Federal Aviation Administration August 28, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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

This action amends the Class E airspace area at Factoryville, PA, to provide additional controlled airspace accommodating a new Runway 4 Standard Instrument Approach Procedure (SIAP) developed for Seamans Field, Factoryville, PA. This action increases the radius of the current Class E airspace and includes airspace on each side of the Lake Henry VORTAC 299[deg] radial extending to the VORTAC.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Boeing Model 747 airplanes. This AD requires a one-time inspection of certain fuselage skins at section 41 to find any external doublers that cover the inspection areas and to identify the external doublers that end on a stringer and those that do not, and related investigative and corrective actions if necessary. This AD results from reports of cracks found at fastener locations in the fuselage skins at section 41. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct fuselage skin cracks at fastener locations along the skin-to-stringer attachments, which could join together and become large and consequently result in rapid decompression of the cabin.

This action confirms the effective date of a direct final rule published in the Federal Register (73 FR 16751) that modifies the effective time of the Class E Airspace at Staunton, VA. The Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport Commission has requested to change their current Class E2 Airspace from part time (currently 1200 to 0400 Zulu) to full time. This action enhances the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) operations in the area by providing the required controlled airspace to support terminal operations continuously at Staunton, VA.

The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD), which applies to certain Airbus Model A319, A320, and A321 series airplanes equipped with certain Litton air data inertial reference units (ADIRUs). That AD currently requires modifying the shelf (floor panel) above ADIRU 3, modifying the polycarbonate guard that covers the ADIRUs for certain airplanes, and modifying the ladder located in the avionics compartment for certain airplanes. This new AD requires those modifications on additional airplanes. This new AD also requires replacing all three ADIRUs with improved ADIRUs. This new AD also adds Model A318 series airplanes to the applicability. This AD results from reports that ``NAV IR FAULT'' messages have occurred during takeoff due to failure of an ADIRU and subsequent analysis showing that the shelf modification has not sufficiently addressed failure of an ADIRU. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of an ADIRU during flight, which could result in loss of one source of critical attitude and airspeed data and reduce the ability of the flightcrew to control the airplane.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Boeing Model 707 airplanes, and Model 720 and 720B series airplanes. This AD requires repetitive detailed inspections to detect cracks and corrosion on any existing repairs and at certain body stations of the visible surfaces of the wing to body terminal fittings including the web, flanges, and ribs; and applicable related investigative and corrective actions. This AD results from reports of cracks found in the wing to body terminal fittings during routine inspections. We are issuing this AD to prevent cracks and corrosion in the body terminal fittings, which could cause loss of support for the wing and could adversely affect the structural integrity of the airplane.