Department of Transportation 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This action proposes to establish Restricted Area 5601F (R- 5601F) at Fort Sill, OK. The United States (U.S.) Army requests that the FAA take action to establish R-5601F to provide additional airspace needed to support new high angle air-to-ground training requirements for Air Force, Navy, and Marine aircraft operating over the Falcon Bombing Range. This action would also enhance Fort Sill's ability to host joint training.

The rule allows some experienced pilots who would otherwise qualify as flight instructors or check airmen, but who are not medically eligible to hold the requisite medical certificate, to perform flight instructor or check airmen functions in a simulator.

FRA is amending the Federal Track Safety Standards to improve the inspection of rail joints in continuous welded rail (CWR). This interim final rule (IFR) requires track owners to develop and implement a procedure for the detailed inspection of rail joints in CWR. This IFR also requires track owners to keep records of those inspections.

The FAA proposes to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for Pratt & Whitney (PW) JT9D series turbofan engines. That AD currently requires revisions to the Airworthiness Limitations Section (ALS) of the manufacturer's Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA) to include required enhanced inspection of selected critical life-limited parts at each piece-part opportunity. This proposed AD would modify the JT9D series engines ALS sections of the manufacturer's manuals and an air carrier's approved continuous airworthiness maintenance program to incorporate additional inspection requirements. The mandatory inspections are needed to identify those critical rotating parts with conditions, which if allowed to continue in service, could result in uncontained failures. We are proposing this AD to prevent critical life-limited rotating engine part failure, which could result in an uncontained engine failure and damage to the airplane.

The FAA will hold an informal public meeting to seek aviation weather user input on convective weather products. Details: November 10, 2005; Orlando Orange County Convention Center, 9800 International Drive, Room N210A, Orlando, Florida 32819, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The objective of this meeting is to provide an opportunity for interested Government and commercial sector representatives who use Government- provided aviation weather information in operational decision-making to provide input on FAA's plans for implementing new convective weather products.

This amendment amends Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) for operations at certain airports. These regulatory actions are needed because of changes occurring in the National Airspace System, such as the commissioning of new navigational facilities, addition of new obstacles, or changes in air traffic requirements. These changes are designed to provide safe and efficient use of the navigable airspace and to promote safe flight operations under instrument flight rules at the affected airports.

On May 23, 2005, the FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST) received an application for a launch license from Space Exploration Technologies, Inc. (SpaceX) to conduct launches of its Falcon 1 launch vehicle from Omelek Island, U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll/Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Test Site (USAKA/RTS). The FAA participated as a cooperating agency with the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command (USASMDC) in preparation of the Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Proof-of-Principle Space Launches from Omelek Island (February 2005). The EA analyzed the environmental consequences of conducting two proof-of-principle launches of the Falcon 1 Launch Vehicle from Omelek Island, USAKA/RTS. From its independent review and consideration, the FAA has determined that the FAA's proposed action is substantially the same as the actions already analyzed in the USASMDC EA and that FAA's comments and suggestions have been satisfied (see 1506.3(c) and FAA Order 1050.1E, 518h). The FAA formally adopts the EA and hereby incorporates the analysis to support its decision on this license application. After reviewing and analyzing currently available data and information on existing conditions, project impacts, and measures to mitigate those impacts, the FAA has determined that licensing the proposed launch activities is not a Federal action that would significantly affect the quality of the human environment within the meaning of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Therefore, the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is not required and the FAA is issuing a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). The FAA made this determination in accordance with all applicable environmental laws.

This notice announces the criteria, application procedures, and schedule to be applied by the Secretary of Transportation in designating or redesignating, and funding capital development annually for up to 15 current (joint-use) or former military airports seeking designation or redesignation to participate in the Military Airport Program (MAP). The MAP allows the Secretary to designate current (joint-use) or former military airports to receive grants from the Airport Improvement Program (AIP). The Secretary is authorized to designate an airport (other than an airport designated before August 24, 1994) only if: (1) The airport is a former military installation closed or realigned under the Title 10 U.S.C. 2687 (announcement of closures of large Department of Defense installations after September 30, 1977), or under section 201 or 2905 of the Defense Authorization Amendments and Base Closure and Realignment Acts; or (2) the airport is a military installation with both military and civil aircraft operations. The Secretary shall consider for designation only those current or former military airports, at least partly converted to civilian airports as part of the national air transportation system, that will reduce delays at airports with more than 20,000 hours of annual delays in commercial passenger aircraft takeoffs and landings, or will enhance airport and air traffic control system capacity in metropolitan areas or reduce current and projected flight delays (49 U.S.C. 47118(c)).

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection abstracted below has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The nature of the information collection is described as well as its expected burden. The Federal Register notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on August 15, 2005, and comments were due by October 14, 2005. No comments were received.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the selection of projects to be funded under Fiscal Year 2005 appropriations 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 help finance the incremental capital and training costs of complying with DOT's over-the-road bus accessibility rule, published in the Federal Register on September 24, 1998.

The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared for a proposed highway project in Miami-Dade County, Florida.

This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to certain Mitsubishi Model YS-11 airplanes, and Model YS- 11A-200, YS-11A-300, YS-11A-500, and YS-11A-600 series airplanes. This AD requires repetitive removal of the spinner; repetitive detailed inspections of the propeller hub to detect fatigue cracking; and replacement of a propeller hub with a new propeller hub, if necessary. This action is necessary to detect and correct fatigue cracking of the propeller hub, which could cause the loss of the propeller. This action is intended to address the identified unsafe condition.

This action modifies Class E airspace to Akron, OH. A Standard Instrument Approach Procedure has been developed for Wingfoot Lake Airship Operations Airport. Controlled airspace extending upward from 700 feet or more above the surface of the earth is needed to contain aircraft executing this approach. This action increases the areas of existing controlled airspace for Akron, OH.

This action modifies Class E airspace at Madison, IN, Standard Instrument Approach Procedures have been developed for Madison Municipal Airport, Madison, IN. Controlled airspace extending upward from 700 feet or more above the surface of the earth is needed to contain aircraft executing these approaches. This action increases the area of existing controlled airspace for Madison, IN.

This doclument announces receipt by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a petition for a decision that 1999-2005 Ducati ST4s motorcylces that were not originally manufactured to comply with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS) are eligible for importation into the United States because (1) they are substantially similar to vehicles that were originally manufactured for importation into and sale in the United States and that were certified by their manufacturer as complying with the safety standards, and (2) they are capable of being readily altered to conform to the standards.

This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to certain Airbus Model A320-111 airplanes, and Model A320- 200 series airplanes, that requires a detailed inspection of the tail cone triangle to determine its position, and corrective actions if necessary. This action is necessary to prevent excessive vibrations of the elevators, which could result in reduced structural integrity and reduced controllability of the airplane. This action is intended to address the identified unsafe condition.

This document proposes adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Bell Helicopter Textron (Bell) Model 206B helicopters modified with Aeronautical Accessories, Inc. (AAI) Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) No. SH8435SW or SH8419SW with energy attenuating seat installation wire (wire). The AD would require replacing certain wire with airworthy wire. This proposal is prompted by disclosure that certain wires may not have the yield strength to allow seats to attenuate energy during an emergency landing. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent failure of a seat to attenuate energy during an emergency landing, which could result in occupant injury.

This notice announces a public meeting on operator qualification programs. PHMSA is preparing a Report to Congress on the status and results of programs to ensure the qualifications of individuals performing safety tasks on pipelines. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) has almost completed developing a consensus standard qualifying individuals performing safety tasks on pipelines. The meeting provides an opportunity to discuss progress on operator qualification programs to help PHMSA prepare the Report to Congress and the potential the ASME standard offers for strengthening operator qualification programs.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Aerospatiale Model ATR42 and ATR72 airplanes. This AD requires a one- time inspection to determine the part number or markings of the fuel quality indicator (FQI) and replacement of any FQI having an incorrect part number. This AD results from a report that an FQI having an incorrect part number was installed on a Model ATR72 airplane. We are issuing this AD to ensure that a correct FQI is installed. An incorrect FQI could result in fuel starvation to the engine and consequent engine shutdown during flight.

This document denies a petition for rulemaking submitted by Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda), to amend Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 213, ``Child restraint systems.'' Honda requested that FMVSS No. 213 be amended to limit the weight of all child restraint systems used with the 3-year-old dummy. Honda stated that such an amendment would assure the proper operation of weight-based occupant detection systems used to meet the air bag suppression requirements of FMVSS No. 208, ``Occupant crash protection.''

We are correcting errors in a final rule published in the Federal Register on August 4, 2005. That final rule revised pilot certification regulations by establishing a second-in-command (SIC) pilot type rating and associated qualifying procedures. We are also correcting cross references and other minor errors in the pre-existing regulations that were inadvertently carried over.