Federal Aviation Administration October 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This rule establishes procedures to address congestion in the New York City area by assigning slots at John F. Kennedy (JFK) and Newark Liberty (Newark) International Airports in a way that allows carriers to respond to market forces to drive efficient airline behavior. The rule also extends the caps on the operations at the two airports, assigns to existing operators the majority of slots at the airports, and develops a robust secondary market by annually auctioning off a limited number of slots in each of the first five years of this rule. Auction proceeds will be used to mitigate congestion and delay in the New York City area. The rule also contains provisions for minimum usage, capping unscheduled operations, and withdrawal for operational need. The rule will sunset in ten years.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This proposed AD results from 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 describes the unsafe condition as:

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.

The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD), which applies to certain Boeing Model 767-200, -300, and -400ER series airplanes. That AD currently requires an inspection to determine if the door-mounted escape slide/rafts have certain part numbers. This new AD does not retain that requirement. This new AD continues to require an inspection for excessive tension of the firing cable, and procedures for providing slack in the firing cable or rerouting the firing cable if necessary. For certain airplanes, this new AD also requires a review of the airplane maintenance records to determine if a certain service bulletin has been incorporated, or an inspection to determine if certain door-mounted escape slide/rafts are installed. This new AD also requires modification of certain escape slide/rafts. This AD results from reports of uncommanded inflation inside the airplane of a door-mounted escape slide/raft located in the passenger compartment. We are issuing this AD to prevent injury to maintenance personnel, passengers, and crew during otherwise normal operating conditions and to prevent interference with evacuation of the airplane during an emergency, due to uncommanded inflation of a door-mounted escape slide/raft.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Hawker Beechcraft Corporation Model 390 airplanes. This AD requires you to modify the cabin barometric pressure switch and cabin altitude high switch installations and perform a functional test of the switches and related systems. This AD results from the possibility of barometric pressure switch electrical connections being incorrectly connected or inadvertently disconnected. We are issuing this AD to modify the cabin barometric pressure switch and cabin altitude high switch to prevent them from becoming incorrectly connected or inadvertently disconnected, which may result in no CABIN ALT HI annunciation in the cockpit and no automatic deployment of the cabin oxygen masks. This failure could lead to incapacitation of the crew due to hypoxia with possible inability to control the airplane.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Boeing Model 737-100, -200, -200C, -300, -400, and -500 series airplanes. For all airplanes, this proposed AD would require repetitive overhaul of the retract actuator beam of the main landing gear (MLG). For certain airplanes, this proposed AD would require repetitive inspections for damage of the retract actuator beam, and related investigative and corrective actions if necessary. This proposed AD results from reports of broken retract actuator beams of the MLG and the subsequent failure of the MLG to fully retract. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct broken retract actuator beams of the MLG, which could cause damage to the beam arm, hydraulic tubing, and flight control cables. Damage to the flight control cables could result in loss of control of the airplane.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Boeing Model 747-100, 747-100B, 747-100B SUD, 747-200B, 747- 200C, 747-200F, 747-300, 747-400, 747SR, and 747SP series airplanes. This proposed AD would require inspecting for skin cracks at the shear tie end fastener locations of the fuselage frames, and repair if necessary. This proposed AD results from a wide-spread fatigue damage assessment of Model 747 airplanes. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct cracks in the fuselage skin that can propagate and grow, resulting in a loss of structural integrity and a sudden decompression of the airplane during flight.

This action confirms the effective date of the direct final rule that amended Class E airspace at Black River Falls, WI, published in the Federal Register August 6, 2008 (73 FR 45606) Docket No. FAA- 2008-0024.

This action proposes to establish Class D airspace and Class E Surface Area airspace at Lone Star Executive Airport, Conroe, TX. The establishment of an air traffic control tower has made these actions necessary for the safety of Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) operations at Lone Star Executive Airport. Class D airspace will revert to a Class E2 Surface Area during periods when the control tower is not operating.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This proposed AD results from 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 describes the unsafe condition as:

This notice advises interested persons that the FAA is participating in a panel session on civil supersonic aircraft research. The session will include presentations on current research programs and a question and answer session for attendees. The FAA is seeking to raise public awareness of the continuing technological advances in supersonic aircraft technology aimed at reducing the intensity of sonic boom.

The FAA is correcting airworthiness directive (AD) 2008-16-05. That AD applies to RRD Dart 528, 529, 532, 535, 542, and 552 Series turboprop engines. We published that AD in the Federal Register on July 31, 2008 (73 FR 44630). The superseded AD number in paragraph (b) in the regulatory section is incorrect. This document corrects that superseded AD number. In all other respects, the original document remains the same.

This notice contains a summary of a petition 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 the petition or its final disposition.

This document corrects the amendment number to a final rule published in the Federal Register of Thursday, September 25, 2008, regarding requirements for pressurized engine static parts.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Boeing Model 737-300, -400, and -500 series airplanes. This AD requires repetitive external detailed inspections or non-destructive inspections to detect cracks in the fuselage skin along the chem-mill steps at stringers S-1 and S-2R, between station (STA) 400 and STA 460, and repair if necessary. This AD results from reports of cracks in the fuselage skin common to stringer S-1 and between STA 400 and STA 460. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct fatigue cracking of the fuselage skin panels at the chem-mill steps, which could result in sudden fracture and failure of the fuselage skin panels, and consequent rapid decompression of the airplane.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Boeing Model 747-100, 747-100B, 747-100B SUD, 747-200B, 747-200C, 747- 300, 747-400, 747-400D, and 747SR series airplanes. For certain airplanes, this AD requires a material type inspection to determine if the lower forward corner reveal of the number 3 main entry doors (MEDs) is a casting. If the reveals are castings, this AD requires repetitive inspections of the reveals for cracking, and corrective action if necessary. If the reveals are not castings, this AD requires a detailed inspection of the reveals for a sharp edge and repetitive inspections of the reveals for cracking, and corrective action if necessary. For certain other airplanes, this AD requires only a detailed inspection of the reveals for a sharp edge and repetitive inspections of the reveals for cracking, and corrective action if necessary. For certain other airplanes, this AD requires repetitive inspections of the reveals for cracking only, and corrective action if necessary. This AD also allows a certain replacement as an optional action for the material type inspection for certain airplanes. This AD results from reports of cracking and/or a sharp edge in the lower forward corner reveal of the number 3 MEDs. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct fatigue cracking of the lower forward corner reveal of the number 3 MEDs, which could lead to the door escape slide departing the airplane when the door is opened and the slide is deployed, and consequent injuries to passengers and crew using the door escape slide during an emergency evacuation.