Department of Transportation June 19, 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

FMCSA announces the granting of an exemption from the 30- minute rest break provision of the Agency's hours-of-service (HOS) regulations for certain commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers transporting bees. FMCSA has analyzed both the exemption application submitted by the California Farm Bureau Federation (CFBF) on behalf of its members and other agricultural organizations and the public comments received in response to the Agency's January 8, 2015, Federal Register notice. The Agency has determined that it is appropriate to grant an exemption to ensure the well-being of Nation's bees during interstate transportation by CMV. The exemption is consistent with the goals and strategies to protect the health of honey bees and other pollinators as stated in the ``Presidential Memorandum Creating a Federal Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators,'' issued on June 20, 2014. The exemption, subject to the terms and conditions imposed, will likely achieve a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level that would be achieved absent such exemption. This exemption preempts inconsistent State and local requirements.

The FAA is withdrawing a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM). The NPRM proposed a new airworthiness directive (AD) that had applied to AlliedSignal oil scavenge pumps, part numbers (P/Ns) 101633-01 and - 02 and Rajay Inc. oil scavenge pumps, P/Ns 1025-1 and -2 installed on Continental Motors, Inc. (CMI) IO-470 and TSIO-520 reciprocating engines and on Lycoming Engines, Inc., (Lycoming) IO-360, IO-540, and O-360 reciprocating engines. We have found no service difficulties with these model oil scavenge pumps when installed on the affected engines. Accordingly, we withdraw the proposed rule.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. (P&WC) PT6B-37A turboshaft engines. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of incorrect engine torque for PT6B-37A engines. This proposed AD would require initial and repetitive inspections until replacement of the No. 10 bearing, and eventual replacement of the No. 9 bearing, both located in the engine reduction gearbox (RGB) assembly. We are proposing this AD to prevent axial migration of the No. 10 bearing in the engine RGB assembly, which could lead to engine overtorque, failure of the engine, in-flight shutdown, and loss of the rotorcraft.