Department of Transportation January 13, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FMCSA, Office of Research and Analysis (R&A), will host a forum on FMCSA Safety and Security Accomplishments, in conjunction with the Transportation Research Board's (TRB) 85th Annual Meeting. The forum is designed to provide insight on safety and security research, technology and analysis accomplishments that support FMCSA's mission to reduce the number and severity of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) crashes and fatalities and enhance efficiency of CMV operations. The forum topics will include a conference report on the 2005 International Conference on Fatigue Management in Transportation Operations; updated FMCSA activities in the hazardous materials area; and accomplishments to date on medical qualifications, driver health and medical reporting initiatives. Panelists will also cover the latest results of the Large Truck Crash Causation Study; a report on public input on FMCSA's notice requesting information on its Wireless Inspection Program; results of the field operational test on Lane Departure Warning Systems and Deployment of On-Board Safety Systems; and what progress has been made on improving Data Quality. A portion of the forum will be set aside for attendees to dialogue with FMCSA subject-matter experts through an open question and answer session.

This action establishes Restricted Area 2507E (R-2507E), Chocolate Mountains, CA, as part of a U.S Marine Corps (USMC) training initiative. The USMC requested the establishment of this airspace to support its Close Air Support Mission (CAS) within the Chocolate Mountains Range. The new restricted airspace will be used to conduct realistic aircrew training and to maintain the level of proficiency in modern tactics that is required for combat readiness.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of a meeting of RTCA Special Committee 203, Minimum Performance Standards for Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Unmanned Aircraft.

These special conditions are issued to The New Piper Aircraft, Inc., Vero Beach, Florida, for a type design change for the PA-44-180 airplanes. These airplanes 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 electronic flight instrument system (EFIS) displays Model 700-00006-XXX(), manufactured by Avidyne Corporation, Inc. 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). 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.

This action withdraws the direct final rule published in the Federal Register on November 14, 2005, (70 FR 69077). In that action, the FAA proposed to establish a Class E enroute domestic airspace west of San Luis Obispo, CA, to replace existing Class G uncontrolled airspace. The FAA has determined that the boundaries of this airspace will be revised and another direct final rule resubmitted for publication.