Federal Aviation Administration October 16, 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This action amends and extends, with modifications to reflect conditions in Iraq and the risks to U.S. civil aviation, the Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) prohibiting certain flight operations in the Baghdad Flight Information Region (FIR) (ORBB) by all: U.S. air carriers; U.S. commercial operators; persons exercising the privileges of an airman certificate issued by the FAA, except when such persons are operating U.S.-registered aircraft for a foreign air carrier; and operators of U.S.-registered civil aircraft, except when the operator of such aircraft is a foreign air carrier. The FAA finds this action necessary to address the risks to the safety of persons and aircraft engaged in such flight operations. Specifically, this action amends the SFAR to prohibit U.S. civil aviation operations in the Baghdad FIR (ORBB) at altitudes below Flight Level (FL) 320. This rule amends the SFAR prohibition from altitudes below FL260 to altitudes below FL320, based on an assessment of the current aviation safety risks. This action also extends the expiration date of the SFAR from October 26, 2020, to October 26, 2022. Additionally, the FAA republishes the approval process and exemption information for this SFAR, consistent with other recently published flight prohibition SFARs, and makes minor administrative revisions.

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2015-22- 08, which applied to all Airbus SAS Model A318 series airplanes; Model A319-111, -112, -113, -114, -115, -131, -132, and -133 airplanes; and Model A320-211, -212, -214, -231, -232, and -233 airplanes. The FAA is also superseding AD 2018-17-19, which applied to certain Airbus SAS Model A318 series airplanes; Model A319-111, -112, -113, -114, -115, - 131, -132, and -133 airplanes; Model A320-211, -212, -214, -216, -231, -232, -233, -251N, and -271N airplanes; and Model A321-111, -112, -131, -211, -212, -213, -231, -232, -251N, -253N, and -271N airplanes. The FAA is also superseding AD 2019-19-15, which applied to certain Airbus SAS Model A318 series airplanes; Model A319-111, -112, -113, -114, - 115, -131, -132, and -133 airplanes; Model A320-211, -212, -214, -216, -231, -232, -233, -251N, and -271N airplanes; and Model A321 series airplanes. AD 2019-19-15 required revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations. This AD requires revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference. This AD was prompted by a determination that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This action amends and extends the Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) prohibiting certain flights in the specified areas of the Dnipropetrovsk Flight Information Region (FIR) (UKDV) by all: U.S. air carriers; U.S. commercial operators; persons exercising the privileges of an airman certificate issued by the FAA, except when such persons are operating U.S.-registered aircraft for a foreign air carrier; and operators of U.S.-registered civil aircraft, except when the operator of such aircraft is a foreign air carrier. The FAA finds this action necessary to address hazards to persons and aircraft engaged in such flight operations. However, due to changed conditions in Ukraine and the associated risks to U.S. civil aviation, this action does not extend the prohibition against certain flights in the specified areas of the Simferopol FIR (UKFV), which will expire on October 27, 2020. This action extends the expiration date of the prohibition against certain flights in the specified areas of the Dnipropetrovsk FIR (UKDV) from October 27, 2020, to October 27, 2021. Additionally, the FAA republishes the approval process and exemption information for this SFAR, consistent with other recently published flight prohibition SFARs, and makes minor administrative revisions.