Department of Transportation November 2, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

National Express Acquisition Corporation (NEAC) and National Express Corporation (NEC), both noncarriers, have filed an application under 49 U.S.C. 14303 for NEAC's acquisition of control of Petermann Partners, Inc. (PPI), a noncarrier, and the passenger motor carriers PPI controls: Beck Bus Transportation Corp. (MC-143528); Petermann Northeast, LLC (MC-723926); Petermann Northwest, LLC (MC-638608); Petermann Southwest, LLC (MC-644996); Petermann STSA, LLC (which has filed for registration in FMCSA Docket No. MC-749360); MV Student Transportation, Inc. (MC-148934); Carrier Management, Inc. (no MC number); and Petermann Ltd. (MC-364668) (collectively, Petermann Carriers). The Board has tentatively approved and authorized the transaction, and, if no opposing comments are timely filed, this notice will be the final Board action. Persons wishing to oppose the application must follow the rules under 49 CFR 1182.5 and 1182.8.

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 document proposes superseding four existing airworthiness directives (ADs) for the specified Bell model helicopters. Two of the existing ADs require an initial and repetitive inspection of certain part-numbered main rotor yokes installed on Bell Model 204B, 205A-1, and 212 helicopters. Two other existing ADs also establish a retirement life of 3,600 hours time-in-service (TIS) for certain part-numbered main rotor yokes installed on the Bell Model 204, 205 series, and 212 series helicopters. Those ADs were prompted by reports of cracks in the main rotor yoke (yoke). This action would retain the requirements of the existing ADs and would apply these inspections and retirement lives to additional part-numbered yokes. This action would also increase the inspection frequency for certain yokes installed on a Bell Model 205B or 212 helicopter and would require replacing any unairworthy yoke. This proposal is prompted by the need to expand the applicability to include yokes produced under a Parts Manufacturing Approval (PMA) whose design approval was based on identicality with the affected Bell yoke parts and a recent discovery of a cracked yoke. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent cracking of a yoke, failure of the yoke, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Rolls- Royce Corporation (RRC) AE 3007A, AE 3007A1/1, AE 3007A1, AE 3007A1/3, AE 3007A1E, AE 3007A1P, and AE 3007A3 turbofan engines. This AD requires initial and repetitive eddy current inspections (ECI) of certain 6th-through-13th stage compressor wheel knife edge seals, and initial and repetitive ECIs of the compressor wheel outer circumference, for cracks. This AD was prompted by reports of low-cycle fatigue cracks found during shop visits, in the 6th-through-13th stage compressor wheels having chrome-carbide coated or uncoated knife edge seals. We are issuing this AD to prevent uncontained failure of the 6th-through-13th stage compressor wheel, leading to damage to the airplane.