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

This action revises Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal Airway V-537 by changing the origination point of the airway from the Vero Beach, FL, Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range/Tactical Air Navigation (VORTAC) to the Palm Beach, FL, VORTAC. The FAA is taking this action to enhance the management of aircraft in the Palm Beach, FL, area.

On July 30, 2004, the FAA extended the date for operators to comply with the special maintenance program requirements for transport airplane fuel tank systems from December 6, 2004 to December 16, 2008. That final rule also included an overview of the findings of the FAA's review of our Aging Airplane Program and the rulemaking actions we plan as part of that program. As part of the final rule, the FAA sought comments on both the fuel tank safety compliance extension and the Aging Airplane Program update. This action is a summary and disposition of those comments received.

This Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) will permit passengers to use certain portable oxygen concentrator (POC) devices on aircraft, provided certain conditions in this SFAR are satisfied. The SFAR includes a POC preparation requirement for carry-on baggage transport, and a battery-packaging standard necessary for the safe carriage of extra POC batteries in carry-on baggage. This rulemaking action is necessary to address the travelling needs of people on oxygen therapy.

These special conditions are issued for Raytheon Model BH.125 series 400A, DH.125 series 400A, and HS.125 series 400B airplanes modified by Envoy Aerospace. These modified airplanes will have a novel or unusual design feature when compared to the state of technology envisioned in the airworthiness standards for transport category airplanes. The modification incorporates digital air data computers and displays that perform critical functions. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for the protection of these systems from the effects of high-intensity radiated fields (HIRF). These special conditions contain the additional safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary to establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by the existing airworthiness standards.

This final rule will establish Class E airspace at Mariposa, CA. New Area Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) have been developed at Mariposa- Yosemite Airport. Additional Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface is necessary for the safety of instrument flight rules (IFR) aircraft executing these new SIAPs and transitioning between the terminal and en route environment. This action also corrects a small error in the airport latitude and longitude description.

This document grants in full the petition of DaimlerChrysler Corporation, (DaimlerChrysler) for an exemption of a high-theft line, the Jeep Liberty, from the parts-marking requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard. This petition is granted because the agency has determined that the antitheft device to be placed on the line as standard equipment is likely to be as effective in reducing and deterring motor vehicle theft as compliance with the parts-marking requirements of the Theft Prevention Standard.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces that it is reviewing a proposed noise compatibility program that was submitted for Addison Airport under the provisions of 49 U.S.C. 47501 et seq. (the Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act, hereinafter referred to as ``the Act'') and 14 CFR part 150 by the City of Addison. This program was submitted subsequent to a determination by FAA that associated noise exposure maps submitted under 14 CFR part 150 for the Addison Airport were in compliance with applicable requirements, effective September 22, 2004. The proposed noise compatibility program will be approved or disapproved on or before December 27, 2005.

An examination of controlled airspace for Topeka, Forbes Field, KS has revealed discrepancies in the airport reference point used in the legal description for the Class E airspace designated as a surface area. This action corrects that discrepancy by incorporating the current airport reference point in the Class E surface area for Topeka, Forbes Field, KS. This action also removes references to effective dates and times established in advance by a Notice to Airmen from the legal descriptions for Class D, Class E2 and Class E4 airspace. The effective dates and times are now continuously published in the Airport/Facility Directory.

The Essential Air Service (EAS) program was created in 1978, as part of the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978, to ensure that small and isolated communities continued to receive air service by providing federal subsidy when necessary to maintain continuous service. 49 U.S.C. 41731. Vision 100Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act, Pub. L. 108-176, Title IV, Subtitle A, Section 406, requires the Secretary of Transportation to establish a pilot program, under which the Secretary may require air carriers receiving EAS subsidy and major carriers serving large hub airports to participate in code-share arrangements for up to 10 EAS communities. The statutory language reads as follows:

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Boeing Model 707-300B, -300C, and -400 series airplanes. This AD requires repetitive inspections to detect cracked or broken hinge fitting assemblies of the inboard leading edge slats, and corrective action if necessary. This AD also provides as an option a preventive modification, which defers the repetitive inspections. In addition, this AD provides an option of replacing all hinge fitting assemblies with new, improved parts, which terminates the repetitive inspection requirements. This AD is prompted by results of a review to identify and implement procedures to ensure the continued structural airworthiness of aging transport category airplanes. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct fatigue cracking of the hinge fitting assembly of the inboard leading edge slats, which could result in reduced structural integrity of the slat system. This condition could result in loss of the inboard leading edge slat and could cause the flightcrew to lose control of the airplane.