Federal Aviation Administration March 18, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This action establishes Class E Airspace at Lancaster, NH, to accommodate a new Area Navigation Global Positioning System RNAV special Standard Instrument Approach Procedure (SIAP) serving the Weeks Medical Center Heliport. This action enhances the safety and airspace management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations within the National Airspace System.

This action establishes Class E Airspace at Wolfeboro, NH, to accommodate a new Area Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) special Instrument Approach Procedure (SIAP) serving Huggins Hospital Heliport. This action enhances the safety and airspace management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations within the National Airspace System.

This action proposes to Amend Class E Airspace at Waynesboro, VA, to accommodate new Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) developed for Eagle's Nest Airport. This action would enhance the safety and airspace management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport.

This action adopts an interim policy amending and clarifying FAA policy concerning through-the-fence access to a federally-obligated airport from an adjacent or nearby property, when that property is used as a residence, and permits continuation of existing access subject to certain standards. This action also modifies sponsor grant assurance 5, Preserving Rights and Powers, to prohibit new residential through-the- fence access to a federally-obligated airport. Prior FAA policy discouraged through-the-fence access to a federally-obligated airport from an off-airport residence. Owners of properties used both as a residence and for the storage of personal aircraft, sometimes called ``hangar homes,'' had urged the agency to permit an exception to the through-the-fence policy for residents who own aircraft. At this time, the FAA is adopting an interim policy. The policy review conducted in 2010 highlighted a number of differences among the airports identified as having residential through-the-fence arrangements. As a result, the FAA believes it will take more time and more detailed information to better understand these arrangements and how they impact each airport sponsor's ability to comply with its grant assurances. However, the agency also acknowledges that interested stakeholders have a more immediate need for resolution. The goal of the interim policy is to strike a careful balance by accommodating residential through-the-fence access where it already exists. To date, the FAA has not been able to clearly define the specific criteria or requirements that would allow airport sponsors to enter into new residential through-the-fence arrangements while ensuring ongoing compliance with their grant obligations. Therefore, the interim policy requires airports with existing residential through-the-fence arrangements to develop access plans outlining how the airport sponsor meets certain standards for control of airport operations and development and for self-sustaining and nondiscriminatory airport rates. In adopting this interim policy, the FAA is announcing its intent to initiate another policy review of residential through-the-fence access to federally-obligated airports in 2014. This timeframe will give the FAA the experience it needs in reviewing residential through- the-fence arrangements via the access plans and understanding how to mitigate the real and potential adverse effects of these arrangements. Additionally, it will allow the agency to complete a separate, ongoing general aviation airport study that is analyzing the federally assisted general aviation airport system. The interim policy adopts the changes proposed to sponsor grant assurance 5, Preserving Rights and Powers, to prohibit new residential through-the-fence access to a federally-obligated airport. However, it is the agency's intent to reconsider this change as part of the policy review that will be conducted in 2014. In the interest of obtaining all available information relevant to the review, the FAA invites any person who would be interested in a specific approval of new residential through-the-fence access at a federally-obligated airport to contact the FAA Airport Compliance Division to discuss the particular circumstances so this can be considered in our 2014 review.

This notice proposes special conditions for the Boeing Model 747-8 airplane. This airplane will have novel or unusual design features when compared to the state of technology envisioned in the airworthiness standards for transport category airplanes. These design features include a stairway between the main deck and upper deck. These proposed special conditions contain the additional safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary to establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by the existing airworthiness standards. Additional special conditions will be issued for other novel or unusual design features of the Boeing 747-8 airplanes.

This action proposes to establish Class E Airspace at Kenbridge, VA, to accommodate the additional airspace needed for the Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) developed for Lunenburg County Airport. This action would enhance the safety and airspace management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport.

This notice solicits Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 grant proposals to continue the development of a Commercial Space Transportation infrastructure system, which supports the National Space Policy and Congressional intent. Begun in 2010, the program supports the Commercial Space Transportation industry by identification, prioritization, and funding for Commercial Space Transportation infrastructure projects. It must be noted that with the FY 2011 Congressional appropriation not yet enacted, the FAA's Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST) does not currently have funding for the Commercial Space Transportation Grants Program. Should there be an appropriation for the Commercial Space Transportation Grants Program; the FAA/AST intends to swiftly execute grant awards within FY 2011. To facilitate this, the FAA/AST is requesting grant applications at this time. The FAA/AST intends to receive, process, and evaluate the applications in a timely manner, and in accordance with the notional schedule listed below, so should there be an appropriation, the recipients will already be selected and the awards can be made within FY 2011. There remains the possibility that no funds will be appropriated in FY 2011 for the Commercial Space Transportation Grants Program. If no funds are appropriated, no grant applications submitted in response to this Notice will be approved and funded. Due to time constraints, this Notice will be the only solicitation made for FY 2011 projects and proposals. The FAA/AST will review and evaluate all applications for a grant received by the deadline, pursuant to 49 United States Code (U.S.C.) Chapter 703 (to be recodified at 51 U.S.C. Chapter 511). The FAA/AST may make one or more grant awards based upon its evaluations of the submissions. All grants awarded under the Commercial Space Transportation Grants Program are discretionary awards. Projects to be funded under the Commercial Space Transportation Grants Program must carry out commercial space transportation infrastructure development, as defined in 49 U.S.C. 70301 (to be recodified as 51 U.S.C. 51101).

These special conditions are issued for Boeing Model 747-8 airplanes. This airplane will have novel or unusual design features associated with connectivity of the passenger domain computer systems to the airplane critical systems and data networks. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for these design features. These special conditions contain the additional safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary to establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by the existing airworthiness standards.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This 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: