Department of Transportation August 12, 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

FMCSA confirms its decision to exempt 34 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 allow these individuals to operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce without meeting the prescribed vision requirement in one eye.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces its determination that the noise exposure maps for Portsmouth International Airport at Pease, as submitted by the Pease Development Authority under the provisions of Title I of the Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act of 1979 (Pub. L. 96-193) and 14 CFR Part 150, are in compliance with applicable requirements.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521), this notice announces that FHWA will submit the collection of information described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on May 19, 2014. The PRA submission describes the nature of the information collection and its expected cost and burden.

We are revising an earlier proposed airworthiness directive (AD) for all Saab AB, Saab Aerosystems Model 340B airplanes. The NPRM proposed to require an inspection of the stick pusher rigging and an adjustment to the correct setting if necessary. The NPRM was prompted by a report that the elevator position quoted in an aircraft maintenance manual is incorrect and a report that the trunnion at the lower part of the control column was installed incorrectly. This action revises the NPRM by proposing to require an inspection of the installation of the trunnion and the stick pusher rigging, and corrective actions if necessary. We are proposing this AD to correct the rigging of the elevator position of the stick pusher to reduce the probability of a negative effect on the handling quality during stall, which could result in reduced controllability of the airplane. Since these actions impose an additional burden over that proposed in the NPRM and at the request of a commenter, we are reopening the comment period to allow the public the chance to comment on these proposed changes.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Dassault Aviation Model Mystere-Falcon 50 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a report of an untimely and intermittent indication of slat activity due to chafing of the electrical wiring under the glare shield and behind the flight deck front panel. This proposed AD would require installing two protective plates between the electrical wiring under the glare shield and the engine fire pull handles. We are proposing this AD to prevent chafing of the electrical wiring, which could result in a short circuit and generation of smoke in the cockpit, potential loss of several functions essential for safe flight, and consequent reduced controllability of the airplane.

This rule amends the FAA's repair station regulations to allow the FAA to deny an application for a new repair station certificate if the applicant or certain associated key individuals had materially contributed to the circumstances that caused a previous repair station certificate revocation action. The rule also adds a new section prohibiting fraudulent or intentionally false entries or omissions of material facts in any application, record, or report made under the repair station rules, and provides that making the fraudulent or intentionally false entry or omitting or concealing the material fact is grounds for imposing a civil penalty and for suspending or revoking any certificate, approval, or authorization issued by the FAA to the person who made or caused the entry or omission. These changes are necessary because the repair station rules do not presently provide these safeguards as do other parts of the FAA's regulations. Both of these changes will enhance safety by reducing the number of individuals in the repair station industry who commit intentional and serious violations of the regulations or who demonstrate they are otherwise unqualified to hold repair stations certificates.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier, Inc. Model CL-600-1A11 (CL-600) airplanes. This AD requires revising the airplane flight manual to prohibit thrust reverser operation, and repetitive detailed inspections of both engine thrust reversers for cracks and modification if necessary. The modification of the thrust reversers is also an optional terminating action for the repetitive inspections. This AD was prompted by reports of partial deployment of an engine thrust reverser in-flight caused by a failure of the translating sleeve at the thrust reverser attachment points. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracks of the translating sleeve at the thrust reverser actuator attachment points, which could result in deployment or dislodgement of an engine thrust reverser in- flight and subsequent reduced control of the airplane.