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

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above that would supersede an existing AD. 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 revision 00 of the AIRBUS A330 ALS [Airworthiness Limitations Section] Part 3 was issued primarily to introduce two new CMR [Certification Maintenance Requirements] tasks, referenced 282400-G0001-1-C and 282400-P0001-1-C. ALS Part 3 Revision 01 introduces more restrictive requirements for aircraft configurations already in service. The unsafe condition is safety-significant latent failures that would, in combination with one or more other specific failures or events, result in a hazardous or catastrophic failure condition. The proposed AD would require actions

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.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the specified Eurocopter France (ECF) model helicopters. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Community. The MCAI states: ``Recently, a report was received concerning the discovery of fragments of a plastic blanking plug (fitted to the harness belt buckle 5th attachment point) inside a seat harness belt buckle. Over time, this blanking plug hardens and becomes brittle. This condition, if not corrected, can lead to failure of the plug and fragments being caught inside the buckle, causing interference and preventing the belt from being released during an emergency evacuation of the aircraft.'' This

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:

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:

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of a meeting to discuss a review of the requirements for small airplanes. This discussion focuses on the future of small airplane regulation; however, we are asking for feedback concerning maintenance and operations, and not just certification.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the Lifesavings Systems Corp., D-Lok Hook assembly installed on certain rescue hoist assemblies. This AD results from a mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) AD issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Community. The MCAI AD states that rescue hoist operators have reported surface irregularities and discontinuities on certain D-Lok Hooks because of an unapproved change in the hook design and manufacturing process from forged material to cast material that have different physical properties. The actions are intended to prevent failure of a hook during rescue hoist operations, loss of the rescued passenger, and subsequent serious injury or fatality.

This action confirms the effective date of a direct final rule published in the Federal Register September 14, 2009 that establishes Class E Airspace at Saluda County Airport, Saluda, SC.

This action establishes Class D and E airspace and modifies existing Class E airspace at State College, PA, to accommodate a new air traffic control tower at University Park Airport. The FAA is taking this action to enhance the safety and management of instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations.

This action confirms the effective date of a direct final rule published in the Federal Register September 14, 2009 that establishes Class E Airspace at TompkinsvilleMonroe County Airport, Tompkinsville, KY.

This action confirms the effective date of a direct final rule published in the Federal Register June 24, 2009, that establishes Class D airspace, Class E surface airspace as an extension of the Class D airspace, and modifies the existing Class E airspace at Ocala International Airport-Jim Taylor Field, Ocala, FL. This action also makes a minor correction to the existing Class E airport description.

This action proposes to amend Class E airspace and the geographic coordinates at Lampasas Airport, Lampasas, TX. Additional controlled airspace is necessary to accommodate new Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) at Lampasas Airport. The FAA is taking this action to enhance the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport.

This action proposes to establish Class E airspace at Kindred, ND. Controlled airspace is necessary to accommodate new Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) at Hamry Field Airport, Kindred, ND. The FAA is taking this action to enhance the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations for SIAPs at the airport.

The FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) revision of a current information collection. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on October 16, 2009, vol. 74, no. 199, page 53312. 49 U.S.C. 40117 authorizes airports to impose passenger facility charges (PFC).

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces February 22, 2010, as the deadline for each airport sponsor to notify the FAA whether or not it will use its fiscal year 2010 entitlement funds available under Public Law No. 111-117 to accomplish Airport Improvement Program (AIP)-eligible projects that the sponsor previously identified through the Airports Capital Improvement Plan (ACIP) process during the preceding year. If a sponsor does not declare their intention regarding their fiscal year 2010 entitlement funds by February 22, 2010, FAA will be unable to take the necessary actions to award these funds, nor designate these funds as ``protected'' carryover funds. In addition, these funds will not be carried over without a legislative enactment that provides an additional AIP authorization and an extension of the FAA's spending authority from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund beyond March 31, 2010.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public that it has issued a ROD for the proposed construction and operation of the proposed BART connector project at OAK. The ROD evaluated the proposed BART-OAK connector project at OAK, Oakland, Alameda County, California.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Model 747 airplanes. This proposed AD would require inspecting to verify the part number of the low-pressure flex-hoses of the crew oxygen system installed under the oxygen mask stowage boxes in the flight deck, and replacing the flex-hose with a new non-conductive low- pressure flex-hose if necessary. This proposed AD results from reports of low-pressure flex-hoses of the crew oxygen system that burned through due to inadvertent electrical current from a short circuit in the audio select panel. We are proposing this AD to prevent inadvertent electrical current, which can cause the low-pressure flex-hoses of the crew oxygen system to melt or burn, causing oxygen system leakage and smoke or fire.

This document publishes in the Federal Register an amendment adopting Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2009-19-51, which was sent previously to all known U.S. owners and operators of the Agusta Model AB139 and AW139 helicopters by individual letters. This AD requires inspecting the tail panels for debonding and, if the debonding area exceeds a certain limit, repairing the tailboom. This AD results from a mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) AD issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical Agent for the Member States of the European Community. The MCAI AD states that while taxiing, the tailboom of a Model AW139 helicopter bent and collapsed. Also, EASA had received previous reports of evidence of debonding on some tailboom panels of the specified Agusta model helicopters. This condition, if not corrected, could result in failure of a tailboom and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

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.

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 is superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD), which applies to certain Model 747-100B SUD, -200B, -300, -400, and -400D series airplanes. That AD currently requires repetitive inspections for cracking in fuselage stringers 8L, 8R, 10L, and 10R at body stations 460, 480, and 500 frame locations; and repair if necessary. This new AD requires revising the applicability to include an additional airplane, and reduces compliance times for the initial inspection and repetitive intervals for Model 747-400 series airplanes that have been converted to the large cargo freighter configuration. This AD results from findings of cracking in fuselage stringers 8L, 8R, 10L, and 10R at body stations 460, 480, and 500 frame locations. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct fatigue cracking in certain fuselage stringers, which, if left undetected, could result in fuselage skin cracking that reduces the structural integrity of the skin panel, and consequent rapid depressurization of the airplane.

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.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is correcting its drug and alcohol testing regulations published on May 14, 2009. The FAA inadvertently excluded necessary wording within the text of two separate definitions; added wording to the sections describing refusals to submit to drug or alcohol tests; directed readers to an incorrect subpart for a referenced definition; omitted a cross reference to a list of applicable regulations; and added wording when describing an operator. This rule corrects those inadvertent errors and includes other minor editorial corrections. These corrections will not impose any additional requirements on operators affected by these regulations.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) to supersede AD (AD) 2006-07-15, which applies to Thrush Aircraft, Inc. Model 600 S2D and S2R (S-2R) series airplanes (type certificate previously held by Quality Aerospace, Inc. and Ayres Corporation). AD 2006-07-15 currently requires repetitive inspections of the 1/4-inch and 5/16-inch bolt hole areas on the wing front lower spar caps for fatigue cracking; replacement or repair of any wing front lower spar cap where fatigue cracks are found; and reporting of any fatigue cracks found to the FAA. AD 2006-07-15 also puts the affected airplanes into groups for compliance time and applicability purposes. Since we issued AD 2006-07-15, FAA analysis reveals that inspections are not detecting all existing cracks and shows the incidences of undetected cracks will increase as the airplanes age. Consequently, this AD retains the actions of AD 2006-07-15 and imposes a life limit on the wing front lower spar caps that requires replacement of the wing front lower spar caps when the life limit is reached. This AD also changes the requirements and applicability of the groups discussed above and removes the ultrasonic inspection method. We are issuing this AD to prevent wing front lower spar cap failure caused by undetected fatigue cracks. Such failure could result in loss of a wing in flight.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of a meeting of RTCA Special Committee 203: Unmanned Aircraft Systems.