Department of Transportation July 22, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of the Sixty-Second meeting of the RTCA Special Committee 135, Environmental Conditions and Test Procedures for Airborne Equipment.

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

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the Federal lead agency, and the Metropolitan Council (Council), the local lead agency, intend to publish a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) for the Southwest Light Rail Transit Extension (SWLRT) Project (formerly referred to as the Southwest Transitway Project), in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), its implementing regulations, provisions of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21), and the Minnesota Environmental Policy Act (MEPA). The original Notice of Intent to prepare a DEIS for the Project was issued on September 23, 2008. The Project's Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) was published on October 12, 2012, with a public comment period concluding on December 31, 2012. The Project is a new 15.8-mile light rail alignment with 17 new light rail stations, several new park-and-ride lots, and one new light rail operations and maintenance facility (OMF). The project requires modification to existing freight rail alignments within the project vicinity. The SDEIS will evaluate environmental impacts associated with proposed adjustments to the Locally Preferred Alternative, freight rail alignments, and location of the OMF. The SDEIS will also incorporate pertinent issues raised during the DEIS comment period. For commenting purposes under NEPA, written comments on the scope of the SDEIS should be directed to Ms. Nani Jacobson, Project Manager, Southwest Light Rail Transit Project Office, 6465 Wayzata Boulevard, Suite 500, St. Louis Park, MN 55426, Telephone: 612-373-3808; Email: nani.jacobson@metrotransit.org. Comments on the scope may be submitted within 20 days of publication of the preparation notice in the state publication, the EQB Monitor. Notice in the EQB Monitor is anticipated to be published on July 22, 2013, with the 20 day period for submitting written comments ending on August 12, 2013. In accordance with MEPA, comments received within this period, and responses to the comments, will be included in the SDEIS.

The FAA is withdrawing a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM). The NPRM proposed a new airworthiness directive (AD) that had applied to certain Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation 14SF-7, 14SF-15, and 14SF-23 series propellers. The NPRM had applied to those propellers using certain Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation auxiliary pumps and motors (auxiliary feathering pumps). The proposed action would have required removal of certain serial numbers (S/Ns) of auxiliary feathering pumps from service. Since we issued the NPRM, we attended a meeting sponsored by Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation, which provided additional information regarding the unsafe condition. The information included results from bond strength tests that predicts a significantly lower fleet risk than the prior qualitative analysis. Accordingly, we withdraw the proposed rule.

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA), \1\ on behalf of itself and its parent company Daimler AG (DAG),\2\ has determined that certain model year (MY) 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.

American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (Honda) \1\ has determined that the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) low tire pressure warning for certain model year (MY) 2011 and 2012 Acura TSX passenger cars equipped with accessory 18-inch diameter wheels sold at Honda dealerships do not comply with paragraph S4.2(a) of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 138 Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems. Honda has filed an appropriate report dated September 27, 2012, pursuant to 49 CFR Part 573, Defect and Noncompliance Responsibility and Reports.

We propose to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to certain The Boeing Company Model 747 series airplanes. The existing AD currently requires repetitive detailed inspections to detect cracking in certain fuselage upper deck tension ties, repair or modification of any cracked tension ties, and repetitive inspections of repaired and modified tension ties and repair or modification if necessary. The existing AD also provides for optional terminating action for the repetitive detailed inspections of tension ties that have not been repaired or modified. This proposed AD was prompted by an evaluation by the design approval holder indicating that the upper deck tension ties of the fuselage are subject to widespread fatigue damage. This proposed AD would retain the repetitive inspections, mandate the previously optional terminating modification, and add, for tension ties that have not been repaired or modified, repetitive inspections that must be done concurrently with the existing repetitive inspections. We are proposing this AD to prevent widespread fatigue damage of certain fuselage upper deck tension ties, which could result in reduced structural integrity of the airplane.

We are superseding airworthiness directive (AD) 2011-13-08 for certain Bombardier, Inc. Model DHC-8-400 series airplanes. AD 2011-13- 08 required a free-play check for excessive free-play of the shaft swaged bearing installed in the tailstock end of each elevator power control unit (PCU), and replacing any PCU on which the bearing exceeds allowable limits with a serviceable PCU. This new AD adds airplanes to the applicability from that of AD 2011-13-08. This AD was prompted by a determination that additional airplanes are affected by the identified unsafe condition. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct excessive free-play of the swaged bearings, which could lead to excessive airframe vibrations and difficulties in pitch control, and consequent loss of controllability of the airplane.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all The Boeing Company Model 727 airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of cracks on the elevator rear spar stiffener assembly. This AD requires repetitive detailed inspections for cracking of the elevator rear spar stiffener assembly, and corrective actions if necessary. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracking of the elevator rear spar stiffener assembly, which could adversely affect elevator structural stiffness, which could lead to elevator vibration and possible interference with the tab control rod. These conditions could result in flutter and consequent loss of control of the airplane.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all The Boeing Company Model 727 airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of spanwise cracks and corrosion in the wing center box upper skin and rear spar upper chord between left buttock line (LBL) 70.50 and right buttock line (RBL) 70.50 at body station (STA) 870. This AD requires repetitive inspections of the wing center box for cracking around certain fastener rows on the rear spar upper chord horizontal flange; for certain airplanes, repetitive inspections for cracking of the rear spar upper chord radius; for certain other airplanes, repetitive inspections for damage, cracking, and corrosion of the pressure seal; and repair if necessary. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracking and corrosion of the upper skin and rear spar upper chord of the wing center box, which could result in loss of the airplane wing and consequent loss of control of the airplane.