Federal Aviation Administration September 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is considering a proposal and invites public comment on the application for release of approximately 1.33 acres of airport property at Hayfork Airport, Hayfork, California, from all conditions contained in Grant Agreement Assurances since the land is not needed for airport purposes. The property is located approximately 2,400-feet east ad 135-feet south of the Hayfork Airport Runway 25 threshold.

This action amends the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at Salem Memorial Airport, Salem, MO. This action is the result of an airspace review caused by the decommissioning of the Maples very high frequency (VHF) omnidirectional range (VOR) as part of the VOR Minimal Operational Network (MON) Program.

The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2020-21-01, which applies to certain Airbus Helicopters Model AS-365N2, AS 365N3, EC 155B, EC155B1, and SA-365N1 helicopters. AD 2020-21-01 requires modifying the main gearbox (MGB) tail rotor (T/R) drive flange installation. Since the FAA issued AD 2020-21-01, the FAA has determined that additional helicopters are affected by the unsafe condition. This proposed AD would continue to require modifying the MGB T/R drive flange installation, and would also include new helicopters in the applicability for the required actions. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain H[eacute]licopt[egrave]res Guimbal Model CABRI G2 helicopters. This AD was prompted by a report that, during scheduled maintenance on two helicopters, cracks were found on a certain main rotor (MR) non- rotating scissor link. This AD requires replacing an affected MR non- rotating scissor link with a serviceable part. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Leonardo S.p.a. Model A109S and AW109SP helicopters. This proposed AD was prompted by the discovery that rubber protection of certain electrical wiring had not been installed in the baggage avionics bay during production. This proposed AD would require installing protective rubber borders on the edge of the baggage avionics bay frames, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is proposed for incorporation by reference (IBR). The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all DG Flugzeugbau GmbH Models DG-808C and DG-1000T gliders. This AD was prompted by mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) originated by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI identifies the unsafe condition as damaged fuel hoses due to environmental and fatigue deterioration. This AD requires inspecting the polyurethane (PU) fuel hoses, replacing the PU fuel hoses if there is damage, and establishing a life limit for the PU fuel hoses. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA is withdrawing a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that proposed to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD 2002-20-01, which applies to certain Model HH-1K, TH-1F, TH-1L, UH-1A, UH-1B, UH- 1E, UH-1F, UH-1H, UH-1L, and UH-1P helicopters; and Southwest Florida Aviation Model SW204, SW204HP, SW205, and SW205A-1 helicopters, manufactured by Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. (BHTI) for the Armed Forces of the United States. The NPRM would have required removing certain serial-numbered tension-torsion (TT) straps from service, reducing the retirement life for other TT straps, and establishing a retirement life in terms of calendar time in addition to hours time-in- service (TIS) for certain other affected TT straps. The NPRM also would have added two model helicopters to the applicability of the AD. The NPRM was prompted by fatigue cracking in certain TT straps that have stainless steel filament windings and a determination that corrosion damage, which is related to calendar time, necessitated a calendar time retirement life for certain TT straps in addition to the retirement life based on hours TIS. The NPRM was also prompted by fatigue cracking in other TT straps with encased thin stainless steel plates. Since issuance of the NPRM, the FAA has re-reviewed the available information and determined that the totality of the available information does not support issuance of a final rule. Accordingly, the NPRM is withdrawn.

The FAA is considering a proposal to change 1.44 acres of airport land from aeronautical use to non-aeronautical use and to authorize the sale of airport property located at Brookings Regional Airport, Brookings, South Dakota. The aforementioned land is not needed for aeronautical use. The property is located approximately 6 miles south east of the airport, on the north side of 217th Street between 475th Ave. and 476th Ave., just east of the grove of trees. There was an FAA-owned outer marker located on the subject property, but the outer marker was abandoned when the runway it was serving was relocated and re-aligned. Currently the land is being used for agriculture and does not have an aeronautical use. The land will continue to be used for agriculture.

This notice contains a summary of a petition seeking relief from specified requirements of Federal Aviation Regulations. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, FAA's exemption process. Neither publication of this notice nor the inclusion nor omission of information in the summary is intended to affect the legal status of the petition or its final disposition.

This notice contains a summary of a petition seeking relief from specified requirements of Federal Aviation Regulations. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, the FAA's exemption process. Neither publication of this notice nor the inclusion nor omission of information in the summary is intended to affect the legal status of the petition or its final disposition.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bell Textron Canada Limited (Bell) Model 429 helicopters. This AD was prompted by reports of tail rotor gearbox assemblies found loose on the gearbox support. This AD requires repetitive torque checks of the tail rotor gearbox attachment hardware, and corrective action if necessary. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Leonardo S.p.a. Model AB139 and AW139 helicopters. This AD was prompted by a report that, during a post-flight inspection of an in- service helicopter, a tail rotor slider assembly was found fractured, and the bushing and the actuator rod in the tail rotor servo were partially damaged. This AD requires an inspection of the rail rotor tail rotor slider assembly for corrosion and signs of circumferential refinishing and, depending on the findings, replacement of the tail rotor slider assembly with a serviceable part or repetitive inspections of the tail rotor slider assembly for corrosion and signs of circumferential refinishing, as specified in a European Aviation Safety Agency (now European Union Aviation Safety Agency) (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Leonardo S.p.a. Model AB139 and AW139 helicopters. This AD was prompted by reports of spurious in-flight disconnections of the automatic flight control system (AFCS). This AD requires updating certain ``Primus Epic'' system software, as specified in a European Aviation Safety Agency (now European Union Aviation Safety Agency) (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier, Inc., Model BD-700-1A10 and BD-700-1A11 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of internal corrosion on the inboard flaps found prior to regularly scheduled maintenance checks. This proposed AD would require revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate a certain aircraft maintenance manual (AMM) task. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

These special conditions are issued for the magniX USA, Inc., (magniX), magni350 and magni650 model engines, which operate using electrical technology installed on the aircraft for use as an aircraft engine. These engines have a novel or unusual design feature when compared to the state of technology envisioned in the airworthiness standards applicable to aircraft engines. This design feature is an electric motor, controller, and high-voltage systems as the primary source of propulsion for an aircraft. 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 action revokes VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal airway V-271 and amends VOR Federal airway V-285 in the vicinity of Manistee, MI. This action is necessary due to the planned decommissioning of the VOR portion of the Manistee, MI, VOR/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME), which provides navigational guidance for these airways. The Manistee VOR is being decommissioned as part of the FAA's VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) program.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Bell Textron Canada Limited Model 206L-1, 206L-3, and 206L-4 helicopters with certain Air Comm Corporation (Air Comm) air conditioning systems installed. This proposed AD would require visually inspecting the drive ring spline teeth and the mating area spline teeth on the oil cooler blower shaft for signs of deformation and fretting and depending on the results of the inspection, removing certain parts from service. This proposed AD would also require reinstalling certain parts, applying torque, and aligning certain bolt holes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of damage to the drive ring spline teeth and the mating spline teeth. The actions of this proposed AD are intended to address an unsafe condition on these products.

This action revokes Colored Federal airway R-4 in central Alaska due to the scheduled decommissioning of the Bear Creek (BCC) Non-Directional Beacon (NDB) on December 2, 2021.

This notice announces a meeting of the Research, Engineering, and Development Advisory Committee (REDAC).

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH Model EC135P2+, EC135P3, EC135T2+, and EC135T3 helicopters. This proposed AD was prompted by reports that certain aft and forward fitting assemblies, which are not approved for installation on certain helicopters, were installed on those helicopters as part of the outboard load system. Operators of those helicopters might not be aware of the applicable overhaul or life limits for those fitting assemblies. This proposed AD would require inspecting the aft and forward fitting assemblies of the outboard load system to determine the part number, re-identifying the part if necessary, inspecting each affected part for damage (which may be indicated by signs of corrosion, mechanical damage, loose rivets, or cracks) and, depending on the findings, corrective actions, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is proposed for incorporation by reference (IBR). The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bell Textron Inc. (type certificate previously held by Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.) Model 205B helicopters. This AD was prompted by a notification of certain parts needing a life limit. This AD requires determining the total hours time-in-service (TIS) of certain part-numbered main rotor grip assemblies (grip assemblies), establishing a life limit for certain part-numbered grip assemblies, removing from service any grip assembly that has reached or exceeded its retirement life, creating a component history card, and removing any grip assembly from service before reaching its retirement life. This AD also prohibits installing certain grip assemblies unless the life limit was established in accordance with this AD. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

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 reports of slat transmission jams caused by frozen slat geared rotary actuators (SGRA) at slat 5 track 12. This proposed AD would require repetitive water drainage and plug cleaning of the left- and right-hand SGRA having a certain part number installed on slat 5 track 12 with certain functional item numbers, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is proposed for incorporation by reference. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Pratt & Whitney PW1500G and PW1900G series turbofan engines with a certain high-pressure turbine (HPT) 1st-stage hub or HPT rotor 1st- stage blade retaining plate installed. This AD was prompted by a report from the manufacturer who determined that the HPT 1st-stage hub and HPT rotor 1st-stage blade retaining plate fail to meet the published life- cycle limits for each part. This AD requires removal and replacement of the HPT 1st-stage hub and HPT rotor 1st-stage blade retaining plate prior to reaching certain cycle limits. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This action establishes Class E surface airspace for East Hampton Airport, East Hampton, NY, to assist aircraft landing and departing the airport when the air traffic control tower is closed. In addition, this action amends Class D airspace by replacing the outdated term Airport/Facility Directory with the term Chart Supplement in the airport description and amends the radius and ceiling as the FAA deemed the airspace adjustments were necessary. Controlled airspace is necessary for the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations in the area.

This action modifies the Class E airspace, designated as a surface area, at Lake Tahoe Airport, South Lake Tahoe, CA. This action removes the Class E airspace designated as an extension to a Class D or Class E surface area, and it modifies the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface. This action also implements two administrative updates to the Class E2's text header.