Federal Aviation Administration May 29, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This action proposes to amend Class E Airspace at Bedford, PA, as the St. Thomas VORTAC has been decommissioned, requiring airspace redesign at Bedford County Airport. This action would enhance the safety and airspace management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport. This action also would update the geographic coordinates of the airport.

This action establishes Class E airspace at the Tuba City VHF Omni-Directional Radio Range Tactical Air Navigational Aid (VORTAC), Tuba City, AZ, to facilitate vectoring of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) aircraft under control of Denver, Albuquerque and Salt Lake City Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCCs). This improves the safety and management of IFR operations in the vicinity of the VORTAC.

These special conditions are issued for the Gulfstream model G280 series airplanes. These airplanes, as modified by Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, will have an advanced, enhanced-flight-vision system (EFVS). The EFVS is a novel or unusual design feature which consists of a head-up display (HUD) system modified to display forward- looking infrared (FLIR) imagery. 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.

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.