Department of Transportation March 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In compliance 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 review and comment. The ICR describes the nature of the information collections and their expected burden. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period was published on January 10, 2006 (71 FR 1583).

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain General Electric Company (GE) CF6-45 and CF6-50 series turbofan engines. This proposed AD would require inspecting and reworking certain forward and aft center bodies of the long fixed core exhaust nozzle (LFCEN) assembly. This proposed AD results from reports of separation of LFCEN assembly forward and aft center bodies, due to high imbalance engine conditions during flight. We are proposing this AD to prevent the forward and aft center body of the LFCEN assembly from separating, leading to additional damage to the engine and airplane, possible damage to other airplanes, and to objects on the ground.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces FMCSA's plan to submit the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The ICR is related to the current arbitration dispute resolution procedures used to settle loss and damage claims by shippers who have contracted with household goods (HHGs) carriers for interstate transport of their household goods shipments. On October 24, 2005, the agency published a Federal Register notice with a 60-day comment period to solicit the public's views on the information collection pertaining to this subject. One comment was received.

In compliance 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 review and comment. The ICR describes the nature of the information collections and their expected burden. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period was published on January 4, 2006.

The FAA is publishing notice of proposed release of 23.945 acres of land at Raleigh County Memorial Airport, Beckley, West Virginia to the Raleigh County Airport Authority and the Raleigh County Commission for the development of an industrial park. There are no impacts to the Airport and the land is not needed for airport development as shown on the Airport Layout Plan. Fair Market Value of the land will be paid to the Raleigh County Airport and the Raleigh County Commission, and used for Airport purposes.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposes to amend its commercial space transportation regulations under the Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act of 2004. The FAA proposes application requirements for an operator of a reusable suborbital rocket to obtain an experimental permit. The FAA also proposes operating requirements and restrictions on launch and reentry of reusable suborbital rockets operated under a permit.

On March 13, 2006, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an order to show cause, soliciting written views on extending through October 28, 2006, the August 2004 order limiting scheduled operations at O'Hare International Airport (O'Hare). The August 2004 order made effective a series of schedule adjustments that air carriers individually agreed to during a scheduling reduction meeting convened under 49 U.S.C. 41722. The FAA previously extended the order twice, most recently through April 1, 2006. After careful reflection on the written views submitted in this matter, the FAA is now extending the August 2004 order through October 28, 2006, but reserves the right to terminate the August 2004 order before that date if a final rule on congestion and delay reduction at O'Hare earlier takes effect.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of a meeting of RTCA Special Committee 205/EUROCAE Working Group 71: Software Considerations in Aeronautical Systems.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Boeing Model 737-100, -200, -200C, -300, -400, and -500 series airplanes. This AD requires a one-time inspection for scribe lines and cracks in the fuselage skin at certain lap joints, butt joints, external repair doublers, and other areas; and related investigative/ corrective actions if necessary. This AD results from reports of fuselage skin cracks adjacent to the skin lap joints on airplanes that had scribe lines. Scribe line damage can also occur at many other locations, including butt joints, external doublers, door scuff plates, the wing-to-body fairing, and areas of the fuselage where decals have been applied or removed. We are issuing this AD to prevent rapid decompression of the airplane due to fatigue cracks resulting from scribe lines on pressurized fuselage structure.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus Model A300-600 series airplanes. This AD requires modifying nine bolt holes in the vertical flange to prevent cracking before the inspection threshold of AD 98-18-02. This AD results from reports of cracking in the vertical web of the center spar sealing angles of the wing earlier than the inspection interval specified in the existing AD. We are issuing this AD to prevent crack formation in the sealing angles; such cracks could rupture the sealing angle and lead to subsequent crack formation in the bottom skin of the wing, and resultant reduced structural integrity of the center spar section of the wing.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain McDonnell Douglas Model DC-9-10, DC-9-20, DC-9-30, DC-9-40, and DC-9-50 series airplanes. This AD requires repetitive inspections for stress corrosion cracks of the main fuselage frame, and corrective actions if necessary. This AD also provides an optional terminating action for the repetitive inspections. This AD results from several reports of cracking of the main fuselage frame. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct stress corrosion cracking of the main fuselage frame, which could result in extensive damage to adjacent structure and reduced structural integrity of the airplane.

The FAA is revising an earlier proposed airworthiness directive (AD) for all Gulfstream Model GV and certain Model GV-SP series airplanes. The original NPRM would have required a one-time inspection of the left and right aileron and elevator actuators to determine the part and serial numbers of each actuator, repetitive inspections of suspect actuators to detect broken damper shafts, and replacement of any actuator having a broken damper shaft. The original NPRM would also have required that operators report any broken damper shaft they find to the FAA. The original NPRM would also have provided an optional terminating action for the repetitive inspection requirements of the proposed AD. The original NPRM resulted from reports of broken or cracked damper shafts within the aileron and elevator actuator assemblies. This action revises the original NPRM by proposing to mandate the previously optional terminating action. We are proposing this supplemental NPRM to prevent broken damper shafts, which could result in locking of an aileron or elevator actuator (hard-over condition), which would activate the hard-over protection system (HOPS), resulting in increased pilot workload and consequent reduced controllability of the airplane.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Boeing Model 777 airplanes. This proposed AD would require, for the drive mechanism of the horizontal stabilizer, repetitive detailed inspections for discrepancies; 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 results from a report of extensive corrosion of a ballscrew in the drive mechanism of the horizontal stabilizer on a Boeing Model 757 airplane, which is similar in design to the ballscrew on certain Model 777 airplanes. 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.

This notice announces actions taken by the FHWA and other Federal agencies that are final within the meaning of 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1). The actions relate to a proposed highway project, SR 6247 from SR0247 to SR 1012 (Salem Road) Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania and those actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the project.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus Model A319-131, -132, and -133; A320-232 and -233; and A321-131, -231, and -232 airplanes. This AD requires inspecting for cracks or failure of the primary load path components of the engine forward mount, and corrective action if necessary. This AD also requires removing, re-installing, and re-torquing the attachment bolts for the secondary load path. This AD results from a report that, during modification of certain engine forward mount assemblies of the left and right engines done at an engine shop visit, an incorrect torque was applied to the attachment bolts. We are issuing this AD to prevent structural failure of the secondary load path of the forward engine mount, which, if combined with failure of the primary load path, could result in separation of the engine from the airplane.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus Model A321-100 and -200 series airplanes. This AD requires replacing the crashworthiness pins on the side-stay of the main landing gear (MLG) with new pins having an increased internal notch diameter. This AD results from testing on the side-stay crashworthiness pins on the MLG, which revealed that, in the case of an emergency landing, the crashworthiness pins installed will not ensure a correct MLG collapse. We are issuing this AD to prevent a punctured fuel tank, which could cause damage to the airplane or injury to passengers.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all DORNIER LUFTFAHRT GmbH (DORNIER) Models 228-100, 228-101, 228-200, 228- 201, 228-202, and 228-212 airplanes. This proposed AD would require you to repetitively inspect the wiring in the flight deck overhead panels (locations 5VE and 6VE) for chafing and damage and repair any chafed or damaged wires. Regardless of the results of each inspection, this proposed AD would require you to assure correct installation of the wiring in the flight deck overhead panels by reattaching or replacing the wire tie attachment holders and securing any loose wires to the wire tie attachment holders with plastic wire ties. This proposed AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the airworthiness authority for Germany. We are proposing this AD to detect, correct, and prevent chafed or damaged wires in the flight deck overhead panels, which could result in short-circuiting of related wiring. This condition could lead to electrical failure of affected systems and potential fire in the flight deck.

This notice proposes special conditions for the Airbus A380- 800 airplane. This airplane will have novel or unusual design features when compared to the state of technology envisioned in the airworthiness standards for transport category airplanes. Many of these novel or unusual design features are associated with the complex systems and the configuration of the airplane, including its full- length double deck. For these design features, the applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for design roll maneuvers. These proposed 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. Additional special conditions will be issued for other novel or unusual design features of the Airbus Model A380-800 airplane.

This special condition is issued for the modification of the Robinson Model R44 helicopter. This modification will have novel or unusual design features associated with installing a complex Autopilot/ Stabilization Augmentation System (AP/SAS) that has potential failure modes with more severe adverse consequences than those envisioned by the existing applicable airworthiness regulations. This proposal contains the additional safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary to ensure that the failures and their effects are sufficiently analyzed and contained.

The FTA and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) are issuing this notice to advise the public that, in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Tier 1 of a Tiered, Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) will be prepared for the South Florida East Coast Corridor Transit Analysis (SFECCTA) to evaluate transit improvements in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties, Florida. The SFECCTA is located along the eastern spine of the tri-county South Florida region, centered on but not limited to the Florida East Coast (FEC) Railway alignment. The study proposes in Tier 1 to evaluate preferred technologies (e.g., rail, bus, express bus, etc.) and alignments through areas with heavily congested roadways and under-served, transit-dependent populations. These areas extend from Downtown Miami north through Ft. Lauderdale's Central Business District (CBD) and north of Downtown West Palm Beach to the Town of Jupiter and Village of Tequesta in northern Palm Beach County. The Tier 1 Analysis consists of a Regional Transit Alternatives Analysis. The Tier 2 Analyses will consist of subsequent Sectional Alternatives Analyses (per independent section of the SFECCTA study area).

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 approval. 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 October 31, 2005, [FR Vol. 70, No. 209, page 62368]. No comments were received.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus Model A330-200, A330-300, A340-200, and A340-300 series airplanes; and Model A340-541 and A340-642 airplanes. This proposed AD would require an inspection for anti-fretting material contamination of the Halon filters and plumbing parts of the flow metering system (FMS) and flow metering compact unit (FMCU) in the lower deck cargo compartment (LDCC) and bulk crew rest compartment (BCRC), as applicable; other specified actions; and corrective actions if necessary. This proposed AD results from a report that the FMS and FMCU of the fire extinguishing system may be blocked by anti-fretting material contamination. We are proposing this AD to prevent such anti- fretting material contamination, which could reduce the effectiveness of the fire extinguisher system to discharge fire extinguishing agents and to lower the concentration of Halon gas in the LDCC or BCRC in a timely manner. An ineffective fire extinguisher system in the event of a fire could result in an uncontrollable fire in the LDCC or BCRC.

The FAA is revising an existing airworthiness directive (AD), which applies to certain Bombardier Model CL-600-2B19 (Regional Jet Series 100 & 440) airplanes. The existing AD currently requires revising the airworthiness limitations section of the Instructions for Continued Airworthiness of the maintenance requirements manual (MRM) by incorporating procedures for repetitive functional tests of the pilot input lever of the pitch feel simulator (PFS) units. That AD also requires new repetitive functional tests of the pilot input lever of the PFS unit, and corrective actions if necessary; and after initiating the new tests, requires removal of the existing procedures for the repetitive functional tests from the MRM. This AD retains the requirements of the existing AD and further clarifies the requirements of the AD. This AD results from a report that the shear pin located in the input lever of two PFS units failed due to fatigue. We are issuing this AD to prevent undetected failure of the shear pin of both PFS units simultaneously, which could result in loss of pitch feel forces and consequent reduced control of the airplane.

This notice proposes special conditions for the Airbus A380- 800 airplane. This airplane will have novel or unusual design features when compared to the state of technology envisioned in the airworthiness standards for transport category airplanes. Many of these novel or unusual design features are associated with the complex systems and the configuration of the airplane, including its full-length double deck. For these design features, the applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards regarding loading conditions for multi-leg landing gear. These proposed 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. Additional special conditions will be issued for other novel or unusual design features of the Airbus Model A380-800 airplane.