Department of Transportation August 1, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

FMCSA announces its decision to renew the exemptions from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for 5 individuals. FMCSA has statutory authority to exempt individuals from the vision requirement 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.

This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Sikorsky) Model S-92A helicopters. This action requires, before further flight, replacing a certain main gearbox (MGB) upper main housing assembly (housing assembly) that has 2700 or more hours time-in-service (TIS) with an airworthy part. This action also requires, before further flight, revising the Airworthiness Limitations section (ALS) of the maintenance manual by establishing a new retirement life for the MGB housing assembly of 2700 hours TIS. This amendment is prompted by testing of the MGB housing assembly that resulted in premature fatigue failure due to a manufacturing process creating an oxide skin defect in the housing. The actions specified in this AD are intended to prevent fatigue failure of the MGB housing, loss of MGB lube oil, loss of main and tail rotor drive, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

The FAA proposes to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to all Airbus Model A300 airplanes. The existing AD currently requires repetitive inspections for cracking and corrosion in the lower rim area of the rear pressure bulkhead and adjacent areas, repetitive inspections for cracking or corrosion in the service apertures and the upper rim area of the rear pressure bulkhead, and corrective actions if necessary. This proposed AD would remove certain repetitive inspections and reduce the repetitive interval of one inspection. This proposed AD would also require an inspection for missing or damaged sealant of the area between the outer attachment angle and circumferential joint doubler, and corrective action if necessary. This proposed AD would also require additional inspections for corrosion of certain areas and repetitive inspections for airplanes on which repairs have been done. This proposed AD results from reports of corrosion and cracking in the various components associated with the rear pressure bulkhead. We are proposing this AD to prevent reduced structural capability of the fuselage and consequent decompression of the airplane.

This action revises Class E airspace at Adak, AK to provide adequate controlled airspace to contain aircraft executing one new special Standard Instrument Approach Procedure (SIAP) and one new special departure procedure (DP). This rule results in revised Class E airspace revised upward from 700 feet (ft.) and 1,200 ft. above the surface at Adak, AK.

This action establishes Class D and E4 airspace and amends Class E5 airspace at Leesburg, FL. A Federal contract tower with a weather reporting system is being constructed at the Leesburg Regional Airport. Therefore, the airport will meet the criteria for establishment of Class D and E4 airspace. Class D surface area airspace and Class E4 airspace desiganted as an extension to Class D 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 but not including 1,600 feet MSL, within a 4.1-mile radius of the Leesburg Regional Airport and a Class E4 airspace extension that is 4.8 miles wide and extends 7 miles southeast of the airport. This action will also amend Class E5 airspace extending upward from 700 feet Above Ground Level (AGL) needed to contain SIAPs, by decreasing the size from a 7-mile radius of the airport to a 6.6-mile radius of the airport and providing for the procedure turn area. Additionally, a technical amendment will result in a name change from the Leesburg Municipal Airport to the Leesburg Regional Airport, which was effective August 25, 1997.

This action establishes Class E airspace at Mooresville, NC. An Area Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) Standard Instrument Approach Procedure (SIAP) Runway (RWY) 14 has been developed for Lake Norman Airpark. As a result, controlled airspace extending upward from 700 feet Above Ground Level (AGL) is needed to contain the SIAP and for Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at Lake Norman Airpark. The operating status of the airport will change from Visual Flight Rules (VFR) to include IFR operations concurrent with the publication of the SIAP.