Federal Aviation Administration January 12, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain McDonnell Douglas transport category airplanes. This proposed AD would require doing repetitive detailed inspections for accumulation of debris (blockage) of the drain holes of the pitot tubes, and cleaning if any evidence of debris is found. This proposed AD is prompted by reports of blocked drain holes of the pitot tubes. We are proposing this AD to prevent blocked drain holes of the pitot tubes, which could result in the accumulation of water in the pitot- static system and consequent failure of that system. Failure of the pitot-static system could result in erroneous airspeed indications in the cockpit and consequent loss of airspeed control.

This action withdraws a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that proposed a new airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to certain McDonnell Douglas Model DC-9-81 (MD-81), DC-9-82 (MD-82), DC-9-83 (MD- 83), DC-9-87 (MD-87), and MD-88 airplanes. That action would have required installing shield assemblies for power feeder cables in the forward and aft lower cargo compartments, and installing an additional shield for the power feeder cable of the auxiliary power unit in the aft lower cargo compartment. Since the issuance of the NPRM, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has determined that the proposed requirements are included in the requirements of another existing AD; the NPRM does not contain any new requirements beyond those of the existing AD. Accordingly, the proposed rule is withdrawn.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Eagle Aircraft (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. Model Eagle 150B airplanes. This proposed AD would require you to modify or replace the co-pilot rudder pedal assembly. This proposed AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the airworthiness authority for Malaysia. We are issuing this proposed AD to prevent binding of the co-pilot rudder pedal assembly due to premature wear of the bushing, which could result in loss of co-pilot rudder and brake control. This failure could result in loss of control of the airplane.

These special conditions are issued for Learjet Model 35, 35A, 36, and 36A airplanes modified by ARINC, Inc. These modified airplanes will have a novel or unusual design feature when compared to the state of technology envisioned in the airworthiness standards for transport category airplanes. The modification is the installation of a Thommen AD32 Air Data Display Unit (ADDU) which incorporates a digital air data computer and altimeter. This equipment will perform critical functions. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for the protection of these systems from the effects of high-intensity radiated fields (HIRF). 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 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces its determination that the noise exposure maps (NEM) submitted by the airport director for King County International Airport under the provisions of 49 U.S.C. 47501 et seq. (Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act) and 14 CFR part 150 are in compliance with applicable requirements. The FAA also announces that it is reviewing a proposed noise compatibility program that was submitted for King County International Airport under part 150 in conjunction with the noise exposure map, and that this program will be approved or disapproved on or before June 21, 2005.

This document corrects an error that appears in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), title 14, as of January 1, 2004. The regulation relates to attitude-indicating instruments that are required to be installed on transport category rotorcraft.

Pursuant to FAA's rulemaking provisions governing the application, processing, and disposition of petitions for exemption, part 11 of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR), this notice contains a summary of certain petitions seeking relief from specified requirements of 14 CFR. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, this aspect of FAA's regulatory activities. Neither publication of this notice nor the inclusion or omission of information in the summary is intended to affect the legal status of any petition or its final disposition.

The FAA proposes to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to certain Boeing Model 707 airplanes and Model 720 and 720B series airplanes. The existing AD currently requires a preventive modification of the front spar fitting on the outboard engine nacelle. This proposed AD would remove the requirement to do this preventive modification, and would require repetitive inspections for cracking of the front spar fitting of the inboard and outboard nacelle struts, and replacement of any cracked fitting with a new fitting. The proposed AD would also apply to more airplanes. This proposed AD is prompted by a report indicating that a crack was found in a front spar fitting that had been replaced as part of the modification required by the existing AD. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct this cracking, which could result in reduced structural integrity of the engine nacelle, and consequent separation of an engine from the airplane.