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

This action proposes special conditions for the Learjet Model 35, 35A, 36, and 36A airplanes. These airplanes, as modified by Peregrine, 13000 E. Control Tower Road, Unit K-4, Englewood, CO, 80112, will have a novel or unusual design feature associated with rechargeable lithium-ion batteries and battery systems. These batteries have certain failure, operational, and maintenance characteristics that differ significantly from those of the nickel-cadmium and lead-acid rechargeable batteries currently approved for installation on large transport-category airplanes. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These proposed 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.

On October 17, 2013, the Board served a decision announcing the 2012 revenue adequacy determinations for the Nation's Class I railroads. Two carriers, Norfolk Southern Combined Railroad Subsidiaries and Union Pacific Railroad Company, were found to be revenue adequate.

FRA announces the fiftieth meeting of the RSAC, a Federal Advisory Committee that develops railroad safety regulations through a consensus process. The RSAC meeting topics will include opening remarks from the FRA Administrator, and status reports will be provided by the Train Crew Size, Securement, Hazardous Material Issues, Fatigue Management, Rail Failure, and Risk Reduction Working Groups. Status reports will also be provided by the Engineering Task Force. This agenda is subject to change, including the possible addition of further proposed tasks under the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is announcing the availability of Advisory Circular (AC) 187-1G which transmits an updated schedule of charges for services of FAA Flight Standards Aviation Safety Inspectors outside the United States. The advisory circular has been updated in accordance with the procedures listed in 14 CFR Part 187, Appendix A.

This action establishes Class E airspace at Comanche, TX. Controlled airspace is necessary to accommodate Area Navigation (RNAV) Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAP) at Comanche County-City Airport. The FAA found that SIAPs were established for the airport in 2006, but the Class E airspace area to contain it was never established, thereby prohibiting certain aircraft from using the procedures. This seriously impacts the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations at the airport. As a result, a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) has been issued suspending the use of the procedures until the Class E airspace area is established.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of the fourteenth meeting of the RTCA Special Committee 222, Inmarsat AMS(R)S

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model DC-10-10 and MD-10-10F airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report that the safe life limit on certain main landing gear (MLG) upper torque link bolts is reduced significantly due to those bolts being fabricated from bar stock with a machined head instead of from a forged blank with an upset head. This AD requires replacing certain MLG upper torque link bolts with new or serviceable parts. We are issuing this AD to prevent damage to the MLG and consequent damage to airplane structure, which could adversely affect the airplane's continued safe flight and landing.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 767 airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of cracks and heat damage on pivot joint components found during main landing gear (MLG) overhaul. This AD requires, for certain airplanes, repetitive inspections of the MLG pivots, truck beam bushings, and inner cylinder bushings. For all airplanes, this AD requires a maintenance program revision, one-time inspections of the MLG truck beam, and related investigative and corrective actions (including configuration changes) if necessary; accomplishment of these actions terminates the repetitive inspections. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct heat damage and cracks in the pivot pin, truck beam lugs, and inner cylinder lugs, which could result in fracture of the pivot joint components and consequent MLG collapse.

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.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-535E4-B-37 series turbofan engines. This AD requires removal of affected parts using a drawdown plan. This AD was prompted by recalculating the lives of certain rotating life limited parts (LLPs) operated to certain flight profiles. We are issuing this AD to prevent the failure of rotating LLPs, which could result in uncontained failure of the engine and damage to the airplane.

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.

This action proposes to establish a new restricted area, designated R-4001C, within the existing restricted areas R-4001A and R- 4001B, at the U.S. Army's Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. The purpose of the proposed R-4001C is to contain two moored balloons, called Aerostats that would be airborne continuously at approximately 10,000 feet MSL. This action would segregate nonparticipating aircraft from a hazard to navigation in the Aberdeen Proving Ground airspace.

This action proposes to amend Class E airspace at Lawrenceville, IL. Decommissioning of the Mount Carmel nondirectional radio beacon (NDB) at Mount Carmel Municipal Airport has made reconfiguration necessary for standard instrument approach procedures and for the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport. Geographic coordinates would also be updated.