Department of Transportation 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FAA announces the charter renewal of the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC), a Federal Advisory Committee that works with industry and the public to improve the development of the FAA's regulations. This charter renewal will take effect on September 17, 2012, and will expire after 2 years.

This action proposes to amend Class E airspace at Sault Ste Marie, ON. Changes to controlled airspace are necessary to coincide with the Canadian control zone over Sault Ste Marie Airport. The FAA is taking this action to enhance the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport.

We propose to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to all Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. (P&WC) PW118, PW118A, PW118B, PW119B, PW119C, PW120, PW120A, PW121, PW121A, PW123, PW123B, PW123C, PW123D, PW123E, PW123AF, PW124B, PW125B, PW126A, PW127, PW127E, PW127F, PW127G, and PW127M turboprop engines. The existing AD currently requires initial and repetitive inspections of certain serial numbers (S/Ns) of propeller shafts for cracks and removal from service if found cracked. Since we issued that AD, we determined the need to add a mandatory terminating action for the repetitive inspections. This proposed AD would require initial and repetitive inspections of certain S/Ns of propeller shafts for cracks and removal from service if found cracked, and would require removal from service of affected propeller shafts as mandatory terminating action to the repetitive inspections. We are proposing this AD to detect propeller shaft cracks, which could cause failure of the shaft, propeller release, and loss of control of the airplane.

This rule establishes, amends, suspends, or revokes Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) and associated Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle Departure Procedures for operations at certain airports. These regulatory actions are needed because of the adoption of new or revised criteria, or because of changes occurring in the National Airspace System, such as the commissioning of new navigational facilities, adding new obstacles, or changing air traffic requirements. These changes are designed to provide safe and efficient use of the navigable airspace and to promote safe flight operations under instrument flight rules at the affected airports.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-Trent 800 series turbofan engines. This AD requires removing from service certain intermediate pressure (IP) turbine discs that have a serial number listed in this AD. This AD was prompted by RR performing an evaluation that determined that the current lives for certain IP turbine discs with a steel inclusion may fail before they reach their current mandatory life limits. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of the IP turbine disc, which could result in uncontained failure of the engine and damage to the airplane.

This action proposes to amend Class E airspace at Gaylord, MI. Additional controlled airspace is necessary to accommodate new Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAP) at Gaylord Regional Airport. Also, this action would rename the airport and update the geographic coordinates. The FAA is taking this action to enhance the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations for SIAPs at the airport.

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW),\1\ a subsidiary of BMW AG,\2\ Munich, Germany, has determined that certain model year 2012 MINI Cooper Countryman passenger cars with optional three passenger rear seating manufactured between August 1, 2011 and May 23, 2012, do not fully comply with paragraph S4.3(b) of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 110, Tire selection and rims and motor home/ recreation vehicle trailer load carrying capacity information for motor vehicles with a GVWR of 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds) or less. BMW has filed an appropriate report dated June 1, 2012, pursuant to 49 CFR part 573, Defect and Noncompliance Responsibility and Reports.

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA),\1\ on behalf of itself and its parent company Daimler AG (DAG) \2\, has determined that certain model year 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class (204 platform) passenger cars manufactured between March and August 2011, do not fully comply with paragraph S4.3(d) of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 110, Tire selection and rims and motor home/recreation vehicle trailer load carrying capacity information for motor vehicles with a GVWR of 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds) or less. MBUSA has filed an appropriate report dated May 4, 2012, pursuant to 49 CFR part 573, Defect and Noncompliance Responsibility and Reports.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Turbomeca S.A. Arriel 1A1, 1A2, 1B, 1C, 1C1, 1C2, 1D, 1D1, 1E2, 1K1, 1S, and 1S1 turboshaft engines. This proposed AD was prompted by several reports of uncommanded in-flight shutdown (IFSD) on Arriel 1 engines. This proposed AD would require performing a high gas generator speed (NG) rating vibration check. We are proposing this AD to prevent an uncommanded in-flight shut-down of the engine, which could result in an emergency landing.

These special conditions are issued for the Bombardier Model CL-600-2B16 airplanes, including variants CL-601-3A, CL-601-3R and CL- 604. This airplane, as modified by Atlantic Aero, Inc., will have a novel or unusual design feature associated with an advanced, enhanced flight vision system (EFVS). The EFVS consists of a head-up display (HUD) system modified to display forward-looking infrared (FLIR) imagery. 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.

As authorized by 46 U.S.C. 12121, the Secretary of Transportation, as represented by the Maritime Administration (MARAD), is authorized to grant waivers of the U.S.-build requirement of the coastwise laws under certain circumstances. A request for such a waiver has been received by MARAD. The vessel, and a brief description of the proposed service, is listed below.

This action proposes to establish Class D airspace and Class E airspace at Camp Guernsey Airport, Camp Guernsey, WY. The establishment of an air traffic control tower has made this action necessary for the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) aircraft within this airspace.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of the ninth meeting of the RTCA Special Committee 225, Rechargeable Lithium Battery and Battery SystemsSmall and Medium Size.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of the twentieth meeting of the RTCA Special Committee 213, Enhanced Flight Vision Systems/Synthetic Vision Systems (EFVS/SVS).

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of the eighty-ninth meeting of the RTCA Special Committee 159, Global Positioning Systems (GPS).

CSX Transportation, Inc. (CSXT) and Grand Trunk Western Railroad Company (GTW) have agreed to exchange perpetual rail operating easements over certain parts of each other's lines. GTW has agreed to grant CSXT an easement over a GTW line between Munster, Ind., and Elsdon, Ill. (Elsdon Line), over which GTW would retain local and overhead trackage rights. CSXT also has agreed to convey local and overhead trackage rights over that line to various GTW affiliates and a CSXT affiliate. In exchange for that easement, CSXT has agreed to grant GTW an easement over a CSXT line between Leewood, Tenn., and Aulon, Tenn., over which CSXT would retain local and overhead trackage rights. In this docket, CSXT has filed an application for authority to acquire an easement from GTW, and in the embraced Docket Nos. FD 35522 (Sub-No. 1) and (Sub-No. 2), the CSXT affiliate and the various GTW affiliates, respectively, seek authority to acquire trackage rights over that line.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below is being 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 comments on the following information collection was published on April 30, 2012 (77 FR 25533).

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Cessna Aircraft Company Models 172RG, R182, TR182, FR182, 210N, T210N, 210R, T210R, P210N, P210R, and T303 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a report of a cockpit fire that appeared to originate from the area of the landing gear's hydraulic power pack system. This proposed AD would require you inspect the aircraft's hydraulic power pack wiring for incorrect installation, and if needed, correct the installation. We are proposing this AD to correct the unsafe condition on these products.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)'s approval to renew an information collection. The collection involves a classification of air carriers known as air taxi operators and their filings of a one-page form that enables them to obtain economic authority from DOT. The information to be collected is necessary for DOT to determine whether an air taxi operator meets DOT's criteria for an economic authorization in accordance with DOT rules. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13.

We are revising an earlier proposed airworthiness directive (AD) for all The Boeing Company Model DC-9-81 (MD-81), DC-9-82 (MD-82), DC-9-83 (MD-83), DC-9-87 (MD-87), and MD-88 airplanes. That NPRM proposed repetitive high frequency eddy current (HFEC) inspections for cracking of the left and right rib hinge bearing lugs of the aft face of the center section of the horizontal stabilizer; measuring crack length and blending out cracks; and replacing the horizontal stabilizer center section rib, if necessary. That NPRM was prompted by reports of cracks of the hinge bearing lugs of the center section ribs of the horizontal stabilizer. This action revises that NPRM by adding the requirement for rib replacement if cracking is found during certain inspections of this proposed AD. We are proposing this supplemental NPRM to detect and correct cracking in the hinge bearing lugs of the horizontal stabilizer center section ribs, which could result in failure of the lugs, resulting in the inability of the horizontal stabilizer to sustain the required limit loads and consequent loss of control of the airplane. Since these actions impose an additional burden over that proposed in the NPRM, we are reopening the comment period to allow the public the chance to comment on these proposed changes.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposes to rule and invites public comment on the application for an Airport Layout Plan revision effecting approximately 422 acres of airport property at Mather Airport, Sacramento, California, which will provide for a release from the Grant Agreement Assurance obligations since the property does not have an airport purpose. The property was leased by the United States Air Force (Air Force) to the County of Sacramento (County) for airport purposes following the closure of Mather Air Force Base pursuant to the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1988, as amended. The Air Force is now preparing to terminate the lease and convey the airport land to the County under the provision of the Surplus Property Act of 1944, as amended. The County and Air Force determined that certain portions of the leased land do not have an airport purpose, so these parcels of land will not be conveyed by the Air Force to the County. As a result, the existing Airport Layout Plan will be revised to delete the parcels that will not be conveyed to the County because these parcels do not have any airport purposes now or in the future.