Department of Transportation 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

FMCSA previously announced its decision to renew the exemptions from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for 20 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 exemptions will provide a level of safety that will be equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety maintained without the exemptions for these commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers.

This action establishes Class E airspace at Quinhagak, AK to provide adequate controlled airspace to contain aircraft executing Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs). Two Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) are being developed for the Quinhagak Airport at Quinhagak, AK. Additionally, one textual Obstacle Departure Procedure (ODP) is being developed. Also, this action makes a minor correction to the geographic coordinates for the airport. This action establishes Class E airspace upward from 700 feet (ft.) above the surface at Quinhagak Airport, Quinhagak, AK.

The NHTSA announces a meeting of NEMSAC to be held in the Metropolitan Washington, DC area. This notice announces the date, time and location of the meeting, which will be open to the public. The purpose of NEMSAC is to provide a nationally recognized council of emergency medical services representatives and consumers to provide advice and recommendations regarding Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to the U.S. DOT's NHTSA.

This notice announces final environmental actions taken by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for the Downtown Boise Multimodal Center Project, Boise, Idaho; Ketchikan Shipyard Improvement Project, Ketchikan, Alaska; Colorado Springs Transportation Station, Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Central Corridor Light Rail Transit Project, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota. The purpose of this notice is to announce publicly the environmental decisions by FTA on the subject projects and to activate the limitation on any claims that may challenge these final environmental actions.

The purpose of this notice is to convey additional 2009 final guidance on New Starts/Small Starts policies and procedures. On July 29, 2009, FTA announced in the Federal Register the availability of proposed guidance and requested public comment. FTA received a total of 15 comments from transit agencies, metropolitan planning organizations, labor unions, advocacy groups, and other interested parties. After reviewing the public comments, FTA is issuing final guidance, which is included at the end of this notice.

This direct final rule complies with a statutory mandate that the Secretary of Transportation (Secretary) issue a rule to require the ten States with the most highway-rail grade crossing collisions, on average, over the past three years, to develop State highway-rail grade crossing action plans. This rule is not intended for general application; instead, it only applies to the ten identified States with

This notice announces the issuance of Advisory Circular (AC) 33.70-1, Guidance Material for Aircraft Engine Life-limited Parts Requirements. This AC provides definitions, guidance, and acceptable methods that may be used to demonstrate compliance with the engine life-limited parts integrity requirements of Sec. 33.70 of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Section 33.70 contains requirements applicable to the design and life management of propulsion system life- limited parts including high-energy rotating parts.

The FAA proposes to rule and invite public comment on the release of land at the Brigham City Municipal Airport under the provisions of Section 125 of the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment Reform Act for the 21st Century (AIR 21).

The FAA is correcting a typographical error in an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that was published in the Federal Register on July 29, 2009. The error resulted in an incorrect AD number appearing in one location of the document. This AD applies to certain BAE Systems (Operations) Limited Model BAe 146-100A and 146-200A series airplanes. This AD requires inspecting for damage of the horizontal stabilizer lower skin and joint plates, and doing related investigative and corrective actions.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of a meeting of RTCA Special Committee 159: Global Positioning System (GPS).

This notice proposes special conditions for the Cessna Aircraft Company, Model 525C airplane. This airplane will have a novel or unusual design feature(s) associated with high fuel temperature. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. 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.

This action proposes to revise Class E airspace at the Manokotak Airport at Manokotak, AK. Two Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) are being developed for the Manokotak Airport at Manokotak, AK. Additionally, one textual Obstacle Departure Procedure (ODP) is being developed. Adoption of this proposal would result in revising Class E airspace upward from 700 feet (ft.) and 1,200 ft. above the surface at the Manokotak Airport at Manokotak, AK.

The FHWA, on behalf of the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), is issuing this notice to advise the public that a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared for a proposed highway project in Orange County, California.

FMCSA previously announced its decision to renew the exemptions from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for 28 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 exemptions will provide a level of safety that will be equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety maintained without the exemptions for these commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers.

We are revising an earlier proposed airworthiness directive (AD) for certain McDonnell Douglas Model DC-10-10, DC-10-10F, DC-10-15, DC-10-30, DC-10-30F (KC-10A and KDC-10), DC-10-40, DC-10-40F, MD-10- 10F, and MD-10-30F airplanes. That action (the first supplemental NPRM) would have superseded an existing AD that currently requires installing or replacing with improved parts, as applicable, the bonding straps between the metallic frame of the fillet and the wing leading edge ribs, on both the left and right sides of the airplane. The first supplemental NPRM proposed to add a requirement to reposition or replace two bonding straps for certain airplanes. This action resulted from fuel system reviews conducted by the manufacturer. This second supplemental NPRM would add, for certain airplanes, a bonding- resistance check and an inspection to determine correct installation of certain bonding straps, and applicable corrective actions. We are proposing this second supplemental NPRM to reduce the potential of ignition sources inside fuel tanks in the event of a severe lightning strike, which, in combination with flammable fuel vapors, could result in fuel tank explosions and consequent loss of the airplane.

The FTA, as the Federal lead agency, and the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) intend to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Orange Line Extension Project in Cook County, Illinois. CTA operates the rapid transit system in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. The proposed project, described more completely within, would extend the Orange Line, a heavy rail transit line, to connect Midway Station at the Midway International Airport to the Ford City shopping center. The purpose of this Notice of Intent is to alert interested parties regarding the intent to prepare the EIS and to provide information on the nature of the proposed project and possible alternatives to invite public participation in the EIS process.

The FTA, as the lead federal agency, and the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) intend to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Red Line Extension Project in Cook County, Illinois. CTA operates the rapid transit system in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. The proposed project, described more completely within, would extend the Red Line, a heavy rail transit line, to connect the 95th Street Station to 130th Street. The purpose of this Notice of Intent is to alert interested parties regarding the intent to prepare the EIS, to provide information on the nature of the proposed project and possible alternatives, to invite public participation in the EIS process.

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:

The FAA is proposing several changes to our pilot, flight instructor, and pilot school certification rules. The proposals include requiring pilot-in-command (PIC) proficiency checks for pilots who act as PIC of single piloted, turbojet-powered airplanes; allowing pilot applicants to apply for a private pilot certificate and an instrument rating concurrently; and making allowance in the rule to provide for the issuance of standard U.S. pilot certificates on the basis of an international licensing agreement between the FAA and a foreign civil aviation authority. The FAA has recently entered into such an agreement with the civil aviation authority of Canada. The FAA is also proposing to allow pilot schools to use Internet-based training programs without requiring schools to have a physical ground training facility. The FAA is proposing to allow pilot schools and provisional pilot schools to apply for a combined private pilot certification and instrument rating course. The FAA is also proposing to revise the definition of ``complex airplane.'' Because of changing technology in aviation, the results of successful research, and an international agreement, the FAA has determined these proposed changes to the pilot, flight instructor, and pilot school certification rules are necessary to ensure pilots are adequately trained and qualified to operate safely in the National Airspace System. The FAA has determined these proposals are needed to respond to changes in the aviation industry and to further reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens.

We are revising an earlier proposed airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to certain Hawker Beechcraft Corporation Models 1900, 1900C, and 1900D airplanes. The earlier NPRM would have required a one- time visual inspection and repetitive ultrasonic inspections of the left and right main landing gear (MLG) actuators for leaking and/or cracks with replacement of the actuator if leaking and/or cracks are found. The earlier NPRM resulted from reports of leaking and cracked actuators. This proposed AD would require the same actions as the earlier NPRM. Since the earlier NPRM, we have identified a MLG overhauled actuator part number and a MLG actuator approved by parts manufacturer approval (PMA) by identicality. We propose to expand the applicability to include airplanes equipped with these additional part numbers. Because this imposes an additional burden over that proposed in the earlier NPRM, we are reopening the comment period to allow the public the chance to comment on these additional MLG actuators.

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Manual for Condition Evaluation of Bridges, 1994, second edition (also referred to as ``the Manual''), together with the 2001 and 2003 Interim Revisions, is incorporated by reference in 23 CFR part 650, subpart E, approved by the Federal Highway Administration, and recognized as a national standard for bridge inspections and load rating. The purpose of this notice is to update the incorporation by reference language to incorporate the most recent version of the AASHTO Manual, now known as The Manual for Bridge Evaluation, First Edition, 2008.

We propose to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 91-18-19, which applies to certain Hawker Beechcraft Corporation (Hawker) (Type Certificate Numbers 3A15, 3A16, and A23CE formerly held by Raytheon Aircraft Company; formerly held by Beech Aircraft Corporation) Models 58, 58A, 58P, 58PA, 58TC, 58TCA, 95-B55, 95-B55A, A36, A36TC, B36TC, E55, E55A, F33A, and V35B airplanes. AD 91-18-19 currently requires you to do a one-time inspection of the pilot and copilot shoulder harnesses for an incorrect washer and replace any incorrect washer with the correct washer. Since we issued AD 91-18-19, we have found that the applicability of AD 91-18-19 was incorrectly stated when the Model A36TC airplane was omitted from the Applicability section. Consequently, this proposed AD would retain the actions and the serial number (SN) applicability of AD 91-18-19 and realign the SN applicability for Models A36TC and B36TC airplanes. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct an incorrect washer installed in the pilot and copilot shoulder harnesses. This failure could result in a malfunctioning shoulder harness. Such a failure could lead to occupant injury.