Department of Transportation August 31, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

FMCSA extends until September 1, 2012, the effective date for the procedural change to eliminate use of the ``registrant-only'' USDOT Number as part of the PRISM program. In an August 9, 2010, Federal Register notice, the Agency initially set September 1, 2011, as the effective date of the change. The extension will allow the Agency to provide additional implementation guidance based on feedback and information received since the August 9, 2010, notice of procedural change and will allow States and other stakeholders to make necessary changes to their systems and processes pursuant to this additional guidance.

This final rule amends the FAA's regulations concerning pilot, flight instructor, and pilot school certification. This rule will require pilot-in-command (PIC) proficiency checks for pilots who act as PIC of turbojet-powered aircraft except for pilots of single seat experimental jets and pilots of experimental jets who do not carry passengers. It allows pilot applicants to apply concurrently for a private pilot certificate and an instrument rating and permits pilot schools and provisional pilot schools to apply for a combined private pilot certification and instrument rating course. In addition, the rule will: Allow pilot schools to use internet-based training programs without requiring schools to have a physical ground training facility; revise the definition of ``complex airplane;'' and allow the use of airplanes with throwover control wheels for expanded flight training. The final rule also amends the FAA's regulations concerning pilot certificates to allow the conversion of a foreign pilot license to a U.S. pilot certificate under the provisions of a Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA) and Implementing Procedures for Licensing (IPL). The FAA has determined these amendments are needed to enhance safety, respond to changes in the aviation industry, and reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to renew an information collection. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on June 21, 2011, Vol. 76, No. 119, page 36171-36172. Aircraft operators seeking operational approval to conduct RVSM operations within the 48 contiguous United States (U.S.), Alaska and a portion of the Gulf of Mexico must submit an application to the Certificate Holding District Office.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to renew an information collection. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on June 21, 2011, Vol. 76, No. 119, page 36168. The information is used to determine if applicants satisfy requirements for obtaining a launch license to protect the public from risks associated with reentry operations from a site not operated by or situated on a Federal launch range.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This proposed AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued 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 document announces decisions by NHTSA that certain motor vehicles not originally manufactured to comply with all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) are eligible for importation into the United States because they are substantially similar to vehicles originally manufactured for sale in the United States and certified by their manufacturers as complying with the safety standards, and they are capable of being readily altered to conform to the standards or because they have safety features that comply with, or are capable of being altered to comply with, all applicable FMVSS.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to renew an information collection. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on June 21, 2011, vol. 76, no. 119, page 36168. The collection is used to nominate private citizens for recognition of their significant voluntary contribution to aviation education and flight safety.

This action proposes to revise Class E airspace at Kwigillingok, AK. The amendment of two standard instrument approach procedures at the Kwigillingok Airport has made this action necessary to enhance safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations.

This action proposes to revise Class E airspace at Emmonak, AK. The amendment of two standard instrument approach procedures at the Emmonak Airport has made this action necessary to enhance safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This proposed AD would require adding diodes to the fuel cross-feed wiring, and revising the airplane flight manual to include procedures to use when the left or right generator is selected OFF. This proposed AD was prompted by a false cross-feed command to the right-hand fuel control card, due to the cross-feed inputs on the left- and right-hand fuel control cards being connected together and causing an imbalance of fuel between the left and right wing tanks. We are proposing this AD to prevent lateral imbalance of the airplane, which can be corrected by deflecting the aileron trim, but which increases the pilot's workload. Uncontrolled fuel cross-feed results in lateral imbalance that could exceed the airplane's limitation in a short period of time. Exceeding the lateral imbalance limit could result in reduced control of the airplane.

Notice is hereby given of a meeting of the Rail Energy Transportation Advisory Committee (RETAC), pursuant to section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92-463, as amended (5 U.S.C., App. 2).

The MUTCD is incorporated in our regulations, approved by the Federal Highway Administration, and recognized as the national standard for traffic control devices used on all streets, highways, bikeways, and private roads open to public travel. The FHWA proposes to revise certain information relating to target compliance dates for traffic control devices. Consistent with Executive Order 13563, and in particular its emphasis on burden-reduction and on retrospective analysis of existing rules, the proposed changes are intended to reduce the costs and impacts of compliance dates on State and local highway agencies and to streamline and simplify the information.