Federal Aviation Administration February 11, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in conjunction with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation Bureau of Aviation (WisDOT BOA), have prepared a joint Federal and State Draft Final Environmental Assessment (DFEA) for the Proposed Airport Development at the Sawyer County Airport in Hayward, Wisconsin. The FAA and WisDOT BOA are making available the DFEA for the following proposed airport improvement projects: installation of an instrument landing system (ILS) for Runway 20 with medium approach lighting system with runway alignment indicator lights; construction of a parallel taxiway/ramp expansion for Runway 2/ 20; land acquisition; removal of airspace obstructions, including removal/relocation of a town road; and relocation of precision approach path indicator, localizer, and distance measuring equipment at Runway 20. The proposed airport improvement projects include both state block program actions and FAA actions. Actions for the proposed airport improvement project would be divided between FAA and WisDOT BOA. Agency approvals are required to proceed. Proposed FAA actions include: provide Federal environmental approval to establish eligibility to participate in Federal funding for eligible projects not included in the state block grant program which are assessed in the EA; issue an environmental finding for FAA actions; provide ILS equipment, assist in the design of the proposed ILS; perform the flight check, certification, and operation of the proposed ILS; and provide long-term maintenance of the proposed ILS. Proposed WisDOT BOA actions for the airport improvement projects include: issue an environmental finding for WisDOT BOA's actions; determine eligibility of Airport Improvement Program funds for the proposed ILS project; approve the necessary funding for the proposed ILS project; assist in design of the proposed ILS; purchase land for the proposed ILS; install the proposed ILS; construct necessary airport facilities to support proposed ILS and airport operations; develop, implement, and monitor required mitigation for unavoidable impacts due to the proposed ILS project. The DFEA has been prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, FAA Order 1050.1E, ``Policies and Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts,'' and FAA Order 5050.4B, ``NEPA Implementing Instructions for Airport Actions.'' The proposed action is consistent with the National Airspace System Plan prepared by the U.S. Department of Transportation, FAA. The DFEA will be available for public review for 30 days at the following locations:

This document revises an earlier proposed airworthiness directive (AD) for Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Sikorsky) Model S- 76A, B, and C helicopters. That AD proposed to require inspecting each installed HR Textron main rotor servo actuator (servo actuator) for a high rate of leakage and for contaminated hydraulic fluid and reducing the time-in-service (TIS) interval for overhauling each servo actuator. That proposal was prompted by a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Safety Recommendation issued in response to an accident involving a Model S-76 helicopter. In the NTSB Recommendation, the performance of an HR Textron servo actuator was questioned as a result of piston head seal leakage and piston head plasma spray flaking. Since the issuance of the initial proposal, and based on further information obtained from the accident investigation, the comments to the proposal, and other test and service history data since we issued the initial proposal, we continue to believe that servo actuator pistons may experience piston head seal leakage and plasma spray flaking, but have determined that the full scope of the initial proposal is unnecessary. We believe that the piston head seal leakage and plasma spray flaking can be addressed by leakage rate inspections and replacement of the current servo actuator pistons with an improved design not as susceptible to plasma spray flaking. Therefore, we are revising the proposed rule by removing the requirement to inspect the hydraulic fluid for contamination; removing the requirement to reduce the interval for overhauling an affected servo actuator from 3,000 to 2,000 hours TIS; revising the initial inspection time; and removing the 600 hours TIS repetitive hydraulic fluid leak inspection. We are proposing to add a 2,250 hours TIS hydraulic fluid leakage inspection and to add a requirement to either install a new design servo actuator or replace the servo actuator pistons when there is excessive leakage or upon reaching a certain time interval. These actions are intended to prevent degraded servo actuator performance as a result of piston head seal leaking and plasma spray flaking, which could result in subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.