Federal Aviation Administration October 26, 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice contains a summary of a petition seeking relief from specified requirements of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR). The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, this aspect of the 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.

This action proposes special conditions for the Boeing Model 777-200 airplane. This airplane, as modified by Aerocon Engineering Company (Aerocon), will have a novel or unusual design feature when compared to the state of technology envisioned in the airworthiness standards for transport-category airplanes. This design feature is an access hatch, installed between the cabin and the Class C cargo compartment, to allow in-flight access to the Class C cargo compartment. 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.

This action proposes special conditions for the Bombardier Inc. (Bombardier) Model BD-700-2A12 and BD-700-2A13 airplanes. These airplanes will have novel or unusual design features when compared to the state of technology envisioned in the airworthiness standards for transport category airplanes. These features are associated with an aluminum-lithium fuselage construction that may provide different levels of protection from post-crash fire threats than similar aircraft constructed from traditional aluminum structure. 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.

These special conditions are issued for the modification of the Airbus Helicopters Model EC120B helicopter. This model helicopter will have a novel or unusual design feature after installation of the S-TEC Corporation (S-TEC) HeliSAS helicopter autopilot/stabilization augmentation system (AP/SAS) that has potential failure conditions with more severe adverse consequences than those envisioned by the existing applicable airworthiness regulations. These special conditions contain the added safety standards the Administrator considers necessary to ensure the failures and their effects are sufficiently analyzed and contained.

This rule establishes, amends, suspends, or removes Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) and associated Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle Departure Procedures (ODPs) 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.

This rule establishes, amends, suspends, or removes Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) and associated Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle Departure Procedures (ODPs) 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 all Bombardier, Inc. Model DHC-8-400 series airplanes. This AD was prompted by a revision by the manufacturer to the Certification Maintenance Requirements (CMR) of the Airworthiness Limitation Items (ALI), in the Maintenance Requirement Manual (MRM), that introduces a new CMR task that requires repetitive operational checks of the propeller overspeed governor. This AD requires revising the airplane maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate a new CMR task. We are issuing this AD to prevent dormant failure of the propeller overspeed governor, which may lead to a loss of propeller overspeed protection and result in high propeller drag in flight.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier Inc. Model DHC-8-102, -103, and -106 airplanes; DHC- 8-200 series airplanes; and Model DHC-8-300 series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of incorrect installation of the auto-ignition system due to crossed wires at one of the splices in the auto-relight system. This proposed AD would require inspecting the auto-ignition system for correct wiring, and doing corrective actions if necessary. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct incorrect wiring of the auto-ignition system, which could result in inability to restart the engine in flight and consequent reduced controllability of the airplane.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus Model A300 series airplanes. This AD was prompted by an evaluation by the design approval holder (DAH) that indicates a section of the wing and aft fuselage is subject to widespread fatigue damage (WFD). This proposed AD would require an inspection to determine if certain modifications have been done. For airplanes on which the specified modifications have not been done, this proposed AD would require accomplishing those modifications, including doing related investigative and corrective actions if necessary. We are proposing this AD to prevent reduced structural integrity of these airplanes due to the failure of certain structural components.