Federal Aviation Administration August 1, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FAA proposes to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to certain Boeing Model 747-400 series airplanes. The existing AD currently requires replacement of the decompression panels that are located in the smoke barrier between the passenger and main deck cargo compartment with new panels of an improved design. This proposed AD would require modification of the decompression panels on the smoke barrier in the main deck cargo compartment or replacement of the smoke barrier with an improved smoke barrier, as applicable. This proposed AD would also require repetitive inspections of the decompression (vent) panels on the smoke barrier and corrective actions if necessary. This proposed AD also adds airplanes to the applicability. This proposed AD results from reports of decompression panels on the smoke barrier opening in flight and on the ground without a decompression event. We are proposing this AD to prevent inadvertent opening or tearing of decompression panels, which could result in degraded cargo fire detection and suppression capability, smoke penetration into an occupied compartment, and an uncontrolled cargo fire, if a fire occurs in the main deck cargo compartment.

This action establishes Class E airspace at Willow, AK to provide adequate controlled airspace to contain aircraft executing new Instrument Procedures. This rule results in new Class E airspace established upward from 700 feet (ft.) and 1,200 ft. above the surface at Willow, AK.

This action establishes Class D and E4 airspace and amends Class E5 airspace at Leesburg, FL. A Federal contract tower with a weather reporting system is being constructed at the Leesburg Regional Airport. Therefore, the airport will meet the criteria for establishment of Class D and E4 airspace. Class D surface area airspace and Class E4 airspace desiganted as an extension to Class D airspace is required when the control tower is open to contain existing Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) and other Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport. This action will establish Class D airspace extending upward from the surface to but not including 1,600 feet MSL, within a 4.1-mile radius of the Leesburg Regional Airport and a Class E4 airspace extension that is 4.8 miles wide and extends 7 miles southeast of the airport. This action will also amend Class E5 airspace extending upward from 700 feet Above Ground Level (AGL) needed to contain SIAPs, by decreasing the size from a 7-mile radius of the airport to a 6.6-mile radius of the airport and providing for the procedure turn area. Additionally, a technical amendment will result in a name change from the Leesburg Municipal Airport to the Leesburg Regional Airport, which was effective August 25, 1997.

This action establishes Class E airspace at Mooresville, NC. An Area Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) Standard Instrument Approach Procedure (SIAP) Runway (RWY) 14 has been developed for Lake Norman Airpark. As a result, controlled airspace extending upward from 700 feet Above Ground Level (AGL) is needed to contain the SIAP and for Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at Lake Norman Airpark. The operating status of the airport will change from Visual Flight Rules (VFR) to include IFR operations concurrent with the publication of the SIAP.