Department of Transportation September 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model DC-9-10, DC-9-20, DC-9-30, DC-9-40, and DC-9- 50 series airplanes; and Model DC-9-81 (MD-81), DC-9-82 (MD-82), DC-9- 83 (MD-83), DC-9-87 (MD-87), MD-88, and MD-90-30 airplanes; equipped with center wing fuel tank and Boeing original equipment manufacturer- installed auxiliary fuel tanks. This AD was prompted by fuel system reviews conducted by the manufacturer. This AD requires adding design features to detect electrical faults and to detect a pump running in an empty fuel tank. We are issuing this AD to reduce the potential of ignition sources inside fuel tanks, which, in combination with flammable fuel vapors, could result in fuel tank explosions and consequent loss of the airplane.

This action proposes to modify VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal airway V-170 between Devils Lake, ND (DVL), and Jamestown, ND (JMS). The FAA is proposing this action to ensure the airway provides the necessary clearance from the western boundary of the newly established restricted area R-5402, Devils Lake, ND, to support non- radar separation requirements when the restricted area is active.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Pratt & Whitney Division PW4000-94'' and PW4000-100'' turbofan engines having a 1st stage high-pressure turbine (HPT) seal support, part number (P/N) 55K601 (contained within assembly P/N 55K602-01) or P/N 50K532 (contained within assembly P/N 50K530-01), installed. This AD was prompted by 58 reports of cracked 1st stage HPT air seal rings, including 15 in-flight engine shutdowns. This AD requires removal and replacement of the 1st stage HPT seal support and inspection of the 1st stage HPT air seal ring. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of the 1st stage HPT air seal ring, which could lead to an internal oil fire, uncontained engine failure, and damage to the airplane.

The Federal Aviation Administration is requesting public comment on request by the Louisville Regional Airport Authority to change a portion of airport property from aeronautical to non- aeronautical use at the Louisville International Airport, Louisville, Kentucky. The request consists approximately of 1.27 acres of fee simple release. This action is taken under the provisions of Section 125 of the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment Reform Act for the 21st Century (AIR 21).

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 747-400 series airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of water leaking into electrical and electronic equipment in the main equipment center (MEC). This AD requires modifying the floor panels; removing drains; installing floor supports, floor drain trough doublers, drain troughs, and drains; and sealing and taping the floor panels. We are issuing this AD to prevent water from entering the MEC, which could result in an electrical short and potential loss of several functions essential for safe flight.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Eurocopter France Model AS350 helicopters. This AD requires installing protection sleeves over certain forward (pitch) servo-control hydraulic hoses. This AD was prompted by an in-flight fire caused by the ignition of hydraulic fluid leaking from a damaged forward servo-control hydraulic hose. This AD's actions are intended to prevent the forward servo-control hydraulic hoses from becoming damaged and leaking hydraulic fluid that could ignite in flight, which could result in loss of main rotor (M/R) control, power loss, structural damage, propagation of fire, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

The Surface Transportation Board (Board) is accepting for consideration the application filed August 6, 2012, by Genesee and Wyoming Inc. (GWI) and RailAmerica, Inc. (RailAmerica). The application seeks Board approval under 49 U.S.C. 11323-11325 of the acquisition of control of RailAmerica, a noncarrier holding company, by GWI, a noncarrier holding company. This proposal is referred to as the Transaction, and GWI and RailAmerica are referred to collectively as Applicants. The Board finds that the application is complete and that the Transaction is a minor transaction upon the preliminary determination that the Transaction clearly will not have any anticompetitive effects. 49 CFR 1180.2(b)(1), (c). The Board makes this determination based solely on the evidence presented in the application. The Board stresses that this is not a final determination, and its finding may be rebutted by filings and evidence submitted into the record for this proceeding. The Board will give careful consideration to any claims that the Transaction would have anticompetitive effects that are not apparent from the application itself.

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.

The FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (Pub. L. 112-95) directed the Administrator of the FAA to conduct a study on the impact of the use of cell phones for voice communications in an aircraft during a flight in scheduled air transportation. A draft report on this study is currently available for review and public comment at https:// www.faa.gov/aircraft/draftdocs/.

The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) is considering issuing a Program Comment at the request of the Federal Highway Administration setting forth the way in which FHWA will comply with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act with regard to the effects of undertakings on common post-1945 concrete and steel bridges. The FHWA is requesting comments on the proposed Program Comment.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Eurocopter France (EC) Model SA-365N, SA-365N1, SA-366G1, AS-365N2, AS 365 N3, EC 155B, and EC155B1 helicopters. This AD was prompted by the discovery of a cracked main rotor mast nut. This condition, if not corrected, could lead to complete failure of the mast nut, resulting in failure of the rotor mast and loss of control of the helicopter. This AD will require replacing the main rotor mast nut with an airworthy main rotor mast nut to prevent this scenario.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection abstracted below has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The nature of the information collection is described as well as its expected burden. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on June 8, 2012, and comments were due by August 7, 2012. No comments were received.

This notice announces the FAA's cancellation of TSO-C65a. The effect of the cancelled TSO will result in no new TSO-C65a design or production approvals. However, cancellation will not affect current production of articles with an existing TSO authorization (TSOA). Articles produced under an existing TSOA can still be installed per the existing airworthiness approvals.

This action extends the comment period of an NPRM on the reporting of incidents involving animals during air transport that was published in the Federal Register on June 29, 2012. See 77 FR 38747. The Department of Transportation is extending the period for interested persons to submit comments on this rulemaking from August 28, 2012, to September 27, 2012. This extension is a result of a request to extend the comment period for the proposal.