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

This proposed rule addresses air ambulance and commercial helicopter operations, part 91 helicopter operations, and load manifest requirements for all part 135 aircraft. From 2002 to 2008, there has been an increase in fatal helicopter air ambulance accidents. To address these safety concerns, the FAA is proposing to implement operational procedures and require additional equipment on board helicopter air ambulances. Many of these proposed requirements currently are found in agency guidance publications and would address National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) safety recommendations. Some of these safety concerns are not unique to the helicopter air ambulance industry and affect all commercial helicopter operations. Accordingly, the FAA also is proposing to amend regulations pertaining to all commercial helicopter operations conducted under part 135 to include equipment requirements, pilot training, and alternate airport weather minima. The changes are intended to provide certificate holders and pilots with additional tools and procedures that will aid in preventing accidents.

This supplemental NPRM revises an earlier proposed airworthiness directive (AD) applicable to Hamilton Sundstrand Propellers model 247F propeller assemblies with certain part number (P/ N) and serial number (S/N) blades. That proposed AD would require removing affected propeller blades from service. That proposed AD resulted from reports of blades with corrosion pits in the tulip area of the blades. This supplemental NPRM revises the proposed AD to remove certain propeller S/Ns from the applicability requirement, and to add additional propeller S/Ns to the applicability requirement. This proposed AD results from the manufacture's latest service information containing propeller S/Ns that were not specified in the proposed AD. We are proposing this AD to prevent cracks from developing in the tulip area of the blade, which could result in separation of the blade and possible loss of airplane control.

The FAA hereby provides notice of intent to release certain airport properties 15.83 acres at the Palm Beach International Airport, West Palm Beach, FL from the conditions, reservations, and restrictions as contained in a Quitclaim Deed agreement between the FAA and the Palm Beach County, dated September 11, 1948. The release of property will allow Palm Beach County to dispose of the property for other than aeronautical purposes. The property is located on the northwest corner of Congress Avenue and Gun Club Road in Palm Beach County, Florida. The parcel is currently designated as non-aeronautical use. The property will be released of its federal obligations to swap the land for another County-owned parcel. The 16.92 acre parcel to be acquired is located in Airport Center at the northeast corner of Australian Avenue and Southern Boulevard in Palm Beach County, Florida. This parcel is adjacent to airport property and is currently occupied by a hotel. The fair market value of the Gun Club Road parcel has been determined by appraisal to be $5,875,000. The fair market value of the Australian Avenue parcel has been determined by appraisal to be $5,785,000. Documents reflecting the Sponsor's request are available, by appointment only for inspection at the Palm Beach International Airport and the FAA Airports District Office.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above that would revise 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 FAA proposes to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to certain Model 767 airplanes. The existing AD currently requires, for certain airplanes, reworking the bonding jumper assemblies on the drain tube assemblies of the slat track housing of the wings. For certain other airplanes, the existing AD requires repetitive inspections of the drain tube assemblies of the slat track housing of the wings to find discrepancies, corrective actions if necessary, and terminating action for the repetitive inspections. This proposed AD would also require replacing the drain tube assemblies. For certain airplanes, this proposed AD would also require installing an additional electrostatic bond path for the number 5 and 8 inboard slat track drain tube assemblies. For certain other airplanes, this proposed AD would also require reworking the bonding jumper assembly. This proposed AD would also revise the applicability to include additional airplanes. This proposed AD results from reports of fuel leaks from certain drain locations of the slat track housing near the engine exhaust nozzles of the wings, which could result in a fire when the airplane is stationary, or taxiing at low speed; reports of a bonding jumper assembly of certain drain tubes that did not meet bonding specifications and could result in electrostatic discharge and an in-tank ignition source; and reports of fuel leaks onto the main landing gear (MLG) as a result of a cracked drain tube at the number 5 or 8 slat track housing, which could let fuel drain from the main fuel tanks into the dry bay area of the wings and onto hot MLG brakes and result in a fire.

This document publishes in the Federal Register an amendment adopting airworthiness directive (AD) 2009-19-06 that was sent previously by individual notices to the known U.S. owners and operators of affected airplanes identified above. This AD requires installing certain equipment on the flight deck door. This AD was prompted by reports that the current design of the flight deck door is defective. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of this equipment, which could jeopardize flight safety.

The FAA is superseding two existing airworthiness directives (ADs), which apply to certain Model 747-100, 747-200B, and 747-200F series airplanes. The existing ADs currently require inspections to detect fatigue-related skin cracks and corrosion of the skin panel lap joints in the fuselage upper lobe, and repair if necessary. One of the existing ADs, AD 94-12-09, also requires modification of certain lap joints and inspection of modified lap joints. The other AD, AD 90-15- 06, requires repetitive detailed external visual inspections of the fuselage skin at the upper lobe skin lap joints for cracks and evidence of corrosion, and related investigative and corrective actions. This AD reduces the maximum interval of the post-modification inspections, and adds post-repair inspection requirements for certain airplanes. This AD results from reports of cracking on modified airplanes. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct fatigue cracking and corrosion in the fuselage upper lobe skin lap joints, which could lead to rapid decompression of the airplane and inability of the structure to carry fail-safe loads.

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) helicopters. That AD requires repetitively inspecting the main gearbox (MGB) planet gear carrier for a crack and replacing any MGB that has a cracked planet gear carrier before further flight. This action requires the same inspections required by the existing AD, but shortens the initial inspection interval. This AD is prompted by the discovery of another crack in a MGB planet gear carrier and additional analysis that indicates that the initial inspection interval must be shortened. The actions specified by this AD are intended to detect a crack in the web of the planet gear carrier, which could lead to a MGB seizure and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of a meeting of RTCA Special Committee 159: Global Positioning System (GPS).

This action proposes to modify Class D and E airspace at Flagstaff, AZ, to accommodate aircraft departing and arriving under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) at Flagstaff Pulliam Airport. This action also would remove Class E airspace designated as an extension to a Class D or E surface area at Flagstaff Pulliam Airport. This action, initiated by the biennial review of the Flagstaff airspace area, would enhance the safety and management of aircraft operations at the airport.

The FAA is amending its airports and locations special operating restrictions regulation to clarify a minor discrepancy in terminology. This amendment standardizes the language used to describe the altitude at which aircraft operating within 30 nautical miles of the listed airports are required to be equipped with an altitude encoding transponder. This action is not making any substantive changes to the regulation.

This action will amend Class E airspace at Arco, ID. Decommissioning of the Arco-Butte County Non-Directional Beacon (NDB) at Arco-Butte County Airport has made this action necessary for the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport. This action also would adjust the geographic coordinates of the airport.

This action will amend Class E airspace at Pendleton, OR. Decommissioning of the Foris Non-Directional Radio Beacon (NDB) at Eastern Oregon Regional Airport at Pendleton has made this necessary for the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport. This action also reflects the new name of the airport.

In anticipation of Congress enacting a reauthorization of the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) the FAA is publishing this annual notice. This notice announces the criteria, application procedures, and schedule to be applied by the Secretary of Transportation in designating or redesignating, and funding capital development annually for up to 15 current (joint-use) or former military airports seeking designation or redesignation to participate in the MAP. While FAA currently has continuing authority to designate or redesignate airports, FAA does not have authority to issue grants for fiscal year 2011 MAP, and will not have authority until Congress enacts legislation enabling FAA to issue grants for fiscal year 2011. The MAP allows the Secretary to designate current (joint-use) or former military airports to receive grants from the Airport Improvement Program (AIP). The Secretary is authorized to designate an airport (other than an airport designated before August 24, 1994) only if: (1) The airport is a former military installation closed or realigned under the Title 10 U.S.C. Sec. 2687 (announcement of closures of large Department of Defense installations after September 30, 1977), or under Section 201 or 2905 of the Defense Authorization Amendments and Base Closure and Realignment Acts; or (2) The airport is a military installation with both military and civil aircraft operations. The Secretary shall consider for designation only those current or former military airports, at least partly converted to civilian airports as part of the national air transportation system, that will reduce delays at airports with more than 20,000 hours of annual delays in commercial passenger aircraft takeoffs and landings, or will enhance airport and air traffic control system capacity in metropolitan areas, or reduce current and projected flight delays (49 U.S.C. 47118(c)).

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This proposed AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued 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 requires incorporating changes to the electronic flight information system and the airplane flight manuals. This AD was prompted by reports of uncommanded changes to the communications radio frequency, altitude preselect, and/or transponder codes. We are issuing this AD to correct faulty integration of hardware and software, which could result in unannunciated, uncommanded changes in communications radio frequency, transponder codes, and altitude preselect settings. These uncommanded changes could result in loss of communication with air traffic control due to improper communications frequency, autopilot level off at the incorrect altitude, or air traffic control loss of proper tracking of the aircraft.

We are superseding an existing 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 superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD), which applies to all Boeing Model 747-100, 747-100B, 747-100B SUD, 747-200B, 747-200C, 747-200F, 747-300, 747-400, 747-400D, 747- 400F, and 747SR series airplanes. That AD currently requires repetitive inspections to find cracking of the web, strap, inner chords, and inner chord angle of the forward edge frame of the number 5 main entry door cutouts, and repair, if necessary. This new AD requires expanding the inspection areas to include the frame segment between stringers 16 and 23. This AD reinstates the repetitive inspections specified above for certain airplanes. This AD also requires repetitive inspections for cracking of repairs. This AD results from additional reports of cracks that have been found in the strap and inner chord of the forward edge frame of the number 5 main entry door cutouts, between stringers 16 and 23. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct such cracks. This condition, if not corrected, could cause damage to the adjacent body structure, which could result in depressurization of the airplane in flight.

The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for certain serial numbers (S/Ns) of Bombardier-Rotax GmbH type 912 F and 914 F series reciprocating engines. That AD currently requires initial and repetitive visual inspections of the engine crankcase for cracks. This AD requires those same inspections, adds the 912 S series to the affected population, adds a test procedure to determine the engine suitability for a special flight permit, and changes applicability from engine S/N to crankcase S/N. This AD results from an increase in the affected crankcase population. We are issuing this AD to prevent oil loss caused by cracks in the engine crankcase, which could lead to in-flight failure of the engine and forced landing.

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:

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Model 400A, and 400T airplanes. This proposed AD would require a detailed inspection for proper sealant of the left and right pylon firewall structures, and corrective actions if necessary. This proposed AD results from reports of missing sealant on the left and right pylon firewall structures. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct missing sealant on the left and right pylon firewall structures, which, in the event of an engine fire, could result in flames penetrating the seams in the firewall between the engine and the aft fuselage, and a subsequent uncontrolled fire in the aft fuselage.

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:

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 superseding an existing 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: