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

These special conditions are issued to Garmin AT, Inc., 2345 Turner Rd. SE, Salem, OR 97302, for a Supplemental Type Certificate for the Mooney M20M and M20R. These airplanes will have novel and unusual design features when compared to the state of technology envisaged in the applicable airworthiness standards. These novel and unusual design features include the installation of an electronic flight instrument system (EFIS) display, Model G-1000, manufactured by Garmin International, for which the applicable regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate airworthiness 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 the airworthiness standards applicable to these airplanes.

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.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for McCauley Propeller Systems propeller assemblies, models 2D34C53/74E-X; D2A34C58/90AT-X; 3AF32C87/82NC-X; D3AF32C87/82NC-X; D3A32C88/82NC-X; D3A32C90/82NC-X; and 3AF34C92/90LF-X. This AD requires, within 10 flight hours or 10 days after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs first, removing certain serial number propeller hubs from service. This AD results from a report by the manufacturer that they manufactured and released 40 propeller hubs with improperly machined socket retention threads. We are issuing this AD to prevent cracked propeller hubs, which could cause failure of the propeller hub, blade separation, and loss of control of the airplane.

This notice announces the availability of and requests comments on a proposed advisory circular (AC) which sets forth an acceptable means, but not the only means, of demonstrating compliance with the provisions of the airworthiness standards for transport category airplanes related to Fuel Tank Flammability Reduction. This proposed AC complements revisions to the airworthiness standards that are being proposed by a separate notice. This notice is necessary to give all interested persons an opportunity to present their views on the proposed AC.

This action withdraws the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) published in the Federal Register on November 7, 2002 (67 FR 67801). In that action, the FAA proposed to revise Federal Airway V-257 between the Phoenix, AZ, Very High Frequency Omni-directional Radio Range and Tactical Air Navigation Aids (VORTAC) and the Drake, AZ, VORTAC. The FAA has determined that withdrawal of the proposed rule is warranted since the proposed action would require the revision of numerous instrument procedures in the Phoenix area.

The FAA publishes a monthly notice, as appropriate, of PFC approvals and disapprovals 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 notice is published pursuant to paragraph (d) of Sec. 158.29.

This notice announces a public meeting of the FAA's Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC) to discuss transport airplane and engine (TAE) issues.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus Model A318-100, A319-100, A320-200, A321-100, and A321-200 series airplanes, and Model A320-111 airplanes. This AD requires an inspection to determine whether certain braking and steering control units (BSCUs) are installed or have ever been installed. For airplanes on which certain BSCUs are installed or have ever been installed, this AD requires an inspection of the nose landing gear (NLG) upper support and corrective action if necessary, and a check of the NLG strut inflation pressure and an adjustment if necessary. For some of these airplanes, this AD also requires a revision to the aircraft flight manual to incorporate an operating procedure to recover normal steering in the event of a steering failure. This AD results from a report of an incident where an airplane landed with the NLG turned 90 degrees from centerline. We are issuing this AD to prevent landings with the NLG turned 90 degrees from centerline, which could result in reduced controllability of the airplane.

This NPRM proposes new rules that will require operators and manufacturers of transport-category airplanes to take steps that, in combination with other required actions, should greatly reduce the chances of a catastrophic fuel-tank explosion. The proposal follows seven years of intensive research by the FAA in collaboration with industry into promising technologies designed to make fuel tanks effectively inert, thus preventing electrical and other systems from igniting flammable vapors in the fuel tank ullage (vapor space). The result of that research is that fuel tank inerting, originally thought to be prohibitively expensive, can now be accomplished in a reasonably cost-effective fashion and protect the public from future calamities which, we have concluded, are otherwise virtually certain to occur. The new rules, if adopted, would not actually direct the adoption of specific inerting technology either by manufacturers or operators but would establish a performance-based set of requirements that do not specifically direct the use of fuel-inerting but rather set acceptable levels of flammability exposure in tanks most prone to explosion or require the installation of an ignition mitigation means in an affected fuel tank. Technology now provides a variety of commercially feasible methods to accomplish these vital safety objectives.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Boeing Model 767-300 series airplanes. This AD requires replacing the frequency converters used to supply power for medical and galley utility outlets with modified frequency converters, and related actions. This AD results from a report indicating that a hard short circuit condition between the output of certain frequency converters and their downstream circuit breakers will produce a continuous output current that could cause the undersized output wiring to overheat when the frequency converters fail to shut off. We are issuing this AD to prevent overheating of the output wiring of the frequency converters, which could result in the failure of a wire bundle and consequent adverse effects on other systems sharing the affected wire bundle.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has adopted a policy which, when implemented, will result in the expunction of airman identities from certain FAA accident and incident records.

This action proposes to modify the St. Louis, MO, (STL) Class B airspace area. Specifically, this action proposes airspace changes to contain large, turbine-powered aircraft operations to and from the new Runway 11/29 at the Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (KSTL), St. Louis, MO. The FAA is proposing this action to enhance safety and improve the management of aircraft operations in the KSTL terminal area. Further, this effort supports the FAA's national airspace redesign goal of optimizing terminal and en route airspace areas to reduce aircraft delays and improve system capacity.

This action establishes the Class E airspace area at Hillsboro Municipal Airport, Hillsboro, TX (INJ), to provide adequate controlled airspace for the area navigation (RNAV) global positioning system (GPS) standard instrument approach procedure (SIAP).

This action revokes Class E airspace, Eagle, Colorado published in the Federal Register October 13, 2005 (70 FR 59652). The FAA is taking this action due to errors in the effective date, airspace description, and geographic coordinates.

The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD), which applies to all BAE Systems (Operations) Limited Model BAe 146 and Model Avro 146-RJ airplanes. That AD currently requires revising the Airworthiness Limitations Section (ALS) of the Instructions for Continued Airworthiness to incorporate life limits for certain items and inspections to detect fatigue cracking in certain structures. This new AD requires revising the ALS of the Instructions for Continued Airworthiness to incorporate new and more restrictive life limits for certain items and new and more restrictive inspections to detect fatigue cracking in certain structures. This new AD results from issuance of a later revision to the airworthiness limitations of the BAe/Avro 146 Aircraft Maintenance Manual, which specifies new inspections and compliance times for inspection and replacement actions. We are issuing this AD to ensure that fatigue cracking of certain structural elements is detected and corrected; such fatigue cracking could adversely affect the structural integrity of these airplanes.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain EMBRAER Model EMB-135 airplanes, and Model EMB-145, -145ER, - 145MR, -145LR, -145XR, -145MP, and -145EP airplanes. This AD requires modification of the upper frame of the firewall for the auxiliary power unit (APU). This AD results from the discovery of a hole in the upper frame of the firewall for the APU. We are issuing this AD to ensure that the APU compartment is isolated from the rest of the airplane in the event of an APU fire. If the APU compartment is not isolated, smoke could enter the passenger cabin in the event of an APU fire.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all British Aerospace Model HS 748 airplanes. This AD requires repetitive inspections for fatigue cracking, corrosion, and other related discrepancies of the rear pressure bulkhead and associated areas, and the fin attachment fittings, particularly the fin link beam; and related investigative and corrective actions. This AD results from a structural integrity audit of the airplane that showed the importance of inspecting for fatigue cracking and corrosion of these areas. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracking, corrosion, and other related discrepancies of the rear pressure bulkhead and associated areas, and the fin attachment fittings, particularly the fin link beam, which could result in damage to the airplane structure or injury to airplane occupants.

These special conditions are issued to Garmin AT, Inc., 2345 Turner Rd., SE., Salem, Oregon 97302, for a Supplemental Type Certificate for the Raytheon Model B58. The airplane will have novel and unusual design features when compared to the state of technology envisaged in the applicable airworthiness standards. These novel and unusual design features include the installation of an electronic flight instrument system (EFIS) display, Model G-1000, manufactured by Garmin International Inc., for which the applicable regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate airworthiness 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 the airworthiness standards applicable to these airplanes.

This document confirms the effective date of the direct final rule which revises Class E airspace at Wellington Municipal Airport, KS.

The FAA adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all CENTRAIR 101 series gliders. This AD requires you to make pen and ink changes to the Limitations Section of the glider maintenance manual to eliminate contradictory information concerning the structural life limit. This AD results from a review by FAA of the Limitations Section of the CENTRAIR Model 101AP glider maintenance manual that revealed conflicting information concerning the structural life limit. We are issuing this AD to assure that the published life limit is adhered to and to prevent structural failure of the glider once this life limit is reached.

This action proposes to revise the Class E airspace at Holy Cross, AK. Two new Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) and a revised Departure Procedure (DP) are being published for the Holy Cross Airport. Adoption of this proposal would result in revised Class E airspace upward from 700 feet (ft.) above the surface at Holy Cross, AK.

This action proposes to establish new Class E airspace at Koyuk, AK. Two revised procedures and one new Standard Instrument Approach Procedure (SIAP) are being published for the Koyuk Airport. Additional Class E Airspace is needed to contain aircraft executing instrument approaches at Koyuk Airport. Additionally, one small section of Class G airspace surrounded by Class E airspace will be converted to Class E airspace by this action. Adoption of this proposal would result in creation of additional Class E airspace upward from 700 feet (ft.) and 1,200 ft. above the surface at Koyuk, AK.

This action establishes Class E airspace at Nikolai, AK to provide adequate controlled airspace to contain aircraft executing two new Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs). This rule results in new Class E airspace upward from 700 feet (ft.) above the surface at Nikolai Airport, AK.

This action modifies Class E airspace at Egegik, AK to provide adequate controlled airspace to contain aircraft executing two revised Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs). This rule results in revised Class E airspace upward from 700 feet (ft.) above the surface at Egegik Airport, AK.