Department of Transportation January 19, 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

PHMSA is publishing this notice to solicit public comments on a request for special permit received from the Tennessee Gas Pipeline, L.L.C. (TGP). The special permit request is seeking relief from compliance with certain requirements in the Federal pipeline safety regulations. At the conclusion of the 30-day comment period, PHMSA will review the comments received from this notice as part of its evaluation to grant or deny the special permit request.

This action proposes to amend 11 VOR Federal airways, remove 10 VOR Federal airways; amend four low altitude RNAV routes (T-routes), establish seven T-routes; amend one high altitude RNAV route (Q-route), and establish one Q-route. This action would support the Northeast Corridor Atlantic Coast Route Project and the VOR Minimum Operational Network (VOR MON) Program to improve the efficiency of the National Airspace System (NAS) and reduce dependency on ground-based navigational systems.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH Model EC135P1, EC135P2, EC135P2+, EC135P3, EC135T1, EC135T2, EC135T2+, and EC135T3 helicopters. This proposed AD was prompted by a reassessment of the flight control system. This proposed AD would require modification of the cyclic stick, as specified in a European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is proposed for incorporation by reference (IBR). The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The Department is proposing to update the method of collecting and processing aviation traffic data in the Origin-Destination Survey of Airline Passenger Traffic (O&D Survey), as well as to expand the number of reporting air carriers, the sample size collected, and the scope of the data reported. These changes would align the current O&D Survey with modern industry business and accounting practices, enable cost savings, reduce burden through automation, and provide enhanced utility for users of the data. In addition, DOT is proposing to change the timing of the release of the Form 41, Schedule T-100(f) ``Foreign Air Carrier Traffic Data by Nonstop Segment and On-flight Market'' from a 6-month delay to a 3-month delay to match that of Form 41, Schedule T-100 ``Air Carrier Traffic and Capacity Data by Non-Stop Segment and On-Flight Market.''