Department of Transportation October 2, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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 forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for re-instatement of an expired collection. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its expected burden. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on July 19, 2013 (FR Vol 78, No 139-43272). There were no comments.

The FHWA invites public comments about our intention to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a new information collection, which is summarized below under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

This notice clarifies PHMSA's policy regarding applications for firework device series. PHMSA has required separate applications for each individual firework device. Often one firework device has identical hazardous properties to another firework device that is intended to produce a similar result in a firework display. These similar firework devices are considered part of a series of firework devices. In this document, we are clarifying our policy to accept certain fireworks series applications.

We are revising an earlier proposed airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus Model A330-200, -300 and -200 Freighter series airplanes, and Model A340-200, -300, -500, and -600 series airplanes. The NPRM proposed to require, for certain airplanes, revising the airplane flight manual (AFM) to advise the flight crew of emergency procedures for addressing Angle of Attack (AOA) sensor blockage. The NPRM also proposed to mandate replacing the AOA sensor conic plates with AOA sensor flat plates, which is a terminating action for the AFM revision. The NPRM was prompted by a report that an airplane equipped with AOA sensors installed with conic plates recently experienced blockage of all sensors during climb, leading to autopilot disconnection and activation of the alpha protection (Alpha Prot) when Mach number was increased. For certain airplanes, this action revises the NPRM by adding a modification of the installation of certain AOA sensor flat plates. We are proposing this AD to prevent reduced 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.

We are superseding airworthiness directive (AD) 2004-18-06 for certain The Boeing Company Model 737-200, -200C, -300, -400, and -500 series airplanes. AD 2004-18-06 required repetitive inspections to find fatigue cracking of certain upper and lower skin panels of the fuselage, and follow-on and corrective actions if necessary. AD 2004- 18-06 also included a terminating action for the repetitive inspections of certain modified or repaired areas only. This new AD adds new inspections for cracking of the fuselage skin along certain chem-milled lines, and corrective actions if necessary. This new AD also reduces certain thresholds and intervals required by AD 2004-18-06. This AD was prompted by new findings of vertical cracks along chem-milled steps adjacent to the butt joints. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct fatigue cracking of the skin panels, which could result in sudden fracture and failure of the skin panels of the fuselage, and consequent rapid decompression of the airplane.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 747-100, -100B, -100B SUD, -200B, -200C, - 200F, -300, -400, -400D, -400F, and 747SR series airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of cracking at the aft upper corner of the main entry door (MED) 5 cutout. This AD requires inspecting for the presence of repairs and measuring the edge margin at certain fastener locations around the upper aft corner of the door cutout, inspecting for any cracking of the fuselage skin assembly and bear strap in the aft upper corner area of the door cutout, and repairing or modifying the fuselage skin assembly and bear strap if necessary. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracking of the skin and bear straps at the aft upper corner of the MED 5 cutout, which could result in in-flight depressurization.

This notice contains a summary of a petition seeking relief from specified requirements of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR). The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, this aspect of the 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.

This notice announces the rescheduling of a public meeting of the FAA's Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC) Transport Airplane and Engine (TAE) Subcommittee to discuss TAE issues. A number of issues have arisen that may affect the Committee's ability to have an effective meeting on October 2, 2013, including uncertainty regarding Federal Government shutdown and travel.

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) is publishing this revised statement of policy to update baseline assessments for frequently-cited violations of the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) and to clarify additional factors that affect penalty amounts. This revised statement of policy is intended to provide the regulated community and the general public with information on the hazardous materials penalty assessment process.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Sikorsky) Model S-92A helicopters to require modifying the No. 1 engine forward firewall center fire extinguisher discharge tube (No. 1 engine tube) and inspecting the outboard discharge tube to determine if it is correctly positioned. This AD was prompted by the discovery that the No. 1 engine tube installed on the helicopters is too long to ensure that a fire could be effectively extinguished in the helicopter. The actions are intended to ensure the No. 1 engine tube allows for complete coverage of an extinguishing agent in the No. 1 engine compartment area, ensure that a fire would be extinguished and prevent the loss of helicopter control.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all The Boeing Company Model 717-200 airplanes. This AD was prompted by multiple reports of cracks of overwing frames. This AD requires repetitive inspections for cracking of the overwing frames, and corrective actions if necessary. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct such cracking that could sever a frame, which may increase the loading of adjacent frames, and result in damage to the adjacent structure and consequent loss of structural integrity of the airplane.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 727 airplanes; Model 737-100, -200, and -200C series airplanes; and Model 747-100, -100B, -100B SUD, -200B, -200C, - 200F, -300, -400, -400D, -400F, 747SR, and 747SP series airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report of an activation of the control column shaker during takeoff. This AD requires performing a general visual inspection to determine if a certain angle of attack (AOA) sensor with a paddle type vane is installed, and, for affected sensors, performing an operational test of the stall warning system, and replacing the AOA sensor with a new sensor if necessary. We are issuing this AD to prevent erroneous activation of the control column shaker during takeoff, which could result in runway overrun, failure to clear terrain or obstacles after takeoff, or reduced controllability of the airplane.