Department of Transportation March 23, 2012 – 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 15 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.

FMCSA corrects two notices published in the Federal Register on January 31, 2012, and June 14, 2010. In each instance, FMCSA announced in error that 22 named drivers being renewed for an exemption were employed by Rotel North American Tours, LLC. This notice corrects the error and provides the correct name of the employer for these drivers, Rotel Tours of Germany.

FMCSA announces its decision to exempt nineteen individuals from its rule prohibiting persons with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) from operating commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce. The exemptions will enable these individuals to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.

FMCSA announces receipt of applications from nineteen 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.

PHMSA is issuing an advisory bulletin to owners and operators of natural gas cast iron distribution pipelines and state pipeline safety representatives. Recent deadly explosions in Philadelphia and Allentown, Pennsylvania involving cast iron pipelines installed in 1942 and 1928, respectively, gained national attention and highlight the need for continued safety improvements to aging gas pipeline systems. This bulletin is an update of two prior Alert Notices (ALN-91-02; October 11, 1991 and ALN-92-02; June 26, 1992) covering the continued use of cast iron pipe in natural gas distribution pipeline systems. This advisory bulletin reiterates two prior Alert Notices which remain relevant, urges owners and operators to conduct a comprehensive review of their cast iron distribution pipelines and replacement programs and accelerate pipeline repair, rehabilitation and replacement of high-risk pipelines, requests state agencies to consider enhancements to cast iron replacement plans and programs, and alerts owners and operators of the pipeline safety requirements for the investigation of failures. In addition, the latest survey and reporting requirements of cast iron pipelines required by the Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty, and Job Creation Act of 2011 are included for information.

The Board has approved the second quarter 2012 rail cost adjustment factor (RCAF) and cost index filed by the Association of American Railroads. The second quarter 2012 RCAF (Unadjusted) is 1.185. The second quarter 2012 RCAF (Adjusted) is 0.520. The second quarter 2012 RCAF-5 is 0.492.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Pratt & Whitney PW4050, PW4052, PW4056, PW4060, PW4060A, PW4060C, PW4062, PW4062A, PW4152, PW4156, PW4156A, PW4158, PW4160, PW4460, PW4462, and PW4650 turbofan engines, including models with any dash number suffix. This AD was prompted by reports of five engine in-flight shutdowns and seven unplanned engine removals. This AD requires inspections, cleaning, and engine modifications to address coking in the No. 4 bearing compartment and in the oil pressure and scavenge tubes. We are issuing this AD to prevent an engine fire, a fractured fan drive shaft, and damage to the airplane.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Pratt & Whitney PW4052, PW4152, PW4056, PW4156A, PW4060, PW4060A, PW4060C, PW4062, PW4062A, PW4158, PW4460, PW4462, PW4164, PW4164C, PW4164C/B, PW4168, and PW4168A turbofan engines with certain high- pressure turbine (HPT) stage 1 front hubs installed. This proposed AD was prompted by Pratt & Whitney's updated low-cycle-fatigue analysis that indicated certain HPT stage 1 front hubs could initiate a crack prior to the published life limit. This proposed AD would require removing the affected HPT stage 1 front hubs from service using a drawdown plan. We are proposing this AD to prevent failure of the HPT stage 1 front hub, which could lead to an uncontained engine failure and damage to the airplane.

These special conditions are issued for the installation of an inflatable three-point restraint safety belt with an integrated airbag device at the aft position in two-place side-facing divan seats on the Embraer S.A. aircraft model EMB-505. These airplanes, as modified by the installation of these inflatable safety belts, will have novel and unusual design features associated with the upper-torso restraint portions of the three-point safety belts, which contain an integrated airbag device. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These 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.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus Model A340-211, -212, -311, and -312 airplanes. This AD requires repetitive inspections for cracking at the fastener hole area just above stringer 28, of both left- and right-hand fuselage frame 39.1, and repair if necessary. This AD was prompted by a determination that certain airplanes were not included in a certain airworthiness limitation item (ALI) task (inspections for cracking of the fuselage frame 39.1) and that the inspections must be done to address the identified unsafe condition. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracking in the fuselage that could result in reduced structural integrity of the airplane.