Department of Transportation March 18, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FAA proposes to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to certain Boeing Model 767-200, -300, and -400ER series airplanes. The existing AD currently requires an inspection to determine if the door-mounted escape slide/rafts have certain part numbers. For those door-mounted escape slide/rafts having certain part numbers, the existing AD also currently requires an inspection for excessive tension of the firing cable, and procedures for providing slack in the firing cable or rerouting the firing cable if necessary. For certain airplanes, this proposed AD would require a review of the airplane maintenance records to determine if a certain service bulletin has been incorporated, or an inspection to determine if certain door-mounted escape slide/rafts are installed. This proposed AD would also require modification of certain escape slide/rafts. This proposed AD results from reports of uncommanded inflation inside the airplane of a door-mounted escape slide/raft located in the passenger compartment. We are proposing this AD to prevent injury to maintenance personnel, passengers, and crew during otherwise normal operating conditions and to prevent interference with evacuation of the airplane during an emergency, due to uncommanded inflation of a door-mounted escape slide/ raft.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This proposed AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) originated 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:

The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to certain McDonnell Douglas Model DC-8-55, DC-8F-54, and DC-8F-55 airplanes; and Model DC-8-60, DC-8-70, DC-8-60F, and DC-8- 70F series airplanes. The existing AD currently requires a one-time inspection for previous repairs of the aft fuselage skin panel at the longeron 28 skin splice, repetitive inspections for cracks of the same area, and related investigative and corrective actions. The existing AD also provides optional actions for extending the repetitive inspection intervals. This new AD re-defines and more clearly describes the optional actions for extending the repetitive inspection intervals. This AD results from our determination that the inspections and actions described in the existing AD do not adequately address the unsafe condition. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracks in the aft fuselage skin at the longeron 28 skin splice, which could lead to loss of structural integrity of the aft fuselage, resulting in rapid decompression of the airplane.

This action proposes to establish Class E airspace at Philippi, WV. Area Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAP) Runways (RWY) 08-26 has been developed for Philippi/Barbour County Regional Airport. As a result, controlled airspace extending upward from 700 feet Above Ground Level (AGL) is needed to contain the SIAP and for Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) operations at Philippi/Barbour County Regional Airport. The operating status of the airport will change from Visual Flight Rules (VFR) to include IFR operations concurrent with the publication of the SIAP. This action enhances the safety and airspace management of Philippi/Barbour County Regional Airport.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has tentatively determined that it is necessary to place a temporary limitation on scheduled flight operations at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). The FAA is issuing this proposal as a result of persistent congestion and delays at EWR during the peak operating hours, as well as a dramatic projected increase in flight delays at the airport during the summer of 2008 if proposed schedules were implemented as requested by carriers. We intend this proposed limitation on scheduled operations to relieve the substantial inconvenience to the traveling public caused by excessive congestion-related flight delays at the airport, which magnify as they spread through the National Airspace System. Among other things, this proposal will ensure that projected delays do not increase significantly and provide for a more efficient use of the nation's airspace. The final Order would take effect at 6 a.m., Eastern Time, on June 1, 2008, and would expire at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on October 24, 2009. This proposed limitation on scheduled operations is necessary to prevent an increase in scheduled flights during peak hours. Flights in certain hours in summer 2007 were in excess of the airport's capacity, and scheduling is a factor in the high level of delays historically experienced at the airport. The proposed limits would apply to all U.S. and foreign air carriers' scheduled operations, excluding helicopters, from 6 a.m., Eastern Time, through 10:59 p.m., Eastern Time. A final Order would be enforceable under the FAA's civil penalty authority. In a separate docket, the FAA intends to propose limits on unscheduled flights at EWR during the same hours, as well as a system to allocate the reservations for the available unscheduled operations. The FAA anticipates that the total number of operations at EWR will be limited to an average of 83 per hour.