Federal Aviation Administration December 8, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice announces a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposed policy that clarifies and standardizes the application of the subject sections on environmental qualification. This notice advises the public, especially manufacturers of normal, utility, and acrobatic category airplanes, and commuter category airplanes and their suppliers, that the FAA intends to adopt this policy. This notice is necessary to advise the public of this FAA policy and give all interested persons an opportunity to present their views on it.

The FAA proposes to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to certain Boeing Model 757 series airplanes. The existing AD currently requires revising the Airworthiness Limitations Section of the maintenance manual (757 Airworthiness Limitations Instructions (ALI)) to incorporate certain inspections and compliance times to detect fatigue cracking of principal structural elements (PSEs). This proposed AD would require incorporating a new revision to the Airworthiness Limitations section of the Instructions of Continued Airworthiness to mandate certain repetitive inspections for fatigue cracking of PSEs. This proposed AD also would add airplanes to the applicability in the existing AD. This proposed AD results from a new revision to the ALI. We are proposing this AD to ensure that fatigue cracking of various PSEs is detected and corrected; such fatigue cracking could adversely affect the structural integrity of these airplanes.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Cirrus Design Corporation (CDC) Model SR20 and SR22 airplanes. This proposed AD would require you to inspect the fuel line and wire bundles for any chafing damage; if any chafing damage is found, replace any damaged fuel line and repair any damaged wires or sheathing of the wire harness; and install the forward loop clamp, fuel line shield, aft loop clamp, and anti-chafe tubing. This proposed AD results from reports of fuel line leaks resulting from wire chafing on the fuel lines. We are issuing this proposed AD to detect and correct damage to the fuel line and wire bundles, which could result in fuel leaks. This failure could lead to unsafe fuel vapor within the cockpit and possible fire.

This action proposes to revoke colored Federal Airway B-12, modify three colored Federal Airways B-4, R-50 and G-7, and establish colored Federal Airway R-4 in Alaska. These amendments would remove all airways and routes off the Bishop, AK, Nondirectional Radio Beacon (NDB) in preparation for the NDB's eventual decommissioning from the National Airspace System (NAS).

This action proposes to amend the Gulf of Alaska Low and Control 1487L Offshore airspace areas in Alaska. Specifically, this action proposes to modify the Gulf of Alaska Low and Control 1487L airspace areas in the vicinity of the Yakutat Airport, Yakutat, AK, by lowering the affected controlled airspace floor to 700 feet mean sea level (MSL) for the Gulf of Alaska Low, and 1,200 feet MSL for Control 1487L. The FAA is proposing this action to provide additional controlled airspace for the safety of aircraft executing instrument flight rules (IFR) operations at the Yakutat Airport.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all EMBRAER Model EMB-135BJ, -135ER, -135KE, -135KL, -135LR, -145, -145ER, -145MR, -145LR, -145XR, -145MP, and -145EP airplanes. This AD requires reviewing the airplane maintenance records for recent reports of vibration from the tail section or rudder pedals. This AD also requires repetitively inspecting the skin, attachment fittings, and control rods of rudder II to detect cracking, loose parts, wear, or damage; and related investigative/corrective actions if necessary. This AD results from reports of rudder vibration due to wear. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of multiple hinge fittings, which could result in severe vibration, and to prevent failure of the rudder control rods, which could result in jamming of the rudder II; and possible structural failure and reduced controllability of the airplane.