Federal Aviation Administration October 23, 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus SAS Model A350-941 and -1041 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a report that a welding quality issue has been identified in the gimbal joint of the air bleed duct located at each wing-to-pylon interface; the inner ring of a gimbal had deformed to an oval shape, which could lead to cracking caused by direct contact between metal parts. This proposed AD would require replacing affected bleed duct assemblies and bleed gimbals at the wing-to-pylon interface with a serviceable part, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which will be incorporated by reference. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This action establishes area navigation (RNAV) routes T-301 and T-305 in the northcentral United States. The new RNAV routes expand the availability of RNAV routing in support of transitioning the National Airspace System (NAS) from ground-based to satellite-based navigation. Additionally, a portion of the new RNAV routes provide enroute structure where VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal airway segments were removed due to the Cape Girardeau, MO, VOR being decommissioned in support of the FAA's VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) program.

These special conditions are issued for the Dassault Aviation (Dassault) Model Falcon 900 airplane. This airplane, as modified by Chicago Jet Group, 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 Midcontinent Instrument TS835 Standby Batteries that contain rechargeable lithium batteries. 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.

These special conditions are issued for Boeing Model 737-300, -400, -700, -800, -8, and -9 series airplanes. These airplanes, as modified by Archeion Holdings, LLC (Archeion), 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 a digital systems architecture for the installation of a system with wireless network and hosted application functionality that allows access, from sources internal to the airplane, to the airplane's internal electronic components. 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.