Department of Transportation 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain British Aerospace Model HS 748 airplanes. This AD requires relocating the battery earth posts located on the nose landing gear (NLG) pintle webs. This AD results from an accident in which the nose landing leg, together with the pintle webs, detached from the airplane. As a result, the battery earth return cables were severed from their earth posts. We are issuing this AD to prevent loss of safety critical services including fuel shut-off and nacelle fire extinguishing services.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all EMBRAER Model EMB-135 airplanes and Model EMB-145, -145ER, -145MR, - 145LR, -145XR, -145MP, and -145EP airplanes. This AD requires repetitive detailed inspections for surface bruising of the main landing gear (MLG) trailing arms and integrity of the MLG pivot axle sealant, and corrective actions if necessary. This AD also provides for optional terminating action for the repetitive detailed inspections. This AD results from a report of a fractured axle of the trailing arm of the MLG due to corrosion of the axle. We are issuing this AD to prevent a broken trailing arm and consequent failure of the MLG, which could lead to loss of control and damage to the airplane during takeoff or landing.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Aviointeriors S.p.A. (formerly ALVEN), series 312 box mounted seats. This AD requires initial and repetitive inspections of the seat attachments for cracks, and if necessary, replacing the attachments. This AD results from 10 reports of cracked attachments of series 312 box mounted seats. We are issuing this AD to prevent series 312 box mounted seats from detaching from the passenger compartment floor, which could result in injury to the occupant of the seat, and prevent evacuation of passengers in the event of an emergency.

The FAA is revising Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2003-19-14 R1, which applies to certain BURKHART GROB LUFTUND RAUMFAHRT GmbH & CO KG (GROB) Models G103 TWIN ASTIR, G103A TWIN II ACRO, and G103C TWIN III ACRO sailplanes. AD 2003-19-14 R1 requires you to modify the airspeed indicators, install flight speed reduction and aerobatic maneuver restrictions placards (as applicable), and revise the flight and maintenance manuals. AD 2003-19-14 R1 approves simple aerobatic maneuvers for Model G103A TWIN II ACRO sailplanes and provides an option for modifying the rear fuselage for Models G103A TWIN II ACRO and G103C TWIN III ACRO sailplanes to terminate the flight limitation restrictions for aerobatic maneuvers. This AD retains all the actions from AD 2003-19-14 R1 for Models G103A TWIN II ACRO and G103C TWIN III ACRO and reinstates certain operating limits for Model G103 TWIN ASTIR sailplanes. We are issuing this AD to prevent damage to the fuselage during limit load flight, which could result in reduced structural integrity. This condition could lead to loss of control of the sailplane.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Maritime Administration's (MARAD's) intention to request extension of approval for three years of a currently approved information collection.

The Department of Transportation is directing all interested persons to show cause why it should not issue an order finding MAXjet Airways, Inc., fit, willing, and able, and awarding it a certificate of public convenience and necessity to engage in interstate scheduled air transportation of persons, property and mail.

In response to a petition for rulemaking from the Surge Brake Coalition, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration proposes to amend the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) to allow the use of automatic hydraulic inertia brake systems (surge brakes) on trailers operated in interstate commerce. A surge brake is a self- contained permanently closed hydraulic brake system activated in response to the braking action of the tow vehicle. The amount of trailer braking effort developed is proportional to the total trailer weight and deceleration rate of the tow vehicle. Currently, surge brakes are not considered by FMCSA to comply with the FMCSRs specifying that all brakes with which a motor vehicle is equipped must at all times be capable of operating, and that a single application valve must, when applied, operate all the service brakes on the motor vehicle or combination of motor vehicles. The intent of this rulemaking is to adopt performance-based brake system requirements to allow the use of surge brakes on certain combinations of commercial motor vehicles based upon engineering test data submitted by the Surge Brake Coalition.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of a meeting of RTCA Special Committee 159: Global Positioning System.

The Coast Guard and the Maritime Administration (MARAD) announce that they have received an application for the licensing of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) deepwater port, and that the application appears to contain the required information. This notice summarizes the applicant's plans and the procedures that will be followed in considering the application.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Dassault Model Falcon 2000 airplanes. This proposed AD would require an inspection for the presence of fail-safe pins, nuts, and washers on each engine, and replacement of the fail-safe fastener assembly with a new assembly if necessary. This proposed AD results from a report of a missing pin of a fail-safe fastener. We are proposing this AD to prevent reduced structural integrity of an engine mount due to a missing pin of a fail-safe fastener, and possible separation of an engine from the airplane during flight.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Boeing transport category airplanes. This proposed AD would require inspecting to determine if certain galleys and closets are installed, and replacing the spiral wire wrapping of the electrical cables of the galleys and closets with new spiral wire wrapping if necessary. This proposed AD results from testing and reports from the manufacturer indicating unacceptable flammability properties of wire wrapping installed in certain galleys and closets. We are proposing this AD to prevent fire propagation or smoke in the cabin area due to electrical arcing or sparking and ignition of the spiral wire wrapping.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Boeing Model 747 airplanes. This proposed AD would require the following actions for the drive mechanism of the horizontal stabilizer: Repetitive detailed inspections for discrepancies and loose ball bearings; repetitive lubrication of the ballnut and ballscrew; repetitive measurements of the freeplay between the ballnut and the ballscrew; and corrective action if necessary. This proposed AD is prompted by a report of extensive corrosion of a ballscrew in the drive mechanism of the horizontal stabilizer on a similar airplane model. We are proposing this AD to prevent an undetected failure of the primary load path for the ballscrew in the horizontal stabilizer and subsequent wear and failure of the secondary load path, which could lead to loss of control of the horizontal stabilizer and consequent loss of control of the airplane.

FMCSA adopts as final its interim regulations at 49 CFR part 303 governing civil rights matters, consistent with the savings provision of section 106(b) of the Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act of 1999. As with the interim rule, this final rule clarifies and modifies the applicability of certain Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Departmental umbrella Title VI provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and related nondiscrimination statutes, as they apply to FMCSA Federal financial assistance recipients. Part 303 was created to provide FMCSA with initial guidelines and procedures, as well as future FMCSA Title VI implementing regulations and any future guidelines on Title VI compliance. FMCSA removed itself from the FHWA Title VI regulations in 23 CFR part 200 to avoid confusion, while not altering the substantive Title VI obligations of FMCSA and its grantees. FMCSA remains subject to the Departmental umbrella Title VI regulations in 49 CFR part 21 and will develop as needed further guidelines and procedures to assure effective and consistent implementation for financially assisted recipients. We have not made any changes to the interim rules in part 303, and we adopt the interim regulations as final without change.

This document supplements the Notice of Interim Operating Authority (IOA) Granted to Commercial Air Tour Operators Over National Parks and Tribal Lands Within or Abutting National Parks, which was published in the Federal Register on Thursday, June 23, 2005, (70 FR 36456). The June 23rd notice informs the public and seeks comment on operators who have received IOA and the number of allocations for each operator on a per park basis. This supplemental notice informs the public when comments to the June 23rd notice are due and republishes the IOA by park instead of by operator.

This notice of policy announces the FAA's policy concerning current exemptions from the Mode S transponder equipment requirements under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations Sec. Sec. 121.345(c) and 135.143(c). Additionally, this notice of policy seeks comments from persons currently holding an exemption from the above regulations on a proposed date for which they must comply with the equipment requirements.

On October 23, 2002, the FAA published a Notice of Intent to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Oklahoma Space Industry Development Authority's (OSIDA's) proposal to operate a commercial launch site at the Clinton-Sherman Industrial Airpark (CSIA) in the Federal Register (67 FR 65169). The original proposed action included horizontal and vertical launches, significant construction activities, orbital launches, and vehicle manufacturing. The nature of these activities necessitated that the proposed action be addressed through the preparation of an EIS. Subsequent changes to the proposed action have eliminated the need for vertical launch, construction of any kind, orbital launches, and vehicle manufacturing. The proposed action as currently stated involves the horizontal launch of suborbital Reusable Launch Vehicles from an existing runway at the CSIA. The horizontal launch activities are similar to the current Air Force activities at the CSIA and are not expected to produce significant impacts, indicating that an EA would be the most appropriate NEPA analysis for OSIDA's proposed activities. Scoping meetings were held in Oklahoma in November 2002. Because the proposed action is a subset of the information originally presented during scoping, we do not propose to re-initiate scoping meetings. For the reasons stated above, the FAA is canceling the EIS and will prepare an Environmental Assessment to analyze the impacts of the proposed action.

The FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for a new information collection. Information to be collected supports FAA in determining the amount of required liability insurance for a reentry operator after examining the risk associated with a reentry vehicle, its operational capabilities, and its designated reentry site.

These special conditions are issued for a Raytheon Model HS.125 airplane modified by LJSC Ltd. This modified airplane 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 the installation of two Air Data Display Units and two Air Data Sensors manufactured by Innovative Solutions and Support. These systems 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.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces the Record of Decision (ROD) for O'Hare Modernization, for Chicago O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois is available.

FRA is issuing Safety Advisory 2005-04 advising shippers, consignees, and railroads of the dangers of allowing cars of ``time- sensitive'' chemicals to remain undelivered beyond their anticipated date of placement and to recommend enhanced procedures to avoid such occurrences. This action is being taken to improve the safety and reliability of hazardous materials shipments by railroad.

This action withdraws a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that proposed a new airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to certain Boeing Model 777 series airplanes equipped with Pratt & Whitney engines. That action would have required replacement of the integrated drive generator (IDG) and the backup generator with a new IDG and a new backup generator. Since the issuance of the NPRM, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has received new data that indicate that all affected airplanes worldwide have the proper parts installed and all spares are accounted for, and that the identified unsafe condition (loss of electrical power) cannot occur for the reasons specified by the NPRM. Accordingly, the proposed rule is withdrawn.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus Model A300 B4-600, B4-600R, and F4-600R series airplanes, and Model C4-605R Variant F airplanes (collectively called A300-600 series airplanes); and A310-200 and -300 series airplanes. This proposed AD would require a one-time inspection of the trimmable horizontal stabilizer actuator (THSA), corrective actions if necessary, and follow-on repetitive tasks. This proposed AD is prompted by reports of THSAs that have reached their design operational life. This operational life can be extended provided an initial inspection and follow-on repetitive tasks are accomplished. We are proposing this AD to extend the operational life of the THSA to prevent a possible failure of high-time units, which could result in reduced controllability of the airplane.