Department of Transportation February 8, 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 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, MD-10-30F, MD-11, and MD-11F airplanes. This proposed AD would require a one-time installation of electrical bonding jumpers for the fill valve controllers of fuel tanks. This proposed AD results from fuel system reviews conducted by the manufacturer. We are proposing this AD to prevent point-of-contact arcing or filament heating damage in the fuel tanks, which could result in fuel tank explosions and consequent loss of the airplane.

The FAA proposes to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to all Model 767 airplanes. The existing AD currently requires repetitive detailed and high frequency eddy current (HFEC) inspections of the station (STA) 1809.5 bulkhead for cracking, and corrective actions if necessary. This proposed AD would expand the inspection area to include the vertical inner chord at STA 1809.5. This proposed AD results from reported fatigue cracking in the vertical inner chord and the forward outer chord while doing the detailed inspection of the horizontal inner chord at STA 1809.5. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct fatigue cracking in the bulkhead structure at STA 1809.5 and the vertical inner chord at STA 1809.5, which could result in failure of the bulkhead structure for carrying the flight loads of the horizontal stabilizer, and consequent loss of controllability of the airplane.

In accordance with the requirements of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of the BTS to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB's) approval for an information collection related to the Nation's ferry operations. The information to be collected will be used to produce a descriptive database of existing ferry operations. A summary report of survey findings will be published on the BTS Web page. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following information collection was published on December 1, 2009 [74 FR 62880].

This advance notice of proposed rulemaking requests public comment on possible changes to regulations relating to the certification of pilots conducting domestic, flag, and supplemental operations. The purpose of this notice is to gather information on whether current eligibility, training, and qualification requirements for commercial pilot certification are adequate for engaging in such operations. The FAA may use this information to determine the necessity of establishing additional pilot certification requirements and to determine what those new requirements might include.

This document provides the agency's response to petitions for reconsideration of a November 12, 2008 final rule that amended the child restraint systems (CRSs) prescribed in Appendix A of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 208, ``Occupant crash protection.'' The final rule established a new appendix, ``Appendix A- 1,'' which effectively deleted seven older CRSs, added five new CRSs, and provided cosmetic replacements for seven others. Today's response grants some aspects of two of the petitions. All other requests are denied.

This document grants in full the petition of Mazda Motor Corporation (Mazda) of the Mazda2 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).

This action will modify Class E airspace at Grand Junction Regional, Grand Junction, CO, to accommodate the vectoring of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) traffic from Grand Junction Regional, Grand Junction, CO to en route airspace, and changes the airport name. This will improve the safety of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport.

This action corrects an error in the legal description for RNAV route Q-108 that was published in the Federal Register on Friday, December 11, 2009, Airspace Docket No. 09-ASO-17.