Federal Aviation Administration December 24, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FAA is correcting a direct final rule published on April 12, 2007 (72 FR 18556). In that rule, the FAA amended its regulations to revise the fee requirement for issuance of airman certificates. This document amends one paragraph that unintentionally expanded the FAA's ability to refuse issuance of airman certificates to U.S. citizens and resident aliens, removes two paragraphs that were inadvertently left in one subsection, and renumbers the paragraphs and revises cross- references accordingly.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all M7 Aerospace LLC Models SA226-AT, SA226-T, SA226-T(B), SA226-TC, SA227- AC (C-26A), SA227-AT, SA227-BC (C-26A), SA227-CC, SA227-DC (C-26B), SA227-TT, SA26-AT, and SA26-T airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of airplanes with multiple fatigue cracks in the FS 69.31 front pressure bulkhead. This proposed AD would require repetitively inspecting (visually) the FS 51.31 front pressure bulkhead on SA26 series airplanes and FS 69.31 front pressure bulkhead on SA226 and SA227 series airplanes for cracks, and repairing any cracked bulkhead. This proposed AD also requires reporting certain inspection results to M7 Aerospace LLC. We are proposing this AD to correct the unsafe condition on these products.

We propose to supersede airworthiness directive (AD) 2010-13- 04, which applies to certain Bombardier, Inc. Model DHC-8-400 series airplanes. AD 2010-13-04 requires modifying the nose landing gear (NLG) trailing arm. Since we issued AD 2010-13-04, we received a report of several missing or damaged pivot pin retention bolts. This proposed AD would require installing a new pivot pin retention mechanism. This proposed AD would also add airplanes to the applicability. We are proposing this AD to prevent failure of the pivot pin retention bolt, which could result in a loss of directional control or loss of a NLG tire during take-off or landing.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Turbomeca S.A. Arriel 1A1, 1A2, 1B, 1C, 1C1, 1C2, 1D, 1D1, 1E2, 1K1, 1S, and 1S1 turboshaft engines. This AD requires a one-time inspection of the free turbine (FT) module (M04) for the affected Turbomeca S.A. Arriel 1 engines and, if a discrepancy is found, repair of the affected module. This AD was prompted by a ``chip illumination event'' in flight on a Turbomeca S.A. Arriel 1 engine. We are issuing this AD to prevent a loss of FT bearing lubrication, resulting in FT module failure, damage to the engine, and damage to the aircraft.

This action proposes special conditions for Airbus A350-900 series airplanes. These airplanes 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.