Department of Transportation March 15, 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

These special conditions are issued for the Boeing Commercial Airplanes (Boeing) Model 777-9 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 structure-mounted airbags designed to limit occupant forward excursion in the event of an emergency landing. 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.

These special conditions are issued for the Bombardier Model BD-100-1A10 airplane. This airplane, as modified by Rockwell Collins, 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 the installation of a system that allows connection to airplane electronic systems and networks, and access from aircraft external to the previously isolated internal airplane electronic assets. 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.

These special conditions are issued for the Bombardier Inc. (Bombardier) Model CL-600-2B16 (604 variant) airplane. This airplane, as modified by B/E Aerospace, 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 seats with a 3-point shoulder harness incorporating a pretensioner restraint 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 FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2017-26- 10, which applied to certain The Boeing Company Model 757 airplanes. AD 2017-26-10 required deactivating the spoiler control module (SCM) relays and capping and stowing the associated wiring on certain airplanes. This AD requires repetitive operational tests of the spoiler inhibit function. For certain airplanes, this AD requires installing a new relay bracket assembly, making changes to the wire bundles for certain SCMs, installing new SCMs, measuring the clearance between a wire bundle and the top of the new relay bracket assembly, and applicable on-condition actions. For a certain other airplane, this AD requires changing certain wire bundles. This AD was prompted by reports of unwanted lateral oscillations during landing operations, and the development of wiring changes for certain SCMs, which will improve the lateral handling qualities of the airplane during approach and landing. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This action proposes to establish Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface of the earth at El Capitan Lodge, Craig, AK. This action would accommodate a new area navigation (RNAV) procedure and ensure the safety and management of instrument flight rule (IFR) operations within the National Airspace System.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all BAE Systems (Operations) Limited Model BAe 146 and Model Avro 146-RJ series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a report indicating that during a routine battery capacity check on the emergency light power units, the printed circuit boards (PCBs) for certain power units were found to show signs of burning. This proposed AD would require replacing each Honeywell emergency light power unit having a certain part number with a serviceable emergency light power unit. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA is withdrawing a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that proposed to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) that would have applied to certain Sikorsky Model S-92A helicopters. The NPRM was prompted by a fatigue analysis conducted after a helicopter was found with a severed main gearbox (MGB) mounting foot pad (foot pad) that failed due to fatigue. The NPRM would have required revising the airworthiness limitations section of the existing Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA) for your helicopter to reduce the life limit of the MGB housing and replacing any MGB housing that exceeds the life limit. Since issuance of the NPRM, the FAA has determined that the affected MGB housings are no longer in service. Accordingly, the NPRM is withdrawn.

The FAA is revising an earlier proposal for all Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation Model S-61 A, D, E, and V helicopters; Croman Corporation Model SH-3H helicopters, Carson Helicopters, Inc. Model S- 61L helicopters; and Siller Helicopters Model CH-3E and SH-3A helicopters. This action revises the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) by adding camshaft and gear housing part numbers that need to be marked and clarifying the applicability and certain compliance times. The FAA is proposing this airworthiness directive (AD) to address the unsafe condition on these products. Since these actions would impose an additional burden over that in the NPRM, the FAA is reopening the comment period to allow the public the chance to comment on these changes.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics invites the general public, industry and other governmental parties to comment on the continuing need for and usefulness of BTS requiring U.S. large certificated air carriers to submit a true and complete copy of its annual audit that is made by an independent public accountant. If a carrier does not have an annual audit, the carrier must file a statement that no audit has been performed. Comments are requested concerning whether (1) the audit reports are needed by BTS and DOT; (2) BTS accurately estimated the reporting burden; (3) there are other ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information collected; and (4) there are ways to minimize reporting burden, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.