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

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Raytheon Aircraft Company (RAC) Models 58 and G58 airplanes with optional propeller unfeathering accumulators installed. This proposed AD would require you to inspect the left propeller accumulator oil tube assembly for any chafing; replace the propeller accumulator oil tube assembly if any chafing is found; and reposition and secure with clamps both the left engine manifold pressure hose and its metal identification tags to avoid contact with other tubes, hoses, electrical wires, parts, components, and structure. This proposed AD results from several reports on the affected airplanes of chafing damage on the left propeller accumulator oil tube assembly. This includes an in-flight oil leak from the left engine on an RAC Model G58 airplane. We are proposing this AD to detect, correct, and prevent any chafing damage of the left propeller accumulator oil tube assembly, which could result in loss of engine oil. Loss of engine oil may lead to fire or smoke in the engine compartment, inability to unfeather the propeller, engine damage, or loss of engine power.

The FAA withdraws a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that proposed adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Bell Helicopter Textron (Bell) Model 206B helicopters modified with Aeronautical Accessories, Inc. (AAI) Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) No. SH8435SW or SH8419SW with energy attenuating seat installation wire (energy attenuating wire). The proposed AD would have required replacing certain energy attenuating wire with airworthy energy attenuating wire. Since issuing the proposed AD, we have determined that no unsafe condition exists with respect to the STC installed energy attenuating wire. Accordingly, the proposed AD is withdrawn.

The Surface Transportation Board will hold a public hearing beginning at 10 a.m. on Thursday, November 2, 2006, at its offices in Washington, DC. The purpose of the public hearing will be to examine issues related to the transportation of grain by rail. Persons wishing to speak at the hearing should notify the Board in writing.

This action establishes Class E airspace at Robert Packer Hospital, Sayre, Pennsylvania. The development of an Area Navigation (RNAV), Helicopter Point in Space Approach, for the Robert Packer Hospital, Sayre, PA, has made this action necessary. Controlled airspace extending upward from 700 feet Above Ground Level (AGL) is needed to contain aircraft executing the approach to the Robert Packer Hospital.

This action establishes Class E airspace at Hill Top Heliport, Troy, Pennsylvania. The development of an Area Navigation (RNAV), Helicopter Point in Space Approach, for the Hill Top Heliport, Troy, PA, has made this action necessary. Controlled airspace extending upward from 700 feet Above Ground Level (AGL) is needed to contain aircraft executing the approach to the Hill Top Heliport.

This action establishes Class E airspace at Nessmuk Helipad, Wellsboro, Pennsylvania. The development of an Area Navigation (RNAV), Helicopter Point in Space Approach, for the Nessmuk Helipad, Wellsboro, PA, has made this action necessary. Controlled airspace extending upward from 700 feet Above Ground Level (AGL) is needed to contain aircraft executing the approach to the Nessmuk Helipad.

This action establishes Class E airspace at Tyler Memorial Hospital, Tunkhannock, PA. Development of an Area Navigation (RNAV), Helicopter Point in Space Approach, for the Tyler Memorial Hospital Heliport, Tunkhannock, PA, has made this action necessary. Controlled airspace extending upward from 700 feet Above Ground Level (AGL) is needed to contain aircraft executing the approach to the Tyler Memorial Hospital Heliport.

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.

Section 3010 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), amended section 5308 of title 49 United States Code, commonly referred to as the Clean Fuels Grant Program. SAFETEA-LU changes the program from a formula-based to a discretionary grant program. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) proposes to amend its clean fuels grant program regulations to comport with the provisions of SAFETEA-LU.

This notice announces the criteria, application procedures, and schedule to be applied by the Secretary of Transportation in designating or redesignating, and funding capital development annually for up to 15 current (joint-use) or former military airports seeking designation or redesignation to participate in the Military Airport Program (MAP). The MAP allows the Secretary to designate current (joint-use) or former military airports to receive grants from the Airport Improvement Program (AIP). The Secretary is authorized to designate an airport (other than an airport designated before August 24, 1994) only if: (1) The airport is a former military installation closed or realigned under the Title 10 U.S.C. 2687 (announcement of closures of large Department of Defense installations after September 30, 1977), or under Section 201 or 2905 of the Defense Authorization Amendments and Base Closure and Realignment Acts; or (2) The airport is a military installation with both military and civil aircraft operations. The Secretary shall consider for designation only those current or former military airports, at least partly converted to civilian airports as part of the national air transportation system, that will reduce delays at airports with more than 20,000 hours of annual delays in commercial passenger aircraft takeoffs and landings, or will enhance airport and air traffic control system capacity in metropolitan areas or reduce current and projected flight delays (49 U.S.C. 47118(c)).

FMCSA announces that its MRB will hold a public meeting. The MRB members will continue deliberations about current FMCSA medical standards, as well as consider recommendations for new science-based standards and guidelines to ensure that the physical condition of drivers is adequate to enable them to safely operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce. In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), the meeting is open to the public.

The FHWA and Iowa DOT are issuing this notice to advise the public an EIS will be prepared for a proposed roadway project in Polk County, Iowa. The planned EIS will evaluate potential transportation improvement alternatives for serving northwest Des Moines and its neighboring communities between IA 415 and Euclid Avenue.

The FAA proposes to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to certain Bombardier Model DHC-8-400 series airplanes. The existing AD currently requires revising the airplane flight manual (AFM) to advise the flightcrew of appropriate procedures to follow in the event that a main landing gear (MLG) fails to extend following a gear-down selection. The existing AD also currently requires repetitive replacement of the left and right MLG uplock assemblies with new assemblies; and an inspection of the left and right MLG uplock rollers for the presence of an inner low friction liner, and corrective actions if necessary. This proposed AD would revise the requirement for replacing the left and right MLG uplock assemblies by allowing replacement with alternative parts. For a certain MLG uplock assembly, this proposed AD would require repetitive inspections of the uplock hatch lower jaw for the presence of a wear groove and replacement with an improved part if necessary. For a certain MLG uplock assembly, this proposed AD also would require repetitive inspections of the uplock roller to ensure that it rotates freely and replacement with a new part if necessary. This proposed AD would allow optional replacement of the left and right MLG uplock assemblies with improved parts, which ends the requirements of the AFM revision and repetitive replacement and inspections. This proposed AD would remove airplanes from the applicability. This proposed AD results from development of a terminating action. We are proposing this AD to ensure that the flightcrew has the procedures necessary to address failure of an MLG to extend following a gear-down selection; and to detect and correct such failure, which could result in a gear-up landing and possible injury to passengers and crew.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the McDonnell Douglas airplanes previously described. This proposed AD would require replacing the control modules of the fire detection systems of the propulsion engines with new, improved control modules. This proposed AD results from a report of broken or severed wiring between engine fire detectors and the fire detection system control module, which caused the fire detection system to become non-functional without flightcrew awareness. We are proposing this AD to prevent unannunciated fire in a propulsion engine, which could cause injury to flightcrew and passengers or loss of the airplane.

This notice lists the location and time of the next Charter Bus Negotiated Rulemaking Advisory Committee (CBNRAC) meeting.

The FAA adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Cirrus Design Corporation (CDC) Models SR20 and SR22 airplanes. This AD requires you to check the maintenance records to determine whether the brake caliper piston O-ring seals were replaced at the last annual or 100-hour inspection. If the O-rings were not replaced, this AD requires you to replace the O-ring seals with new seals or replace brake calipers. This AD also requires you to modify the main landing gear wheel fairings to add temperature indicator sticker inspection holes, trim the wheel fairings to prevent them from holding fluids, install temperature indicator stickers on the brake calipers, and insert Revision A6 (with revised preflight walk-around, a limitation on the engine speed used to taxi, and brake inspection/servicing intervals) into the Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH). This AD results from several reports of airplanes experiencing brake fires and two airplanes losing directional control. We are issuing this AD to detect, correct, and prevent overheating damage to the brake caliper piston O-ring seals, which could result in leakage of brake hydraulic fluid. Consequently, this could lead to the loss of braking with loss of airplane directional control or brake fire.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of a meeting of RTCA Special Committee 207, Airport Security Access Control Systems.

The FAA published a final rule on August 29, 2006, (71 FR 51382), to address persistent flight delays from overscheduling at O'Hare International Airport (O'Hare). This amendment revises section 93.25, ``Initial assignment of Arrival Authorizations to U.S. and Canadian air carriers for domestic and U.S./Canada transborder service,'' to direct the FAA to assign each U.S. and Canadian conducting scheduled service at O'Hare by January 27, 2007, Arrival Authorizations based on their permanent holdings as of the 7-day period of October 22 through October 28, 2006, as evidenced by the FAA's records. While the FAA is making this rule effective without notice and comment, the FAA invites the public to comment on the amendment. The FAA will consider the comments to see whether the rule should be further modified.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Fokker Model F.28 Mark 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 airplanes. This proposed AD would require a one-time inspection of the left- and right-hand main landing gear (MLG) downlock actuators or a review of the airplane maintenance records to determine the part number of each downlock actuator installed, and replacement of identified MLG downlock actuators with modified MLG downlock actuators. This proposed AD results from a report of a failed downlock actuator, which resulted in the left MLG collapsing during taxi after landing. We are proposing this AD to prevent failure of the downlock actuator, which could prevent the MLG side stay from locking properly, resulting in collapse of the MLG during ground maneuvers or upon landing.

The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that an environmental impact statement will be prepared for a proposed roadway project and river crossing over the Little Missouri River in Billings County, North Dakota.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier Model CL-600-2B19 (Regional Jet Series 100 & 440) airplanes. This proposed AD would require inspecting for discrepancies of the activation mechanism of certain chemical oxygen generators, and corrective action if necessary. This proposed AD results from several incidents, on certain airplane models, of incorrect installation of the release pin into the safety pin hole of the activation mechanism of the chemical oxygen generator; this resulted in failure to activate the chemical oxygen generator when required. A separate incident occurred on a different airplane model during deployment of the cabin oxygen system, which resulted in failure of the release pin to activate the oxygen generator at a flight attendant station. We are proposing this AD to prevent failure of the activation mechanism of the chemical oxygen generator, which could result in the unavailability of supplemental oxygen and possible incapacitation of passengers and cabin crew during an in-flight decompression.