Department of Transportation October 23, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FAA withdraws a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that proposed a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Gulfstream Aerospace LP (Type Certificate previously held by Israel Aircraft Industries, Ltd.) Model Galaxy and Gulfstream 200 airplanes. The proposed AD would have required determining the lengths of the wear indicating pins of all brake assemblies, shortening the pin if the wear indicating pin is too long, inspecting for normal brake wear, and replacing brakes with new brakes if necessary. Since the issuance of the NPRM, the FAA has received new data that indicates the actions addressing this unsafe condition have been accomplished on the worldwide fleet. Accordingly, the proposed AD is withdrawn.

FMCSA announces receipt of applications from 14 individuals for exemption from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. They are unable to meet the vision requirement in one eye for various reasons. The exemptions will enable these individuals to operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce without meeting the prescribed vision requirement in one eye. If granted, the exemptions would enable these individuals to qualify as drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce.

The FMCSA amends the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations to remove the provision indicating that the Agency will consider a 10- day extension of the 45-day period after which passenger and hazardous materials carriers must cease operation after receiving a proposed unsatisfactory safety rating. The Agency previously discontinued this practice as a matter of policy and now amends the regulation to be consistent with the policy and the statutory language concerning this matter. Although FMCSA will continue to review requests for upgrades of proposed unsatisfactory safety rating for such carriers, the Agency will no longer grant extensions to the 45-day period.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and Council on Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR Part 1500-1508) the Federal Aviation Administration is issuing this notice to advise the public that a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for proposed Runway Safety Area improvements at the Kodiak Airport (ADQ) has been prepared and is available for public review and comment. Included in the DEIS is a draft evaluation pursuant to Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act of 1966 (recodified at 49 U.S.C. Sec. 303(c)). Written requests for the DEIS and written comments on the DEIS can be submitted to the individual listed in the section, FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. A public hearing will be held on December 6, 2012. The public comment period will commence on October 19, 2012 and will close on December 18, 2012. Public Comment and Information Meetings/Public Hearings: The start of the public comment period on the DEIS will be October 19, 2012 and will end on December 18, 2012. One combined public information meeting and public hearing will be held on December 6, 2012. The public information meeting on Thursday, December 6, 2012 will begin at 5:00 p.m. (ADT) and will last until 6:00 p.m. (ADT). The public hearing on that date will begin after the public information meeting, at 6:00 p.m. (ADT) and will last until 8:00 p.m. (ADT). The location for the Public Information Meeting/Public Hearing is the Kodiak Harbor Convention Center, 211 East Rezanof Drive, Kodiak AK 99615.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of the sixteenth meeting of the RTCA Special Committee 224, Airport Security Access Control Systems.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Agusta S.p.A. (Agusta) Model A109S helicopters to require modifying the electrical power distribution system to carry a higher electrical load. This AD was prompted by an electrical failure on an Agusta Model A109E helicopter that resulted from ``inadequate functioning of the 35 amperes (amps) BATT BUS circuit breaker.'' The actions of this AD are intended to require modifying the electrical power distribution system to prevent failure of the circuit breaker, loss of electrical power to instruments powered by the ``BATT BUS'' system, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

In accordance with the requirements of 49 U.S.C. 5117(c), PHMSA is publishing the following list of special permit applications that have been in process for 180 days or more. The reason(s) for delay and the expected completion date for action on each application is provided in association with each identified application.

In accordance with the procedures governing the application for, and the processing of, special permits from the Department of Transportation's Hazardous Material Regulations (49 CFR part 107, subpart B), notice is hereby given that the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety has received the application described herein. Each mode of transportation for which a particular special permit is requested is indicated by a number in the ``Nature of Application'' portion of the table below as follows: 1Motor vehicle, 2Rail freight, 3Cargo vessel, 4Cargo aircraft only, 5Passenger-carrying aircraft.

We are superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 737-600, -700, -700C, -800, and - 900 series airplanes. That AD currently requires installing and testing an updated version of the operational program software (OPS) of the flight control computers (FCCs). This new AD requires an inspection for part numbers of the operational program software of the flight control computers, and corrective actions if necessary. This AD was prompted by reports of undetected erroneous output from a single radio altimeter channel, which resulted in premature autothrottle retard during approach. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct an unsafe condition associated with erroneous output from a radio altimeter channel, which could result in premature autothrottle landing flare retard and the loss of automatic speed control, and consequent loss of control of the airplane.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all The Boeing Company Model 747-100, 747-100B, 747-100B SUD, 747-200B, 747- 200C, 747-200F, 747-300, 747SR, and 747SP series airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of two in-service occurrences on Model 737-400 airplanes of total loss of boost pump pressure of the fuel feed system, followed by loss of fuel system suction feed capability on one engine, and in-flight shutdown of the engine. This AD requires repetitive operational tests, and corrective actions if necessary. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct loss of the engine fuel suction feed capability of the fuel system, which, in the event of total loss of the fuel boost pumps, could result in dual engine flameout, inability to restart the engines, and consequent forced landing of the airplane.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Hawker Beechcraft Corporation Model C90GTi (King Air) airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of incorrect gauge wires used in certain wiring bundles for the cockpit electrical power for backlighting and instrument panel components. This AD requires replacing incorrect gauge wires in certain electrical power wiring bundles, inspecting associated wiring bundles and components for heat damage, and taking all necessary corrective actions. We are issuing this AD to correct the unsafe condition on these products.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) to supersede an existing airworthiness directive for MD Helicopters, Inc. (MDHI), Model MD900 helicopters. The existing AD requires a visual inspection, and if necessary, an eddy current inspection of the main rotor lower hub assembly (lower hub) for a crack. If a crack exists, the AD requires replacing the lower hub with an airworthy lower hub before further flight. Because that AD was immediately effective, we declined to require certain long-term actions prior to public comment. This superseding AD will require the same inspections as the existing AD but will also require long-term recurring inspections and replacing the lower hub with an airworthy lower hub. We are issuing this AD to detect a crack in the lower hub and prevent failure of the lower hub and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.