Department of Transportation July 23, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This document grants in full the Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC.'s (MBUSA) petition for exemption of the SLK Class Line Chassis (SLK- Class) vehicle line in accordance with 49 CFR part 543, Exemption from the Theft Prevention Standard. 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 (49 CFR part 541).

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain CFM International Model CFM56-3B1 and -3B2 turbofan engines. This proposed AD would require initial and repetitive inspections for damage to the fan blades. This proposed AD results from a report of a failed fan blade with severe out-of-limit wear on the underside of the blade platform where it contacts the damper. We are proposing this AD to prevent failure of multiple fan blades, which could result in an uncontained failure of the engine and damage to the airplane.

The FAA proposes to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to all Boeing Model 747-200F, 747-200C, 747-400, 747-400D, and 747-400F series airplanes. The existing AD currently requires repetitive inspections for cracking of certain fuselage internal structure (i.e., Sections 42 and 46 fuselage frames, upper deck floor beams, electronic bay access door cutout, nose wheel well, and main entry doors and door cutouts), and repair if necessary. This proposed AD would require additional repetitive inspections for cracking of certain fuselage structure (i.e., Section 41 fuselage frames where they connect to upper deck floor beams, and section 41 fuselage frames between stringer (S-8 and S-12), and related investigative/corrective actions if necessary. This proposed AD would also reduce the inspection threshold and repetitive inspection intervals for certain airplanes. This proposed AD results from fatigue tests and analysis by Boeing that identified additional areas of the fuselage where fatigue cracks can occur. We are proposing this AD to prevent the loss of structural integrity of the fuselage, which could result in rapid depressurization of the airplane.