Department of Transportation November 22, 2022 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FAA is amending its regulations to require airmen hold a valid second-class medical certificate when exercising the privileges of a commercial pilot certificate in a balloon for compensation or hire except when conducting flight training in a balloon. In addition, the FAA makes miscellaneous amendments related to medical certification requirements for special medical flight tests and a minor change to the BasicMed regulations.

This notice announces a meeting of the ARAC.

The FAA is adding a new load condition to the design standards for transport category airplanes. The new load condition requires such airplanes to be designed to withstand the loads caused by rapid reversals of the rudder pedals, and applies to transport category airplanes that have a powered rudder control surface or surfaces. This rule is necessary because accident and incident data show that pilots sometimes make rudder reversals during flight, even though such reversals are unnecessary and discouraged by flightcrew training programs. The current design standards do not require the airplane structure to withstand the loads that may result from such reversals. If the loads on the airplane exceed those for which it is designed, the airplane structure may fail, resulting in catastrophic loss of control of the airplane. This final rule aims to prevent structural failure of the rudder and vertical stabilizer that may result from these rudder reversals.

The FHWA, in coordination with the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT), is issuing this notice to invite comment and advise the public that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared to study potential improvements to the Honoapiilani Highway (State Route No. 30) between Ukumehame and Launiupoko in West Maui. Improvements are needed to provide a reliable transportation facility that would not be inundated by the predicted 3.2-foot sea level rise and undermined by coastal erosion. The FHWA, as the Federal lead agency, and HDOT as the project sponsor and joint lead agency, will prepare an EIS for the Honoapiilani Highway Improvements Project, Ukumehame to Launiupoko, covering the 6-mile segment between milepost 11 in the vicinity of Papalaua Wayside Park in Ukumehame (southeastern terminus) and milepost 17 in Launiupoko, where Honoapiilani Highway currently connects with the existing southern terminus of the Lahaina Bypass (northwestern terminus of the project).

In accordance with the procedures governing the application for, and the processing of, special permits from the Department of Transportation's Hazardous Material regulations, notice is hereby given that the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety has received the application described herein.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to renew an information collection. The collection involves the recordkeeping requirement for owners/operators of aircraft issued a special airworthiness certificate in the light-sport aircraft category (SLSA) to keep the current status of applicable safety directives, and transfer these records with the aircraft at the time the aircraft is sold. The information to be collected is necessary to determine and ensure the SLSA aircraft is in a condition for safe flight prior to aircraft operation. The title of this collection is being revised from Certification of Aircraft and Airmen for the Operation of Light-Sport Aircraft to Special Light-Sport Aircraft (SLSA) Safety Directive Recordkeeping, to better reflect the purpose of the information collected.

This action amends the Evansville Regional Airport, IN, Class C airspace description to update the airport reference point (ARP) geographic coordinates for the Evansville Regional Airport and the Skylane Airport to match the FAA's National Airspace System Resource (NASR) database information. Additionally, this action makes technical amendments to the airspace description header information by changing the title of the airspace area and adding the Pocket City, IN (PXV), VHF Omnidirectional Range and Tactical Air Navigation (VORTAC) navigational aid. Finally this action amends the airspace description by correcting the Airport/Facility Directory reference. This action does not change the boundaries, altitudes, or operating requirements of the Class C airspace area.

This action proposes to amend Jet Routes J-10, J-84, J-100, J- 128, J-144, and J-197, VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal airways V-172 and V-380, and Area Navigation (RNAV) route T-288; and revoke VOR Federal airway V-219. The FAA is proposing this action due to the planned decommissioning of the VOR portion of the Wolbach, NE (OBH), VOR/Tactical Air Navigation (VORTAC) navigational aid (NAVAID). The Wolbach VOR is being decommissioned in support of the FAA's VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) program.

MARAD announces a meeting of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) Board of Visitors (BOV).