Department of Transportation March 4, 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW), has determined that certain model year (MY) 2016 BMW 7 Series passenger cars do not fully comply with paragraph S7.7.13.3 of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108, Lamps, reflective devices and associated equipment. BMW filed a report dated January 21, 2016, pursuant to 49 CFR part 573, Defect and Noncompliance Responsibility and Reports. BMW then petitioned NHTSA under 49 CFR part 556 requesting a decision that the subject noncompliance is inconsequential to motor vehicle safety.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Park Service (NPS), in accordance with the National Parks Air Tour Management Act of 2000, announce the next meeting of the National Parks Overflights Advisory Group (NPOAG) Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC). This notification provides the date, location, and agenda for the meeting. Date and Location: The NPOAG ARC will meet on April 13, 2016. The meeting will take place in Biscayne National Park's Dante Fascell Visitor Center Auditorium, 9700 SW. 328th Street, Homestead, FL 33033. The meeting will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on April 13, 2016. This NPOAG meeting will be open to the public.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the Department of Transportation (DOT) provides notice that it will submit an information collection requests (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for emergency approval of a proposed information collection. Upon receiving the requested six-month emergency approval by OMB, the Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST) will follow the normal PRA procedures to obtain extended approval for this proposed information collection. The collection of information is necessary in order to receive applications for grant funds pursuant to Section 1105 of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act of 2015, which was signed into law on December 4, 2015. Section 1105 establishes a new program for OST to provide Supplemental Discretionary Grants for a Nationally Significant Freight and Highway Projects (NSFHP) program. The Department will also refer to NSFHP grants as Fostering Advancements in Shipping and Transportation for the Long-term Achievement of National Efficiencies (FASTLANE) grants. The FAST Act provides specific deadlines for this program, including a statutory 60-day Congressional notification requirement, which is no later than July 30, 2016. In order to ensure that the NSFHP grants are awarded in an expeditious manner and in the timeframes established by the FAST Act, the Department requests approval of an information collection using OMB's emergency processing system to meet Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) requirements. Information related to this ICR, including applicable supporting documentation may be obtained by contacting the NSFHP program manager via email at NSFHP@dot.gov.

The Department of Transportation is issuing a final rule to extend the smoking ban in DOT's regulation to include all charter (i.e., nonscheduled) flights where a flight attendant is a required crewmember. The revised regulation would comport with 49 U.S.C. 41706, which was revised in 2012, to ban smoking on charter flights where a flight attendant is a required crewmember. This final rule also explicitly bans the use of electronic cigarettes (``e-cigarettes'') on all flights where smoking is banned. The Department interprets the existing regulation to prohibit e-cigarette use, but is codifying this interpretation.

Cooper Tire & Rubber Company (Cooper), has determined that certain Cooper tires do not fully comply with paragraph S5.5.1(b) of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 139, New Pneumatic Tires Radial Tires for Light Vehicles. Cooper filed a report dated August 13, 2015, pursuant to 49 CFR part 573, Defect and Noncompliance Responsibility and Reports. Cooper then petitioned NHTSA under 49 CFR part 556 requesting a decision that the subject noncompliance is inconsequential to motor vehicle safety.

We are superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2014-07-52 for certain Airbus Helicopters (previously Eurocopter France) Model AS350B, AS350BA, AS350B1, AS350B2, AS350B3, AS350C, AS350D, AS350D1, AS355E, AS355F, AS355F1, AS355F2, AS355N, and AS355NP helicopters. AD 2014-07- 52 required repetitively inspecting certain reinforcement angles of the rear structure to tailboom junction frame (reinforcement angles) for a crack at 10 hour time-in-service (TIS) intervals, repairing any cracked reinforcement angle, and allowed an optional repetitive inspection with a 165 hour TIS inspection interval as a terminating action for the 10 hour TIS inspections. This AD retains the inspection requirements of AD 2014-07-52 and requires the inspection of the area around each reinforcement angle screw hole as terminating action to the 10 hour TIS inspections. We are issuing this AD to detect a crack in the reinforcement angle, which if not corrected, could result in loss of the tailboom and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for EVECTOR, spol. s.r.o. Model L 13 SEH VIVAT and L 13 SDM VIVAT gliders (type certificate previously held by AEROTECHNIK s.r.o.). This proposed AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) originated by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as lack of distinct color marking of the elevator drive. We are issuing this proposed AD to require actions to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This notice announces actions taken by the FHWA and other Federal agencies that are final within the meaning of 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1). The actions relate to a proposed highway project, South Capitol Street Project, the reconstruction of South Capitol Street from Firth Sterling Avenue SE. to D Street and Suitland Parkway from Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE. to South Capitol Street; replacement of the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge; and streetscape improvements to New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC. Those actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the project.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Blanik Limited Models L-13 Blanik and L-13 AC Blanik gliders (type certificate previously by LET Aeronautical Works) that would supersede AD 99-19-33. This proposed AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) originated by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as lack of distinct color marking of the elevator drive. We are issuing this proposed AD to require actions to address the unsafe condition on these products.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all M7 Aerospace LLC Models SA26-AT, SA226-T(B), SA226-AT, SA226-T, SA226-TC, SA227-AC (C-26A), SA227-AT, SA227-BC (C-26A), SA227-CC, SA227-DC (C- 26B), and SA227-TT airplanes. This AD was prompted by information that the airplane flight manual (AFM) does not provide adequate guidance in the handling of engine failures, which may lead to reliance on the negative torque system (NTS) for reducing drag. This condition could lead the pilot to not fully feather the propeller with consequent loss of control. This AD requires inserting updates into the airplane flight manual (AFM) and/or the pilot operating handbook (POH) that will clearly establish that the NTS is not designed to automatically feather the propeller but only to provide drag protection. We are issuing this AD to correct the unsafe condition on these products.