Federal Aviation Administration January 18, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all McDonnell Douglas airplanes identified above. This proposed AD would require revising the FAA-approved maintenance program to incorporate new airworthiness limitations for fuel tank systems to satisfy Special Federal Aviation Regulation No. 88 requirements. This proposed AD results from a design review of the fuel tank systems. We are proposing this AD to prevent the potential for ignition sources inside fuel tanks caused by latent failures, alterations, repairs, or maintenance actions, which, in combination with flammable fuel vapors, could result in a fuel tank explosion and consequent loss of the airplane.

These special conditions are issued for the Embraer Model EMB- 500 airplane. This airplane will have a novel or unusual design feature(s) associated with aft mounted engine fire protection. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. 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.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This proposed AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) originated by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as:

The FAA proposes to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for General Electric Company (GE) CF34-1A, -3A, -3A1, - 3A2, -3B, and -3B1 turbofan engines. That AD currently requires a onetime inspection of certain fan disks for electrical arc-out indications, replacing fan disks with electrical arc-out indications, and reducing the life limit of certain fan disks. This proposed AD would require the same reduced life limit of certain fan disks, on-wing inspection of certain fan disks installed on regional jets, and would add a requirement to perform an inspection on certain business jet applications that have already had a shop-level inspection. This proposed AD results from us determining that we inadvertently left out an inspection requirement. We are proposing this AD to prevent uncontained fan disk failure and airplane damage.

The FAA proposes to rule and invite public comment on the release of land at the Gillespie County Airport under the provisions of section 125 of the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment Reform Act for the 21st Century (AIR 21).

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is issuing this notice to advise the public of the approval of a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) on an Environmental Assessment for proposed Federal actions at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport, Springfield, Illinois. The FONSI specifies that the proposed federal actions and local development projects are consistent with existing environmental policies and objectives as set forth in the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and will not significantly affect the quality of the environment. A description of the proposed Federal actions is: (a) To issue an environmental finding to allow approval of the Airport Layout Plan (ALP) for the development items listed below. The items in the local airport development project are to: Acquire approximately 40 acres of residential land in fee simple title, including relocation assistance; demolish residential structures on acquired property; construct, light, and mark 1,000-foot northwesterly extension to Taxiway Bravo and connecting taxiway, including grading and drainage; clear and grub taxiway construction area; obtain borrow for Taxiway Bravo extension; implement declared distance concepts for Runway 13/31 to increase the usable length from 7,000 feet to a maximum usable length of 7,400 feet, including remarking; remove obstructions in Runway 13 approach; install/replace runway signage for Runway 13 Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI); relocate Runway 13 windcone; replace existing Medium Intensity Runway Lights (HIRLs) with High Intensity Runway Lights (HIRLs) on Runway 13/31; relocate Runway 31 windcone out of the Runway Safety Area; adjust vertically the Runway 31 Medium Intensity Approach Lighting System with Runway Alignment Indicator Lights (MALSR) threshold bar; install new Runway 13/31 homeruns; construct 200-foot by 200-foot blast pad to Runway 31; replace Runway 13/31 surface sensor system; upgrade airfield vault regulators; upgrade Airport Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) airfield lighting control system; and replace airport rotating beacon. Copies of the environmental decision and the Short Form EA are available for public information review during regular business hours at the following locations: 1. Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport, 1200 Capital Airport Drive, Springfield, IL 62707. 2. Division of Aeronautics-Illinois Department of Transportation, One Langhorne Bond Drive, Capital Airport, Springfield, IL 62707. 3. Federal Aviation Administration, Chicago Airports District Office, 2300 East Devon Avenue, Room 320, Des Plaines, Illinois 60018.

The National Park Service (NPS) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), as required by the National Parks Air Tour Management Act of 2000, established the National Parks Overflights Advisory Group (NPOAG) in March 2001. The NPOAG was formed to provide continuing advice and counsel with respect to commercial air tour operations over and near national parks. This notice informs the public of two vacancies (due to completion of membership on May 30, 2008), on the NPOAG (now the NPOAG Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC)) for representatives of environmental concerns and invites interested persons to apply to fill the vacancies. A previous notice was published in the Federal Register on October 29, 2007, but only drew a limited response. This notice is being re-published to identify additional qualified candidates.