Department of Transportation June 10, 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

FMCSA requests public comment on an application for exemption from STEMCO LP (STEMCO) to allow motor carriers to operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) that are equipped with STEMCO's TrailerTail[supreg] aerodynamic device with rear identification lamps and rear clearance lamps that are mounted lower than currently permitted by the Agency's regulations. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) require rear identification lamps and rear clearance lamps to be located ``as close as practicable to the top of the vehicle.'' While the TrailerTail[supreg] aerodynamic device is currently mounted slightly below the roof of the vehicle, STEMCO states that this offset prevents the device from delivering the maximum available fuel economy benefit as opposed to mounting it flush with the top of the vehicle which may block the visibility of the rear identification lamps and rear clearance lamps. STEMCO believes that locating the rear identification lamps and rear clearance lamps lower on the vehicle, on a horizontal plane with other required lamps (stop, turn, and tail lamps) as is done on a flatbed trailer or an intermodal chassis, will maintain a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety achieved without the exemption. STEMCO is requesting the temporary exemption in advance of petitioning FMCSA to conduct a rulemaking to amend 49 CFR 393.11.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FMCSA announces its plan to submit the Information Collection Request (ICR) described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval and invites public comment. The FMCSA requests approval to extend an ICR titled, ``Unified Registration System, FMCSA Registration/Updates.'' This ICR is due to the Agency's development of a Final Rule titled, ``Unified Registration System'' (78 FR 52608 dated August 23, 2013) requiring those entities that are subject to the FMCSA's licensing, registration and certification regulations to use a new electronic on-line application Form MCSA-1 titled, ``FMCSA Registration/Update(s)'' to make data more readily accessible for all regulated entities. On October 21, 2015, FMCSA published a final rule delaying the final effective date of the URS final rule until September 30, 2016, with full compliance not due until December 31, 2016.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for various aircraft equipped with a BRP-Powertrain GmbH & Co KG (formerly Rotax Aircraft Engines) 912 A series engine. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued 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 a design change of the engine cylinder head temperature sensor without a concurrent revision of the engine model designation, the engine part number, or the cockpit indication to the pilot. We are issuing this AD to require actions to address the unsafe condition on these products.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for PILATUS AIRCRAFT LTD. Models PC-12, PC-12/45, PC-12/47, and PC-12/47E airplanes. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued 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 incorrect installation instructions of the torlon plates in the airplane maintenance manual resulting in the incorrect installation of the torlon plates in the forward wing-to-fuselage attachment. We are issuing this AD to require actions to address the unsafe condition on these products.

In response to Congress' mandate in the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (RSIA), FRA is expanding the scope of its drug and alcohol regulation to cover MOW employees. This rule also codifies guidance from FRA compliance manuals, responds to National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommendations, and adopts substantive amendments based upon FRA's regulatory review of 30 years of implementation of this part. The final rule contains two significant differences from FRA's July 28, 2014 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). First, it adopts part 214's definition of ``roadway worker'' to define ``MOW employee'' under this part. Second, because FRA has withdrawn its proposed peer support requirements, subpart K contains a revised version of the troubled employee identification requirements previously in subpart E.

We are superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 99-16-01 for certain Airbus Model A300 B4-600, B4-600R, and F4-600R series airplanes, and Model A300 C4-605R Variant F airplanes (collectively called Model A300-600 series airplanes). AD 99-16-01 required repetitive inspections of certain bolt holes where parts of the main landing gear (MLG) are attached to the wing rear spar, and repair if necessary. Since we issued AD 99-16-01, we have determined that the risk of cracking in the wing rear spar is higher than initially determined. This new AD adds airplanes to the applicability, reduces the compliance times and repetitive intervals for the inspections, and changes the inspection procedures. This AD was prompted by a determination that the risk of cracking in the wing rear spar is higher than initially determined. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracking of the rear spar of the wing, which could result in reduced structural integrity of the airplane.