Federal Aviation Administration May 1, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This document is the FAA's proposal and the FAA's invitation to the public to comment on its data and information distribution policy. This notice is in accordance with the presidential directive for Open Government issued on January 21, 2009; this directive instructed agencies to make information available in open formats, and presume openness to the extent permitted by law and subject to valid privacy, confidentiality, security, and other restrictions. The scope of this policy does not include requests for historical FAA data or information whose availability will continue to be determined under the existing Freedom of Information Act process. FAA data and information published via FAA Web sites is not within the scope of this policy.

The FAA announces its determination that the noise exposure maps submitted by Oakland County, for the Oakland County International Airport 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 CFR Part 150 (hereinafter referred to as ``Part 150'') are in compliance with applicable requirements.

This action amends Class E Airspace in the West Palm Beach, FL area, as new Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) have been developed at Palm Beach County Park Airport. Airspace reconfiguration is necessary for the continued safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations within the West Palm Beach, FL airspace area. This action also updates the geographic coordinates of the airport.

This action proposes to amend Class E Airspace at Dayton, TN, as the Hardwick Non-Directional Beacon (NDB) has been decommissioned and new Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) have been developed at Mark Anton Airport. Also, Hardwick Field Airport has closed; therefore, the controlled airspace area would be removed. This proposal also would establish Class E Airspace at Cleveland Regional Jetport, Cleveland, TN, to accommodate area navigation (RNAV) global positioning system (GPS) SIAPs at the airport. Information regarding Bradley Memorial Hospital would be added to the Cleveland, TN, airspace description and removed from both the Dayton, TN, regulatory text as well as its listing as Bradley Memorial Hospital, Cleveland, TN, to correct an erroneous reference. This proposal would enhance the safety and airspace management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations in the Dayton, TN, and Cleveland, TN, airspace areas.

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 Eurocopter France Model AS350B, AS350BA, AS350B1, AS350B2, AS350B3, AS350C, AS350D, AS350D1, AS355E, AS355F, AS355F1, AS355F2, AS355N, and AS355NP helicopters with certain Aerazur emergency flotation gear attachment brackets (brackets) installed. This AD requires an initial and recurring inspection of the brackets for a crack, and if there is a crack, replacing the cracked bracket with an airworthy bracket. This AD was prompted by reports of cracks on the brackets. The actions of this AD are intended to prevent failure of the emergency flotation system and loss of float stability in the event of a water landing.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH (Eurocopter) Model MBB-BK 117 C-2 helicopters. This AD requires inspecting the long tail rotor drive shaft assembly for blind rivets, and if any blind rivets are installed, replacing that shaft assembly. This AD was 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 actions of this AD 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 are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Eurocopter France (Eurocopter) Model SA-365N, SA-365N1, AS-365N2, AS 365 N3, and SA-366G1 helicopters. This AD requires an initial and recurring inspection of the 9-degree frame for a crack, and repair of the frame if there is a crack. This AD was prompted by the discovery of a crack in the 9-degree frame of a Eurocopter Model AS-365N2 helicopter, and these cracks could develop on the other specified model helicopters because they contain the same 9-degree frame. The actions specified by this AD are intended to detect a crack in the 9-degree frame to prevent loss of structural integrity and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 767-300 series airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report that certain airplanes might not have reinforcement straps installed on the center overhead stowage bins in the passenger compartment, and some installed reinforcement straps might not have been bonded. For certain airplanes, this AD requires performing an inspection of reinforcement straps to ensure they are correctly bonded to the center overhead stowage bins, and bonding the reinforcement straps to the center overhead stowage bins if necessary. For certain airplanes, this AD requires installing reinforcement straps on the center overhead stowage bins. We are issuing this AD to prevent missing or incorrectly bonded reinforcement straps, which could result in the center overhead stowage bins breaking loose at forward load levels less than 9g during an emergency landing, causing injury to passengers and delaying emergency evacuation.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 737-700 and -700C series airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of early fatigue cracks at chem-mill areas on the crown skin panels. This AD requires repetitive inspections for cracking of the fuselage skin at certain locations at chem-mill areas, and repair if necessary. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct fatigue cracking of the skin panel at the specified chem-mill step locations, which could result in rapid decompression of the airplane.