Department of Transportation January 28, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of the eighth meeting of the RTCA NextGen Advisory Committee (NAC).

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for an existing information collection. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on August 31, 2012, vol. 77, no. 170, page 53249. The FAA collects information to allocate slots and maintain accurate record of slot transfers at slot-controlled airports. The information is provided by air carriers and other operators at slot controlled airports.

Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from the public, it must receive approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Under procedures established by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, before seeking OMB approval, Federal agencies must solicit public comment on proposed collections of information, including extensions and reinstatements of previously approved collections. This document describes the collection of information for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval.

The Department of Transportation is directing all interested persons to show cause why it should not issue an order finding Scott Air, LLC fit, willing, and able, and awarding it a certificate of public convenience and necessity to engage in interstate scheduled air transportation of persons, property and mail.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to renew an information collection. The FAA's Fuel Tank Flammability rule requires manufacturers to report to the FAA every six months for up to 5 years after the flammability reduction system is incorporated into the fleet. The data is needed to assure system performance meets that predicted at the time of certification.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to renew an information collection. The respondents are those airport operators voluntarily submitting noise exposure maps and noise compatibility programs to the FAA for review and approval.

This action adds termination criteria and an expiration date to Special Federal Aviation Regulation 111, which temporarily authorizes variances from existing standards related to the provisioning of supplemental oxygen inside lavatories. This action is necessitated by the publication of Airworthiness Directive 2012-11-09, which mandates actions that restore supplemental oxygen to lavatories.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is considering a proposal from Outagamie County Regional Airport (Sponsor), Appleton, WI, to release a 77.5-acre parcel of land from the federal obligation dedicating it to aeronautical use and to authorize this parcel to be used for revenue-producing, nonaeronautical purposes.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to renew an information collection. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on August 31, 2012, vol. 77, no. 170, pages 53249-53250. The FAA collects information from airport sponsors and planning agencies in order to administer the Airports Grants Program. Data is used to determine eligibility, ensure proper use of Federal Funds, and ensure project accomplishment.

In response to a petition for rulemaking, FRA proposed, in a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) dated December 11, 2012, amendments to regulations implementing a requirement of the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 that certain passenger and freight railroads install positive train control (PTC) systems. The present document clarifies FRA's responses to several elements of the Association of American Railroads' (AAR) petition for rulemaking and which elements of the petition for rulemaking FRA is considering, and asks specific questions concerning those elements. This document does not alter FRA's proposal as issued December 11, 2012, but it does extend the comment period in this proceeding to March 11, 2013.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Engine Alliance GP7270 and GP7277 turbofan engines. This AD requires initial and repetitive borescope inspections and removal from service before further flight if one or more burn holes are detected, in certain high-pressure turbine (HPT) stage 2 nozzles. This AD also requires mandatory removal from service of these HPT stage 2 nozzles at the next engine shop visit. This AD was prompted by a report received of inadequate cooling of the HPT stage 2 nozzle, leading to damage to the HPT stage 2 nozzle, burn-through of the turbine case, and engine shutdown. We are issuing this AD to prevent HPT stage 2 nozzle failure, leading to uncontrolled fire, engine shutdown, and damage to the airplane.

This action extends the comment period for a Notice that was published on December 10, 2012. Nothing has changed from the original document published on December 10, 2012. In that document, the FAA proposed to clarify Grant Assurance No. 19, ``Operation and Maintenance,'' which is required of an airport sponsor as a condition of receiving a development grant under the Airport Improvement Program (AIP). This clarification would require non-certificated, federally obligated airports that, after the effective date of this Federal Register Notice, accept a new airport development grant funded under the Airport Improvement Program (AIP), or accept a transfer of land under the Surplus Property Act for airport purposes (``Subject Airports''), to conduct Wildlife Hazard Site Visits (WHSVs) or Wildlife Hazard Assessments (WHAs). Non-certificated airports are airports that do not have a Part 139 certificate, and may include both commercial service airports as well as non-primary airports that serve mostly general aviation traffic. The Secretary of Transportation is required to provide notice and comment in the Federal Register and an opportunity for the public to comment upon proposals to modify the assurances or add new assurances. The FAA has elected to extend the comment period closing date to allow respondents additional time to adequately analyze the Notice and prepare comments.