Federal Aviation Administration March 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

A direct final rule, published in the Federal Register February 4, 2008, (73 FR 6424), Docket No. FAA-2008-026, establishing Class E airspace at Hendricks County-Gordon Graham Field Airport, Indianapolis, IN, is being withdrawn. The FAA has found that Class E airspace already exists for the Indianapolis, IN, area, and therefore, substantial corrections would need to be made. In the interest of clarity, this rule is being withdrawn, and a new rulemaking amending the existing airspace will be forthcoming.

A direct final rule, published in the Federal Register February 11, 2008 (73 FR 7667) FAA Docket No. 2008-0003, is being withdrawn. This copy of the rule was inadvertently sent to the Federal Register. The direct final rule establishing Class E airspace at Muldrow Army Heliport, Lexington, OK, published February 15, 2008, (73 FR 8795) is the correct rule.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the specified helicopters. This proposed AD results from a mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) AD originated by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the Technical Agent for Italy, with which we have a bilateral agreement, states in the MCAI:

This notice contains a summary of a petition seeking relief from specified requirements of 14 CFR. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, this aspect of FAA's regulatory activities. Neither publication of this notice nor the inclusion or omission of information in the summary is intended to affect the legal status of the petition or its final disposition.

This notice announces the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval of the information collection requirement for Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) No. 108, which was published on February 6, 2008.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Boeing Model 737-300, -400, and -500 series airplanes. This AD requires an inspection to determine the manufacturer and manufacture date of the oxygen masks in the passenger service unit and the lavatory and attendant box assemblies, corrective action if necessary, and other specified action. This AD results from a report that several passenger masks with broken in-line flow indicators were found following a mask deployment. We are issuing this AD to prevent the in-line flow indicators of the passenger oxygen masks from fracturing and separating, which could inhibit oxygen flow to the masks and consequently result in exposure of the passengers and cabin attendants to hypoxia following a depressurization event.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This 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:

This rule establishes, amends, suspends, or revokes Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) and associated Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle Departure Procedures for operations at certain airports. These regulatory actions are needed because of the adoption of new or revised criteria, or because of changes occurring in the National Airspace System, such as the commissioning of new navigational facilities, adding new obstacles, or changing 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.

This action establishes Class E Airspace at Sunbury, PA to support a new Area Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) Special Instrument Approach Procedure (IAP) that has been developed for medical flight operations into the Sunbury Community Hospital Airport. This action enhances the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) operations by providing that required controlled airspace to protect for this approach around Sunbury, PA.

This action confirms the effective date of a direct final rule that establishes a Class E airspace area to support Area Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) Special Instrument Approach Procedures (IAPs) that serve the Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington, ME.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all McDonnell Douglas airplane models identified above. This AD requires revising the FAA-approved maintenance program, or the Airworthiness Limitations (AWLs) section of the Instructions for Continued Airworthiness, as applicable, to incorporate new AWLs for fuel tank systems to satisfy Special Federal Aviation Regulation No. 88 requirements. For certain airplanes, this AD also requires the initial accomplishment of a certain repetitive AWL inspection to phase in that inspection, and repair if necessary. This AD results from a design review of the fuel tank systems. We are issuing 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.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued 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:

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 superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to certain McDonnell Douglas Model DC-8-55, DC-8F-54, and DC-8F-55 airplanes; and Model DC-8-60, DC-8-70, DC-8-60F, and DC-8- 70F series airplanes. The existing AD currently requires a one-time inspection for previous repairs of the aft fuselage skin panel at the longeron 28 skin splice, repetitive inspections for cracks of the same area, and related investigative and corrective actions. The existing AD also provides optional actions for extending the repetitive inspection intervals. This new AD re-defines and more clearly describes the optional actions for extending the repetitive inspection intervals. This AD results from our determination that the inspections and actions described in the existing AD do not adequately address the unsafe condition. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracks in the aft fuselage skin at the longeron 28 skin splice, which could lead to loss of structural integrity of the aft fuselage, resulting in rapid decompression of the airplane.

This action proposes to establish Class E airspace at Philippi, WV. Area Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAP) Runways (RWY) 08-26 has been developed for Philippi/Barbour County Regional Airport. As a result, controlled airspace extending upward from 700 feet Above Ground Level (AGL) is needed to contain the SIAP and for Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) operations at Philippi/Barbour County Regional Airport. The operating status of the airport will change from Visual Flight Rules (VFR) to include IFR operations concurrent with the publication of the SIAP. This action enhances the safety and airspace management of Philippi/Barbour County Regional Airport.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has tentatively determined that it is necessary to place a temporary limitation on scheduled flight operations at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). The FAA is issuing this proposal as a result of persistent congestion and delays at EWR during the peak operating hours, as well as a dramatic projected increase in flight delays at the airport during the summer of 2008 if proposed schedules were implemented as requested by carriers. We intend this proposed limitation on scheduled operations to relieve the substantial inconvenience to the traveling public caused by excessive congestion-related flight delays at the airport, which magnify as they spread through the National Airspace System. Among other things, this proposal will ensure that projected delays do not increase significantly and provide for a more efficient use of the nation's airspace. The final Order would take effect at 6 a.m., Eastern Time, on June 1, 2008, and would expire at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on October 24, 2009. This proposed limitation on scheduled operations is necessary to prevent an increase in scheduled flights during peak hours. Flights in certain hours in summer 2007 were in excess of the airport's capacity, and scheduling is a factor in the high level of delays historically experienced at the airport. The proposed limits would apply to all U.S. and foreign air carriers' scheduled operations, excluding helicopters, from 6 a.m., Eastern Time, through 10:59 p.m., Eastern Time. A final Order would be enforceable under the FAA's civil penalty authority. In a separate docket, the FAA intends to propose limits on unscheduled flights at EWR during the same hours, as well as a system to allocate the reservations for the available unscheduled operations. The FAA anticipates that the total number of operations at EWR will be limited to an average of 83 per hour.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Cessna Aircraft Company (Cessna) Models 208 and 208B airplanes. This proposed AD would require inspection of the left and right wing wire bundle(s) and repair or replacement of damaged wire. This proposed AD would also require inspecting the wire bundles for correct attachment to the anchor points and correcting any deficient attachments. This proposed AD results from chafed wiring found on wire bundles in the left and right wings containing the auto-control wing de-ice system, fuel quantity indication, and low fuel annunciation on the Cessna 208B airplanes. Improper installation of wire bundle supporting hardware can cause chafed wiring in the affected bundles. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct damaged wiring of the auto- control wing de-ice system, fuel quantity indication, and low fuel annunciation systems. This condition could result in incorrect fuel quantity indications, loss of low fuel quantity annunciations, or loss of the autocontrol wing de-ice system.

This action proposes to establish Class D airspace and amend Class E airspace at Southwest Oregon Regional Airport, North Bend, OR. The establishment of an air traffic control tower has made this action necessary for the safety and management of aircraft within this airspace. This action will also update the name of the airport from North Bend Municipal Airport, North Bend, OR.

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 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces its findings on the noise compatibility program submitted by Maryland Aviation Administration (MAA) under the provisions of 49 U.S.C. (the Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act, hereinafter referred to as ``the Act'') and 14 CFR Part 150. These findings are made in recognition of the description of Federal and nonfederal responsibilities in Senate Report No. 96-52 (1980). On April 3, 2006, the FAA determined that the noise exposure maps submitted by MAA under Part 150 were in compliance with applicable requirements. On February 26, 2008, the FAA approved the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport noise compatibility program update. All of the recommendations of the program were approved.

This document proposes adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for MD Helicopters, Inc. (MDHI) Model 369A, OH-6A, 369D, 369E, 369F, 369FF, 369H, 369HE, 369HM, and 369HS helicopters. The proposed AD would require repetitive tap inspections of each tail rotor (T/R) blade abrasion strip. This proposal is prompted by an incident in which an abrasion strip separated from a T/R blade. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent disbonding and subsequent separation of an abrasion strip from a T/R blade, which could result in vibration, loss of the T/R, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

The FAA is revising an earlier NPRM for an airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to all Airbus Model A318, A319, A320, and A321 airplanes. The original NPRM would have superseded an existing AD that currently requires inspecting to determine the part number and serial number of the fuel tank boost pumps and, for airplanes with affected pumps, revising the airplane flight manual (AFM) and the FAA- approved maintenance program. The existing AD also provides for optional terminating action for compliance with the revisions to the AFM and the maintenance program. The original NPRM proposed to require modifying or replacing the fuel tank boost pumps, which would terminate the AFM limitations and the maintenance program revisions. The original NPRM resulted from a report that a fuel tank boost pump failed in service, due to a detached screw of the boost pump housing that created a short circuit between the stator and rotor of the boost pump motor and tripped a circuit breaker. This new action revises the original NPRM by excluding certain modified airplanes from the applicability, requiring the AFM/maintenance program revisions on additional airplanes, and requiring modification or replacement of additional fuel tank boost pumps. We are proposing this supplemental NPRM to prevent electrical arcing in the fuel tank boost pump motor, which, in the presence of a combustible air-fuel mixture in the pump, could result in an explosion and loss of the airplane.

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) that applies to all Boeing Model 747-400, 747-400D, and 747-400F series airplanes. The existing AD currently requires reviewing airplane maintenance records, doing repetitive inspections for cracking of the yaw damper actuator portion of the upper and lower rudder power control modules (PCMs), replacing the PCMs if necessary, and reporting all airplane maintenance records review and inspection results to the manufacturer. This proposed AD would limit the applicability, reduce the initial inspection threshold and repetitive interval, remove the reporting requirement, and require installation of a secondary retention device for the yaw damper modulating piston. Installation of the secondary retention device would terminate the repetitive inspection requirements. This proposed AD results from additional reports of failure or cracking of the PCM manifold in the area of the yaw damper cavity endcap at intervals well below the initial inspection threshold of the existing AD. We are proposing this AD to prevent an uncommanded left rudder hardover in the event of cracking in the yaw damper actuator portion of the upper or lower rudder PCMs, and subsequent failure of the PCM manifold, which could result in increased pilot workload, and possible runway departure upon landing.

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