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

This action establishes Class D airspace at Bay St. Louis, MS. A Federal contract tower with a weather reporting system is being constructed at the Stennis International Airport. Therefore, the airport will meet the criteria for establishment of Class D airspace. Class D surface area airspace is required when the control tower is open to contain existing Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) and other Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport. This action will establish Class D airspace extending upward from the surface, to and including 2,500 feet MSL, within a 4.2-mile radius of the airport.

This document publishes in the Federal Register an amendment adopting emergency airworthiness directive (EAD) 2006-06-51 that we sent previously to all known U.S. owners and operators of GEAE CT7-8A turboshaft engines installed on Sikorsky S92 helicopters. This AD requires initial and repetitive inspections of the electrical chip detectors for the No. 3 bearing. This AD results from two failures of the No. 3 bearing in GEAE CT7-8A engines. We are issuing this AD to prevent failures of the No. 3 bearings and possible dual in-flight shutdowns of the engines.

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.

This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the specified Brantly International, Inc. (Brantly) model helicopters. This action requires certain inspections and measurements of the upper tail rotor vertical gearbox (gearbox), vertical shaft (shaft) and shaft housing (housing) and their associated parts; and of the intermediate gear box bushing (bushing). This amendment is prompted by an accident and an incident report of fatigue cracking of a shaft. The actions specified in this AD are intended to prevent fatigue cracking of a shaft, failure of a shaft, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

FMCSA announces its decision to renew the exemptions from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for 18 individuals. FMCSA has statutory authority to exempt individuals from its vision standards if the exemptions granted will not compromise safety. The exemptions will enable these individuals to operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce without meeting the vision standard prescribed in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(10). The Agency has concluded that granting these exemptions will provide a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety maintained without the exemptions for these commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers.

This notice is a request for proposals (RFP) for system development and design of enhanced human service transportation models. The USDOT seeks up to 10 local communities to carry out detailed development and design of coordinated human service transportation systems that utilize Intelligent Transportation Systems capabilities. The expected results from Phase 1 include up to 10 ``deployment- ready,'' replicable and scalable system detailed designs for enhanced human service transportation delivery models in communities representing a variety of operational environments and scenarios.

In accordance with the procedures governing the application for, and the processing of, special permits from the Department of Transportation's Hazardous Material Regulations (49 CFR part 107, subpart B), notice is hereby given that the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety has received the application described herein. This notice is abbreviated to expedite docketing and public notice. Because the sections affected, modes of transportation, and the nature of application have been shown in earlier Federal Register publications, they are not repeated here. Request of modifications of special permits (e.g. to provide for additional hazardous materials, packaging design changes, additional mode of transportation, etc.) are described in footnotes to the application number. Application numbers with the suffic ``M'' denote a modification request. These applications have been separated from the new applications for special permits to facilitate processing.

FMCSA announces its decision to exempt 14 individuals from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR). The exemptions will enable these individuals to operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce without meeting the vision standard prescribed in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(10). The Agency has concluded that granting these exemptions will provide a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety maintained without the exemptions for these CMV drivers.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration published in the Federal Register of April 6, 2006, a final rule establishing Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for light trucks manufactured in model years 2008 through 2011. Inadvertently, the document had the wrong docket number; footprint and target fuel economy values provided in example calculations did not have the correct number of decimal places; the definition of ``footprint'' in the regulatory text was incorrect; and Figure 1 of the regulatory text incorrectly referenced ``model,'' as opposed to ``model type.'' Additionally, there was a typographical error in the regulatory text regarding the flat floor provision. This document makes the appropriate corrections.

Notice is hereby given of a meeting of the National Grain Car Council (NGCC), pursuant to section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law No. 92-463, as amended (5 U.S.C., App. 2).

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain EMBRAER Model EMB-145XR airplanes. This proposed AD would require modification of the flap system interface wiring. This proposed AD results from a finding that the aural and visual warnings, which should be activated when the flaps are set to 22 degrees during takeoff, were not enabled during the manufacture of certain Model EMB- 145XR airplanes. We are proposing this AD to prevent overrunning the runway during takeoff.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain EMBRAER Model EMB-145XR airplanes. This proposed AD would require replacement of certain segments of the passenger seat tracks with new, improved seat tracks. This proposed AD results from instances where the shear plungers of the passenger seat legs were not adequately fastened. We are proposing this AD to prevent inadequate fastening of the seat leg shear plungers, which could result in failure of the passenger seat tracks during emergency landing conditions and consequent injury to passengers.

This action corrects an error in the geographic coordinates of a waypoint (WP) listed in the description of route T-210 in a final rule published in the Federal Register on March 27, 2006 (71 FR 15027), Airspace Docket No. 05-ASO-10. This action also makes an editorial change to the order of the points listed in the route description.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces the availability of final policy on Lightning Direct Effects Compliance.

This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Eurocopter France (Eurocopter) Model SA-360C, SA-365C, SA-365C1, and SA-365C2 helicopters. This action requires inspecting the main gearbox (MGB) base plate for a crack and replacing the MGB if a crack is found. This amendment is prompted by the discovery of a crack in a MGB base plate. The actions specified in this AD are intended to detect a crack in a MGB base plate and prevent failure of one of the MGB attachment points to the frame, which could result in severe vibration and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Sicma Aero Seat (formerly Farner) cabin attendant seats series 150 type FN and series 151 type WN. This AD requires installing two protection fairings over the upper seat structure to cover the gap between the upper and lower seats and prevent any contact with the bottom seat folding mechanisms. This AD results from a child catching its fingers in the folding mechanism of the bottom of the attendant seat. We are issuing this AD to prevent injury resulting from contact with the bottom folding mechanism.

FMCSA invites public comment on its plan to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval to collect information on new forms entitled ``Carrier Contact Information Sheets.'' The information will be collected from United States and Canada-based motor carriers through the use forms, and used by FMCSA Safety Auditors and Safety Investigators to prepare in advance for Compliance Reviews (CRs) and New Entrant Program Safety Audits (NEPSAs); Pre-authority Safety Audits (PASAs) and CRs of certain Mexico-domiciled motor carriers; and NEPSAs and CRs of Non-North American motor carriers. FMCSA conducts CRs to determine motor carrier compliance with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) and other regulations overseen by FMCSA. In accordance with section 350 of the 2002 DOT Appropriations Act and the Agency's regulations, all Mexico-domiciled long-haul carriers must successfully complete a PASA before receiving authority to operate in the United States and must receive a CR within their first 18 months of operations in the United States. All other motor carriers receive CRs to determine their safety fitness. FMCSA conducts NEPSAs in accordance with section 210 of the Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act of 1999, which requires safety reviews of all new entrants during their first 18 months of operations. The information collected from motor carriers will be used to assist safety investigators to become familiar with the motor carrier's operation prior to visiting the carrier's place of business. The information collected will include, but is not limited to, company information and contact persons, business type, insurance, type of cargo transported, vehicle and driver information and controlled substance testing information. Additional information will be collected from carriers who transport hazardous materials, household goods, and passengers or are domiciled in Mexico. This notice is required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

This document responds to two petitions for reconsideration of our September 2004 final rule amending the Federal motor vehicle safety standard for power-operated windows, partitions, and roof panel systems. The amendments required that switches for these windows and other items in new motor vehicles be resistant to accidental actuation that causes those items to begin to close. The purpose of the amendments was to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities to people, especially children, that occur when they unintentionally close the power-operated items on themselves by accidentally leaning against or kneeling or standing on the switch or when other occupants accidentally actuate the switch in that manner. The petitions for reconsideration requested that the agency adopt additional amendments. The petitions are granted in part and denied in part. In responding to the petitions' request to require ``pull-up-to- close'' power window switches, we are simultaneously implementing a congressional mandate to require such switches. In addition, through this document, we are amending the standard to make a number of technical amendments.

This document makes a correction to the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) published in the Federal Register on April 3, 2006 by changing the amendment number to a notice number. The NPRM proposed to extend, by 12 months, the date for operators to comply with the fire penetration resistance requirements of thermal/acoustic insulation used in transport category airplanes manufactured after September 2, 2007.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus Model A300 F4-600R series airplanes and Model A300 C4-605R Variant F airplanes. This proposed AD would require modifying certain structure in the fuselage zone at the lavatory venturi installation in the nose section, and performing a related investigative action and corrective action if necessary. This proposed AD results from an analysis that revealed that airplanes equipped with Airbus Modification 08909 had a concentration of loads higher than expected in the fuselage zone (high stress) at the lavatory venturi installation in the nose section, which could be the origin of cracks that developed in the fuselage skin and propagated from the edge of the air vent hole. We are proposing this AD to prevent fatigue cracking of the fuselage skin, which could result in loss of the structural integrity of the fuselage and consequent rapid depressurization of the airplane.