Department of Transportation February 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

FMCSA announces its decision to renew the exemptions from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for 14 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 exemption renewals will provide a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety maintained without the exemptions for these commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers.

This action revises Class E airspace at Wiley Post/Will Rogers Memorial Airport in Barrow, AK, in order to accommodate the amendment of five Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs), and one Obstacle Departure Procedure (ODP) and to enhance safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations.

This action revises Class E airspace at Shungnak, AK, to accommodate amended Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) at the Shungnak Airport. The FAA is taking this action to enhance safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the Shungnak Airport.

The Department of Transportation's Office of the Secretary (OST) is initiating this proposed rulemaking to clarify the priorities and allocation authorities exercised by the Secretary of Transportation (Secretary) under title 1 of the Defense Production Act of 1950 (Defense Production Act), and to set forth the administrative procedures by which the Secretary will exercise this authority. This proposed rule complies with the requirement in the Defense Production Act Reauthorization of 2009 (Pub. L. 111-67) to issue final rules establishing standards and procedures by which the priorities and allocations authority is used to promote the national defense, under both emergency and nonemergency conditions, and is part of a multi- agency effort that forms the Federal Priorities and Allocations System.

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 (European Aviation Safety Agency AD 2009- 0192) 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) 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:

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This AD requires an inspection to determine the serial numbers of the auxiliary power unit (APU) generator and the left and right engine direct current (DC) generators, and corrective actions if necessary. This AD also requires revising the airplane flight manual. This AD was prompted by a report of a DC generator overvoltage event which caused smoke in the cockpit and damage to numerous avionics and electrical components. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct an overvoltage condition on the DC electrical busses caused by exciter stator winding failures, and subsequent failure of the generator control unit (GCU) overvoltage protection circuitry, which could result in damage to critical electrical and avionics components.

FRA is issuing this notice to advise the public that FRA with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) will jointly prepare a Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Chicago, IL to St. Louis, MO High Speed Rail Corridor Program in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). This study will analyze a range of reasonable corridor-level route alternatives between Chicago and Joliet, and will examine additional improvements between Joliet and St. Louis to support additional passenger trains. The EIS will consider increasing the number of frequencies of high-speed passenger rail service, as well as increasing the currently planned maximum speed of such service, in the Chicago to St. Louis Corridor (Corridor). FRA is issuing this notice to solicit public and agency input into the development of the scope of the EIS and to advise the public that outreach activities conducted by FRA and IDOT will be considered in the preparation of the EIS. Alternatives under consideration include taking no action, as well as several build alternatives between Chicago and Joliet, IL, through the City of Springfield, and for the approach to St. Louis, MO.

This action proposes to amend Class E airspace at McCall Municipal Airport, McCall, ID. Decommissioning of the McCall Non- Directional Beacon (NDB) at McCall Municipal Airport has made this action necessary for the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport. This action also would correct the airport name from McCall Airport.

This action proposes special conditions for the Gulfstream GVI airplane. This airplane will have novel or unusual design features when compared to the state of technology envisioned in the airworthiness standards for transport category airplanes. These design features include systems that affect the structural capability of the airplane. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for these design features. The 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 modifies the Cleveland, OH, Class B airspace area by expanding the existing airspace area to ensure containment of all published instrument procedures and the aircraft flying those instrument procedures within Class B airspace, and segregation of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) aircraft arriving/departing Cleveland- Hopkins International Airport (CLE) and non-participating Visual Flight Rules (VFR) aircraft operating in the vicinity of the Cleveland Class B airspace area. The additional Class B airspace will support simultaneous arrival and departure operations under VFR conditions and simultaneous IFR approaches during marginal VFR conditions using Precision Runway Monitor/Simultaneous Offset Instrument Approaches (PRM/SOIA). Geographic coordinates listed in the description are also updated to reflect current aeronautical database information. This action enhances safety, improves the flow of air traffic, and reduces the potential for midair collision in the Cleveland terminal area.

This document grants in full the Mitsubishi Motors R&D of America's (Mitsubishi) petition for exemption of the Outlander Sport 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). Mitsubishi requested confidential treatment for some of the information and attachments it submitted in support of its petition. The agency addressed Mitsubishi's request for confidential treatment by letter dated January 11, 2011.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below is being forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comments. A Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following information collection was published in the Federal Register on December 7, 2010 (75 FR 76077) under Docket No. PHMSA-2010-0355. No comments were received. The purpose of this notice is to allow the public an additional 30 days to submit comments to OMB on the information collection described below.

This establishes, amends, suspends, or revokes Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) and associated Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle Departure Procedures for operations at certain airports. These regulatory actions are needed because of the adoption of new or revised criteria, or because of changes occurring in the National Airspace System, such as the commissioning of new navigational facilities, adding new obstacles, or changing air traffic requirements. These changes are designed to provide safe and efficient use of the navigable airspace and to promote safe flight operations under instrument flight rules at the affected airports.

Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from the public, it must receive approval from OMB. Under procedures established by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, before seeking OMB approval, Federal agencies must solicit public comment on proposed collections of information, including extensions and reinstatements of previously approved collections. This document describes a collection of information for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval.

The FAA has temporarily suspended its policy of expunging certain records of legal enforcement actions against individuals in order to ensure compliance with recent amendments to the Pilot Records Improvement Act.

The FAA is correcting an airworthiness directive (AD) that published in the Federal Register. That AD applies to the products listed above. The Piaggio service bulletin number specified in the Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs) section is incorrect. This document corrects that error. In all other respects, the original document remains the same.

FMCSA announces receipt of applications from 19 individuals for exemption from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. If granted, the exemptions would enable these individuals to qualify as drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce without meeting the Federal vision standard.

FMCSA requests public comment on an application for exemption from Innovative Electronics regarding the use of trailer-mounted electric brake controllers, which monitor and actuate trailer brakes based on inertial forces developed in response to the braking action of the towing vehicle. While trailer-mounted electric brake controllers function like an electric surge brake, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) define a surge brake as a ``self-contained, permanently closed hydraulic brake system'' [Emphasis added.] As such, the use of trailer-mounted electric brake controllers on commercial motor vehicles is currently prohibited. Innovative Electronics is requesting a temporary exemption in advance of petitioning FMCSA for rulemaking to modify the current definition of a surge brake.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This proposed AD would require a general visual inspection for cracks and holes of the main equipment center (MEC) drip shields, and repairs if necessary; installation of a fiberglass reinforcing overcoat; and, for certain airplanes, installation of stiffening panels to the MEC drip shields. This proposed AD was prompted by a report of a loss of bus control unit number 1 and generator control units numbers 1 and 2 while the airplane was on the ground, and multiple operator reports of cracked MEC drip shields. We are proposing this AD to prevent water penetration into the MEC, which could result in the loss of flight critical systems.

This amendment clarifies and standardizes the rules for applications by foreign air carriers and foreign persons for part 129 operations specifications and establishes new standards for amendment, suspension, and termination of those operations specifications. In addition, the FAA has moved definitions currently contained in a subpart to a separate part for clarity with no substantive changes to the definitions. The amendment also applies to foreign persons operating U.S.-registered aircraft in common carriage solely outside the United States. This action is necessary to update the process for issuing operations specifications and establishes a regulatory basis for current practices, such as amending, terminating, or suspending operations specifications.

This advisory bulletin advises owners and operators of petroleum gas and natural gas facilities of the need to take the appropriate steps to prevent damage to pipeline facilities from accumulated snow or ice. Past events on natural gas distribution system facilities appear to have been related to either the stress of snow and ice or the malfunction of pressure control equipment due to ice blockage of pressure control equipment vents. This advisory reminds owners and operators of the need to take precautionary actions to prevent adverse events.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This AD requires removing affected propeller blades from service. This AD was prompted by reports of blades with corrosion pits in the tulip area of the blades. We are issuing this AD to prevent cracks from developing in the tulip area of the blade, which could result in separation of the blade and possible loss of airplane control.