Federal Aviation Administration December 7, 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH Model MBB-BK 117 D-2 helicopters. This AD was prompted by a report of chafing marks on a wiring harness near the locking washer of the lateral control rod. This AD requires an inspection of the wiring harness and the routing of the wiring harness and corrective actions if necessary, as specified in a 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 Pacific Aerospace Limited Model 750XL airplanes. This AD results from 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 insufficient separation of ground terminations for individual power sources and static grounds. This AD requires inspecting and separating, if applicable, the battery and generator common ground connections on the airframe. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to renew an information collection. Part 139 establishes certification requirements for airports serving scheduled passenger-carrying operations of an air carrier operating aircraft configured for more than 9 passenger seats, as determined by the regulations under which the operation is conducted or the aircraft type certificate issued by a competent civil aviation authority; and unscheduled passenger-carrying operations of an air carrier operating aircraft configured for at least 31 passenger seats, as determined by the regulations under which the operation is conducted or the aircraft type certificate issued by a competent civil aviation authority. This part does not apply to: Airports serving scheduled air carrier operations only by reason of being designated as an alternate airport; airports operated by the United States; airports located in the State of Alaska that only serve scheduled operations of small air carrier aircraft and do not serve scheduled or unscheduled operations of large air carrier aircraft; airports located in the State of Alaska during periods of time when not serving operations of large air carrier aircraft; or heliports.

This action extends the Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) prohibiting certain flights in the specified areas of the Sanaa Flight Information Region (FIR) (OYSC) 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 due to significant, continuing safety-of-flight risks to U.S. civil aviation operations in that airspace associated with the ongoing conflict between the Saudi Arabian-led Coalition and Iranian- aligned Houthi forces. The FAA extends the expiration date of this SFAR from January 7, 2022, until January 7, 2025. Additionally, the FAA republishes the approval process and exemption information for this SFAR, consistent with other recently published flight prohibition SFARs.