Federal Aviation Administration January 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This action amends Class E Airspace at Lincoln, ME, as the Lincoln Non-Directional Beacon (NDB) has been decommissioned and new Standard Instrument Approach Procedures have been developed at Lincoln Regional Airport. This action enhances the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport.

This action amends Class E airspace at Ontonagon, MI. Additional controlled airspace is necessary to accommodate new Area Navigation (RNAV) Standard Instrument Approach Procedures at Ontonagon CountySchuster Field Airport. Also, this action renames the airport. The FAA is taking this action to enhance the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) operations at the airport.

This action proposes to modify the Nashville International Airport, TN, Class C airspace area by removing a cutout from the surface area that was put in place to accommodate operations around an airport that is now permanently closed. The FAA is proposing this action to return the Class C airspace area to the standard configuration and enable more efficient operations at the Nashville International Airport.

This action proposes to amend Class E Airspace at Griffin, GA, as the Griffin Non-Directional Beacon (NDB) has been decommissioned and new Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) have been developed at Griffin-Spalding County Airport. This action would enhance the safety and airspace management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport.

This notice announces a public teleconference to share with the public results of recent FAA sponsored testing of nitrous oxide (N2O) characteristics. Nitrous oxide is an important oxidizer to developers of some commercial reusable launch vehicles. A potential hazard in nitrous oxide storage and handling is a Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion (BLEVE), which results from a sudden loss of pressure in a tank containing nitrous oxide stored under pressure above its normal boiling point. The FAA's Office of Commercial Space Transportation sponsored tests of liquid-phase nitrous oxide at NASA's White Sands Test Facility to empirically determine the superheat limit temperature for nitrous oxide, and to demonstrate that a BLEVE would not occur if the liquid is maintained at temperatures below this superheat limit temperature. Meeting Information: The teleconference is scheduled for Thursday, February 28, 2013, from 1:00-2:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The presentation and call-in number will be posted one week in advance at https://www.ast.faa.gov/.

The Federal Aviation Administration is requesting public comment on the Bi-County Board of Commissioners of Luzerne and Lackawanna Counties request to release airport property and granting right-of-way easements for use by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to construct an access roadway and required drainage facilities. The request consists of a permanent release of land (16.037 acres) for the roadway construction, a right-of-way drainage easement (0.2 acre) for the highway, and a right-of-way easement (0.183 acre) for the substitute sewer (supersedes previous easement) for the Lower Lackawanna Valley Sanitary Authority. The parcel is located in the Borough of DuPont and Pittstown Township, Luzerne County within the existing Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport property and consists of three areas. The first area is located southeast of the northbound off ramp (exit 178A) of Interstate 81 near its intersection with Terminal Road (SR 2059) to Navy Way Road then along the Navy Way Road alignment south to the Lidy Road intersection with Gedrich Street containing approximately 8 +/- acres. The second area is located southeast of Laurel Lane and extends southeast under the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport approach light towers and the wooded area to the Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension containing approximately 8 +/- acres. The third area is located northwest of Campbell Street along Interstate 81 and the pedestrian bridge over Interstate 81 containing approximately 0.26 +/- acres. This release request is for the purpose of permitting the Airport Owner to sell and convey title of 16.037 acres for public roadway, 0.20 acres for a drainage easement associated with the highway and 0.183 acres for a substitute sewer easement displaced due to the public road for a total of 16.42 acres. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport will receive fair market value from the sale of the land. Areas impacted are not needed for aeronautical use for current or foreseeable future aeronautical activities. Documents reflecting the Sponsor's request are available, by appointment only, for inspection at the Airport Managers office and the FAA Harrisburg Airport District Office.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of the Seventy Fifth meeting of RTCA Special Committee 147, Minimum Operational Performance Standards for Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance Systems Airborne Equipment.

We are revising an earlier proposed airworthiness directive (AD) for all The Boeing Company Model 737-300, -400, and -500 series airplanes. That NPRM proposed to require repetitive operational tests of the engine fuel suction feed of the fuel system, and other related testing if necessary. That NPRM was prompted by reports of two in- service occurrences on Model 737-400 airplanes of total loss of boost pump pressure of the fuel feed system, followed by loss of fuel system suction feed capability on one engine, and in-flight shutdown of the engine. This action revises that NPRM by proposing to require repetitive operational tests, and corrective actions if necessary. We are proposing this supplemental NPRM to detect and correct loss of the engine fuel suction feed capability of the fuel system, which, in the event of total loss of the fuel boost pumps, could result in dual engine flameout, inability to restart the engines, and consequent forced landing of the airplane. Since these actions impose an additional burden over that proposed in the previous NPRM, we are reopening the comment period to allow the public the chance to comment on these proposed changes.

These special conditions are issued for the Airbus Model A318- 112 airplane, serial number (S/N) 3238. This airplane, as modified by Fokker Services B.V., will have a novel or unusual design feature associated with a cooktop installation. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. 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 certain The Boeing Company Model 737-600, -700, -700C, -800, -900, and -900ER series airplanes. This AD requires, for certain airplanes, installing two warning level indicator lights on each of the P1-3 and P3-1 instrument panels in the flight compartment. This AD also requires, for certain airplanes, replacing the existing P5-16 and P5-10 panels; and, for certain airplanes, replacing the basic P5-16 panel with a high altitude landing P5-16 panel. Additionally, this AD requires revising the airplane flight manual to remove certain requirements of previous AD actions, and to advise the flightcrew of certain changes. This AD was prompted by a design change in the cabin altitude warning system that would address the identified unsafe condition. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of the flightcrew to recognize and react to a valid cabin altitude warning horn, which could result in incapacitation of the flightcrew due to hypoxia (a lack of oxygen in the body), and consequent loss of control of the airplane.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Rolls-Royce plc RB211-Trent 970-84, RB211-Trent 970B-84, RB211-Trent 972-84, RB211-Trent 972B-84, RB211-Trent 977-84, RB211-Trent 977B-84 and RB211-Trent 980-84 turbofan engines. This AD requires on-wing inspections of low-pressure turbine (LPT) disk seal fins and interstage seals when post-flight review indicates Engine Health Monitoring (EHM) vibratory maintenance-alert limits were exceeded in flight. The AD also requires in-shop inspections of the LPT disk seal fins and interstage seals to detect cracks or damage and, depending on the findings, accomplishment of corrective action. This AD is prompted by a Trent 900 engine experiencing LPT stage 2 disk interstage seal material loss and increased low-pressure rotor vibration while in flight. We are issuing this AD to prevent cracks in the LPT disk, which could result in uncontained engine failure and damage to the airplane.

This action proposes to amend Class D and Class E Airspace at Reading, PA, as the SHAPP OM has been decommissioned, requiring the modification of Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) at Reading Regional/Carl A. Spaatz Field. This action would enhance the safety and airspace management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to renew an information collection. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on October 2, 2012, vol. 77, no. 191, pages 60165-60166. The FAA requires certificate holders who voluntarily establish approved Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA) programs to periodically provide aggregate trend analysis information from such programs to the FAA.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to renew an information collection. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on October 2, 2012, vol. 77, no. 191, page 60166. 14 CFR part 21 prescribes certification standards for aircraft, aircraft engines, propellers appliances and parts. The information collected is used to determine compliance and applicant eligibility. The respondents are aircraft parts designers, manufacturers, and aircraft owners.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for a new information collection. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on August 8, 2012, vol. 77, no. 153, page 47492. This is a new generic clearance for the purpose of gathering customer satisfaction data directly from customers for a wide variety of services.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for to renew an information collection. The FAA assesses the information collected and issues operations specifications to foreign air carriers. These operations specifications assure the foreign air carrier's ability to navigate and communicate safely within the U.S. National Airspace System.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is considering a proposal from Outagamie County Regional Airport (Sponsor), Appleton, WI, to release a 77.5-acre parcel of land from the federal obligation dedicating it to aeronautical use and to authorize this parcel to be used for revenue-producing, nonaeronautical purposes.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to renew an information collection. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on August 31, 2012, vol. 77, no. 170, pages 53249-53250. The FAA collects information from airport sponsors and planning agencies in order to administer the Airports Grants Program. Data is used to determine eligibility, ensure proper use of Federal Funds, and ensure project accomplishment.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for CFM International, S.A. CFM56-3, CFM56-3B, and CFM56-3C turbofan engines. This AD requires removal from service of certain high-pressure turbine (HPT) disks manufactured by Global Material Solutions of Pratt & Whitney, at reduced maximum life limits. This AD was prompted by a report of a forging process error during manufacture of these HPT disks. We are issuing this AD to prevent uncontained release of multiple turbine blades, damage to the engine, and damage to the airplane.

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.

The FAA is issuing a SNPRM for the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) published on October 9, 2012, in order to elicit comments addressing the proposed airspace modification west of the airport to accommodate aircraft using Area Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) standard instrument approach procedures. The FAA has reassessed the NPRM and finds that extension of the Class E airspace area west of the airport to within 11 miles north of the airport 268[deg] degree bearing is necessary for the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations in the Astoria, OR, area.

This action proposes special conditions for the Embraer S.A. Model EMB-550 airplane. This airplane will have a novel or unusual design feature when compared to the state of technology envisioned in the airworthiness standards for transport category airplanes. These design features include a high-speed protection system. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. 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.

By Federal Register notice (See 77 FR 27835-27836, May 11, 2012 and 77 FR 48201, August 13, 2012) the National Park Service (NPS) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) invited interested persons to apply to fill one upcoming opening on the National Parks Overflights Advisory Group (NPOAG) Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC). The notice invited interested persons to apply to fill a vacancy representing environmental concerns due to the incumbent member's completion of a three-year term appointment on October 9, 2012. Since the previous notices did not draw enough responses from individuals for the open environmental vacancy, NPS and FAA are using this notice to invite other interested individuals to apply for the environmental opening. If you responded to either of the initial notices for the environmental opening, you will still be under consideration and need not re-apply. This notice also informs the public of another upcoming opening to represent commercial air tour operator interests due to an incumbent member's completion of a three-year term appointment on May 19, 2013.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of the thirty-second meeting of the RTCA Special Committee 206, Aeronautical Information and Meteorological Data Link Services.

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.