Department of Transportation March 30, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FAA has issued the final EA and FONSI/ROD for the Dual Track Airport Project for Brookings Regional Airport. The EA was prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, FAA Orders 1050.1E, ``Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures'' and FAA Order 5050.4B, ``NEPA Implementing Instructions for Airport Actions''.

This action proposes special conditions for Airbus A350-900 series airplanes. These airplanes will have novel or unusual design features associated with two separate Crew Rest Compartments: a Flight Crew Rest Compartment (FCRC) intended to be occupied by flight crew members only, and a Cabin Crew Rest Compartment (CCRC) intended to be occupied by cabin crew members. Both types of Crew Rest Compartments (CRC) are installed in the overhead area with access from the main deck. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These proposed 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.

The Department of Transportation (DOT), Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) is providing an important opportunity through this notice for all stakeholders to publically comment on the scope of recently commissioned studies involving leak detection systems and valves. This action and others described within this notice will support the comprehensive investigation of topics and issues Congress has charged to PHMSA.

In this final rule, which was preceded by a notice of proposed rulemaking, NHTSA is making several housekeeping amendments to the Federal motor vehicle safety standard for bus emergency exits. First, based on a proposal made in response to a petition for rulemaking from the School Bus Manufacturers Technical Council (SBMTC), NHTSA amends the standard to specify that the exterior release (the exterior handle) for school bus rear emergency exit doors may be located opposite the door hinges, rather than located in the middle of the door. Second, this final rule also clarifies the standard as to the number of force applications that are required to open a window or roof emergency exit. Third, in response to a comment on the proposed rule, this document makes a technical correction by removing a reference to a no-longer existent figure. These amendments correct or clarify the requirements of the standard. We believe most, if not all, school buses are currently designed to meet the corrected or clarified requirements.

We are superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for Goodrich Evacuation Systems approved under TSO TSO-C69b and installed on Model A330-200 and -300 series airplanes, Model A340-200 and -300 series airplanes, and Model A340-500 and -600 series airplanes. That AD currently requires inspecting to determine the part number of the pressure relief valves on the affected Goodrich evacuation systems, and corrective action if necessary. This new AD requires inspecting to determine the part number of the pressure relief valves on the affected Goodrich evacuation systems and replacing certain pressure relief valves, and adds airplanes to the applicability. This AD was prompted by reports that during workshop testing, certain pressure relief valves, which were required by the existing AD, did not seal and allowed the pressure in certain slides/ rafts to fall below the minimum raft mode pressure for the unit. We are issuing this AD to prevent loss of pressure in the escape slides/rafts after an emergency evacuation, which could result in inadequate buoyancy to support the raft's passenger capacity during ditching and increase the chance for injury to raft passengers.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all DASSAULT AVIATION Model MYSTERE-FALCON 900 airplanes. This AD was prompted by multiple reports of fuel leakage from a defective fuel high-level sensor located in the wing front spar. This AD requires inspecting to determine fuel quantity sensors part numbers and replacing of certain fuel quantity sensors with new fuel quantity sensors. We are issuing this AD to prevent internal fuel leakage with significant fuel vapors, which could result in a fire hazard.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus Model A321-131, -211, -212, and -231 airplanes. This AD requires a rotating probe inspection for cracking of the lower panel bore holes of the center wing box (CWB), and corrective actions if necessary. This AD was prompted by reports of incorrect installation of rib pads of the lower aft panel of the CWB due to poor clamping during drilling, and reports that metal chips trapped between panels and stiffeners could impact the fatigue life of CWB panels. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracking and damage in the bore holes of the rib pads of the lower forward and aft panels of the CWB which could result in reduced structural integrity of the wings.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for DG Flugzeugbau GmbH Models DG-500 Elan Orion, DG-500 Elan Trainer, DG-500/ 20 Elan, DG-500/22 Elan, DG-500M, and DG-500MB gliders. This 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 damage to the bulkhead of the glider's center of gravity (CG) tow hook that, if not detected and corrected, may lead to failure of the fiberglass structure during a winch launch. We are issuing this AD to require actions to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This action establishes Class E Airspace at Marion, AL, to accommodate the new Area Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) Standard Instrument Approach Procedures serving Vaiden Field. This action enhances the safety and airspace management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations within the National Airspace System.