Department of Transportation November 30, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FMCSA announces that it has received from Verigo, Incorporated (Verigo) an application for an exemption from the signature requirement for a driver on the record of duty status (RODS). Verigo's application is being made on behalf of all drivers and carriers operating commercial motor vehicles in the U.S. and using the Verigo Wireless Logbook. The exemption would allow a signature entered on an electronic ``signature pad'' to be the functional equivalent of a handwritten signature on the RODS. Verigo states that this will allow the trucking industry to reduce administrative costs and increase productivity by providing a simple and effective alternative to paper RODS. The FMCSA requests public comment on Verigo's application for exemption.

We propose to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2007-13- 17, which applies to all Air Tractor, Inc. (Air Tractor) Models AT-602, AT-802, and AT-802A airplanes. AD 2007-13-17 currently requires you to repetitively inspect the engine mount for any cracks, repair or replace any cracked engine mount, and report any cracks found to the FAA. Since we issued AD 2007-13-17, Air Tractor has learned of a Model AT-502B with a crack located where the lower engine mount tube is welded to the engine mount ring. In addition, Snow Engineering Co. has developed gussets that, when installed according to their service letter, terminate the repetitive inspection requirement. Consequently, this proposed AD would retain the inspection actions of AD 2007-13-17 for Model AT-602, AT-802, and AT-802A airplanes, including the compliance times and effective dates; establish new inspection actions for the AT- 400 and AT-500 series airplanes; incorporate a mandatory terminating action for all airplanes; and terminate the reporting requirement of AD 2007-13-17. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct cracks in the engine mount, which could result in failure of the engine mount. Such failure could lead to separation of the engine from the airplane.