Department of Transportation 2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FMCSA announces its plan to submit the Information Collection Request (ICR) described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. FMCSA requests OMB's renewed approval to the ICR titled "Practices of Household Brokers," which applies to household goods (HHG) brokers who are procured by the public (HHG shippers) to arrange the transportation of the shipper's household goods by HHG motor carriers. This renewal updates wage related costs that have changed since the last approval and revises the previous information collection total respondent hourly and cost burden. FMCSA received two comments in response to the 60-day Federal Register notice.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the availability of $10,496,164 in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 funding under the Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development Planning (TOD Pilot Program). As required by Federal public transportation law and subject to funding availability, funds will be awarded competitively to support comprehensive planning or site-specific planning associated with new fixed guideway and core capacity improvement projects. FTA may award additional funding that is made available to the TOD Pilot Program before the announcement of project selections.

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 a generic information collection. As part of a Federal Government-wide effort to streamline the process to seek feedback from the public on service delivery, FAA has an approved Generic Information Collection Request (Generic ICR): "Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery".

FMCSA announces that it has received an application from Covenant Transport Inc. and Landair Transport Inc., jointly doing business as Covenant Logistics, requesting an exemption to allow commercial learner's permit (CLP) holders who have passed the commercial driver's license (CDL) skills test but have not yet received a CDL document to drive a Covenant Logistics' commercial motor vehicle (CMV), without being accompanied by a CDL holder in the passenger seat. FMCSA requests public comment on the applicant's request for exemption.

Current FAA regulations require that foreign applicants for operating specifications must hold a valid air operator certificate issued by the State of the Operator. Some International Civil Aviation Organization Contracting States have joined together to form Regional Safety Oversight Organizations. These organizations may provide a uniform regulatory structure for safety oversight and provide technical assistance and the execution of safety oversight functions on behalf of their member States. Regional Safety Oversight Organizations have been established in many parts of the world. These organizations may be formed based on a variety of differing arrangements among member States. The institutional structures of these organizations range from highly formalized intergovernmental organizations established on the basis of formal legal agreements, to less formalized organizations established under the International Civil Aviation Organization Cooperative Development of Operational Safety and Continuing Airworthiness Program. States participating in Regional Safety Oversight Organizations may delegate various functions or tasks to these organizations based on the extent of delegated legal authority stipulated in the Regional Safety Oversight Organization's formation documentation. One of the functions member States may delegate to some of the highly formalized and more fully resourced Regional Safety Oversight Organizations is the issuance of air operator certificates on behalf of the State of the Operator. This regulation change would allow the FAA to review and, if acceptable to the Administrator, recognize as valid air operator certificates issued by the Regional Safety Oversight Organization to foreign air carriers on behalf of the State of the Operator for purposes of evaluating foreign applicants for operating specifications.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Piper Aircraft, Inc. (Piper) Model PA-28-181, PA-28R-201, PA- 34-220T, and PA-44-180 airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report of a double-drilled bolt hole of the rear wing spar attachment fitting found during an unscheduled inspection of an airplane due to a ground collision with an automobile. This AD requires inspecting the rear wing spar attachment fitting and, if discrepancies are found, inspecting the forward wing spar attachment fitting, accomplishing corrective actions as required, and reporting to the FAA when corrective actions are required. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2009-25-13, which applies to certain Bombardier, Inc., Model BD-100- 1A10 (Challenger 300) airplanes. AD 2009-25-13 requires the deactivation of the left-hand (LH) baggage bay heater mat. Since the FAA issued AD 2009-25-13, Bombardier developed a new design solution for the potential uncontrolled heating of the baggage bay sidewall heater mat. This proposed AD would retain the requirements of AD 2009- 25-13, and would also require modifying the baggage bay sidewall interior panel, heater mat, and water tank heater installation, and doing functional testing. Upon the completion of the new actions, the retained requirements of AD 2009-25-13 would terminate. This proposed AD would also revise the applicability and prohibit the installation of affected parts. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

These special conditions are issued for the Textron Aviation, Inc. (Textron) 550 (Bravo), 560 (Ultra Encore), and 560XL (Excel) series airplanes as modified by Aerospace Design & Compliance, LLC (ADC). 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 the installation of an electronic networks system architecture that will allow increased connectivity to and access from external network sources to the airplane's previously isolated electronic assets (networks, systems, and databases). 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.

This action proposes special conditions for the Bell Model 525 helicopter. This helicopter will have a novel or unusual design feature when compared to the state of technology envisioned in the airworthiness standards for transport category helicopters. This design feature is a four-axis full authority digital fly-by-wire (FBW) flight control system (FCS) that provides for aircraft control through pilot input or coupled auto pilot modes. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These proposed 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 adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Leonardo S.p.a. Model AW169 helicopters. This AD was prompted by manufacturing defects in certain forward and aft float assemblies. This AD requires replacing certain aft float assemblies or, as an alternative, deactivating the emergency flotation system (EFS). This AD also prohibits installing certain forward and aft float assemblies. These actions are 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.

FRA is establishing regulations for the certification of dispatchers, pursuant to the authority granted in section 402 of the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (RSIA).

This notice announces actions taken by FHWA and other Federal agencies that are final. This final agency action relates to a proposed highway project, the roadway widening of Mill Creek Canyon Road, modifications to parking areas, establishment of a bicycle lane, and drainage improvements to the upper 4.6 miles of Mill Creek Canyon Road near Millcreek, Utah. The FHWA's Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) provides details on the Selected Alternative for the proposed improvements.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all The Boeing Company Model 737-100, -200, -200C, -300, -400, and -500 series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a report indicating cracks in the frame inner chord and web at station (STA) 727. This proposed AD would require an inspection for any repair, repetitive inspections of the frame inner chord and web at STA 727 for any crack, and applicable on-condition actions. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

A final rule was published in the Federal Register on April 8, 2024, amending Class D surface area and Class E airspace for Greenbrier Valley Airport, Lewisburg, WV, as the BUSHI non-directional beacon (NDB) was removed from the airspace descriptions. This action corrects the Class D airspace description by changing the ceiling of the airspace from 4,000 feet to 4,800 feet.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) invites public comments about our intention to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a new information collection. Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from the public, it must receive approval from OMB. Under procedures established by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, before seeking OMB approval, Federal agencies must solicit public comment on proposed collections of information, including extensions and reinstatement of previously approved collections. This document describes six collections of information for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval that would be conducted as part of the National Traffic Safety Survey.

This action proposes to remove Class E surface airspace for Manchester Boston Regional Airport, Manchester, NH, as the overlying Class C airspace deems the Class E surface airspace unnecessary.

Under this notice, the FAA announces the submission deadline of May 17, 2024, for Winter 2024/25 flight schedules at Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD), John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), and San Francisco International Airport (SFO).

The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2020-25-07, which applies to certain Embraer S.A. Model EMB-550 and EMB-545 airplanes. AD 2020-25-07 requires repetitive inspections of the flight deck side windows for any cracking or delamination, corrective action if necessary, and eventual replacement of the windows. Since the FAA issued AD 2020-25-07, additional part numbers were added to the installation prohibition list. This proposed AD would continue to require the actions in AD 2020-25-07, expand the list of affected parts, and prohibit the installation of affected parts, as specified in an Ag[ecirc]ncia Nacional de Avia[ccedil][atilde]o Civil (ANAC) AD, which is proposed for incorporation by reference (IBR). The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 787-9 and 787-10 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports that some floor beam side-of-body fittings have been manufactured with an incorrect material type. This proposed AD would require replacing the incorrectly manufactured floor beam side-of-body fittings, inspecting the fuselage frame and fastener holes for damage, and repairing any damage. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2023-25-07, which applies to all Dassault Aviation Model MYSTERE-FALCON 900 airplanes. AD 2023-25-07 requires revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations. Since the FAA issued AD 2023-25- 07, the FAA has determined that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. This proposed AD would continue to require certain actions in AD 2023-25-07 and would require revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations, as specified in a European Union 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.

This action proposes to establish Class E airspace at Brenham, TX. The FAA is proposing this action to support new instrument procedures at this airport.

FMCSA announces receipt of applications from 10 individuals for an exemption from the hearing requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) to operate a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) in interstate commerce. If granted, the exemptions would enable these hard of hearing and deaf individuals to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.