Federal Aviation Administration January 28, 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation will hold a public meeting to discuss the FAA Centers of Excellence Program and the technical requirements for the proposed Center of Excellence for Commercial Space Transportation (COE CST). A Draft Solicitation for the COE CST is available for public review. For a copy of the Draft Solicitation, contact Dr. Patricia Watts (the Contact Person listed below).

This 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.

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 amendment supersedes an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for the specified Eurocopter France (Eurocopter) model helicopters. The existing AD requires certain inspections of a main rotor blade (blade) manufactured under a Parts Manufacturer Approval under Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) SH778GL. The AD requires inspecting each affected root end bolt (bolt) and bolt-hole for corrosion or a crack on the blade root end fitting (fitting) or in a bolt-hole. For certain serial-numbered blades, the AD also requires a one-time pull test on each fitting and blade root end doubler (doubler) to detect disbonding. This AD requires certain inspections for voids in any doubler or fitting and for paint cracks along the forward and aft edge of the blade fitting. Also, this AD requires inspecting the blade tip weight housing attachment. This AD also requires replacing unairworthy blades with airworthy blades. This amendment is prompted by reports from the STC holder of disbonds at the fittings, doublers, and the tip weight fitting. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent blade failure and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.