Department of Transportation January 10, 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FAA is correcting a final rule published on February 21, 2014. In that rule, the FAA amended its regulations to improve safety in helicopter air ambulance and commercial helicopter operations. This document removes an incorrect cross-reference and makes corresponding revisions.

FMCSA announces that the Towing and Recovery Association of America, Inc. (TRAA) has requested an exemption from the requirement that a motor carrier install and require each of its drivers to use an electronic logging device (ELD) to record the driver's hours-of-service (HOS) TRAA has requested a 5-year exemption for all operators of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) owned or leased to providers of motor vehicle towing, recovery and roadside repair services while providing such services. TRAA states that towing industry operations represent a unique and vital segment of the overall transportation industry in America that warrants exemption from the ELD regulations, and the failure to grant this exemption will cause confusion and create an overly complex regulatory framework which will pose an undue burden on towers and their customers without any measurable benefit to public safety. TRAA believes that granting this exemption will have a positive impact on highway safety by assuring that towing operators can still respond to service requests in the most expeditious and effective manner possible. FMCSA requests public comment on TRAA's application for exemption.

This notice announces final environmental actions taken by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for a project in Seattle, Washington. The purpose of this notice is to announce publicly the environmental decisions by FTA on the subject project and to activate the limitation on any claims that may challenge this final environmental action.

General Motors, LLC (GM), has determined that the seat belt assemblies in certain model year (MY) 2017-2018 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra heavy duty motor vehicles do not fully comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 209, Seat Belt Assemblies. GM filed a noncompliance report dated September 14, 2017, and amended it on September 22, 2017. GM also petitioned NHTSA on October 6, 2017, for a decision that the subject noncompliance is inconsequential as it relates to motor vehicle safety.

This action proposes to establish Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface and modify Class E airspace designated as an extension at Olympia Regional Airport (formerly Olympia Airport). This action would remove the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) part-time status for Class E airspace designated as an extension, and would update the airport name and geographic coordinates in the associated Class D and E airspace areas to match the FAA's aeronautical database. These changes are necessary to accommodate airspace redesign for the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations within the National Airspace System. Also, an editorial change would be made to the Class D and Class E airspace legal descriptions replacing Airport/Facility Directory with the term Chart Supplement.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all The Boeing Company Model 787 series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of hydraulic leakage caused by damage to aileron and elevator actuators from lightning strikes. This proposed AD would require a records check to inspect for certain parts, a detailed inspection of aileron and elevator power control units (PCUs), and applicable on-condition actions. We are proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.