Department of Transportation February 26, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

FMCSA announces its decision to renew the exemptions from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for 12 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 FHWA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for a new information collection, which is summarized below under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION . We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

This action amends Class E Airspace at Roanoke Rapids, NC, to accommodate Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) at Halifax County Airport. The controlled airspace previously associated with this airport was removed in anticipation of the airport's scheduled closure. The closure of Halifax County Airport has been delayed because the opening of its replacement, Halifax-Northampton Regional Airport, has been delayed. Controlled airspace is necessary for the safety and management of SIAPs and for Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) operations to the airport.

This action amends the legal descriptions for Anderson AFB, and the Guam and Saipan International Airports. The Guam Air Route Traffic Control Center personnel conducted a review of their airspace and determined that current airspace descriptions needed to be updated. These are editorial revisions to reflect name changes and to update coordinates of the facilities. The changes will not affect the current area boundaries, altitudes, or the times of designation.

The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to certain British Aerospace (Jetstream) Model 4100 series airplanes. The existing AD currently requires an eddy current conductivity test to measure the conductivity of the upper splice plate of the wing, and related investigative and corrective actions if necessary. This AD revises the applicability to include additional airplanes. This AD results from reports of exfoliation corrosion of the upper splice plate of the wing. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct such corrosion, which could result in reduced structural integrity of the airplane.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Boeing Model 737-100, -200, -200C, -300, -400, and -500 series airplanes. This AD requires repetitive internal eddy current and detailed inspections to detect cracked stringer tie clips; measuring the fastener spacing and the edge margin if applicable, and doing applicable corrective and related investigative actions. As a temporary alternative to doing the actions described previously, this AD requires repetitive external general visual inspections of the skin and lap joints and repetitive external eddy current sliding probe inspections, as applicable, of the lap joints for cracks and evidence of overload resulting from cracked stringer tie clips, and applicable corrective actions if necessary. This AD results from a report of several cracked stringer tie clips. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct multiple adjacent cracked stringer tie clips and damaged skin and frames, which could lead to the skin and frame structure developing cracks and consequent decompression of the airplane.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for General Electric Company (GE) CF6-45 and CF6-50 series turbofan engines. This AD requires replacing certain forward and aft centerbodies of the long fixed core exhaust nozzle (LFCEN) assembly. This AD results from the engine manufacturer issuing new service information. We are issuing this AD to prevent the forward and aft centerbody of the LFCEN assembly from separating due to high imbalance engine conditions, leading to damage to the airplane.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This 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:

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This 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), which applies to certain Boeing Model 767 series airplanes. That AD currently requires a one-time inspection for missing, damaged, or incorrectly installed parts in the separation link assembly on the deployment bar of the emergency escape system on the entry or service door, and installation of new parts if necessary. This new AD requires replacing the separation link assembly on the applicable entry and service doors with an improved separation link assembly, and doing related investigative and corrective actions if necessary; and inspecting for discrepancies of the unloaded spring dimensions in the separation link assembly, and doing corrective actions if necessary. This AD also removes certain airplanes from the applicability. This AD results from reports that entry and service doors did not open fully during deployment of emergency escape slides, and additional reports of missing snap rings. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of an entry or service door to open fully in the event of an emergency evacuation, which could impede exit from the airplane. This condition could result in injury to passengers or crewmembers.

This 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.