Department of Transportation 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

FMCSA announces receipt of applications from fifteen individuals for exemption from the prohibition against persons with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) operating commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce. If granted, the exemptions would enable these individuals with ITDM to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all The Boeing Company Model 767 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of cracks of the underwing longeron fittings in the wing center section which could result in loss of the primary load path between the fuselage and the wing box, and consequent catastrophic damage to the wing box and failure of the wing. This proposed AD would require repetitive high frequency eddy current (HFEC) inspections of the underwing longeron fitting for cracking, and related investigative and corrective actions if necessary. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct the unsafe condition on these products.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Airbus Model A330-200 and -300 series airplanes, Model A340-200 and -300 series airplanes, and Model A340-500 and -600 series airplanes. 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 revising an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to all Eclipse Aerospace, Inc. Model EA500 airplanes equipped with Pratt & Whitney Canada, Corp. (P&WC) Model PW610F-A engines. The existing AD currently requires incorporating an operating limitation of a maximum operating altitude of 30,000 feet into Section 2, Limitations, of the airplane flight manual (AFM). Since we issued that AD, P&WC has developed a design change for the combustion chamber liner assembly. This new AD retains the requirements of the current AD, clarifies the engine applicability, and allows the option of incorporating the design change to terminate the current operating limitation and restore the original certificated maximum operating altitude of 41,000 feet. We are issuing this AD to correct the unsafe condition on these products.

This direct final rule delays the effective date regarding the time period for compliance with a portion of the full fare and other advertising requirements from January 24, 2012, to January 26, 2012. The intended effect of this delay is to provide regulatory relief to petitioner American Airlines by allowing the carrier and any other similarly situated carriers or ticket agents to avoid having to update full fare information in on-line reservations systems on a day of the week that is the petitioner's, and may be other carriers' and ticket agents', heaviest on-line traffic and revenue day. This action is necessary to minimize the detrimental effects of any difficulties that may arise in the immediate aftermath of on-line implementation of programming necessary to comply with the new requirement that sellers of air transportation advertise the full fare, including all government-imposed taxes and fees. This delay is a minor substantive change, in the public interest, and unlikely to result in adverse comment.

This notice amends the notice of final environmental actions taken by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for the project in the following location: King County, WA. The purpose of this amended notice is to correct a prior notice of limitation of claims for this project and provide notice of a finding of Section 106 adverse impacts by the project. This amended notice will act to activate the limitation on any claims that may challenge these final environmental actions.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35), this notice announces that the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its expected burden. A Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting public comments on the following information collection was published on January 13, 2011 (Federal Register/Vol. 76, No. 9/pp. 2442-2444).

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.

As a result of recent legislation, the FAA has begun the process of amending the circumstances in which aircraft owners or operators can limit the dissemination of their aircraft data via the FAA's ASDI program. This Notice describes the immediate changes that the FAA has implemented. In a future Notice, the FAA will propose specific procedures by which owners or operators who want the FAA to block their aircraft data can express their preference regarding the FAA's release of that information via ASDI. At that time, the FAA will invite comments on the FAA's proposed procedures. In the interim, any aircraft that the FAA previously blocked under the Certified Security Concerns program published on June 3, 2011, will remain blocked. The FAA will address the future procedures concerning the blocking of those aircraft in its upcoming proposed and final procedures. In addition, the FAA is now accepting and implementing all direct requests of aircraft owners or operators to block their aircraft data from public display of ASDI and NASSI information.

The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that an environmental impact statement will be prepared for a proposed highway project from NC 107 to US 23-74 east of Sylva, Jackson County, North Carolina. (TIP Project R-4745).

Pursuant to Section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, 5 U.S.C. App. 2), notice is hereby given of a teleconference of the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee (COMSTAC). The teleconference will take place on Thursday, January 5, 2012, starting at 11 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. Individuals who plan to participate should contact Susan Lender, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), (the Contact Person listed below) by phone or email for the teleconference call in number. The proposed agenda for this teleconference is to review and accept a report providing input to the United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs. This report summarizes industry input to the United Nations Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN COPOUS). COMSTAC members will receive a copy of the final report on approximately January 3, 2012. Members of the public may request a copy from Susan Lender, DFO (the Contact Person listed below). Interested members of the public may submit relevant written statements for the COMSTAC members to consider under the advisory process. Statements may concern the issues and agenda items mentioned above or additional issues that may be relevant for the U.S. commercial space transportation industry. Interested parties wishing to submit written statements should contact Susan Lender, DFO, (the Contact Person listed below) in writing (mail or email) by December 29, 2011, so that the information can be made available to COMSTAC members for their review and consideration before the January 5, 2012, teleconference. Written statements should be supplied in the following formats: One hard copy with original signature or one electronic copy via email. An agenda will be posted on the FAA Web site at https://www.faa.gov/ go/ast. Individuals who plan to participate and need special assistance should inform the Contact Person listed below in advance of the meeting.

This action proposes to modify Class E airspace at Bisbee Douglas International Airport, Douglas, AZ. Decommissioning of the Cochise Very High Frequency Omni-Directional Radio Range Tactical Air Navigational Aid (VORTAC) has made this action necessary for the safety and management of aircraft operations at the airport. This action would also adjust the geographic coordinates of the airport.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all The Boeing Company Model 777 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by four reports of retaining cross bolt hardware not fully engaged into the fuse pins of the forward trunnion lower housing of the main landing gear (MLG), which could result in an incorrect MLG emergency landing break-away sequence. This proposed AD would require a detailed inspection of the fuse pin cross bolts and fuse pins of the left and right MLG forward trunnion lower housing to verify that the cross bolts are correctly installed and that there are no missing fuse pins, and replacement of the fuse pins if necessary. We are proposing this AD to prevent an incorrect emergency landing MLG break-away sequence, which could result in puncturing of the wing box and consequent fuel leaks and an airplane fire. Failure of the fuse pins could also result in a premature landing gear collapse causing a runway excursion during take- off or landing.

This action modifies Class E airspace at The Dalles, OR. Controlled airspace is necessary to accommodate aircraft using Area Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) standard instrument approach procedures at Columbia Gorge Regional/The Dalles Municipal Airport. This action also changes the airport name. This improves the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport.

In response to a petition filed by Union Pacific Railroad Company (UP) on April 27, 2011, the Board is instituting a declaratory order proceeding under 49 U.S.C. 721 and 5 U.S.C. 554(e). UP requests that the Board issue a declaratory order to resolve a controversy regarding the reasonableness of the indemnification provisions in UP's tariff relating to transportation of toxic by inhalation hazardous commodities (TIH). The Board seeks public comment on the issues raised in this case.

This action proposes to amend Class E Airspace at Columbia, SC by removing Corporate Airport from the airspace designation, and would establish Class E Airspace at Pelion, SC, using the new airport name, as new Standard Instrument Approach Procedures have been developed at Lexington County Airport at Pelion. This action would enhance the safety and airspace management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport. This action also would update the geographic coordinates of the airport.

This final rule is in response to a statutory mandate that FRA complete a rulemaking proceeding to develop a pilot program that permits a rail carrier or rail carriers that own infrastructure over which Amtrak operates certain passenger rail service routes to petition FRA to be considered as a passenger rail service provider over such a route in lieu of Amtrak for a period not to exceed five years after the date of enactment of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008. The final rule develops this pilot program in conformance with the statutory directive.

This action amends Class D and Class E airspace at Northeast Philadelphia Airport, North Philadelphia, PA, due to the closing of Willow Grove Naval Air Station and Warminster Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWC). This action also corrects a typographic error in the regulatory text for the Class E airspace radius and ceiling level, and adjusts the geographic coordinates of the airport. This action enhances the safety and airspace management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations in the North Philadelphia, PA, airspace area.

The FHWA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval to renew two information collections, which are summarized below under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. We published a Federal Register Notice with a 60-day public comment period on this information collection on October 11, 2010. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

This notice announces the availability of a proposed Advisory Circular, regarding stall and stick pusher training for transport category airplanes for comment. This Advisory Circular provides guidance to training providers on stall event and stick pusher demonstration training, including recommendations and best practices for academic training, job performance training, and instructor training.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-15AG, -27, -28, -34, -34AG, -34B, and -36 series turboprop engines. This AD requires the removal of certain affected part manufacturer approval (PMA) replacement Timken Alcor Aerospace Technologies, Inc. (TAATI) first stage reduction sun gears and/or the interacting planetary gear sets from the propeller reduction gearbox assembly. This AD was prompted by a failure report of a certain TAATI PMA sun gear, installed since December 22, 2008. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of the sun gear, which will result in an engine in- flight shut down, possible uncontained engine failure, aircraft damage, and serious injuries.

This action proposes to establish Class E Airspace at Piseco, NY, to accommodate new Area Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) Standard Instrument Approach Procedures at Piseco Airport. This action would enhance the safety and airspace management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport.

This action modifies the Palm Beach International Airport, FL, Class C airspace area by raising the floor of Class C airspace over Palm Beach County Park Airport. The FAA is taking this action to enhance safety and increase the efficiency of air traffic operations in the Palm Beach, FL, terminal area.