Federal Aviation Administration December 13, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FAA announces public meetings on its proposal to codify current flight restrictions for certain aircraft operations in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area. The purpose of the public meetings is for the FAA to hear comments and gather information related to its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) published on August 4, 2005.

The FAA proposes to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to certain BAE Systems (Operations) Limited Model BAe 146 and Avro 146-RJ airplanes. The existing AD requires one- time inspections of the inner webs and flanges at frames 15, 18, 41, and 43 for evidence of corrosion or cracking; and corrective actions if necessary. This proposed AD would instead require new repetitive inspections and expand the area to be inspected. This proposed AD would also expand the applicability and provide an optional action that would extend the repetitive inspection interval. This proposed AD results from a report indicating that in some cases the inspections required by the existing AD revealed no damage, yet frame corrosion and cracking were later found during scheduled maintenance in the two forward fuselage frames 15 and 18. We are proposing this AD to prevent reduced structural integrity of the airplane.

The FAA is revising an earlier NPRM for an airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to certain Aerospatiale Model ATR42-200, - 300, and -320 airplanes. The original NPRM would have required doing repetitive inspections of the upper arms of the main landing gear (MLG) side braces for missing or inadequately bonded identification plates; replacing the upper arm if necessary; and replacing the side brace assembly with a modified part. The original NPRM resulted from an operator who reported experiencing an unlock warning for the MLG on the right side of the airplane. This action revises the original NPRM by proposing to require doing an ultrasonic inspection of the upper arm of the MLG side brace for any defects and related investigative/corrective actions if necessary, instead of replacing the upper arm if necessary. This action also adds airplanes to the applicability. We are proposing this supplemental NPRM to prevent cracking of the upper arms of the side braces of the MLG, which could result in failure of the MLG during landing and possible damage to the airplane and injury to the flightcrew and passengers.

These special conditions are issued for Sabreliner Model NA- 265-60 airplanes modified by Flight Research, 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 incorporates the installation of altimeter/air data display units manufactured by Innovative Solutions and Support, Inc. These display units 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.

This amendment amends Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) for operations at certain airports. These regulatory actions are needed because of changes occurring in the National Airspace System, such as the commissioning of new navigational facilities, addition of new obstacles, or changes in air traffic requirements. These changes are designed to provide safe and efficient use of the navigable airspace and to promote safe flight operations under instrument flight rules at the affected airports.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Turbomeca Arriel 2B and 2B1 turboshaft engines without modification TU22 incorporated. This AD requires initial and repetitive visual checks of the free turbine shield for cracks. This AD results from reports of several free turbine shields found with large circumferential cracks. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of the free turbine shield, leading to engine misalignment, in-flight engine shutdown, emergency autorotation landing, or accident.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Dassault Model Falcon 2000 airplanes equipped with CFE Company CFE738- 1-1B turbofan engines. This AD requires determining the serial number of the engines installed on the airplane, inspecting any affected engine to verify that a spherical bearing is installed on the attachment fitting of the engine mount, and corrective action if necessary. This AD results from a report of a missing spherical bearing on the attachment fitting of the front engine mount on an in-service airplane, and subsequent damage and abnormal fatigue of the attachment fitting. We are issuing this AD to prevent reduced structural integrity of the engine mount, which could result in possible separation of an engine from the airplane.