Department of Transportation July 15, 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

These special conditions are issued for the Cirrus Design Corporation (Cirrus), model SF50 airplane. This airplane will have a novel or unusual design feature(s) associated with a whole airplane parachute recovery system. 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.

The Department of Transportation is directing all interested persons to show cause why it should not issue an order tentatively finding Rectrix Aviation, Inc., fit, willing, and able to provide scheduled passenger service as a commuter air carrier using small aircraft pursuant to Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Sikorsky) Model S-92A helicopters. This proposed AD would require inspecting the main transmission forward (fwd) and aft frame assembly and adjacent skins for a crack and loose fasteners and establishing life limits for certain frame assemblies. This proposed AD is prompted by fatigue analysis indicating stress concentrations as well as the discovery of a crack in the station (STA) 362 frame and skin on a Model S-92A helicopter. The proposed actions are intended to detect a crack in a frame assembly and prevent failure of a frame and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier, Inc. Model DHC-8-400 series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a determination by the manufacturer that shims might not have been installed between certain longerons and longeron joint fittings. This proposed AD would require repetitive inspections of the external surface of the fuselage skin panel for loose or working fasteners, and corrective action if necessary; a detailed visual inspection of the longeron joint fittings for the existence of shims and, if necessary, repetitive inspections of the longeron and the longeron joint fittings for any cracking, and corrective action if necessary. This proposed AD would also provide terminating action for certain repetitive inspections. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct missing shims between the longerons and longeron joint fittings. Such missing shims could result in a gapping condition and lead to stress corrosion cracking of the longeron joint fittings, and could adversely affect the structural integrity of the wing-to-fuselage attachment joints.

These special conditions are issued for the Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation (Gulfstream) Model GVII-G500 airplane. This airplane will have a novel or unusual design feature when compared to the state of technology envisioned in the airworthiness standards for transport-category airplanes. This design feature is a digital systems architecture requiring isolation or protection from unauthorized internal access. 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.

The Maritime Administration (MARAD), in cooperation with the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), announces the availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Delfin LNG deepwater port license application for the exportation of natural gas. Delfin LNG, LLC (Delfin LNG), is the applicant. A Notice of Application that summarized the original Delfin LNG license application was published in the Federal Register on July 16, 2015 (80 FR 42162). A Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Notice of Public Meetings was published in the Federal Register on July 29, 2015 (80 FR 45270). A Notice of Receipt of Amended Application was published in the Federal Register on December 24, 2015 (80 FR 80455). This Notice of Availability (NOA) incorporates the aforementioned Notices by reference. The proposed Delfin LNG deepwater port would be located in Federal waters within the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) approximately 37.4 to 40.8 nautical miles off the coast of Cameron Parish, Louisiana. The proposed Delfin LNG deepwater port incorporates onshore components, which are subject to FERC jurisdiction. These facilities are described in the section of this Notice titled ``FERC Application.'' Publication of this notice begins a 45-day comment period, requests public participation in the environmental impact review process, provides information on how to participate in the process and announces informational open houses and public meetings in Cameron, Louisiana and Beaumont, Texas.