Federal Aviation Administration September 26, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Pursuant to FAA's rulemaking provisions governing the application, processing, and disposition of petitions for exemption part 11 of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR), this notice contains a summary of certain petitions seeking relief from specified requirements of 14 CFR. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, this aspect of FAA's regulatory activities. Neither publication of this notice nor the inclusion or omission of information in the summary is intended to affect the legal status of any petition or its final disposition.

This document makes two minor corrections to a final rule that amends commercial space transportation regulations governing the launch of expendable launch vehicles. 71 FR 50507 (Aug. 25, 2006). This action is necessary to correct a paragraph designation and add a notation of a reserved appendix. This correction does not make substantive changes to the final rule.

The FAA proposes to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to certain Bombardier Model DHC-8-100, - 200, and -300 series airplanes. The existing AD currently requires modification of the flight compartment door; repetitive inspections for wear of the flight compartment door hinges following modification; and repair or replacement of the hinges with new hinges if necessary. This proposed AD would require using revised procedures for modifying and inspecting the flight compartment door and would reduce the applicability of the existing AD. This proposed AD results from a determination that certain cockpit doors are no longer subject to the existing requirements. We are proposing this AD to prevent failure of the alternate release mechanism of the flight compartment door, which could delay or impede the evacuation of the flightcrew during an emergency. This failure also could result in the flightcrew not being able to assist passengers in the event of an emergency.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain EMBRAER Model ERJ 170 airplanes. This proposed AD would require replacement of certain electrical bonding clamps and attaching hardware with new or serviceable parts, as applicable, and other specified action. This proposed AD results from failure of an electrical bonding clamp, used to attach the electrical bonding straps to the fuel system lines. We are proposing this AD to prevent loss of bonding protection in the interior of the fuel tanks or adjacent areas that, in combination with lightning strike, could result in a fuel tank explosion and consequent loss of the airplane.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain EMBRAER airplanes as described previously. This proposed AD would require inspecting to determine the part number of the left- and right-hand windshield temperature controllers. For airplanes equipped with certain windshield temperature controllers, this proposed AD would also require replacing the attaching hardware of the power cable terminals of the windshield temperature controllers with new, improved attaching hardware; inspecting the power cable terminals for signs of melting or damage to the terminals, cable insulation, or plastic crimping ring; and performing corrective actions if necessary. This proposed AD results from reports of smoke on the flight deck caused by damage from poor electrical contact due to loosening of the attaching hardware of the power cables of certain windshield temperature controllers. We are proposing this AD to prevent overheating of the power cable terminals of the windshield temperature controllers, which could result in smoke and fire on the flight deck.