Department of Transportation 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

These special conditions are issued for the transport category airplanes listed in Table 1. These airplanes, as modified by AmSafe, Inc., will have a novel or unusual design feature associated with the lap belt or shoulder harness portion of the safety belt that contains an integrated inflatable airbag installed on passenger seats. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These special conditions contain the additional safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary to establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by the existing airworthiness standards.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Boeing Model 757-200 and -200PF series airplanes; and Model 767-200 and -300 series airplanes. This proposed AD would require doing an inspection to determine the part number and serial number of the hub assembly of the ram air turbine (RAT), and replacing the hub assembly of the RAT with a new, serviceable, or reworked and re-identified hub assembly if necessary. This proposed AD results from reports indicating that the counterweights in some hub assemblies of the RATs could be under strength and fracture when they are extended in flight. We are proposing this AD to prevent a fractured counterweight on the hub assembly of the RAT, which will cause an overspeed condition, and consequent turbine blade separation, possible injury to passengers, possible airplane structural damage, and an inoperative RAT. An inoperative RAT will cause the loss of hydraulic power to the primary flight controls in cases where both engines are shut down in flight, resulting in subsequent loss of control of the airplane.

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:

As authorized by Pub. L. 105-383 and Pub. L. 107-295, the Secretary of Transportation, as represented by the Maritime Administration (MARAD), is authorized to grant waivers of the U.S.- build requirement of the coastwise laws under certain circumstances. A request for such a waiver has been received by MARAD. The vessel, and a brief description of the proposed service, is listed below. The complete application is given in DOT docket MARAD-2008-0042 at https:// www.regulations.gov. Interested parties may comment on the effect this action may have on U.S. vessel builders or businesses in the U.S. that use U.S.-flag vessels. If MARAD determines, in accordance with Pub. L. 105-383 and MARAD's regulations at 46 CFR part 388 (68 FR 23084; April 30, 2003), that the issuance of the waiver will have an unduly adverse effect on a U.S.-vessel builder or a business that uses U.S.-flag vessels in that business, a waiver will not be granted. Comments should refer to the docket number of this notice and the vessel name in order for MARAD to properly consider the comments. Comments should also state the commenter's interest in the waiver application, and address the waiver criteria given in Sec. 388.4 of MARAD's regulations at 46 CFR part 388.

FRA announces the 35th meeting of the RSAC, a federal advisory committee that develops railroad safety regulations through a consensus process. The RSAC meeting topics will include opening remarks from the FRA Administrator, presentations on the Volpe Final Report on Private Crossings and the Pressure Tank Car Proposed Rule, and an update on the FRA Risk Reduction Program. Status reports will be provided by the Passenger Safety, Locomotive Safety Standards, Railroad Bridge Safety, Medical Standards, Railroad Operating Rules, and Track Safety Standards Working Groups. This agenda is subject to change.

This notice lists the location and time of the twelfth and thirteenth meetings of the National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission.

Through this notice, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) proposes to revise its policy with respect to ``tripper service'' and ``school bus operations'' under 49 CFR Part 605. FTA seeks comment on this notice from interested parties. After consideration of the comments, FTA will issue a second Federal Register notice responding to comments received and noting any changes made to the policy statement as a result of comments received.

The FAA proposes to revise an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to certain Bombardier Model CL-600-2C10 (Regional Jet series 700 & 701) series airplanes and Model CL-600-2D24 (Regional Jet series 900) series airplanes. The existing AD currently requires revising the Airworthiness Limitations section of the Instructions of Continued Airworthiness by incorporating new repetitive inspections and an optional terminating action for the repetitive inspections, and repairing any crack. This proposed AD would clarify the applicability of the existing AD. This proposed AD results from reports of hydraulic pressure loss in either the number 1 or number 2 hydraulic system due to breakage or leakage of hydraulic lines in the aft equipment bay and reports of cracks on the aft pressure bulkhead web around these feed- through holes. We are proposing this AD to prevent loss of hydraulic pressure, which could result in reduced controllability of the airplane, and to detect and correct cracks on the aft pressure bulkhead web, which could result in reduced structural integrity of the aft pressure bulkhead.

The FAA proposes to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to various aircraft equipped with certain Honeywell Primus II RNZ-850( )/-851( ) integrated navigation units (INUs). The existing AD, as one alternative for compliance, provides for a one-time inspection to determine whether a certain modification has been installed on the Honeywell Primus II NV-850 navigation receiver module (NRM), which is part of the INU. In lieu of accomplishing this inspection, and for aircraft found to have an affected NRM, that AD provides for revising the aircraft flight manual to include new limitations for instrument landing system approaches. That AD also requires an inspection to determine whether certain other modifications have been done on the NRM; and doing related investigative, corrective, and other specified actions, as applicable; as well as further modifications to address additional anomalies. This proposed AD would extend the compliance time for a certain inspection and associated actions. This proposed AD would also revise the applicability to include additional affected INUs. This proposed AD results from reports indicating that erroneous localizer and glideslope indications have occurred on certain aircraft equipped with the subject INUs. We are proposing this AD to ensure that the flight crew has accurate localizer and glideslope deviation indications. An erroneous localizer or glideslope deviation indication could lead to the aircraft making an approach off the localizer, which could result in impact with an obstacle or terrain.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection Requirement (ICR) abstracted below has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its expected burden. The Federal Register notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on March 10, 2008 (73 FR 12794).

This action proposes to establish Class D airspace at Victoria Regional Airport, Victoria, TX. The establishment of an air traffic control tower has made this action necessary for the safety of Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) operations at Victoria Regional Airport.

This notice contains a summary of certain petitions seeking relief from specified requirements of 14 CFR. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, this aspect of FAA's regulatory activities. Neither publication of this notice nor the inclusion or omission of information in the summary is intended to affect the legal status of any petition or its final disposition.

This document grants in full the petition of smart USA Distributor LLC (smart USA) in accordance with Sec. 543.9(c)(2) of 49 CFR Part 543, Exemption from the Theft Prevention Standard, for the smart fortwo vehicle line beginning with model year (MY) 2009. This petition is granted because the agency has determined that the antitheft device to be placed on the line as standard equipment is likely to be as effective in reducing and deterring motor vehicle theft as compliance with the parts-marking requirements of the Theft Prevention Standard. smart USA is an authorized importer of smart brand vehicles manufactured by Daimler AG. smart USA requested confidential treatment for the information and attachments submitted in support of its petition. The agency will address smart USA's request for confidential treatment by separate letter.

This action amends the Class E airspace area at Waynesburg, PA, to accommodate a new Standard Instrument Approach Procedure (SIAP) that has been developed for Green County Airport. As a result, controlled airspace extending upward from 700 feet Above Ground Level (AGL) will be expanded to contain the SIAP and other Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at Green County 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. A minor correction is also being made in the geographic position coordinates of the Green County Airport.

FMCSA announces its decision to renew the exemptions from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for 25 individuals. FMCSA has statutory authority to exempt individuals from the vision requirement if the exemptions granted will not compromise safety. The Agency has concluded that granting these exemption renewals will provide a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety maintained without the exemptions for these commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers.

The FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve a current information collection. The information collected is used by the FAA to register aircraft or hold an aircraft in trust.

The FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve a current information collection. The form is used by private citizens involved in aviation to nominate private citizens for recognition of their volunteer service to the FAA.

The FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve a current information collection. The rule regarding the protection of voluntarily submitted information acts to ensure that certain non- required information offered by air carriers will not be disclosed.

This action confirms the effective date of a direct final rule published in the Federal Register (73 FR 8595) that establishes Class E Airspace at Seneca, PA to support a new Area Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) Special Instrument Approach Procedure (IAP) that has been developed for medical flight operations into the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Northwest Heliport.

Under 49 U.S.C. 10502, the Board is granting a petition for exemption from the prior approval requirements of 49 U.S.C. 10902 for Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad Corporation to acquire from BNSF Railway Company an approximately 3.5-mile rail line, known as the Yale Extension, extending from milepost 145.0 to milepost 148.5 in Yale, SD. The exemption is subject to employee protective conditions.

This document announces receipt by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a petition for a decision that 1988-1994 ALPINA B12 5.0 model passenger cars that were not originally manufactured to comply with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS) are eligible for importation into the United States because they have safety features that comply with, or are capable of being altered to comply with, all such standards.

This rule establishes, amends, suspends, or revokes Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) and associated Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle Departure Procedures for operations at certain airports. These regulatory actions are needed because of the adoption of new or revised criteria, or because of changes occurring in the National Airspace System, such as the commissioning of new navigational facilities, adding new obstacles, or changing air traffic requirements. These changes are designed to provide safe and efficient use of the navigable airspace and to promote safe flight operations under instrument flight rules at the affected airports.