Department of Transportation February 4, 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) revision of a current information collection. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on October 16, 2009, vol. 74, no. 199, page 53314. The rule codified previous practices that permitted certificated air carriers to operate two-engine airplanes over long-range routes.

The FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) revision of a current information collection. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on October 16, 2009, vol. 74, no. 199, page 53314. The FAA has established requirements for human space flight crew and space flight participants as required by the Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act of 2004.

The FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) revision of a current information collection. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on October 16, 2009, vol. 74, no. 199, page 53315-53316. The FAA uses this information for determining program compliance or non-compliance of regulated aviation employers, oversight planning, determining who must provide annual MIS testing information, and communicating with entities subject to the program regulations.

This action proposes to amend Class D and Class E airspace at Snohomish County Airport (Paine Field), Everett, WA, by removing the specific dates and times established by a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), and makes a minor correction to the geographic coordinates. The FAA is proposing this action to enhance the safety and management of aircraft operations at Snohomish County Airport (Paine Field).

The FAA, with National Park Service (NPS) as a cooperating agency, has initiated development of an Air Tour Management Plan (ATMP) for Death Valley National Park (DEVA), pursuant to the National Parks Air Tour Management Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106-181) and its implementing regulations (14 CFR Part 136, Subpart B, National Parks Air Tour Management). The objective of the ATMP is to develop acceptable and effective measures to mitigate or prevent the significant adverse impacts, if any, of commercial air tour operations upon the natural resources, cultural resources, and visitor experiences of a national park unit and any tribal lands within or abutting the park. It should be noted that the ATMP has no authorization over other non-air-tour operations such as military and general aviation operations. In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and FAA Order 1050.1E, an Environmental Assessment is being prepared. This supplemental notice of intent, revises the Federal Register notice published on January 19, 2010 (Vol. 75, No. 11, 2922-2923) which had an incorrect link to the FAA web site containing the meeting minutes for the kickoff meeting and the public scoping document mentioned below. This supplemental notice also extends the date by which scoping comments must be submitted (see DATES).

The FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) revision of a current information collection. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on October 16, 2009, vol. 74, no. 199, page 53317. 49 CFR part 44707 authorizes certification of civilian schools giving instruction in flying. Information collected is used for certification and to determine applicant compliance.

The Department of Transportation is proposing to amend certain provisions of its drug testing procedures dealing with laboratory testing of urine specimens. Some of the proposed changes will also affect the roles and standards applying to collectors and Medical Review Officers. The proposed changes are intended to create consistency with new requirements established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Mandatory Guidelines.

This rule removes the procedural regulations of the Department of Transportation Employee Protection Program. These regulations are removed because the underlying program was repealed by an act of Congress and the program has been terminated.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued 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) issued 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 amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. (Bell) Model 205B and 212 helicopters with certain main rotor (M/R) blade assemblies installed. This action requires inspecting the M/R blades paying particular attention to an area near the blade root for an edge void, corrosion, or a crack. This amendment is prompted by two reports of fatigue cracks on M/R blades installed on Model 212 helicopters. Both model helicopters use the same part-numbered M/R blades. The actions specified in this AD are intended to detect an edge void, corrosion, or a crack on a M/R blade, which could lead to loss of the M/R blade and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Model 747-200C and -200F series airplanes. This AD requires a high frequency eddy current (HFEC) inspection for cracks of certain fastener holes, and corrective action if necessary. This AD also requires repetitive replacements of the upper chords, straps (or angles), and radius fillers of certain upper deck floor beams, and, for any replacement that is done, detailed and open-hole HFEC inspections for cracks of the modified upper deck floor beams, and corrective actions if necessary. This AD results from a report from the manufacturer that the accomplishment of certain existing inspections, repairs, and modifications is not adequate to ensure the structural integrity of the affected 7075 series aluminum alloy upper deck floor beam upper chords on airplanes that have exceeded certain thresholds. We are issuing this AD to prevent cracking of the upper chords and straps (or angles) of the floor beams, which could lead to failure of the floor beams and consequent loss of controllability, rapid decompression, and loss of structural integrity of the airplane.