Department of Transportation October 7, 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above that would revise an existing AD. 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:

This notice announces actions taken by the FHWA and other Federal agencies that are final within the meaning of 23 U.S.C. 139 (I)(1). The actions relate to a proposed highway project, NC 24 Improvements, from 2.8 miles east of I-95 to I-40 in Cumberland, Sampson, and Duplin Counties, North Carolina (T.I.P Project R-2303). Those actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the project.

The FAA proposes to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to certain Model 767 airplanes. The existing AD currently requires, for certain airplanes, reworking the bonding jumper assemblies on the drain tube assemblies of the slat track housing of the wings. For certain other airplanes, the existing AD requires repetitive inspections of the drain tube assemblies of the slat track housing of the wings to find discrepancies, corrective actions if necessary, and terminating action for the repetitive inspections. This proposed AD would also require replacing the drain tube assemblies. For certain airplanes, this proposed AD would also require installing an additional electrostatic bond path for the number 5 and 8 inboard slat track drain tube assemblies. For certain other airplanes, this proposed AD would also require reworking the bonding jumper assembly. This proposed AD would also revise the applicability to include additional airplanes. This proposed AD results from reports of fuel leaks from certain drain locations of the slat track housing near the engine exhaust nozzles of the wings, which could result in a fire when the airplane is stationary, or taxiing at low speed; reports of a bonding jumper assembly of certain drain tubes that did not meet bonding specifications and could result in electrostatic discharge and an in-tank ignition source; and reports of fuel leaks onto the main landing gear (MLG) as a result of a cracked drain tube at the number 5 or 8 slat track housing, which could let fuel drain from the main fuel tanks into the dry bay area of the wings and onto hot MLG brakes and result in a fire.

This document publishes in the Federal Register an amendment adopting airworthiness directive (AD) 2009-19-06 that was sent previously by individual notices to the known U.S. owners and operators of affected airplanes identified above. This AD requires installing certain equipment on the flight deck door. This AD was prompted by reports that the current design of the flight deck door is defective. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of this equipment, which could jeopardize flight safety.

The FAA is superseding two existing airworthiness directives (ADs), which apply to certain Model 747-100, 747-200B, and 747-200F series airplanes. The existing ADs currently require inspections to detect fatigue-related skin cracks and corrosion of the skin panel lap joints in the fuselage upper lobe, and repair if necessary. One of the existing ADs, AD 94-12-09, also requires modification of certain lap joints and inspection of modified lap joints. The other AD, AD 90-15- 06, requires repetitive detailed external visual inspections of the fuselage skin at the upper lobe skin lap joints for cracks and evidence of corrosion, and related investigative and corrective actions. This AD reduces the maximum interval of the post-modification inspections, and adds post-repair inspection requirements for certain airplanes. This AD results from reports of cracking on modified airplanes. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct fatigue cracking and corrosion in the fuselage upper lobe skin lap joints, which could lead to rapid decompression of the airplane and inability of the structure to carry fail-safe loads.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This 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:

This amendment supersedes an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for the specified Eurocopter France (Eurocopter) helicopters. That AD requires repetitively inspecting the main gearbox (MGB) planet gear carrier for a crack and replacing any MGB that has a cracked planet gear carrier before further flight. This action requires the same inspections required by the existing AD, but shortens the initial inspection interval. This AD is prompted by the discovery of another crack in a MGB planet gear carrier and additional analysis that indicates that the initial inspection interval must be shortened. The actions specified by this AD are intended to detect a crack in the web of the planet gear carrier, which could lead to a MGB seizure and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.