Federal Aviation Administration July 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This action proposes to modify the Philadelphia, PA, Class B airspace area to ensure the containment of large turbine-powered aircraft within Class B airspace, reduce controller workload, and reduce the potential for midair collision in the Philadelphia terminal area.

This action establishes Class E Airspace at Quakertown, PA, to accommodate the new Area Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) Standard Instrument Approach Procedures at Quakertown Airport. This action enhances the safety and airspace management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations within the National Airspace System.

This action amends the Class E airspace area at Bar Harbor, ME, as the Surry Non-Directional Radio Beacon (NDB) has been decommissioned and new Standard Instrument Approach Procedures have been developed at Hancock County-Bar Harbor Airport. This action enhances the safety and airspace management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations within the National Airspace System. This action also makes a minor adjustment to the geographic coordinates of the airport.

This action amends Class E Airspace in the Montgomery, AL area, by recognizing the name change of Prattville-Grouby Field Airport, formerly called Autauga Airport, and adjusts the geographic coordinates. This action does not change the boundaries or operating requirements of the airspace.

Pursuant to Section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, 5 U.S.C. App. 2), notice is hereby given of three teleconferences of the Systems Working Group of the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee (COMSTAC). The teleconferences will take place on: Tuesday August 14, 2012, Tuesday September 18, 2012, and Tuesday October 23, 2012. All teleconferences will begin at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time and will last approximately one hour. Individuals who plan to participate should contact Susan Lender, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), (the Contact Person listed below) by phone or email for the teleconference call in number. The purpose of these three teleconferences is to assist the FAA early in its development of regulations to protect occupants of commercial suborbital and orbital spacecraft. Although the FAA has not yet targeted a date for proposing regulations to protect the health and safety of crew and space flight participants, the FAA believes that the development of sound and appropriate regulations for human space flight can only be achieved with a deliberate, multi-year effort. Moreover, the FAA believes that early industry input into this regulatory effort before any formal proposal by the FAA is critical. Thus, the FAA would like to engage with COMSTAC on a periodic basis, approximately once per month, on specific topics. The topics for the first three teleconferences are as follows: (1) What Level of Safety Should FAA Target? We will discuss whether the FAA should regulate to one or multiple levels of space flight safety, what level or levels of safety the FAA should attempt to achieve, and whether the level or levels of safety should be quantified. We will also discuss what level of care, short of a fatality, the FAA should be concerned with. (2) What Should FAA Oversight Look Like? Aircraft-like certification is not feasible at this time, due to current technology and the FAA's statutory mandate only to pursue minimal regulations that take into consideration the evolving standards of safety in the commercial space flight industry. 51 U.S.C. 50905(c)(3). We will discuss what a licensing process should look like in terms of FAA oversight, whether such oversight could or should be called a ``certification,'' and for how long informed consent should remain in effect. (3) What Types of Requirements and Associated Guidance Material Should FAA Develop? In general, the FAA favors space transportation regulations that are performance or process based. We will discuss the level of empirical or analytical data necessary to justify any performance-based human space flight regulation, the possible use of Advisory Circulars to add clarity to regulations, and what place government and industry standards should have in FAA licensing. Interested members of the public may submit relevant written statements for the COMSTAC working group members to consider under the advisory process. Statements may concern the issues and agenda items mentioned above or additional issues that may be relevant for the U.S. commercial space transportation industry. Interested parties wishing to submit written statements should contact Susan Lender, DFO, (the Contact Person listed below) in writing (mail or email) by August 7, 2012, for the August 14 teleconference, September 11, 2012, for the September 18 teleconference, and October 16, 2012, for the October 23 teleconference. This way the information can be made available to COMSTAC members for their review and consideration before each teleconference. Written statements should be supplied in the following formats: one hard copy with original signature or one electronic copy via email. The FAA may schedule up to 10 more teleconferences in the coming months to allow the U.S. commercial space transportation industry to share views with the FAA on a number of specific topics related to commercial human space flight safety. An agenda will be posted on the FAA Web site at https://www.faa.gov/ go/ast. Individuals who plan to participate and need special assistance should inform the Contact Person listed below in advance of the meeting.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Alpha Aviation Concept Limited Model R2160 Airplanes. 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 possible installation of non-conforming air filter elements that are not fitted with metallic mesh and could internally collapse resulting in disruption of the powerplant operation. We are issuing this proposed AD to require actions to address the unsafe condition on these products.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Gulfstream Aerospace LP (Type Certificate previously held by Israel Aircraft Industries, Ltd.) Model Astra SPX, 1125 Westwind Astra, and Gulfstream 100 airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report indicating that sponge rubber padding was found between wheel well fuel lines and electrical harnesses. This AD requires inspecting for the presence of sponge rubber padding and for proper separation of the fuel lines and electrical harnesses in the wheel well area, and corrective actions if necessary. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct corrosion or chafing of the fuel lines, which could result in fuel leakage and possible fire in the wheel well area.

This action proposes a policy, based on Federal law, concerning through-the-fence access to a federally obligated airport from an adjacent or nearby property, when that property is used as a residence. This proposed policy limits application of the FAA's previously published interim policy (76 FR 15028; March 18, 2011) to commercial service airports that certified existing residential through-the-fence access agreements. In addition, this notice proposes to rescind applicability of the interim policy with regard to certain general aviation airports consistent with section 136 of Public Law 112-95 and describes how the FAA will interpret provisions of this law pertaining to residential through-the-fence access. When the FAA adopted its interim policy on access to airports from residential property, the FAA announced its intent to initiate another policy review in 2014. This supplemental policy review will no longer be necessary.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Arrow Falcon Exporters, Inc. (previously Utah State University); Firefly Aviation Helicopter Services (previously Erickson Air-Crane Co.); California Department of Forestry; Garlick Helicopters, Inc.; Global Helicopter Technology, Inc.; Hagglund Helicopters, LLC (previously Western International Aviation, Inc.); International Helicopters, Inc.; Precision Helicopters, LLC; Robinson Air Crane, Inc.; San Joaquin Helicopters (previously Hawkins and Powers Aviation, Inc.); S.M.&T. Aircraft (previously US Helicopters, Inc., UNC Helicopter, Inc., Southern Aero Corporation, and Wilco Aviation); Smith Helicopters; Southern Helicopter, Inc.; Southwest Florida Aviation International, Inc. (previously Jamie R. Hill and Southwest Florida Aviation); Tamarack Helicopters, Inc. (previously Ranger Helicopter Services, Inc.); US Helicopter, Inc. (previously UNC Helicopter, Inc.); West Coast Fabrication; and Williams Helicopter Corporation (previously Scott Paper Co.) Model HH-1K, TH-1F, TH-1L, UH-1A, UH-1B, UH-1E, UH-1F, UH-1H, UH-1L, and UH-1P Helicopters; and Southwest Florida Aviation Model UH-1B (SW204 and SW204HP) and UH-1H (SW205) Helicopters. This AD requires inspecting each affected tail rotor blade (blade) forward tip weight retention block (tip block) and the aft tip closure (tip closure) for adhesive bond voids and removing any blade with an excessive void from service. This AD also requires modifying certain blades by installing shear pins and tip closure rivets. This AD was prompted by reports of missing tip blocks or tip closures, resulting in minor to substantial damage to blades installed on Bell Model 212 and 412 helicopters. The actions are intended to prevent loss of a tip block or tip closure, loss of a blade, 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.

These special conditions are issued for the Agusta S.p.A. (Agusta) Model AW139 and AB139 helicopters. These model helicopters, as modified by Agusta, will have novel or unusual design features associated with installing an optional SAR AFCS. The applicable airworthiness standards do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These special conditions contain the additional safety standards the Administrator considers necessary to show a level of safety equivalent to that established by the existing airworthiness standards.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Eurocopter France (Eurocopter) Model EC155B1 helicopters with a certain automated flight control system installed. This AD requires changing the minimum required crew for instrument flight rules (IFR) operations from one pilot to two. This AD is prompted by a report that an EC155B1 helicopter experienced significant intermittent roll oscillations while coupled to the autopilot. These actions are intended to decrease the pilot's workload while experiencing any oscillations during landing, which could result in possible loss of control of the helicopter.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH (ECD) MBB-BK 117 A-3, MBB-BK 117 A-4, MBB- BK B-1, MBB-BK 117 B-2, and MBB-BK C-1 helicopters equipped with a certain external-hoist system (hoist system). This AD requires deactivating the entire hoist system or deactivating the hoist system cable cutter function on the hoist system operator control handle (operator handle). This AD was prompted by an uncommanded activation of the hoist cable cutter function on an MBB-BK117 C-1 helicopter. The actions of this AD are intended to prevent uncommanded cutting of the hoist cable and subsequent injury to persons being lifted by the hoist.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH (Eurocopter) Model MBB-BK 117 C-2 helicopters. This proposed AD is prompted by the discovery that some helicopters have blind rivets installed in the place of solid rivets in the long tail rotor drive shaft. The proposed actions are intended to detect blind rivets installed in the long tail rotor drive shaft, which could lead to failure of the tail rotor drive shaft and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

We propose to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to all Turbomeca S.A. Arriel 1A, 1A1, 1A2, 1B, 1C, 1C1, 1C2, 1D, 1D1, 1E, 1E2, 1K, 1K1, 1S, and 1S1 turboshaft engines. The existing AD currently requires initial and repetitive visual inspections for erosion caused by dust ingestion and, if necessary, cleaning of the gas generator (module M03). Since we issued that AD, in-service experience has shown that dust inside the gas generator hollow shaft may be found when the axial compressor wheel has less erosion than initially assessed. This proposed AD would require determining the engine history, a one-time visual inspection of the axial compressor for erosion, initial and repetitive cleaning of the gas generator hollow shaft, and replacement of the rear bearing if the amount of dust collected during cleaning exceeds 8 grams. This proposed AD also includes an optional terminating action. We are proposing this AD to prevent an unbalance of the gas generator rotating assembly, which may lead to gas generator rear bearing failure, and uncommanded engine shutdown.

We propose to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to certain Bombardier, Inc. Model DHC-8-400 series airplanes. The existing AD currently requires a modification to trim the edge of the bumper plate, including performing an inspection for damage or cracks of the bumper plate and base fitting, and replacing any damaged or cracked part. That AD also currently requires, for certain airplanes, reidentifying the bumper plate. Since we issued that AD, we have determined that an operational check must be done after reidentifying the bumper plate to ensure the identified unsafe condition is addressed. This proposed AD would require, for airplanes on which the reidentification is done, an operational check of the alternate extension system of the main landing gear (MLG), and repair if necessary. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct failure of the MLG to extend and lock, which could adversely affect the safe landing of the airplane.

This action proposes to establish Class E airspace at Coaldale VHF Omni-Directional Radio Range Tactical Air Navigational Aid (VORTAC), Coaldale, NV to facilitate vectoring of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) aircraft under control of Oakland Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC). The FAA is proposing this action to enhance the safety and management of aircraft operations within the National Airspace System.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier, Inc. Model DHC-8-400 series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of alternating current (AC) generator failures in-service due to incomplete fusion in the weld joint of the rotor band assembly. This proposed AD would require inspecting the AC generator to determine the part number, and replacing the AC generator if necessary. We are proposing this AD to prevent rotor windings from coming in contact with the generator housing, which could result in debris contaminating and potentially blocking the engine oil scavenge system, leading to loss of oil pressure and an in- flight shutdown of the engine.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces its findings on the noise compatibility program submitted by City of Philadelphia under the provisions of 49 U.S.C. 47501 et seq. (formerly the Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act, hereinafter referred to as ``the Act'') and 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 150 (hereinafter referred to as ``Part 150''). On June 1, 2010, the FAA determined that the noise exposure maps submitted by City of Philadelphia under Part 150 were in compliance with applicable requirements. On July 13, 2012, the FAA approved the Philadelphia International Airport noise compatibility program. Most of the recommendations of the program were approved.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH (ECD) Model MBB-BK 117 (all versions) and BO-105LS A-3 helicopters. This AD requires inspecting the tail rotor pitch link spherical bearing for proper swaging. This AD is prompted by a report of a tail rotor pitch link with a spherical bearing that had migrated out of the bearing bore. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent failure of the tail rotor pitch link and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus Model A318-112 and -121 airplanes; Model A319-111, -112, -115, - 132, and -133 airplanes; Model A320-214, -232, and -233 airplanes; and Model A321-211, -212, -213, and -231 airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of some fuselage nuts found cracked. This AD requires an inspection to determine if certain fuselage nuts are installed, a detailed inspection for cracking of fuselage nuts having a certain part number, and related investigative and corrective actions if necessary. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct fuselage nuts found cracked, which could result in reduced structural integrity of the airplane.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for CHI Model 107-II and Kawasaki Model KV107-II and KV107-IIA helicopters. This AD requires, before further flight, replacing certain upper collective pitch control yoke bolts. This AD is prompted by three failures of the affected bolts. These actions are intended to prevent failure of an upper collective pitch control yoke bolt (bolt), excessive vibration, migration of the shafts, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 777-200 and -300 series airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of fatigue cracks in the lap joints, which initiated at scribe lines that were made during production when maskant was removed from the affected skin panels during the chemical milling process. This AD requires repetitive external phased-array ultrasonic inspections to detect cracks of the affected fuselage skin lap splices in Sections 41, 43, and 44, as applicable, and repair if necessary. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct such fatigue cracking, which could grow large and cause sudden decompression and the inability to sustain limit flight and pressure loads.

The FAA is conducting a public meeting on August 7 regarding program design and implementation of an equipage incentives program for commercial aircraft and general aviation to equip their aircraft with Next Generation Air Transportation (NextGen) capabilities, pursuant to the FAA's authority in the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (sec. 221). The purpose of this meeting is to serve as an information sharing session.