Federal Aviation Administration February 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as loose rivets on frames C18 BIS and C19, which could result in a reduced structural integrity of the tail area. We are issuing this AD to require actions to correct the unsafe condition on these products.

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 the 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 action revises Class E airspace at Mekoryuk, AK. Three new Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) are being developed for the Mekoryuk Airport. One Departure Procedure (DP) and two SIAPs are being amended. This rule results in the revision of Class E airspace upward from 700 feet (ft.) above the surface at the Mekoryuk Airport, Mekoryuk, AK.

This action revises Class E airspace at Northway, AK. Two new Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) are being developed for the Northway Airport. One SIAP and a Departure Procedure (DP) are being amended. This rule results in the revision of Class E airspace upward from 700 feet (ft.) and 1,200 ft. above the surface at the Northway Airport, Northway, AK.

The FAA proposes to amend the training, qualification, certification, and operating requirements for pilots, flight instructors, ground instructors, and pilot schools. These changes are needed to clarify, update, and correct our existing regulations. These changes are intended to ensure that flight crewmembers have the training and qualifications to enable them to operate aircraft safely.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Air Tractor, Inc. (Air Tractor) Model AT-602 airplanes. This proposed AD would require you to install access holes to do repetitive detailed visual inspections for cracks in the horizontal stabilizer brace tube assembly, and if any cracks are found as a result of a visual inspection, to replace the horizontal stabilizer brace tube assembly with a new design horizontal stabilizer brace tube assembly. The installation of the new design horizontal stabilizer brace tube assembly is terminating action for the repetitive inspection requirement. This proposed AD results from two reports of Model AT-602 airplanes with cracked horizontal stabilizer brace tube assemblies. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct cracks in the horizontal stabilizer brace tube assembly, which could result in failure of the horizontal stabilizer. This failure could affect the ability to control pitch with consequent loss of control.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus Model A310 airplanes and Model A300-600 series airplanes. This proposed AD would require revising the Airworthiness Limitations section of the Instructions for Continued Airworthiness by incorporating new and revised certification maintenance requirements. This proposed AD results from the manufacturer determining that additional and revised certification maintenance requirements are necessary in order to ensure continued operational safety of the affected airplanes. We are proposing this AD to prevent safety- significant latent failures that would, in combination with one or more other specific failures or events, result in a hazardous or catastrophic failure condition of avionics, hydraulic systems, fire detection systems, fuel systems, or other critical systems.

Under the provisions of Title 49, U.S.C. Section 47153(c), notice is being given that the FAA is considering a request from Auburn University to waive the requirement that a 3.6-acre parcel of surplus property, located at the Auburn-Opelika Airport, be used for aeronautical purposes.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces its determination that the noise exposure maps submitted by Columbus Regional Airport Authority for Rickenbacker International Airport under the provisions of 49 U.S.C. 47501 et. seq. (Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act) and 14 CFR Part 150 are in compliance with applicable requirements. The FAA also announces that it is reviewing a proposed noise compatibility program that was submitted for Rickenbacker International Airport under Part 150 in conjunction with the noise exposure map, and that this program will be approved or disapproved on or before July 23, 2007.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of a meeting of RTCA Special Committee 147: Minimum Operational Performance Standards for Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance Systems Airborne Equipment.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus airplanes identified above. This AD requires improving the routing of certain electrical wire bundles in certain airplane zones, as applicable to the airplane model. This AD results from fuel system reviews conducted by the manufacturer. We are issuing this AD to reduce the potential of ignition sources inside fuel tanks, which, in combination with flammable fuel vapors, could result in fuel tank explosions and consequent loss of the airplane.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier Model CL-600-2B19 (Regional Jet Series 100 & 440) airplanes. This AD requires inspecting for discrepancies of the activation mechanism of certain chemical oxygen generators, and corrective action if necessary. This AD results from several incidents, on certain airplane models, of incorrect installation of the release pin into the safety pin hole of the activation mechanism of the chemical oxygen generator; this resulted in failure to activate the chemical oxygen generator when required. A separate incident occurred on a different airplane model during deployment of the cabin oxygen system, which resulted in failure of the release pin to activate the oxygen generator at a flight attendant station. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of the activation mechanism of the chemical oxygen generator, which could result in the unavailability of supplemental oxygen and possible incapacitation of passengers and cabin crew during an in-flight decompression.

The FAA invites public comment about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) extension without change of a current information collection. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on September 14, 2006, vol. 71, no. 178, pages 54329-54330. This information is needed to obtain accurate billing information for FAA air traffic and related services for certain aircraft that transit U.S. controlled airspace but neither take off from, nor land in, the United States.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as:

This amendment establishes, amends, suspends, or revokes Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) and/or Weather Takeoff Minimums 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, addition of new obstacles, or changes in 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.

The FAA proposes to rule and invites public comment on the release of land at Monroe Regional Airport under the provisions of Title 49, U.S.C. 47153(c).

These special conditions are issued for the Aviation Technology Group (ATG), Inc., Javelin Model 100 Series airplane. This airplane will have a novel or unusual design feature(s) associated with engine location, certain performance, flight characteristics and operating limitations necessary for this type of airplane. 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 airworthiness standards applicable to these airplanes.

The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to all Boeing Model 737 airplanes. The existing AD currently requires installation of a new rudder control system and changes to the adjacent systems to accommodate that new rudder control system. For certain airplanes, this new AD adds, among other actions, repetitive tests of the force fight monitor of the main rudder power control unit (PCU), repetitive tests of the standby hydraulic actuation system, and corrective action; as applicable. For those airplanes, this new AD also adds, among other actions, replacement of both input control rods of the main rudder PCU and the input control rod of the standby rudder PCU with new input control rods, as applicable, which ends the repetitive tests. For certain other airplanes, this new AD adds installation of an enhanced rudder control system in accordance with new service information. This AD results from a report of a fractured rod end of an input control rod of the main rudder PCU and a subsequent report of a fractured rod end of the input control rod of the standby rudder PCU. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of one of the two input control rods of the main rudder PCU, which, under certain conditions, could result in reduced controllability of the airplane; and to prevent failure of any combination of two input control rods of the main rudder PCU and/or standby rudder PCU, which could cause an uncommanded rudder hardover event and result in loss of control of the airplane.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as executive seats equipped with pedestal legs that were produced using a material that deviates from the approved design data. We are issuing this AD to require actions to correct the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of a meeting of RTCA Government/Industry Air Traffic Management Advisory Committee.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of a first meeting of RTCA Special Committee 211, Nickel-Cadmium, Lead Acid and Rechargeable Lithium Batteries.