Department of Transportation April 16, 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On March 10, 2020, FRA published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that would establish safety standards for the Texas Central Railroad (TCRR) high speed rail system. On March 12, 2020, FRA announced three public hearings to provide members of the public an opportunity to provide oral comments on the proposed safety requirements, which were subsequently postponed on March 30, 2020. FRA is now announcing the rescheduling of the public hearings. Additionally, FRA is extending the comment period to May 26, 2020, to afford members of the public time to comment on opinions and views expressed during these hearings, that will be captured in a transcript of the proceedings and placed in the rulemaking docket.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus SAS Model A350-941 and -1041 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a report indicating that when the number 2 engine thrust reverser (T/R) was opened, the right-hand T/R hinge nut located at position 4 was found detached; investigation revealed that certain nuts could have been installed with noncompliant locking features, or with locking features that could degrade quicker than anticipated. This proposed AD would require inspecting each T/R hinge for the presence of a nut and washer, installing a new nut and washer if necessary, and applying a torque stripe at each T/R hinge location, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which will be incorporated by reference. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.