Federal Aviation Administration 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This action proposes to establish Class E airspace at Boyne City, MI. Controlled airspace is necessary to accommodate new Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAP) at Boyne City Municipal Airport. The FAA is taking this action to enhance the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations for SIAPs at the airport.

We propose to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to certain Model 737-300, -400, and -500 series airplanes. The existing AD currently 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. Since we issued that AD, we have received reports of additional crack findings of the fuselage skin at the chem-mill steps. This proposed AD would add inspections for cracking in additional fuselage skin locations, and repair if necessary. This proposed AD would also reduce the inspection thresholds and repetitive intervals for certain airplanes. We are proposing 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.

This action corrects a final rule published by the FAA in the Federal Register on September 19, 2011, that amends and establishes nine Air Traffic Service Routes (ATS) in the Northeast United States. This action provides more accurate latitude/longitude coordinates for one waypoint (WP) in the description of area navigation (RNAV) route Q- 480.

This action proposes to establish restricted area airspace within the Devils Lake Military Operations Area (MOA), overlying Camp Grafton Range, in the vicinity of Devils Lake, ND. The new restricted areas would permit realistic training in modern tactics to be conducted at Camp Grafton Range while ensuring the safe and efficient use of the National Airspace System (NAS) in the Devils Lake, ND, area. Unlike restricted areas which are designated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 73, MOAs are not rulemaking airspace actions. However, since the proposed restricted areas overlap the Devils Lake East MOA, the FAA is including a description of the Devils Lake East MOA change in this NPRM. The MOA change described herein will also be published in the National Flight Data Digest (NFDD).

This action amends Class D and Class E airspace at Baltimore, MD, as the Martin Non-Directional Beacon (NDB) has been decommissioned and new Standard Instrument Approach Procedures have been developed at Martin State Airport. This action also updates the geographic coordinates of the Baltimore VORTAC and makes a minor adjustment to the geographic coordinates of the airport. This action enhances the safety and airspace management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport.

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.

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.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus Model A319, A320, and A321 airplanes that would supersede an existing AD. 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: Several cases of corrosion of the Main Landing Gear (MLG) support Rib 5 fitting lug bores have been reported on A320 family aeroplanes. * * * If not detected, the cracking may lead to the complete failure of the fitting and thus could affect the structural integrity of the MLG installation. EASA AD 2007-0213 was issued to address this condition * * *. After that AD was issued, a case of Rib 5, ruptured at the 4 o'clock position, was discovered on an aeroplane on which the terminating action of EASA AD 2007-0213 had already been embodied * * *. Investigation of that case revealed that corrosion damage and cracking that should have been removed by repair machining was below the level of detectability of the Non Destructive Test (NDT) technique that cleared the surfaces prior to bush installation. * * * * * The proposed AD would require actions that are intended to address the unsafe condition described in the MCAI.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7R4D, -7R4D1, -7R4E, -7R4E1, -7R4G2, -7R4H1, and - 7R4E4 turbofan engines. This proposed AD would establish a new lower life limit for high-pressure turbine (HPT) 1st stage air seals, part number (P/N) 735907, and would require removing them from service using a drawdown schedule. This proposed AD was prompted by the determination that a new lower life limit for the HPT 1st stage air seals, P/N 735907, is necessary. We are proposing this AD to prevent critical life-limited rotating engine part failure and damage to the airplane.

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 information collected supports FAA in determining the amount of required liability insurance for a reentry operator after examining the risk associated with a reentry vehicle, its operational capabilities, and its designated reentry site.

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 FAA uses the information gathered from Grand Canyon National Park air tour operators to monitor their compliance with the Federal regulations.

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 FAA amended the regulations governing flight data recorders to increase the number of digital flight data recorder parameters for certain Boeing airplanes. This requirement affects all Boeing 737 series airplanes manufactured after August 18, 2000. This change was based on safety recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board following its investigations of two accidents and several incidents involving 737s.

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. Airworthiness Directives are regulations issued to require correct corrective action to correct unsafe conditions in aircraft, engines, propellers, and appliances. Reports of inspections are often needed when emergency corrective action is taken to determine if the action was adequate to correct the unsafe condition. The respondents are aircraft owners and operators.

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. 14 CFR part 121 prescribes the requirements governing air carrier operations. The information collected is used to determine air operators' compliance with the minimum safety standards and the applicants' eligibility for air operations certification.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of a meeting of RTCA Special Committee 206: Aeronautical Information and Meteorological Data Link Services for 27th meeting.

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 action amends the legal description of the VHF omnidirectional range (VOR) Federal airways V-81, V-89, and V-169 in the vicinity of Chadron, Nebraska. The FAA is taking this action because the Chadron VOR distance measuring equipment (DME), included as part of the V-81, V-89, and V-169 route structure, is being renamed the Toadstool VOR/DME to avoid confusion with Chadron Airport that shares the same identifier.

This special condition is issued for the Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Model GVI airplane. This airplane will have a novel or unusual design feature(s) associated with the use of a hydrophobic windshield coating, rather than windshield wipers, as the means to maintain a clear portion of the windshield during precipitation conditions, as required by the airworthiness standards for transport category airplanes. 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 that established by the existing airworthiness standards.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, 42 United States Code Sec. 4321-4347 (as amended), Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) NEPA implementing regulations (40 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] Parts 1500-1508), and FAA Order 1050.1E, Change 1, the FAA is announcing the availability of the Final EA and FONSI for Issuing an Experimental Permit to SpaceX for Operation of the Grasshopper Vehicle at the McGregor Test Site, Texas. The Final EA was prepared in response to an application for an experimental permit from Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX). Under the Proposed Action, the FAA would issue an experimental permit to SpaceX to conduct suborbital launches and landings of the Grasshopper Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) from the McGregor test site in McGregor, Texas. The Grasshopper RLV is a vertical takeoff and vertical landing vehicle. The McGregor test site is located within the city limits of the City of McGregor, Texas in Coryell and McLennan Counties, approximately 20 miles southwest of Waco, Texas. The Final EA addresses the potential environmental impacts of implementing the Proposed Action and the No Action Alternative of not issuing an experimental permit to SpaceX. The FAA has posted the Final EA and FONSI on the FAA/AST Web site at https://www.faa.gov/about/officeorg/headquartersoffices/ast/. In addition, copies of the Final EA and FONSI were sent to persons and institutions on the distribution list (see Chapter 8 of the Final EA). A paper copy of the Final EA and FONSI may be reviewed during regular business hours at the following location: McGinley Memorial Library, 317 Main Street, McGregor, Texas 76657. Additional Information: Under the Proposed Action, the FAA would issue an experimental permit to SpaceX, which would authorize SpaceX to conduct suborbital launches and landings of the Grasshopper RLV from the McGregor test site in McGregor, Texas. SpaceX has determined that to support the Grasshopper RLV activities under the experimental permit, it would be necessary to construct a launch pad and additional support infrastructure (water lines). Therefore, the Proposed Action analyzed in the Final EA includes the activities that would be authorized by the experimental permit (i.e., the operation of the launch vehicle) as well as the construction of the launch pad and installation of water lines. The experimental permit would be valid for one year and would authorize an unlimited number of launches. The FAA could renew the experimental permit if requested, in writing, by SpaceX at least 60 days before the permit expires. SpaceX anticipates that the Grasshopper RLV program would require up to 3 years to complete. Therefore, the Proposed Action considers one new permit and two potential permit renewals. Although an experimental permit would authorize an unlimited number of launches, the FAA, in conjunction with SpaceX, developed a conservative set of assumptions regarding the possible number of launches that could be conducted under any one experimental permit for the Grasshopper RLV at the McGregor test site. The FAA has assumed that SpaceX would conduct up to 70 annual suborbital launches of the Grasshopper RLV under an experimental permit at the McGregor test site. This estimation is a conservative number and considers potential multiple launches per day and potential launch failures. The only alternative to the Proposed Action analyzed in the Final EA is the No Action Alternative. Under the No Action Alternative, the FAA would not issue an experimental permit to SpaceX for operation of the Grasshopper RLV at the McGregor test site. Existing SpaceX activities would continue at the McGregor test site. Please refer to Section 2.2 of the Final EA for a brief discussion of existing SpaceX activities. The resource areas considered in the Final EA include air quality; noise and compatible land use; land use (including U.S. Department of Transportation Section 4(f) Properties); biological resources (fish, wildlife, and plants); historical, architectural, archaeological, and cultural resources; hazardous materials, pollution prevention, and solid waste; light emissions and visual resources; natural resources and energy supply; water resources (surface waters and wetlands, groundwater, floodplains, and water quality); socioeconomics, environmental justice, and children's environmental health and safety; and secondary (induced) impacts. Potential cumulative impacts of the Proposed Action were also addressed in the Final EA. An analysis of the Proposed Action has concluded that there would be no significant short-term, long-term, or cumulative effects to the environment or surrounding populations. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Action is not required. After careful and thorough consideration of the facts contained herein, the FAA finds that the proposed Federal action is consistent with existing national environmental policies and objectives as set forth in Section 101 of NEPA and other applicable environmental requirements and will not significantly affect the quality of the human environment or otherwise include any condition requiring consultation pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of NEPA.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Model DHC-8-102, -103, and -106 airplanes and Model DHC-8-200, -300, and -400 series airplanes. 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 announces the availability of a Report from the ADS-B In Aviation Rulemaking Committee, Recommendations to Define a Strategy for Incorporating ADS-B In Technologies into the National Airspace System. This committee was convened at the FAA's request to provide a forum for the U.S. and international aviation community to provide recommendations on a global strategy to proceed with ADS-B In while ensuring compatibility with the standards adopted for ADS-B Out. The FAA is currently reviewing the report to evaluate the appropriate course of action.

This action modifies Class E airspace at Driggs, ID to accommodate aircraft using Area Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) standard instrument approach procedures at Driggs-Reed Memorial Airport. This action also updates the airport name and adjusts the geographic coordinates of the airport. This improves the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport.

This action proposes to amend Class E airspace at City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport, Colorado Springs, CO. Decommissioning of the Black Forest Tactical Air Navigation System (TACAN) has made this action necessary for the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport. This action also would adjust the geographic coordinates of the airport.

The FAA publishes a monthly notice, as appropriate, of PFC approvals and disapprovals under the provisions of the Aviation Safety and Capacity Expansion Act of 1990 (Title IX of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990) (Pub. L. 101-508) and Part 158 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 158). This notice is published pursuant to paragraph d of Sec. 158.29.

We propose to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to certain Cessna Aircraft Company (Cessna) Models 172R and 172S airplanes. The existing AD requires you to inspect the fuel return line assembly for chafing; replace the fuel return line assembly if chafing is found; and inspect the clearance between the fuel return line assembly and both the right steering tube assembly and the airplane structure, adjusting as necessary. Since we issued that AD, we have received a field report of a fuel return line chafing incident on a Cessna Model 172 airplane with a serial number (S/N) that was not included in the AD. This proposed AD would retain the actions of the current AD and add S/Ns to the Applicability section of the AD. Chafing of the fuel return line assembly could lead to fire. We are proposing this AD to correct the unsafe condition on these products.