Department of Transportation December 31, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for CFM International, S. A. CFM56-5B series turbofan engines. This AD requires reviewing exhaust gas temperature (EGT) monitoring records to determine EGT deterioration margin, and for airplanes where both engines have greater than 80[deg] centigrade (C) deterioration of EGT margin, borescope-inspecting the high-pressure compressor (HPC) of both engines. This AD also requires removing from service any engine that does not pass the borescope inspection, and if both engines pass, removing and replacing one of the engines with an engine that has 80 [deg]C or less deterioration of EGT margin. This AD also requires continuous monitoring of EGT margin on engines in service, to prevent two engines on an airplane from having greater than 80 [deg]C of deterioration of EGT margin. This AD results from an Airbus A321 airplane powered by CFM56-5B1/P turbofan engines experiencing HPC stalls during climb out after takeoff. We are issuing this AD to prevent HPC stalls, which could prevent continued safe flight or landing.

The Department of Transportation is directing all interested persons to show cause why it should not issue an order finding Baltia Airlines, Inc., fit, willing, and able, and awarding it a certificate of public convenience and necessity to engage in foreign scheduled air transportation of persons, property and mail.

FRA proposes revisions to its regulation governing the qualification and certification of locomotive engineers by prohibiting a railroad from reclassifying a person's locomotive engineer certificate to that of a more restrictive class during the period in which the certificate is otherwise valid while permitting the railroad to place restrictions on the locomotive engineer if appropriate. FRA also proposes to clarify that revocation of an engineer's certificate may only occur for the reasons specified in the regulation. Additionally, FRA proposes provisions that would require each railroad to identify the actions it will take in the event that a person fails a skills performance test or the railroad finds deficiencies with an engineer's performance during an operational monitoring observation or unannounced compliance test. These proposals will address unanticipated consequences arising from reclassifications and clarify the grounds upon which a railroad may revoke a locomotive engineer's certification.