Federal Aviation Administration December 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is considering a proposal to authorize the release of 3.3334 acres of airport property at the Austin Straubel International Airport, Green Bay, WI. Brown County, as sponsor of the airport, is seeking to release from compliance with grant assurances two parcels of airport property identified as Parcel nos. 98 and 107, totaling 3.3334 acres. These parcels are located alongside each other in the extreme northwest corner of the airport in the vicinity of the intersection of Pine Tree Road and State Highway 172. Proposed use of the land to be released is construction of a new fire station by the neighboring Village of Hobart to house its emergency response vehicles. The proposed fire station would be located adjacent to the existing village hall. The 3.334 acres would be provided to the Village of Hobart in exchange for the village vacating 2 parcels of road and road right-of- way totaling 9.367 acres located on, or adjacent to, Austin Straubel International Airport. One parcel contains a roadway section located within the airport security perimeter fence on West Adam Drive and Lonesome Road. The second parcel is a short section of Cyrus Road, located immediately to the south of Runway 36 and within the runway protection zone, but outside of the airport property boundary. The value to the airport of exchanging airport property for the road and road right-of-way rests with the fact that the Village of Hobart could otherwise mandate the airport to keep the surfaces open and require installation of a fence around the road right-of-ways at an estimated cost to the airport of over $200,000. An additional benefit to the airport of acquiring this 9.367 acres of village-owned property in exchange for the 3.3334 acres of airport-owned property is that this action would provide the airport with a contiguous, airside property boundary. A categorical exclusion for this land release action was prepared by Wisconsin Dept. of Transportation-Bureau of Aeronautics, and issued by FAA on November 15, 2011. The airport sponsor purchased the two parcels by voluntary acquisition on June 24, 1998 (Parcel No. 98) and November 1, 2002 (Parcel No. 107). No Federal or State of Wisconsin funds were utilized in the acquisition process. The aforementioned land is not needed for aeronautical use, as shown on the Airport Layout Plan, conditionally approved on May 16, 2011. There are no impacts to the airport by allowing the airport to dispose of the property. In accordance with section 47107(h) of title 49, United States Code, this notice is required to be published in the Federal Register 30 days before modifying the land-use assurance that requires the property to be used for an aeronautical purpose.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for BRP- Powertrain GmbH & Co. KG Rotax 912 F2, 912 F3, 912 F4, 912 S2, 912 S3, 912 S4, 914 F2, 914 F3, and 914 F4 reciprocating engines. 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:

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for DG Flugzeugbau GmbH Models DG-500 Elan Orion sailplanes and DG-500M and DG-500MB powered sailplanes. 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 incorrect re-installation of the rear cockpit securing rope for the headrest of the rear seat during maintenance, which could cause the rear seat to interfere with the control stick of the sailplane. We are issuing this proposed AD to require actions to correct the unsafe condition on these products.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH Model BO-105A, BO-105C, BO-105LS A-1, BO- 105LS A-3, and BO-105S helicopters. This proposed AD would require inspecting certain main rotor blades for debonding of the erosion protective shell. If the erosion protective shell is debonded, you would be required to replace the main rotor blade with an airworthy main rotor blade. This proposed AD is prompted by the results of an inspection on a BO-105 helicopter where debonding was discovered on a main rotor blade erosion protective shell, and it was determined that the debonding was due to incorrect installation of the erosion protective shell. Subsequently, an incident occurred where a BO-105 helicopter lost its main rotor blade erosion protective shell during flight. The actions specified by this proposed AD are intended to detect debonding of the main rotor blade erosion protective shell which could lead to an unbalanced main rotor, high vibrations, damage to the tail boom or tail rotor, and loss of control of the helicopter.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain PW4000 turbofan engines. This AD was prompted by an updated low-cycle fatigue (LCF) life analysis performed by PW. This AD requires removing certain part number (P/N) high-pressure turbine (HPT) stage 1 and HPT stage 2 airseals and HPT stage 1 airseal rings before their published life limit and establishes a new lower life limit for these parts. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of these parts, which could lead to an uncontained engine failure and damage to the airplane.

This rule amends the airworthiness standards for fatigue tolerance evaluation (FTE) of transport category rotorcraft metallic structures. This revises the FTE safety requirements to address advances in structural fatigue substantiation technology for metallic structures. This provides an increased level of safety by avoiding or reducing the likelihood of the catastrophic fatigue failure of a metallic structure. These increased safety requirements will help ensure that should serious accidental damage occur during manufacturing or within the operational life of the rotorcraft, the remaining structure could withstand, without failure, any fatigue loads that are likely to occur, until the damage is detected or the part is replaced. Besides improving the safety standards for FTE of all principal structural elements (PSEs), the amendment is harmonized with international standards.

This action modifies Class E airspace at Emmonak, AK. The revision of two standard instrument approach procedures at the Emmonak Airport has made this action necessary to enhance safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Quest Aircraft Design, LLC (Quest) Model Kodiak 100 airplanes. This AD requires you to inspect the torque of the inertial particle separator (IPS) bolts; correct the torque, if necessary; replace the IPS bolts with new IPS bolts within a certain time; and install safety wire around the new IPS bolts. This AD was prompted by five instances where a loose IPS bolt was found on the right-hand side of the engine bypass door attachment. This condition, if not corrected, could lead to an inoperable bypass door, which could result in engine inlet icing with consequent loss of engine power and forced landing. We are issuing this AD to correct the unsafe condition on these products.

This action establishes Class E airspace for Stuart, IA, to accommodate new COPTER area navigation (RNAV) Standard Instrument Approach Procedures at the City of Stuart Helistop. The FAA is taking this action to enhance the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) operations at the heliport.

This action enhances safety by amending the applicable standards for part 23 turbofan- and turbojet-powered airplaneswhich are commonly referred to as ``part 23 jets,'' or ``jets''as well as turbopropeller-driven and reciprocating-engine airplanes, to reflect the current needs of industry, accommodate future trends, address emerging technologies, and provide for future airplane operations. This action is necessary to eliminate the current workload of processing exemptions, special conditions, and equivalent level of safety findings necessary to certificate jets. The effect of the changes will: Enhance safety by requiring additional battery endurance requirements; increase the climb gradient performance for certain part 23 airplanes; standardize and simplify the certification of jets; clarify areas of frequent non-standardization and misinterpretation, particularly for electronic equipment and system certification; and codify existing certification requirements in special conditions for jets that incorporate new technologies.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposes to amend the airworthiness standards for airplane propellers. This action would define what a propeller critical part is, require the identification of propeller critical parts by the manufacturer, and establish engineering, manufacture, and maintenance processes for those parts. The intended effect of this proposal is to ensure the continued airworthiness of propeller critical parts by requiring a system of processes to identify and manage these parts throughout their service life. Adopting this proposal would eliminate regulatory differences between part 35 and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) propeller critical parts requirements, thereby simplifying airworthiness approvals for exports.

This rule revises airworthiness standards for type certification requirements of normal and transport category rotorcraft. The amendment requires evaluation of fatigue and residual static strength of composite rotorcraft structures using a damage tolerance evaluation, or a fatigue evaluation if the applicant establishes that a damage tolerance evaluation is impractical. The amendment addresses advances in composite structures technology and provides internationally harmonized standards.

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 Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on September 23, 2011, vol. 76, no. 185, page 59186. The New England Region Aviation Expo database performs conference registration and helps plan the logistics and non-pilot courses for the expo.

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 Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on September 23, 2011, vol. 76, no. 185, page 59184-59185. A Special Federal Aviation Regulation requires passengers who intend to use an approved POC to present a physician statement before boarding. The flight crew must then inform the pilot-in-command that a POC is on board.

The FAA hereby proposes to rule and invites public comment on its intent to release certain obligated properties, namely approximately 200 acres at the Martin County Airport, Stuart, FL, from the conditions, reservations, and restrictions as contained in a Surplus Property Agreement between the FAA and the Martin County, dated July 1, 1947, and in accordance with the provisions of Title 49 U.S.C. 47153(c). In anticipation and consideration of its request for a release, Martin County contracted for the installation of Engineered Materials Arresting Systems (EMAS) on Runway 12-30 at the Martin County Airport. The County also advised that its release request is designed to clarify the airport property and to correct ambiguities in title records since portions of the property contemplated by its release requested have been transferred over a number of years to a number of private and public parties. The release of the airport premises thus allows for the FAA and Martin County to establish a reliable and accurate boundary of obligated airport property. The property to be released includes parcels occupied by portions of the Martin County Golf Course, the YMCA, residential developments, a drainage area, and vacant lands. These parcels are currently designated as non-aeronautical use. The County accommodated the installation EMAS on Runway 12-30, enhancing safety for aeronautical users without impacting useable runway length in consideration of its request that a portion of the airport property be released of its federal obligations. The release of the nearly 200 acres also allows the FAA and the airport sponsor to establish and agree upon the boundary of airport property obligated through the Surplus Property Act of 1944. Additionally, the release will not prevent accomplishing the purpose for which the property was made subject to the terms, conditions, reservations, or restrictions, and will advance the interests of the United States in civil aviation. The FAA has preliminarily determined that the request to release property at the Martin County Airport submitted by the County met the procedural requirements of the Federal Aviation Regulations, 14 CFR part 155. Documents reflecting the Sponsor's request are available, by appointment only, for inspection at the Martin County Airport and the FAA Airports District Office.

We are superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Model 737-300, -400, and -500 series airplanes. That AD currently requires repetitive external non-destructive inspections to detect cracks in the fuselage skin along the chem-mill step at stringers S-1 and S-2 right, between station (STA) 827 and STA 847, and repair if necessary. This new AD adds inspections for cracking in additional fuselage crown skin locations, and repair if necessary. This new AD also reduces the inspection thresholds for certain airplanes, extends certain repetitive inspection intervals, and adds airplanes to the applicability of the existing AD. This AD was prompted by reports of additional crack findings of the fuselage crown skin at the chem- milled steps. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct fatigue cracking of the fuselage skin panels at the chem-milled steps, which could result in sudden fracture and failure of the fuselage skin panels, and consequent rapid decompression of the airplane.