval does not constitute a commitment by the FAA to financially assist in the disposal of the subject airport property nor a determination of eligibility for grant- in-aid funding from the FAA. The disposition of proceeds from the disposal of the airport property will be in accordance FAA's Policy and Procedures Concerning the Use of Airport Revenue, published in the Federal Register on February 16, 1999. In accordance with section 47107(h) of title 49, United States Code, this notice is required to be published in the Federal Register 30 days before modifying the land-use assurance that requires the property to be used for an aeronautical purpose.

The FAA proposes to rule and invites public comment on the release of land at Snohomish County Airport/Paine Field under the provisions of Section 125 of the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment Reform Act for the 21st Century (AIR 21).

This action establishes a low altitude area navigation (RNAV) route T-270 in Alaska to support the Alaskan Capstone Program. The FAA is taking this action to enhance safety and improve the efficient use of the navigable airspace in Alaska.

These special conditions are issued to Duncan Aviation Inc., 15745 S Airport Rd Battle Creek, MI 49015, for a Supplemental Type Certificate for the Raytheon 300 King Air. This airplane will have novel and unusual design features when compared to the state of technology envisaged in the applicable airworthiness standards. These novel and unusual design features include the installation of an electronic flight instrument system (EFIS). The EFIS consists of the Universal Avionics, Inc. EFI-890R system for which the applicable regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate airworthiness standards for the protection of these systems from the effects of high intensity radiated fields (HIRF). The installation includes three EFI- 890R Flat Panel Displays (two Primary Flight Displays Pilot/Copilot and one Navigational Displays Pilot), and supporting equipment. These special conditions contain the additional safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary to establish a level of safety equivalent to the airworthiness standards applicable to these airplanes.

The Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) seeks public comments on two petitions for rulemaking filed by Arkema, Inc. The petitions request changes to the gas pipeline safety regulations to increase the design factor for new polyamide11 (PA-11) pipe and to allow use of PA-11 pipe for systems operating at up to 200 pounds per square inch gauge pressure (psig). These requested changes will allow the use of PA-11 pipe in gas pipelines in place of metal pipe.

This document revises an earlier proposed airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to all Airbus Model A330 and A340-200, -300, -500, and -600 series airplanes. That action would have required a one- time inspection of each emergency evacuation slide raft installed on Type ``A'' exit doors equipped with regulator valves having a certain part number to determine if a discrepant regulator valve is installed on the pressure bottle that inflates the slide/raft, and an interim modification of any discrepant valve if necessary. That action also would have required eventual modification of all affected regulator valves, which would have terminated the requirements of the proposed AD. This new action revises the original NPRM by requiring part number identification and a new modification for affected airplanes, removing the one-time inspection and interim modification, and removing certain airplanes from the applicability. The actions specified by this new proposed AD are intended to prevent failure of an emergency evacuation slide raft to deploy and inflate during an emergency situation, which could impede an evacuation and result in injury to passengers or crewmembers. This action is intended to address the identified unsafe condition.

The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to all EMBRAER Model EMB-135 and -145 airplanes. The existing AD currently requires repetitive inspections of the electrical connectors of the electric fuel pumps to detect discrepancies, application of anti-corrosion spray, replacement of all fuel pumps with improved fuel pumps, repetitive inspections after all six fuel pumps are replaced, and applicable corrective actions. This new AD retains those requirements but revises the initial compliance time for an inspection for certain airplanes. This new AD is prompted by the need to correct a compliance time in the existing AD. We are issuing this AD to prevent an ignition source in the fuel tank or adjacent dry bay, which could result in fire or explosion.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain McDonnell Douglas transport category airplanes. This proposed AD would require an inspection of the torque tube assembly for the rudder pedal for cracking; an inspection of the torque tube assembly to determine the thickness of the torque tube wall, if necessary; and replacing the rudder torque tube with a new or serviceable rudder torque tube, if necessary. This proposed AD is prompted by a report of a broken rudder pedal torque tube. We are proposing this AD to prevent failure of a rudder pedal torque tube, which could result in loss of rudder control and nose wheel steering controlled by the rudder pedal, and consequent reduced controllability of the airplane.

The FAA proposes to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Boeing Model 727 series airplanes. That AD currently requires repetitive visual inspections for cracking of the forward entry doorway forward frame and repair if necessary. That AD also provides an optional modification that constitutes terminating action. This proposed AD would require adding new post-repair and post- modification inspections for previously repaired or modified airplanes, mandating the optional modification, and adding airplanes to the applicability of the AD. This proposed AD is prompted by reports of cracking of the forward entry doorway forward frame of airplanes previously modified. We are proposing this AD to prevent the loss of the structural integrity of the forward entry doorway due to cracking of the frame at BS 303.9, and consequent cracking of the fuselage skin and rapid decompression of the airplane.

This notice announces the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval of the information collection requirement in the final rule published on June 29, 2004 (FR 69 39292). This notice also provides the amendment numbers for the final rule that were absent when it was published.

The FAA adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Air Tractor, Inc. (Air Tractor) Models AT-300, AT-301, AT-302, AT-400, AT-400A, AT-401, AT-402, AT-602, AT-802, and AT-802A airplanes. This AD requires you to repetitively tighten the four eyebolts that attach the front and rear spar of the horizontal stabilizer to the respective stabilizer strut to the specified torque, and repetitively replace at specified intervals any eyebolts that attach the front and rear spar of the horizontal stabilizer to the respective stabilizer strut. An option for replacing the steel brace assembly inside the stabilizer with a new steel brace assembly with larger bushings and stronger eyebolts that increases the interval for replacement of eyebolts for AT-602, AT-802, and AT-802A airplanes is also included in this AD. This AD results from reports of failures of the subject eyebolt. We are issuing this AD to detect, correct, and prevent future fatigue failure in any eyebolt that attaches the front and rear spar of the horizontal stabilizer to the respective stabilizer strut. Failure of the eyebolt could lead to an abrupt change or complete loss of pitch control and/or the airplane departing from controlled flight.

The FAA adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Cessna Aircraft Company (Cessna) Models 172R, 172S, 182T, T182T, 206H, and T206H airplanes. This AD requires you to inspect any MC01-3A I.C. 9 or MC01-3A I.C. 10 main electrical power junction box circuit breakers for correct amperage (amp) (a correct 40-amp circuit breaker) and replace any incorrect amp circuit breaker with the correct 40-amp circuit breaker. This AD results from several reports of circuit breakers that are not the correct 40-amp circuit breaker installed in the MC01-3A main electrical power junction box. We are issuing this AD to replace any incorrect circuit breaker installed in the MC01-3A I.C. 9 or MC01-3A I.C. 10 main electrical power junction box, which could result in premature tripping of the power junction box main feeder circuit breakers and could lead to partial or complete loss of all electrical power on the airplane. This condition could lead to the loss of all navigation and communication equipment and lighting in the cockpit.

The FAA adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain GROB-WERKE Model G120A airplanes. This AD requires you to replace the main landing gear (MLG) up-lock hook assembly. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the airworthiness authority for Germany. We are issuing this AD to prevent the MLG from becoming jammed and not extending, which could result in loss of control of the airplane during landing. During the comment period for the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) regarding this action, we received a comment recommending the incorporation of service information to install connecting bolts secured with cotter pins instead of connecting bolts secured with snap rings. All U.S.- registered airplanes currently have these actions incorporated so these actions do not impose an additional burden over that proposed in the NPRM and prior public comment is not necessary. However, we are reopening the comment period to allow the public the chance to comment on these additional actions.

This action corrects an error in the airspace description of a notice of a final rule that was published in the Federal Register on May 6, 2005 (70 FR 23934), Airspace Docket No. 04-AAL-13.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the FAA invites public comment on two currently approved public information collections which will be submitted to OMB for renewal.

This action proposes to establish three area navigation (RNAV) routes in Southwestern and South Central United States in support of the High Altitude Redesign (HAR) program. The FAA is proposing this action to enhance safety and to improve the efficient use of the navigable airspace.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Boeing Model 747-400F series airplanes. This AD requires initial detailed and open-hole high frequency eddy current inspections for cracking of the web, upper chord, and upper chord strap of the upper deck floor beams, and repair of any cracking. This AD also requires a preventive modification of the upper deck floor beams, and repetitive inspections for cracking after accomplishing the modification. This AD is prompted by reports of fatigue cracking found on the upper deck floor beam to frame attachment points. We are issuing this AD to prevent fatigue cracks in the upper chord, upper chord strap, and the web of the upper deck floor beams and resultant failure of the floor beams. Failure of a floor beam could result in damage to critical flight control cables and wire bundles that pass through the floor beam, and consequent loss of controllability of the airplane. Failure of the floor beam also could result in the failure of the adjacent fuselage frames and skin, and consequent rapid decompression of the airplane.