Federal Aviation Administration September 2008 – 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:

This notice announces a public meeting of the FAA's Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC) to discuss transport airplane and engine (TAE) issues.

The FAA proposes to modify the standard grant application requirements that are required of a sponsor of a nonprimary airport before receiving a grant under the Airport Improvement Program (AIP). The FAA is providing an opportunity for public comment on proposals to modify the grant application requirements. Sponsors of nonprimary airports are now required to provide a variety of information when submitting an AIP grant application. This modification would require that a sponsor of a nonprimary airport submit a list of the aircraft (fixed wing and rotary wing) that are based on the airport.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain McDonnell Douglas Model 717-200 airplanes. This AD requires inspecting the drive assembly of the aft elevator standby loop of the elevator standby cable system for interference between the clevis and bolt of the bellcrank assembly, correct orientation of the pull-pull cable clevis bolt, and excessive freeplay of the bellcrank assembly bearing, and corrective actions if necessary. This AD also requires modifying the pull-pull cable clevis in the drive assembly of the aft elevator standby loop for certain airplanes. This AD results from a report of an aborted takeoff due to a control column disconnect. We are issuing this AD to prevent binding of the bolt that connects the cable 264A clevis to the bellcrank assembly against the adjacent (upper) clevis of the pull-pull cable assembly. This binding condition could result in slow airplane rotation or a control column disconnect during takeoff and a runway excursion if takeoff must be aborted.

The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD), which applies to certain Bombardier Model DHC-8-400 series airplanes. That AD currently requires inspecting all barrel nuts to determine if the barrel nuts have a certain marking, inspecting affected bolts to determine if the bolts are pre-loaded correctly, and replacing all hardware if the pre-load is incorrect. For airplanes on which the pre-load is correct, the existing AD requires doing repetitive visual inspections for cracking of the barrel nuts and cradles and replacing all hardware for all cracked barrel nuts. The existing AD also requires replacing all hardware for certain affected barrel nuts that do not have cracking, which would end the repetitive inspections for those airplanes. The existing AD also provides an optional replacement for all affected barrel nuts. This new AD requires replacing all affected barrel nuts and applying a certain compound to the affected barrel nuts and bolts. This AD results from reports of cracking in the barrel nuts at the four primary front spar wing-to- fuselage attachment joints. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracking of the barrel nuts at the wing front spar wing-to- fuselage joints, which could result in reduced structural integrity of the wing-to-fuselage attachments and consequent detachment of the wing.

The FAA proposes to rule and invite public comment on the release of land at Seattle Tacoma International Airport under the provisions of Section 125 of the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment Reform Act for the 21st Century (AIR 21).

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for GE CF6-80A series turbofan engines with certain stage 1 high- pressure turbine (HPT) rotor disks, installed. This proposed AD would require removal from service of those stage 1 HPT rotor disks within 30 days after the effective date of the AD. This proposed AD results from the FAA learning that those disks are susceptible to cracks developing in the bottoms of the dovetail slots. We are proposing this AD to prevent cracks developing in the bottoms of the dovetail slots that could propagate to a failure of the disk and cause an uncontained engine failure and damage to the airplane.

On July 30, 2008, a notice to conduct informal airspace meetings for the Chicago Class B airspace project was published in the Federal Register (73 FR 44311). Subsequent to publication, the FAA has had to change the venue of meetings 1 and 3, being held on September 23, 2008, and September 25, 2008, respectively. The address for both of these meetings has changed to Signature Flight Center Hangar, 1061 S. Wolf Road, Wheeling, IL 60090. The second meeting time and place remains as previously published.

This action modifies the Class D and E airspace at Griffiss Airfield in Rome, NY. After the development of specific Departure Procedures (DPs) at the airfield, it was determined the Class D and E Surface airspace should be reduced in size to facilitate a more efficient operation. This rule increases the safety and management of the National Airspace System (NAS) around Griffiss Airfield.

This action proposes to revise Class E airspace at Ruby, AK. One Standard Instrument Approach Procedure (SIAP) is being amended for the Ruby Airport at Ruby, AK. Adoption of this proposal would result in revising Class E airspace upward from 700 feet (ft.) and 1,200 ft. above the surface at the Ruby Airport, Ruby, AK.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public that a meeting of the Federal Aviation Air Traffic Procedures Advisory Committee (ATPAC) will be held to review present air traffic control procedures and practices for standardization, clarification, and upgrading of terminology and procedures.

This rule establishes, amends, suspends, or revokes 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 safe and efficient use of the navigable airspace and to promote safe flight operations under instrument flight rules at the affected airports.