Department of Transportation April 6, 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

FMCSA announces its decision to exempt 11 individuals from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) to operate a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) in interstate commerce. They are unable to meet the vision requirement in one eye for various reasons. The exemptions enable these individuals to operate CMVs in interstate commerce without meeting the vision requirement in one eye.

FMCSA announces its decision to renew exemptions for 15 individuals from the hearing requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) for interstate commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. The exemptions enable these hard of hearing and deaf individuals to continue to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2020-01- 10, which applied to certain Airbus SAS Model A350-941 airplanes. AD 2020-01-10 required installing flight control and guidance system (FCGS) software (SW) X11 Standard (STD). This AD retains the requirements of AD 2020-01-10, requires modifying the electrical power supply of the air generation system (AGS) ram air outlet door actuators, and expands the applicability by adding airplanes, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference. This AD was prompted by the development of a modification that forces the AGS ram air outlet doors to be flush in cases of total engine flameout or loss of the main electrical supply. Because of this additional modification, certain airplanes that were excluded from the applicability of AD 2020-01-10 are included in the applicability of this AD. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announces its decision to grant the application of Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems, LLC (Bendix) for a limited five-year exemption to allow its Bendix Advance Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) technology to be mounted lower in the windshield on commercial motor vehicles (CMV) than is currently permitted. The Agency has determined that lower placement of the ADAS technology would not have an adverse impact on safety and that adherence to the terms and conditions of the exemption would likely achieve a level of safety equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety provided by the regulation.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Pacific Scientific Company rotary buckle assemblies (buckles). This AD requires inspecting each buckle including its buckle handle vane, and depending on the results, removing the buckle from service and installing an airworthy buckle. This AD also prohibits installing the affected buckles. This AD was prompted by several reports of cracked buckle handles. The actions of this AD are intended to address an unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG (RRD) Trent 1000-A2, 1000- AE2, 1000-C2, 1000-CE2, 1000-D2, 1000-E2, 1000-G2, 1000-H2, 1000-J2, 1000-K2, and 1000-L2 model turbofan engines. This AD was prompted by the manufacturer's analysis which determined that cracks may initiate in the front seal fins and cause cracks in the low-pressure turbine (LPT) disk. This AD requires repetitive inspection of the seal fins and, depending on the results of the inspection, replacement of the LPT disk before further flight. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.