Federal Aviation Administration February 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of a meeting of the RTCA Government/Industry Air Traffic Management Advisory Committee.

The FAA proposes to rule and invites pubilc comment on the application to impose and use the revenue from a PFC at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport under the provisions of the 49 U.S.C. 40117 and part 158 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 158).

This action amends Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations, part 71 (14 CFR 71) by revising Class E airspace at Rolla, MO. A review of controlled airspace for Rolla Downtown Airport revealed it does not comply with the criteria for 700 feet above ground level (AGL) airspace required for diverse departures. The area is modified and enlarged to conform to the criteria in FAA Orders.

This amendment adopts miscellaneous amendments to the required IFR (instrument flight rules) altitudes and changeover points for certain Federal airways, jet routes, or direct routes for which a minimum or maximum en route authorized IFR altitude is prescribed. This regulatory action is needed because of changes occurring in the National Airspace System. These changes are designed to provide for the safe and efficient use of the navigable airspace under instrument conditions in the affected areas.

This action revises Colored Federal Airway Green 16 (G-16), in Alaska. This action adds to the instrument flight rules (IFR) airway and route structure in Alaska by extending G-16 from Put River, AK, to Barter Island, AK. The FAA is taking this action to enhance the safety and management of aircraft operations in Alaska.

This action proposes to establish new Class E airspace at Perryville, AK. A new Standard Instrument Approach Procedure (SIAP) and Departure Procedure are being published for the Perryville Airport. There is no existing Class E airspace to contain aircraft executing the new instrument approach at Perryville, AK. Adoption of this proposal would result in the establishment of Class E airspace upward from 700 feet (ft.) and 1,200 ft. above the surface at Perryville, AK.

This action proposes to revise the Class E airspace at St. Michael, AK. Two new Standard instrument approach procedures (SIAPs) and a new Textual Departure Procedure are being published for St. Michael, AK. Additional Class E airspace is needed to contain aircraft executing instrument approaches at St. Michael Airport. Adoption of this proposal would result in additional Class E airspace upward from 700 feet (ft.) above the surface at St. Michael, AK.

This action proposes to establish eight area navigation (RNAV) routes in Florida in support of the High Altitude Redesign (HAR) project. The FAA is proposing this action to enhance safety and to improve the efficient use of the navigable airspace.

The FAA is revising an existing airworthiness directive (AD), which applies to certain McDonnell Douglas Model MD-90-30 airplanes. This AD requires a one-time general visual inspection to detect wire chafing damage and to determine adequate clearance between the disconnect panel structure and the wires above the aft left lavatory; and corrective actions, if necessary. This new AD revises the applicability of the existing AD. This AD is prompted by the determination that certain airplanes unaffected by the existing AD are subject to the unsafe condition, and certain other airplanes should be removed from the applicability. We are issuing this AD to prevent damage to certain wires due to contact between the wires and the adjacent structure, which could result in electrical arcing and consequent smoke and fire in the cabin.

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 a certain petition 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.

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 a certain petition 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 rule and invites public comment on the application to impose and use the revenue from a PFC at Key West International Airport under the provisions of the Aviation Safety and Capacity Expansion Act of 1990 (Title IX of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990) (Pub. L. 101-508) and Part 158 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR Part 158).

This action amends Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations, part 71 (14 CFR 71) by revising Class E airspace areas at Rolla/Vichy, MO. A review of the Class E airspace surface area and the Class E airspace area extending upward from 700 feet above ground level (AGL) at Rolla/ Vichy, MO reveals neither area complies with criteria for extensions nor reflects the current Rolla National Airport airport reference point (APR). Also, the legal descriptions of both area are not in proper format. These airspace areas and their legal descriptions are modified to conform to the criteria in FAA Orders.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces May 1, 2005, as the deadline for each airport sponsor to notify the FAA that it will use its fiscal year 2005 entitlement funds to accomplish projects identified in the Airports Capital Improvement Plan that was formulated in the spring of 2004.

This notice announces the issuance of Advisory Circular (AC) 23.1523. This Advisory Circular (AC) sets forth one method that may be used to show compliance to the requirements contained within 14 CFR, part 23, 23.1523, which prescribes the certification requirements for minimum flight crew on part 23 airplanes. This AC is one method that can be used to determine workload factors and issues for normal, utility, acrobatic and commuter category airplanes. Material in this AC is neither mandatory nor regulatory in nature and does not constitute a regulation. This material is a reference for part 23 airplane manufacturers, modifiers, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) design evaluation engineers, flight test engineers, engineering flight test pilots [Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), and Flight Standards, and Manufacturers] as well as human factors engineering evaluators. This material may be used by FAA authorized designees to perform workload evaluations. This AC encourages participation and coordination from all the test community participants described above. This AC is consistent with the flight test guidance and workload factors described in the minimum flight crew evaluation sections and workload factors described in AC 23-8B. This AC is an acceptable means of showing compliance for part 23 on flight tests and pilot judgments. The draft advisory circular was issued for Public Comment on July 2, 2004 (69 FR 40451). When possible, comments received were used to modify the draft advisory circular.

This notice revises an earlier proposed airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to Rolls Royce plc (RR) RB211-524 series turbofan engines with certain part number (P/N) intermediate pressure (IP) compressor stage 5 disks installed. That proposal required new reduced IP compressor stage 5 disk cyclic limits. That proposal also required removing from service affected disks that already exceed the new reduced cyclic limit, and removing other affected disks before exceeding their cyclic limits, using a drawdown schedule. That proposal resulted from the discovery of cracks in the cooling air hole areas of the disk front spacer arm. This Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (SNPRM) revises the proposed rule by correcting certain cycle life limits specified in Table 3 of that AD and by clarifying certain inspections. We are proposing this AD to prevent IP compressor stage 5 disk failure, which could result in uncontained engine failure and possible damage to the airplane.

This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to all Boeing Model 747 series airplanes, that requires repetitive inspections of the nacelle strut-to-wing attachment structure, and repetitive overhaul of the diagonal brace and spring beam load paths, to maintain damage tolerance requirements and ensure long-term structural integrity; and follow-on and corrective actions if necessary. This action is necessary to ensure the structural integrity of the strut-to-wing load path and prevent separation of the strut and engine from the airplane. This action is intended to address the identified unsafe condition.

This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to certain Boeing Model 737-300, -400, and -500 series airplanes; and Model 757-200 and -200CB series airplanes, that requires inspection of the applicable body station frames for open body station frames and related investigative/corrective actions; and installation of lanyard hook brackets and lanyard assemblies under the air conditioning overhead ducts, as applicable. This action is necessary to prevent loosened or disconnected overhead ducts from causing ceiling panels to drop below the minimum height of the evacuation zone for the passenger cabin, which could result in inadequate height for safe exit in the event of an emergency evacuation. This action is intended to address the identified unsafe condition.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier Model DHC-8-102, -103, -106, -201, -202, -301, - 311, and -315 airplanes. The subject of this proposed AD is the pilot's static system. This proposed AD would require revising the airplane flight manual to include applicable procedures to follow when the flightcrew receives abnormal indications of airspeed, altitude, or vertical airspeed. This proposed AD would also require modifying the static system. This proposed AD is prompted by a report of a leak in the static pressure system, which could result in loss of the static systems and consequent erroneous data displayed on the pilot's flight instruments. We are proposing this AD to advise the flightcrew of applicable procedures in the event of abnormal indications of airspeed, altitude, or vertical airspeed; and to prevent leaks in the static system, which could result in the loss of critical flight information that could result in reduced controllability of the airplane or controlled flight into terrain.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus Model A330, A340-200, and A340-300 series airplanes. This proposed AD would require inspecting to determine the part number and serial number of the left- and right-hand elevator assemblies, performing related investigative and corrective actions if necessary, and re-protecting the elevator assembly. This proposed AD is prompted by reports that areas on the top skin panel of the right-hand elevator have disbonded due to moisture penetration. We are proposing this AD to prevent disbonding of the elevator assembly, which could reduce the structural integrity of the elevator and result in reduced controllability of the airplane.

The FAA proposes to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to certain Boeing Model 747-100, -200, - 300, and 747SP series airplanes. The existing AD currently requires certain inspections to find missing or alloy-steel taperlock fasteners (bolts) in the diagonal brace underwing fittings, and corrective actions if necessary. For airplanes with missing or alloy-steel fasteners, the existing AD also mandates replacement of certain fasteners with new fasteners, which constitutes terminating action for certain inspections. This proposed AD would expand the applicability to include additional airplane models and would require a new inspection to determine fastener material and to find missing or broken fasteners, and related investigative/corrective actions if necessary. This proposed AD is prompted by reports indicating that cracked fasteners made of A286 material were found on airplanes that had only fasteners made of A286 material installed in the area common to the diagonal brace underwing fittings. We are proposing this AD to prevent loss of the underwing fitting load path due to missing or damaged alloy-steel or A286 taperlock fasteners, which could result in separation of the engine and strut from the airplane.

This document announces a public meeting in which the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and members of the Performance-Based Operations Aviation Rulemaking Committee (PARC) will discuss the activities of the PARC since the Federal Aviation Administrator chartered the group in February 2004.