Department of Transportation 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Aerospatiale Model ATR72 airplanes. This proposed AD would require a one-time general visual inspection for contamination of the surface of the upper arms of the main landing gear (MLG) secondary side brace assemblies; and repetitive eddy current inspections for cracking of the upper arms, and related specified and corrective actions if necessary. This proposed AD also would mandate eventual replacement of aluminum upper arms with steel upper arms, which would end the repetitive inspections. This proposed AD is prompted by two reports of rupture of the upper arm of the MLG secondary side brace due to fatigue cracking. We are proposing this AD to prevent cracking of the upper arms of the secondary side brace assemblies of the MLG, which could result in collapse of the MLG during takeoff or landing, damage to the airplane, and possible injury to the flightcrew and passengers.

The Department of Transportation is directing all interested persons to show cause why it should not issue an order finding that GoJet Airlines, LLC is 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.

This action amends Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations, part 71 (14 CFR 71) by revising Class E airspace areas at Newton City-County Airport, KS. A modification of the Airport Reference Point (AFP) necessitates the revision of the Class E airspace area extending upward from 700 feet above ground level (AGL) at Newton, KS to conform to the criteria in FAA Orders.

This action amends the Class E airspace at Blairstown, NJ. Controlled airspace extending upward from 700 feet Above Ground Level (AGL) is needed to contain aircraft operating into Blairstown Airport, Blairstown, NJ, under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR).

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain McDonnell Douglas airplanes identified above. This AD requires repetitive functional tests for noisy or improper operation of the exterior emergency control handle assemblies of the mid, overwing, and aft passenger doors, and corrective actions if necessary. This AD also provides for optional terminating action for the repetitive tests. This AD is prompted by a report that the exterior emergency control mechanism handles were inoperative on a McDonnell Douglas Model MD-11 airplane. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of the passenger doors to operate properly in an emergency condition, which could delay an emergency evacuation and possibly result in injury to passengers and flightcrew.

This notice publishes the FMCSA decision to renew the exemptions from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for 25 individuals. The FMCSA has statutory authority to exempt individuals from vision standards if the exemptions granted will not compromise safety. The agency has concluded that granting these exemptions will provide a level of safety that will be equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety maintained without the exemptions for these commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers.

An examination of the controlled airspace for Meade Municipal Airport, KS has revealed a discrepancy in the size of the Class E airspace area. In addition, the Meade, KS Non Directional Beacon (NDB) was decommissioned on June 29, 2004 and subsequently the NDB Runway 17 Instrument Approach Procedure was cancelled effective June 8, 2005. This action modifies the Class E5 airspace area beginning at 700 feet above the surface by removing the reference to the Meade, KS NDB from the legal description, deleting the airspace area extension and increasing the radius from a 6.5-mile radius to a 7.5 mile radius of the airport. This actions brings the Class E5 airspace area into compliance with FAA directives.

This action corrects several errors in the airspace descriptions of a final rule published in the Federal Register on June 22, 2005 (70 FR 36016), Airspace Docket No. 05-AAL-04.

This AC provides methods acceptable to the Administrator for showing compliance with the revised airworthiness standards concerning new fire protection requirements applicable to thermal/acoustic insulation materials. The guidance in this AC describes a test method to determine the flammability and flame propagation characteristics of thermal/acoustic insulation materials on transport category airplanes. How to Obtain Copies: A paper copy of AC 25.856-1 may be obtained by writing to the U.S.Department of Transportation, Subsequent Distribution Office, DOT Warehouse, SVC-121.23, Ardmore East Business Center, 3341Q 75th Ave., Landover, MD 20785, telephone (301) 322-5377, or faxing your request to the warehouse at (301) 386-5394. The AC also will be available on the Internet at https://www.airweb.faa.gov/rgl.

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.

This document makes corrections to the final rule published in the Federal Register on July 5, 2005 (70 FR 38742). This document adds two assigned amendment numbers. It also clarifies the Flight Manual Statement of Chapter for equivalency required by Sec. 36.105.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for renewal and comment. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its expected cost and burden. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on May 10, 2005 [FR Vol. 70, No. 89, pages 24670 and 24671]. No comments were received.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics invites the general public, industry and other governmental parties to comment to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on continuing need for and usefulness of BTS' Customer Satisfaction Surveys. This collection request has been published in the Federal Register March 31, 2004 on page 17031 with a 60 day comment period ending May 30, 2004. The 60 day notice produced no comments. This collection is now being submitted to OMB for approval.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus Model A330-200, A330-300, A340-200, and A340-300 series airplanes. This proposed AD would require operators to modify the hydraulic control block of the nose landing gear. This proposed AD is prompted by a report of an unexpected steering event (swerve) during the take-off roll of one affected airplane. We are proposing this AD to prevent loss of airplane steering while on the ground, which could result in the airplane going off the side of the runway.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus Model A320-111 airplanes; and Model A320-200, A321- 100, and A321-200 series airplanes. This proposed AD would require installing a bonding lead between the low pressure valve and the adjacent pipe assembly in each wing. This proposed AD is prompted by the results of fuel system reviews conducted by the manufacturer. We are proposing this AD to prevent an ignition source for fuel vapor in the wing, which could result in fire or explosion in the adjacent wing fuel tank.

This document responds to a Congressional mandate for the U.S. Department of Transportation to provide a technical assistance manual to air carriers and individuals with disabilities concerning their rights and responsibilities under the Air Carrier Access Act and DOT regulations.