Department of Transportation December 24, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This rule increases the rail equipment accident/incident reporting threshold from $9,900 to $10,500 for certain railroad accidents/incidents involving property damage that occur during calendar year 2014. This action is needed to ensure that FRA's reporting requirements reflect cost increases that have occurred since the reporting threshold was last published in November of 2012.

FMCSA announces its decision to exempt 48 individuals from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs). They are unable to meet the vision requirement in one eye for various reasons. The exemptions will enable these individuals to operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce without meeting the prescribed vision requirement in one eye. The Agency has concluded that granting these exemptions will provide a level of safety that is equivalent to or greater than the level of safety maintained without the exemptions for these CMV drivers.

FMCSA announces its decision to exempt 26 individuals from its rule prohibiting persons with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) from operating commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce. The exemptions will enable these individuals to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.

FMCSA announces its decision to grant requests from seven individuals for exemptions from the regulatory requirement that interstate commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers have ``no established medical history or clinical diagnosis of epilepsy or any other condition which is likely to cause loss of consciousness or any loss of ability to control a CMV.'' The regulation and the associated advisory criteria published in the Code of Federal Regulations as the ``Instructions for Performing and Recording Physical Examinations'' have resulted in numerous drivers being prohibited from operating CMVs in interstate commerce based on the fact that they have had one or more seizures and are taking anti-seizure medication, rather than an individual analysis of their circumstances by a qualified medical examiner. The Agency concluded that granting exemptions for these CMV drivers will provide a level of safety that is equivalent to or greater than the level of safety maintained without the exemptions. FMCSA grants exemptions that will allow these seven individuals to operate CMVs in interstate commerce for a 2-year period. The exemptions preempt State laws and regulations and may be renewed.

The FAA is correcting a direct final rule published on April 12, 2007 (72 FR 18556). In that rule, the FAA amended its regulations to revise the fee requirement for issuance of airman certificates. This document amends one paragraph that unintentionally expanded the FAA's ability to refuse issuance of airman certificates to U.S. citizens and resident aliens, removes two paragraphs that were inadvertently left in one subsection, and renumbers the paragraphs and revises cross- references accordingly.

This document grants in full General Motors Corporation's (GM) petition for an exemption of the Cadillac SRX vehicle line in accordance with 49 CFR part 543, Exemption from Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard. This petition is granted because the agency has determined that the antitheft device to be placed on the line as standard equipment is likely to be as effective in reducing and deterring motor vehicle theft as compliance with the parts-marking requirements of 49 CFR Part 541, Federal Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard (Theft Prevention Standard).

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all M7 Aerospace LLC Models SA226-AT, SA226-T, SA226-T(B), SA226-TC, SA227- AC (C-26A), SA227-AT, SA227-BC (C-26A), SA227-CC, SA227-DC (C-26B), SA227-TT, SA26-AT, and SA26-T airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of airplanes with multiple fatigue cracks in the FS 69.31 front pressure bulkhead. This proposed AD would require repetitively inspecting (visually) the FS 51.31 front pressure bulkhead on SA26 series airplanes and FS 69.31 front pressure bulkhead on SA226 and SA227 series airplanes for cracks, and repairing any cracked bulkhead. This proposed AD also requires reporting certain inspection results to M7 Aerospace LLC. We are proposing this AD to correct the unsafe condition on these products.

We propose to supersede airworthiness directive (AD) 2010-13- 04, which applies to certain Bombardier, Inc. Model DHC-8-400 series airplanes. AD 2010-13-04 requires modifying the nose landing gear (NLG) trailing arm. Since we issued AD 2010-13-04, we received a report of several missing or damaged pivot pin retention bolts. This proposed AD would require installing a new pivot pin retention mechanism. This proposed AD would also add airplanes to the applicability. We are proposing this AD to prevent failure of the pivot pin retention bolt, which could result in a loss of directional control or loss of a NLG tire during take-off or landing.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Turbomeca S.A. Arriel 1A1, 1A2, 1B, 1C, 1C1, 1C2, 1D, 1D1, 1E2, 1K1, 1S, and 1S1 turboshaft engines. This AD requires a one-time inspection of the free turbine (FT) module (M04) for the affected Turbomeca S.A. Arriel 1 engines and, if a discrepancy is found, repair of the affected module. This AD was prompted by a ``chip illumination event'' in flight on a Turbomeca S.A. Arriel 1 engine. We are issuing this AD to prevent a loss of FT bearing lubrication, resulting in FT module failure, damage to the engine, and damage to the aircraft.

This action proposes special conditions for Airbus A350-900 series airplanes. These airplanes will have a novel or unusual design feature when compared to the state of technology envisioned in the airworthiness standards for transport category airplanes. These design features include a high-speed protection system. 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.