Department of Transportation April 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for GE CF6-80A series turbofan engines with certain stage 1 high-pressure turbine (HPT) rotor disks, installed. This AD requires removal from service of those stage 1 HPT rotor disks within 30 days after the effective date of the AD. This AD results from the FAA learning that those disks are susceptible to cracks developing at the aft chamfer of the blade dovetail slots. We are issuing this AD to prevent cracks developing at the aft chamfer of the blade dovetail slots that could propagate to a failure of the disk and cause an uncontained engine failure and damage to the airplane.

In accordance with the procedures governing the application for, and the processing of, special permits from the Department of Transportation's Hazardous Material Regulations (49 CFR Part 107, Subpart B), notice is hereby given that the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety has received the application described herein. Each mode of transportation for which a particular special permit is requested is indicated by a number in the ``Nature of Application'' portion of the table below as follows: 1Motor vehicle, 2Rail freight, 3Cargo vessel, 4Cargo aircraft only, 5Passenger-carrying aircraft.

New requirements within the American Recovery and Reimbursement Act of 2009 have made necessary a revision to the OMB- approved collection ``Airports Grants Program'' to include further burden. The information listed below represents the new totals for the complete ``Airports Grants Program'' with the new requirements per the American Recovery and Reimbursement Act of 2009.

The National Park Service (NPS) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), as required by the National Parks Air Tour Management Act of 2000, established the National Parks Overflights Advisory Group (NPOAG) in March 2001. The NPOAG was formed to provide continuing advice and counsel with respect to commercial air tour operations over and near national parks. This notice informs the public of six vacancies (due to completion of membership on October 9, 2009) on the NPOAG (now the NPOAG Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC)) for members representing general aviation (one vacancy), commercial air tour operators (two vacancies), environmental concerns (two vacancies), and Native American tribal concerns (one vacancy) and invites interested persons to apply to fill the vacancies.

We are revising an earlier NPRM for the products listed above. This action revises the earlier NPRM by expanding the scope. 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:

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Hawker Beechcraft Corporation Model BH.125 series 600A airplanes and Model HS.125 series 700A airplanes. This AD requires inspecting the wiring diagrams containing the cockpit blowers and comparing with the current airplane configuration, and reworking the wiring if necessary. This AD results from a report indicating that a blower motor of the cockpit ventilation and avionics cooling system seized up and gave off smoke. We are issuing this AD to prevent smoke and fumes in the cockpit in the event that a blower motor seizes and overheats due to excessive current draw.

PHMSA is amending the Hazardous Materials Regulations to revise certain requirements applicable to the manufacture, maintenance, and use of DOT and MC specification cargo tank motor vehicles, DOT specification cylinders and UN pressure receptacles. The revisions are based on petitions for rulemaking submitted by the regulated community and are intended to enhance the safe transportation of hazardous materials in commerce, clarify regulatory requirements, and reduce operating burdens on cargo tank and cylinder manufacturers, requalifiers, carriers, shippers, and users. The most significant

We are adopting a superseding airworthiness directive (AD) for the specified Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited (BHTC) Model 206A, 206B, 206L, 206L-1, 206L-3, 206L-4, 222, 222B, 222U, 230, 407, 427, and 430 helicopters. That AD currently requires replacing each affected tail rotor blade (blade) with an airworthy blade that has a serial number not listed in the Rotor Blades, Inc. (RBI) document that is attached to each of the Bell Helicopter Textron Alert Service Bulletins (ASBs) listed in the applicability section of the AD. That AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the aviation authority of Canada. The MCAI states that there have been three reports of blade tip weights departing from the blade during flight. Since issuing that AD, BHTC has issued revised service information to correct part numbers and serial numbers listed in the RBI document that is attached to each BHTC ASB and to add additional part-numbered and serial-numbered blades to the list. The actions of this AD are intended to prevent loss of a blade tip weight, loss of a blade, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

The FAA is issuing this Notice of Intent to advise the public that the FAA will prepare an EIS under the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended. The EIS will

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for GE CF34-1A, CF34-3A, and CF34-3B series turbofan engines. This proposed AD would require: Removing from service certain part number (P/N) and serial number (SN) fan blades within compliance times specified in this proposed AD, inspecting the fan blade abradable rub strip on certain engines for wear, inspecting the fan blades on certain engines for cracks, and inspecting the aft actuator head hose fitting for correct position, and if necessary repositioning. This proposed AD results from a report of an under-cowl fire, and a failed fan blade. We are proposing this AD to prevent failure of certain P/N and SN fan blades and aft actuator head hoses, which could result in an under-cowl fire and subsequent damage to 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:

This document proposes special conditions for the Boeing Model 747-8/-8F airplane. This airplane will have novel or unusual design features when compared to the state of technology envisioned in the airworthiness standards for transport category airplanes. These design features include larger engines with large bypass fans capable of producing much larger and more complex dynamic loads. These proposed 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. Additional special conditions will be issued for other novel or unusual design features of the Boeing 747-8/-8F airplanes.

These special conditions are issued for the Boeing 737-600, - 700, -800, and -900 Series airplanes. These airplanes, as modified by Rosemount Aerospace Inc., will have a novel or unusual design feature associated with the installation of lithium batteries. 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.

This advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) provides interested parties with the opportunity to comment on five matters of interest to participants in the Department of Transportation's disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE) program. The first concerns counting of items obtained by a DBE subcontractor from its prime contractor. The second concerns ways of encouraging ``unbundling'' of contracts to facilitate participation by small businesses, including DBEs. The third is a request for comments on potential improvements to the DBE application form, and the fourth asks for suggestions related to program oversight. The fifth concerns potential regulatory action to facilitate certification for firms seeking to work as DBEs in more than one state. The sixth concerns additional limitations on the discretion of prime contractors to terminate DBEs for convenience, once the prime contractor had committed to using the DBE as part of its showing of good faith efforts.

This action will establish Class E airspace at Ten Sleep, WY. Additional controlled airspace is necessary to accommodate aircraft using a new Area Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) Standard Instrument Approach Procedure (SIAP) at Red Reflet Ranch Airport, Ten Sleep, WY. This will improve the safety of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) aircraft executing the new RNAV GPS SIAP at Red Reflet Ranch Airport, Ten Sleep, WY.

This document announces the sixth meeting of the Motorcyclist Advisory Council to the Federal Highway Administration (MAC-FHWA). The purpose of this meeting is to advise the Secretary of Transportation, through the Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration, on infrastructure issues of concern to motorcyclists, including (1) barrier design; (2) road design, construction, and maintenance practices; and (3) the architecture and implementation of intelligent transportation system technologies, pursuant to section 1914 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU).

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all McDonnell Douglas airplanes identified above. This AD requires revising the airplane flight manual to provide the flightcrew with procedures to preclude dry running of the fuel pumps. This AD results from fuel system reviews conducted by the manufacturer. We are issuing this AD to prevent pump inlet friction (i.e., overheating or sparking) when the fuel pumps are continually run as the center wing fuel tank becomes empty, and/or electrical arc burnthrough, which could result in a fuel tank fire or explosion.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Boeing Model 767-200, -300, -300F, and -400ER series airplanes. This proposed AD would require an inspection to determine if certain motor operated valve actuators for the fuel tanks are installed, and related investigative and corrective actions if necessary. This proposed AD results from fuel system reviews conducted by the manufacturer. We are proposing this AD to prevent an ignition source inside the fuel tanks, which, in combination with flammable fuel vapors, could result in a fuel tank explosion and consequent loss of the airplane.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Boeing Model 737-600, -700, -700C, -800, -900 and -900ER series airplanes. This proposed AD would require modifying the fluid drain path in the wing leading edge area, forward of the wing front spar and doing all applicable related investigative and corrective actions. This proposed AD results from a report received of leaking fuel from the wing leading edge area at the inboard end of the number 5 leading edge slat. We are proposing this AD to prevent flammable fluids from accumulating in the wing leading edge and draining inboard and onto the engine exhaust nozzle, which could result in a fire.