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

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the availability of $29,000,000 in Research, Development, Demonstration, and Deployment Program funds for innovative safety, resiliency, and all-hazards emergency response and recovery research demonstration projects of national significance. This NOFA makes funds available for cooperative agreements to engage in the demonstration of innovative technologies, methods, practices and techniques in three areas: (1) Operational safety, (2) infrastructure or equipment resiliency and (3) all-hazards emergency response and recovery methods. Eligible applicants include providers of public transportation; State and local governmental entities; departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the Government including Federal laboratories; private or non-profit organizations; institutions of higher education; and technical and community colleges. This notice solicits competitive proposals addressing priorities established by FTA for these research areas, provides instructions for submitting proposals, and describes criteria FTA will use to identify meritorious proposals for funding. This NOFA is also available on the FTA Web site at: www.fta.dot.gov. FTA will announce final selections on the Web site and in the Federal Register. Additionally, a synopsis of this funding opportunity will appear on the government-wide electronic grants Web site www.grants.gov (GRANTS.GOV).

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Agusta Model AB139 and AW139 helicopters. This AD requires deactivating the Full Icing Protection System (FIPS) and installing a placard next to the FIPS controller stating that flight into known icing is prohibited. This AD is prompted by a report of a fire in the aft avionics bay and the baggage compartment resulting from an Auto Transformer Rectifier Unit internal circuit overload. These actions are intended to prevent a fire, structural damage, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. (Bell), Model 214B, 214B-1, and 214ST helicopters. This AD requires creating a component history card or equivalent record for certain pylon support spindle assemblies (spindles), establishes a new retirement life for spindles installed on Model 214B and 214B-1 helicopters, reduces the retirement life for spindles installed on Model 214ST helicopters, and requires replacing any spindle that has reached its airworthiness retirement life. This AD was prompted by three in-flight failures of the spindle that resulted in forced landings. The actions of this AD are intended to prevent failure of a spindle and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.