Federal Aviation Administration January 15, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is amending its December 12, 2006 Order, which temporarily capped the scheduled operations at New York's LaGuardia Airport (LaGuardia) pending the implementation of a longer-term regulation to manage congestion there. In particular, we are amending the Order to move toward an hourly limit of 71 operations from 6 a.m. through 9:59 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, and 12 noon through 9:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on Sunday. To move toward this new hourly limit, we do not through this amendment force air carriers to relinquish Operating Authorizations at the airport. Instead, the FAA will accept voluntary flight reductions for the duration of the Order, whereupon the FAA will retire the surrendered Operating Authorizations until an hourly average of 71 scheduled operations is achieved. In the event that the current final rule takes effect, that rule would impose a reduction in scheduled service using the air carriers' base of operations during the week of September 28, 2008. The FAA published that rule on October 10, 2008, and it is presently stayed pending judicial review. If it proves necessary to require a reduction in scheduled operations through a future amendment of the Order, air carriers that voluntarily surrender Operating Authorizations under this initiative will be credited with voluntary schedule reductions that they commit to on or before February 2, 2009. The FAA will accept voluntarily offered schedule reductions through February 2, 2009, and expects air carriers to suspend service at LaGuardia under this arrangement on or before May 31, 2009. The FAA separately extended the Order's expiration until 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on October 24, 2009.\1\

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Piper Aircraft, Inc. Models PA-46-350P and PA-46R-350T airplanes. This proposed AD would require an inspection to verify the 35-amp and 250-amp current limiters are installed in the proper locations and would require a correction to the installation if the current limiters are not installed in the proper locations. This proposed AD would also limit operation to ``only under day visual flight rules (VFR)'' until the current limiter installation is inspected and corrected. This proposed AD results from three reports of incorrectly installed current limiters. We are proposing this AD to detect incorrect installation of 35-amp and 250-amp current limiters, which could result in failure of the 35-amp current limiter if installed in the 250-amp location. This failure could lead to a total loss of electrical power.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces its determination that the noise exposure maps submitted by General Mitchell International Airport under the provisions of Title I of the Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act of 1979 (Pub. L. 96-193) and 14 CFR Part 150 are in compliance with applicable requirements. The FAA also announces that it is reviewing a proposed noise compatibility program that was submitted for General Mitchell International Airport under Part 150 in conjunction with the noise exposure map, and that this program will be approved or disapproved on or before June 21, 2009.

This action will amend Class E airspace at Alamosa, CO. Additional controlled airspace is necessary to accommodate aircraft using a new Area Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) Standard Instrument Approach Procedure (SIAP) at San Luis Valley Regional Airport/Bergman Field. This will improve the safety of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) aircraft executing the new RNAV GPS SIAP at San Luis Valley Regional Airport/Bergman Field, CO.