Department of Transportation 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

FMCSA announces receipt of applications from 11 individuals for an exemption from the prohibition against persons with a clinical diagnosis of epilepsy or any other condition which is likely to cause a loss of consciousness or any loss of ability to operate a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) from operating CMVs in interstate commerce. 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. If granted, the limited 2-year exemptions would enable these individuals to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.

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

The FAA is proposing to clarify the qualification requirements for the pilot assigned as second in command on a flight in part 121 operations that requires three or more pilots and the pilot who provides relief to the assigned second in command during the en route cruise portion of the flight.

FMCSA announces its decision to renew the exemptions from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for 6 individuals. FMCSA has statutory authority to exempt individuals from the vision requirement if the exemptions granted will not compromise safety. The Agency has concluded that granting these exemption renewals will provide a level of safety that is equivalent to or greater than the level of safety maintained without the exemptions for these commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers.

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

FMCSA announces and requests public comment on data and information concerning the Pre-Authorization Safety Audit (PASA) for Road Machinery Co SA de CV with U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) number 2091627, which applied to participate in the Agency's long-haul pilot program to test and demonstrate the ability of Mexico- domiciled motor carriers to operate safely in the United States beyond the municipalities in the United States on the United States-Mexico international border or the commercial zones of such municipalities. This action is required by the ``U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007'' and all subsequent appropriations.

This action proposes special conditions for the Bombardier Aerospace Inc. Models BD-500-1A10 and BD-500-1A11 series airplanes. These airplanes will have novel or unusual design features associated with the autobraking system for use during landing. 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.

This action amends Class E airspace at Kankakee, IL. Controlled airspace is necessary to accommodate amended Area Navigation (RNAV) Standard Instrument Approach Procedures at Greater Kankakee Airport. The FAA is taking this action to enhance the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) operations at the airport. Geographic coordinates are also updated.

This action establishes Class D airspace at Mesquite, TX. Establishment of an airport traffic control tower at Mesquite Metro Airport has made this action necessary for the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) operations at the airport.

This action amends Class E airspace at Washington, KS. Decommissioning of the Morrison non-directional beacon (NDB) at Washington County Memorial Airport has made reconfiguration necessary for standard instrument approach procedures and for the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) operations at the airport. Geographic coordinates are also updated.

This action establishes Class E airspace at Curtis, NE. Controlled airspace is necessary to accommodate new Area Navigation (RNAV) Standard Instrument Approach Procedures at Curtis Municipal Airport. The FAA is taking this action to enhance the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) operations at the airport.

These special conditions are issued for the Bombardier Inc. Models BD-500-1A10 and BD-500-1A11 series airplanes. These airplanes will have a novel or unusual design feature associated with an electronic flight control system that provides roll control of the airplanes through pilot inputs to the flight computers. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These 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.

This action proposes to amend Class E airspace at Lapeer, MI. Additional controlled airspace is necessary to accommodate amended Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAP) at DupontLapeer Airport. The FAA is taking this action to enhance the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations for SIAPs at the airport. Geographic coordinates would also be updated.

FMCSA announces its decision to grant requests from nine 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 nine individuals to operate CMVs in interstate commerce for a 2-year period. The exemptions preempt State laws and regulations and may be renewed.

This final rule revises the training requirements for pilots in air carrier operations. The regulations enhance air carrier pilot training programs by emphasizing the development of pilots' manual handling skills and adding safety-critical tasks such as recovery from stall and upset. The final rule also requires enhanced runway safety training and pilot monitoring training to be incorporated into existing requirements for scenario-based flight training and requires air carriers to implement remedial training programs for pilots. The FAA expects these changes to contribute to a reduction in aviation accidents. Additionally, the final rule revises recordkeeping requirements for communications between the flightcrew and dispatch; ensures that personnel identified as flight attendants have completed flight attendant training and qualification requirements; provides civil enforcement authority for making fraudulent statements; and, provides a number of conforming and technical changes to existing air carrier crewmember training and qualification requirements. The final rule also includes provisions that provide opportunities for air carriers to modify training program requirements for flightcrew members when the air carrier operates multiple aircraft types with similar design and flight handling characteristics.

The Department of Transportation is amending its rules implementing the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) to require U.S. air carriers and foreign air carriers to make their Web sites that market air transportation to the general public in the United States accessible to individuals with disabilities. In addition, the Department is amending its rule that prohibits unfair and deceptive practices and unfair methods of competition to require ticket agents that are not small businesses to disclose and offer Web-based fares to passengers who indicate that they are unable to use the agents' Web sites due to a disability. DOT is also requiring U.S. and foreign air carriers to ensure that kiosks meet detailed accessibility design standards specified in this rule until a total of at least 25 percent of automated kiosks in each location at the airport meet these standards. In addition, the Department is amending its rule implementing the Rehabilitation Act to require U.S. airport operators meet the same accessibility standards.

This action proposes special conditions for the Airbus Model A350-900 series airplanes. These airplanes will have a novel or unusual design feature(s) associated with side stick controllers for pitch and roll control instead of conventional wheels and columns. 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.

This notice announces a public meeting via teleconference of the Transit Rail Advisory Committee for Safety (TRACS). TRACS is a Federal Advisory Committee established by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation (the Secretary) in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act to provide information, advice, and recommendations to the Secretary and the Federal Transit Administrator on matters relating to the safety of public transportation systems.

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 has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its expected burden. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period was published on April 3, 2013 [78 FR 20172]. No comments were received. This document describes the collection of information for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval. The collection of information described is the ``Make Inoperative Exemptions49 CFR Part 595.'' (OMB Control Number: 2127-0635)

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to renew the following information collection:

This action corrects a final rule published in the Federal Register of September 30, 2013, that establishes Class E airspace at the Glasgow VHF Omni-Directional Radio Range/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME) navigation aid, Glasgow, MT. A favorable comment from the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) was received in the public Docket but was not referenced in the Final Rule.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for ECD Model BO105C (C-2 and CB-2 Variants) and BO105S (CS-2 and CBS-2 Variants) helicopters with a certain third stage turbine wheel installed. This AD requires installing a placard on the instrument panel and revising the limitations section of the rotorcraft flight manual (RFM). This AD is prompted by several incidents of third stage engine turbine wheel failures, which were caused by excessive vibrations at certain engine speeds during steady-state operations. These actions are intended to alert pilots to avoid certain engine speeds during steady-state operations, prevent failure of the third stage engine turbine, engine power loss, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Agusta S.p.A. (Agusta) Model AW139 helicopters. This AD requires replacing certain solder splices in the co-pilot audio system. This AD was prompted by the discovery of improper installation of solder splices on the co-pilot audio system causing intermittent noise through the audio system during flight. The actions of this AD are intended to prevent degradation and complete loss of communications between the pilot and co-pilot during flight, impairing the co-pilot's capability to react immediately to operational difficulties, which could lead to subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.