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

The FTA and the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T) issue this notice to advise interested agencies and the public of their intent to prepare an EIS in accordance with the regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for transit improvements in Fort Worth, and Tarrant County, Texas. Transit improvements from southwest Fort Worth, through downtown Fort Worth, to the northern entrance into the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW Airport), are proposed along what is known as the Southwest-to- Northeast Rail Corridor. The proposed alignment will largely follow the Fort Worth & Western Railroad (FWWR), Union Pacific Railroad Company (UPRR), Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad (BNSF), and Dallas Area Rapid Transit-owned Cotton Belt rail lines that traverse Tarrant County. Transportation improvements are needed to meet current and future travel demand and to upgrade the transportation facilities in the corridor. The EIS will evaluate the future No-Build Alternative, a Transportation Systems Management (TSM) alternative, the preliminary Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) from the recently completed planning Alternatives Analysis (AA), and any additional reasonable alternatives that emerge from the scoping process.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Boeing Model 747-200B, 747-300, 747-400, 747-400D, and 747- 400F series airplanes. This proposed AD would require repetitive inspections of the left- and right-hand flipper door assemblies of the engine core cowls for migrated pins and damaged flipper doors, and corrective actions if necessary. Modification of the hinge assemblies terminates the repetitive inspections. This proposed AD results from two reports of missing flipper doors for the engine core cowls. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct migrated hinge pins and damaged flipper doors, which could allow the flipper door to fall off, resulting in the potential for an engine fire to propagate into the flammable leakage zone of the strut and for the amount of fire extinguishing agent reaching the fire to be diluted, and subsequent uncontained fire in the engine strut.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Boeing Model 737-600, -700, -700C, -800 and -900 series airplanes. This proposed AD would require sealing the fasteners on the front and rear spar inside the main fuel tank and on the lower panel of the center fuel tank, inspecting the wire bundle support installation in the equipment cooling system bays to identify the type of clamp installed and determine whether the Teflon sleeve is installed, and doing related corrective actions if necessary. This proposed AD results from a design review of the fuel tank systems. We are proposing this AD to prevent arcing at certain fuel tank fasteners, in the event of a lightning strike or fault current event, which, in combination with flammable fuel vapors, could result in a fuel tank explosion and consequent loss of the airplane.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier Model DHC-8-400 series airplanes. This AD requires revising the Limitations section of the airplane flight manual to include procedures for pulling the ``HYD PWR XFER'' circuit breaker in the event of the loss of all hydraulic fluid in the No. 1 or No. 2 hydraulic system. This AD results from reports of fluid loss in the No. 2 hydraulic system, causing the power transfer unit to overspeed, increasing the fluid flow within the No. 1 hydraulic system. We are issuing this AD to prevent possible loss of both the No. 1 and No. 2 hydraulic systems, resulting in the potential loss of several functions essential for safe flight and landing of the airplane.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier Model DHC-8-100, DHC-8-200, and DHC-8-300 series airplanes. This AD requires, for certain airplanes, modification of the upper bearing of the main landing gear (MLG) shock strut. This AD also requires, for certain airplanes, revising the de Havilland DHC-8 Maintenance Program Manual to include the MLG shock strut servicing task. This AD results from reports of over-extension of the MLG shock strut piston, which allows the torque links to go over-center and rest on the piston. We are issuing this AD to prevent loss in shock absorption during touchdown and failure of the shock strut housing, which could result in a subsequent loss of directional control.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for GE CF6-80 series turbofan engines with fuel shroud retaining rings, part number (P/N) J204P0084, installed. This AD requires replacing those retaining rings with a more robust design fuel shroud retaining snap ring. This AD results from two events of external engine fuel leakage and a subsequent under-cowl engine fire. We are issuing this AD to prevent an under-cowl engine fire and damage to the airplane during an engine high vibration event.