Department of Transportation November 20, 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This document announces an extension of the comment period for the referenced NPRM, which proposed the adoption of a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain FS 2001 Corp, FS 2002 Corporation, FS 2003 Corporation, Piper, and Piper Aircraft, Inc. (Piper) airplanes. This NPRM invited comments concerning the proposed requirement of replacing any rudder equipped with a rudder post made from a certain carbon steel with a rudder equipped with a rudder post made from a certain low-alloy steel. This extension of the comment period is necessary to provide all interested persons an opportunity to present their views on the proposed requirements of this NPRM.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all MHI RJ Aviation ULC Model CL-600-2B19 (Regional Jet Series 100 & 440) airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report of missing insulation in the engine pylon area. This AD requires, for certain airplanes, inspecting the engine pylon structure for discrepancies and repair if necessary. This AD also requires revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate a new certification maintenance requirement (CMR) task. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

NHTSA published a request for information on October 13, 2023, seeking comments from all sources (public, private, government, academic, professional, public interest groups, and other interested parties) on the planned re-envisioning of the 2000 EMS Education Agenda for the Future: A Systems Approach. Due to the limited comments received and some informal feedback indicating that the initial comment period was too short, NHTSA is announcing the reopening of the comment period for the RFI in order to solicit additional comments and request responses to specific questions provided in the document. The comment period for the RFI was originally scheduled to end on October 31, 2023. It will now be reopened and will end on March 31, 2024.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Deutsche Aircraft GmbH Model 328-100 airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report of finding cracks in fuselage frames (FR) 24 and FR26. This AD requires a one-time detailed and eddy current inspection of fuselage FR24 and FR26 (left and right sides), performing corrective actions if necessary, and reporting the inspection results, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2020-23- 10, which applied to certain Dassault Aviation Model FAN JET FALCON and FAN JET FALCON SERIES C, D, E, F, and G airplanes. AD 2020-23-10 required revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations. This AD was prompted by a determination that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. This AD continues to require the actions in AD 2020-23-10 and requires revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate additional new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2018-02- 10, which applied to certain Pratt & Whitney Division (PW) Model PW4074, PW4074D, PW4077, PW4077D, PW4084D, PW4090, and PW4090-3 engines. AD 2018-02-10 required performing repetitive fluorescent penetrant inspections (FPIs) to detect cracks in the outer diffuser case (ODC), removal of any ODC that fails inspection, and updating the mandatory inspections in the Airworthiness Limitations Section (ALS) of the Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA). Since the FAA issued AD 2018-02-10, PW developed a modification to reduce the susceptibility of ODC cracking. This AD retains the ALS update requirement from AD 2018-02-10, requires replacing certain ODC part numbers with parts eligible for installation, expands the applicability to all ODC part numbers, and adjusts the compliance threshold of the FPIs of the ODC. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration withdraws a previous proposal to create a new Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard requiring vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications in new light vehicles. After the advent of new V2V communications protocol, and after a recent Federal Communications Commission (FCC) decision regarding the regulations governing the 5.850-5.895 gigahertz (5.9 GHz) band, the agency has decided to withdraw its V2V proposed rule.

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2021-08-02 for all Safran Helicopter Engines, S.A. (Safran) (type certificate previously held by Turbomeca, S.A.) Model Arriel 2D and Arriel 2E engines. AD 2021-08-02 required replacing certain critical parts before reaching their published in-service life limits, performing scheduled maintenance tasks before reaching their published periodicity, and performing unscheduled maintenance tasks when the engine meets certain conditions. Since the FAA issued AD 2021-08-02, Safran has revised the airworthiness limitation section (ALS) of the existing maintenance and overhaul manuals, introducing new and more restrictive instructions and maintenance tasks, which prompted this AD action. This AD requires updating the ALS of the existing engine maintenance manual (EMM) or instructions for continued airworthiness (ICA) and the existing approved maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, by incorporating the actions and associated thresholds and intervals, including life limits, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.