Department of Transportation January 5, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This proposed AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as: ``an occurrence of inadvertent manipulation of the fuel shut-off control has been reported.'' The proposed AD would require actions that are intended to address the unsafe condition described in the MCAI.

On July 27, 2006, the FRA published a notice announcing its intent to conduct a series of open meetings throughout the United States, in cooperation with appropriate State agencies, to consider issues related to the safety of private highway-rail grade crossings. This notice indicated that the first of these meetings would be held August 30, 2006, in Fort Snelling, Minnesota. On September 22, 2006, the FRA published a second notice, which announced that FRA had scheduled subsequent meetings, to be held on September 27, 2006, in Raleigh, North Carolina; October 26, 2006, in San Francisco, California; and December 6, 2006, in New Orleans, Louisiana. This Notice No. 3 announces that the FRA has scheduled an additional meeting, to be held on February 15, 2007, in Syracuse, New York. At the meeting, FRA intends to solicit oral statements from private crossing owners, railroads and other interested parties on issues related to the safety of private highway-rail grade crossings, which will include, but not be limited to, current practices concerning responsibility for safety at private grade crossings, the adequacy of warning devices at private crossings, and the relative merits of a more uniform approach to improving safety at private crossings. FRA has also opened a public docket on these issues, so that interested parties may submit written comments for public review and consideration.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This proposed AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as:

Under this notice, the FAA proposes to implement certain security related requirements governing the design of transport category airplanes. The requirements would provide improved airplane design features and greater protection of the cabin, flightdeck, and cargo compartments from the detonation of explosive or incendiary devices, penetration by projectiles, and intrusion by unauthorized persons. The FAA also proposes to require operators to establish a ``least risk bomb location'' on all affected airplanes. These proposed changes would adopt several International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards. Also, this notice discusses six proposed advisory circulars (ACs) and proposed changes to two existing ACs.

The FAA is proposing changes to its airmen certification and aircraft registration requirements. Two years after the final rule becomes effective, paper pilot certificates may no longer be used to exercise piloting privileges. Five years after the final rule becomes effective, certain other paper airmen certificates, such as those of flight engineers and mechanics, may no longer be used to exercise the privileges authorized by those certificates. To exercise the privileges after those respective dates, the airmen would have to hold upgraded, counterfeit-resistant plastic certificates. Student pilots would not be affected. In addition, those who transfer ownership of U.S.-registered aircraft would have five days from the transaction to notify the FAA Aircraft Registry. Those who apply for aircraft registration would have to include their printed or typed name with their signature. These changes are responsive to concerns raised in the FAA Drug Enforcement Assistance Act. The purpose of the changes is to upgrade the quality of data and documents to assist Federal, State, and local agencies to enforce the Nation's drug laws.