Department of Transportation April 9, 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This action proposes to revise the applicability for function and reliability flight testing to include all turbine-powered airplanes weighing 6,000 pounds or less. Revising the applicability is necessary because advancements in aviation technology have invalidated the reasons for excluding these airplanes. The proposed revision would improve aviation safety for these airplanes.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is issuing this Notice of Availability to inform interested parties of the availability of the Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) database system to report PFC quarterly report information. In accordance with 14 CFR part 158.63, the public agency approved to collect PFCs must provide quarterly PFC reports to air carriers collecting PFCs for the public agency and the FAA. In accordance with Sec. 158.65, each air carrier collecting PFCs for a public agency must provide quarterly reports to the public agency unless otherwise agreed to by the collecting air carrier and the public agency. The FAA has developed a national PFC database system in order to more easily track the PFC program on a nationwide basis. The PFC database system was developed in three phases. The first phase was a national internal database for FAA use. The second phase expanded the database to allow public agencies to enter and access the PFC quarterly reports for their airport(s). The third phase expands the system to provide database access to the air carriers. The first and second phases of the database are complete. The third phase will allow air carriers to enter PFC collection and remittance information directly into the PFC database on a monthly basis. Use of the PFC database is voluntary and is not the sole means of complying with sections 158.63 and 158.65. However, as stated in 158.20(b), once the air carriers have access to the FAA's PFC database system, those air carriers and public agencies participating in the system will no longer be required to transmit quarterly reports to any interested party.

This action amends low altitude Area Navigation (RNAV) route T-254 in the Houston, TX, terminal area by eliminating the segment between the Centex, TX, VHF Omnidirectional Range/Tactical Air Navigation (VORTAC) and the College Station, TX, VORTAC. The FAA is taking this action to eliminate a portion of T-254 that is no longer needed; thus, enhancing safety and the efficient use of the navigable airspace in the Houston, TX, terminal area.

On October 9, 2008, the Department of Transportation published an interim final rule that established America's Marine Highway Program, under which the Secretary will designate marine highway corridors and identify and support short sea transportation projects to expand domestic water transportation services as an alternative means of moving containerized and wheeled freight cargoes; mitigate the economic, environmental and energy costs of landside congestion; integrate the marine highway into the transportation planning process; and research improvements in efficiencies and environmental sustainability. This action is required by Public Law 110-140, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. The interim final rule solicited comments, which are discussed in the ``Section by Section Review'' below and incorporated in this final rule. In addition, the interim final rule sought recommendations for designation of Marine