Federal Aviation Administration January 2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2014-15-09, AD 2020-15-09, and AD 2022-16-07. AD 2014-15-09 applies to all Airbus SAS Model A330-200 Freighter, A330-200 and -300, and A340- 200, -300, -500, and -600 series airplanes. AD 2020-15-09 applies to all Airbus SAS Model A330-941 airplanes. AD 2014-15-09 and AD 2020-15- 09 require repetitive operational tests of the hydraulic locking function on certain spoiler servo-controls (SSCs) and replacement if necessary. AD 2022-16-07 applies to certain Airbus SAS Model A330-200, A330-200 Freighter, and A330-300 series airplanes. AD 2022-16-07 requires revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations. Since the FAA issued AD 2022-16-07, the FAA has determined that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. This proposed AD would continue to require certain actions in AD 2014- 15-09, AD 2020-15-09, and AD 2022-16-07 and would require 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), which is proposed for incorporation by reference (IBR). This proposed AD also removes Model A340-200, -300, -500, and -600 series airplanes from the applicability. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This action would revise certain aircraft maintenance inspection rules for small, corporate-sized, and unmanned aircraft. The proposed changes include additional inspection program options for owners of single-engine turbine-powered airplanes and unmanned aircraft, relaxed mechanical reliability reporting requirements for certain aircraft, and several changes to clarify and simplify various maintenance-related regulations. These proposed amendments would relieve aircraft owners, operators, maintenance providers, and the FAA. The proposed amendments would provide greater flexibility for aircraft maintenance, standardized reporting requirements, and provide clarification of various maintenance-related regulations.

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 renew information collection. The collection involves requesting that small on-demand operators voluntarily provide the number of revenue passengers that boarded their aircraft at each airport annually. This information is used in determining an airport's category and eligibility for federal funding on an annual basis. It is not available through any other federal data source.

These special conditions are issued for the Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation (Gulfstream) Model GVIII-G700 and GVIII-G800 series airplanes. These airplanes 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 side-stick controller for one-hand operation requiring wrist motion only, not arms. 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 the Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation (Gulfstream) Model GVIII-G700 and GVIII-G800 series airplanes. These airplanes 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 the installation of large, non-structural glass items in the passenger cabin. 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 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.

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 information to be collected includes data required for performing launch site location analysis. The launch site license is valid for a period of 5 years. Respondents are licensees authorized to operate sites.

These special conditions are issued for the Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation (Gulfstream) Model GVIII-G700 and GVIII-G800 series airplanes. These airplanes 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 the installation of a therapeutic oxygen system for medical use. 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 grants a limited, conditional waiver of the minimum slot usage requirements at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) due to runway construction and closures at the airport in 2024 and for impacted flights between DCA and slot-controlled airports John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and LaGuardia Airport (LGA). In addition, the FAA will provide similar limited, conditional relief at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) under the FAA's Level 2 schedule facilitation process.

This action extends the comment period for the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), Drug and Alcohol Testing of Certificated Repair Station Employees Located Outside of the United States. On December 7, 2023, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) published this proposed rule. The NPRM would require certificated repair stations located outside the territory of the United States whose employees perform safety-sensitive maintenance functions on certain air carrier aircraft to obtain and implement a drug and alcohol testing program in accordance with the requirements of the Drug and Alcohol Testing Program published by the FAA and the Procedures for Transportation Workplace Drug Testing Programs published by the Department of Transportation. The FAA is extending the comment period for this NPRM to allow commenters additional time to analyze the proposed rule and prepare a response.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Bombardier, Inc., Model BD-100-1A10 airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports from the supplier that some overheat detection sensing elements of the bleed air leak detection system were manufactured with insufficient salt fill, which can result in an inability to detect hot bleed air leaks. This AD requires revising the existing airplane flight manual (AFM) to include procedures to prevent takeoff with an active bleed air leak annunciated while on the ground. This AD also requires testing the overheat detection sensing elements, marking each serviceable sensing element with a witness mark, and replacing each nonserviceable part with a serviceable part. This AD also prohibits the installation of affected parts. 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 General Electric Company (GE) Model GE90-90B, GE90-94B, GE90- 110B1, and GE90-115B engines. This AD was prompted by a manufacturer investigation that revealed certain high-pressure turbine (HPT) stage 1 disks, HPT stage 2 disks, forward HPT rotor seals, interstage HPT seals, and stages 7-9 compressor rotor spools were manufactured from powder metal material suspected to contain iron inclusion. This AD requires replacement of affected HPT stage 1 disks, HPT stage 2 disks, forward HPT rotor seals, interstage HPT seals, and stages 7-9 compressor rotor spools. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2023-01- 07 for all GE Aviation Czech s.r.o. (GEAC) (type certificate previously held by WALTER Engines a.s., Walter a.s., and MOTORLET a.s.) Model H75- 100, H75-200, H80, H80-100, H80-200, H85-100, and H85-200 engines. AD 2023-01-07 required revising the airworthiness limitations section (ALS) of the existing engine maintenance manual (EMM) and the operator's existing approved maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate updated coefficients and recalculate the cycles accumulated on critical parts. Since the FAA issued AD 2023-01- 07, the manufacturer revised the ALS of the EMM to introduce new and more restrictive airworthiness limitations and associated thresholds and intervals for life-limited parts, which prompted this AD action. This AD requires revising the ALS of the existing EMM and the operator's existing approved engine maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new and more restrictive instructions and associated thresholds and intervals for life-limited parts, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference (IBR). The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This action proposes to revoke Jet Route J-179 in its entirety and amend United States Area Navigation Route (RNAV) Q-10 in the vicinity of Emmonak, AK. The FAA is proposing this action due to the pending decommissioning of the Aniak, AK, Nondirectional Radio Beacon (NDB) and the St Marys, AK, NDB.

The FAA is correcting a final rule that published in the Federal Register on December 22, 2023. The final rule modified Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at Minden- Tahoe Airport, Minden, NV. This action corrects a typographical error within the airspace legal description text.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus SAS Model A330-200, A330-200 Freighter, A330-300, A330-800, A330-900, A340-500, and A340-600 series airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report of temporary loss of the flight director (FD) and autothrottle (A/THR) on an airplane dispatched under the provisions of a master minimum equipment list (MMEL) item for fuel quantity indication (FQI). This AD requires revising the operator's existing FAA-approved minimum equipment list (MEL), 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.

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

These special conditions are issued for the Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation (Gulfstream) Model GVIII-G700 and GVIII-G800 series airplanes. These airplanes 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 associated with the installation of a digital system that contains a wireless and hardwired network with 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.

The FAA has received several requests seeking an extension of the public comment period for the Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for proposed departure procedure amendments at Bob Hope ``Hollywood Burbank'' Airport (BUR Airport). This notice announces the 60-day extension of the public comment period until March 24, 2024, to solicit public comments on the Draft EA.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier, Inc., Model CL-600-2B16 (604 Variant) airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report that some airplanes were delivered without a portable protective breathing equipment (PBE) device located in the left-side forward wardrobe, flight deck, or passenger cabin area of the airplane. This AD requires visually inspecting the forward left side cabin area of the airplane to determine if the portable PBE device is installed and, if not installed, requires installing the portable PBE device along with the associated placard. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This action updates the controlling agency of restricted areas R-3801A, R-3801B, and R-3801C, and updates the location name and the using agency of restricted areas R-3803A, R-3803B, R-3803C, R-3803D, R- 3803E, R-3803F, R-3804A, R-3804B, and R-3804C. Additionally, this action makes minor editorial corrections to the designated altitudes information in the restricted area R-3801A, R-3801B, and R-3801C descriptions. This action partially implements recommendations of the Commission on the Naming of Items (Naming Commission) of the Department of Defense (DoD) as established by section 370 of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). These amendments do not affect the overall restricted area complexes boundaries, operational altitudes, times of designation, or activities conducted within the airspace.

This action renames restricted areas R-6601A, R-6601B, and R- 6601C, Fort AP Hill, VA, and updates the using agency description. Additionally, this action amends the geographic coordinates for multiple boundary points listed in the restricted areas to accurately align the existing boundary with United States (U.S.) Route 301 and U.S. Highway 17 referenced in the descriptions and adjacent Special Use Airspace (SUA). This action partially implements recommendations of the Commission on the Naming of Items (Naming Commission) of the Department of Defense (DoD) as established by section 370 of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

This action proposes to modify the Class E airspace designated as a surface area and modify the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport, Galena, AK. Additionally, this action proposes administrative amendments to update the airport's geographic coordinates in the legal description to match the FAA database. These actions would support the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations at the airport.

This action makes the editorial changes, updating the geographic coordinates of Luis Munoz Marin International Airport and Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport and replacing the term Notice to Airmen with Notice to Air Missions and Airport/Facility Directory with Chart Supplement in Class D description. This action also corrects the airspace header for the San Juan Class D airspace. This action does not change the airspace boundaries or operating requirements.

This action proposes to amend three Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal airways and two United States Area Navigation (RNAV) routes; and to revoke two VOR Federal airways and three jet routes in the eastern United States. The FAA is taking this action due to the planned decommissioning of the Elmira, NY (ULW), VOR/ Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME). This action is in support of the FAA's VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) Program.