Federal Aviation Administration 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This action amends Class D airspace and Class E airspace for Portsmouth International Airport at Pease, Portsmouth, NH, due to the decommissioning of the PEASE Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range Collocated with Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME) and cancellation of the standard instrument associated approach procedures (SIAPs). This action also updates the airport's name and geographic coordinates. Controlled airspace is necessary for the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations in the area.

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 hereby provides notice of intent to release 2.63 acres near the Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport, Fernandina Beach, FL from the restrictions and reservations as contained in a Release Agreement between the United States of America and the City of Fernandina Beach, dated Novermber 24, 1954. The subject parcel is located on the Northwest Corner of Amelia Island Parkway and Amelia Road, north of the Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport in Nassau County. The subject parcel is defined as Nassau County, Florida, Parcel #06-2N-28-0000-0001-0010.

Under this notice, the FAA announces the submission deadline of October 7, 2021, for Summer 2022 flight schedules at Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD), John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), and San Francisco International Airport (SFO).

This action amends Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface for Chester Catawba Regional Airport, Chester, SC; Lancaster County-McWhirter Field Airport, Lancaster, SC; JAARS- Townsend Airport, Waxhaw, NC; and Lincolnton-Lincoln County Regional Airport, Lincolnton, NC. The FAA is making this action as a result of the Charlotte Class B Biennial Review. This action updates the airport names of Chester Catawba Regional Airport, JAARS-Townsend Airport, and Lincolnton-Lincoln County Regional Airport. In addition, this action updates the geographic coordinates of Lancaster County-McWhirter Field Airport and Lincolnton-Lincoln County Regional Airport to coincide with the FAA's database. Controlled airspace is necessary for the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations in the area.

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. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on February 2, 2021. Note, the publication is referenced under ``OMB-0076'' in error; it should have indicated ``OMB-2120- 0699''. The collection involves on-line, electronic applicant (customer) answers to standard survey questions. The questions are presented as multiple-choice selections and free-form text areas where applicants can choose their desired answer and, if they wish, add additional comments. The information to be collected will be used to and is necessary to gage the level of user satisfaction with the AVIATOR (Automated Vacancy Information Access Tool for Online Referral) system. Additionally, the surveys are used to obtain benchmarking and feedback to ensure quality.

This rule amends, suspends, or removes Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) and associated Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle Departure Procedures 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 for the safe and efficient use of the navigable airspace and to promote safe flight operations under instrument flight rules at the affected airports.

This action incorporates certain airspace designation amendments into FAA Order JO 7400.11F, dated August 10, 2021, and effective September 15, 2021, for incorporation by reference.

This action amends Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface in Bangor, ME by establishing airspace for Eastern Maine Medical Center Heliport, to accommodate new area navigation (RNAV) global positioning system (GPS) standard instrument approach procedures (SIAPs) serving this heliport. Also, this action amends the existing Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at Bangor International Airport by omitting the Bangor VORTAC from the airport description.

The FAA published the same final action twice, on September 1, 2021, and again on September 9, 2021. The FAA is withdrawing the first publication.

The FAA published the same final action twice, on August 31, 2021, and again on September 8, 2021. The FAA is withdrawing the first publication.

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.