Department of Transportation June 29, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FAA proposes to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to certain Model 747 series airplanes. The existing AD currently requires repetitive inspections for cracks of the fuselage skin lap splice between body station (BS) 400 and BS 520 at stringers S-6L and S-6R, and repair if necessary. This proposed AD would shorten the interval for the repetitive inspections, require modification for certain airplanes, and require certain post- modification inspections for other airplanes. This proposed AD results from reports of multiple adjacent cracks on an airplane, and a recent fleet-wide evaluation of widespread fatigue damage of skin lap joints, which indicated the need for revised procedures and reduced compliance times. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct cracking of the fuselage skin lap splice between BS 400 and BS 520 at stringers S-6L and S-6R. Such cracking could result in sudden loss of cabin pressurization and the inability of the fuselage to withstand fail-safe loads.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. 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:

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. 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 contains a summary of a petition seeking relief from specified requirements of 14 CFR. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, this aspect of FAA's regulatory activities. Neither publication of this notice nor the inclusion or omission of information in the summary is intended to affect the legal status of the petition or its final disposition.

FMCSA announces that the Agency's Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee (MCSAC) will hold subcommittee meetings on Monday and Tuesday, July 11 and 12, 2011, and Monday and Tuesday, August 1 and 2, 2011. The meetings will be open to the public for their duration. The subcommittee will discuss how electronic on-board recorder (EOBR) manufacturers could comply with the Agency's communications standards for the transmittal of data files from EOBRs to enforcement officials and related technical issues. This meeting is not a forum for a discussion of broader non-technical EOBR issues. The subcommittee's objective is to prepare a letter report and recommendations on the same for consideration by the full MCSAC, which, in turn, will provide recommendations to the Agency.

This notice grants the petition of Terrafugia for a temporary exemption from certain FMVSS requirements for tire selection and rims for motor vehicles (FMVSS No. 110), electronic stability control (ESC) systems (FMVSS No. 126), glazing materials (FMVSS No. 205), and advanced air bag requirements (FMVSS No. 208). The basis for the exemption is that compliance with these requirements would cause substantial economic hardship to a manufacturer that has tried in good faith to comply with the standard. This action follows our publication in the Federal Register of a document announcing receipt of Terrafugia's petition and soliciting public comments.

As authorized by 46 U.S.C. 12121, the Secretary of Transportation, as represented by the Maritime Administration (MARAD), is authorized to grant waivers of the U.S.-build requirement of the coastwise laws under certain circumstances. A request for such a waiver has been received by MARAD. The vessel, and a brief description of the proposed service, is listed below. The complete application is given in DOT docket MARAD-2011-0084 at https://www.regulations.gov. Interested parties may comment on the effect this action may have on U.S. vessel builders or businesses in the U.S. that use U.S.-flag vessels. If MARAD determines, in accordance with 46 U.S.C. 12121 and MARAD's regulations at 46 CFR part 388 (68 FR 23084, April 30, 2003), that the issuance of the waiver will have an unduly adverse effect on a U.S.-vessel builder or a business that uses U.S.-flag vessels in that business, a waiver will not be granted. Comments should refer to the docket number of this notice and the vessel name in order for MARAD to properly consider the comments. Comments should also state the commenter's interest in the waiver application, and address the waiver criteria given in Sec. 388.4 of MARAD's regulations at 46 CFR part 388.

In this document, PHMSA is responding to comments received from its initial Notice No. 10-9 clarifying PHMSA's policy regarding the fireworks approvals program. Furthermore, in this document PHMSA is restating our policy clarification in that we will issue firework classification approvals only to fireworks manufacturers, and accept firework classification applications only from fireworks manufacturers or their designated agents. This policy clarification is intended to enhance safety by ensuring accountability of the manufacture of the device, and reducing the number of duplicate applications and approvals being issued for identical fireworks devices.