Federal Aviation Administration November 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This action establishes Class E airspace at Coaldale VHF Omni- Directional Radio Range Tactical Air Navigational Aid (VORTAC), Coaldale, NV to facilitate vectoring of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) aircraft under control of Oakland Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC). This action enhances the safety and management of IFR operations within the National Airspace System.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Bell Helicopter Textron (BHT) Model 412, 412EP, and 412CF helicopters. This AD requires a repetitive inspection of the collective lever for a crack, and if there is a crack, before further flight, replacing the collective lever with an airworthy collective lever. This AD was prompted by a reported failure of a collective lever. The actions are intended to detect a crack in the collective lever, which could lead to failure of the collective lever and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus Model A300 B4-600 and A300 B4-600R, Model A300, and Model A310 series airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of fatigue cracking in the crossbeams at the junction of the actuator beam of the lower deck cargo door. This AD requires repetitive inspections of the crossbeams of certain fuselage frames, and repair if necessary. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracking of the crossbeams at the junction of the actuator beam of the lower deck cargo door, which could result in failure to withstand ultimate load conditions, and consequent reduced structural integrity of the airplane.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Sikorsky) Model S-76C helicopters. This AD requires installing an improved throttle stop and a wider trigger on the engine control levers (ECL). This AD was prompted by a bird-strike to the windshield that resulted in unintended movement of the engine control levers from the forward position and towards the flight-idle position, which reduced power on both engines. These actions are intended to prevent unintended movement of the ECLs, resulting in main rotor speed decay and subsequent loss of control of the aircraft.

We are superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Fokker Services B.V. Model F.28 Mark 0070 and 0100 airplanes. That AD currently requires performing a detailed visual inspection for cracks of the pistons on the main landing gear (MLG), and replacing the affected pistons if necessary. This new AD also requires modifying the MLG by installing a piston containing a certain part number, and revising the airplane maintenance program. This AD was prompted by a new modification developed to safeguard the integrity of the MLG assembly and improve surface protection of the affected area of the MLG piston. We are issuing this AD to prevent MLG failure, possibly resulting in loss of control of the airplane during the landing roll- out.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public that the FAA's Air Traffic Procedures Advisory Committee (ATPAC) two year charter has been coordinated and signed by the FAA Administrator. The ATPAC charter is valid for two years and provides a venue to review air traffic control procedures and practices for standardization, revision, clarification, and upgrading of terminology and procedures.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is considering a proposal to authorize the release of 0.32 acres of airport property (Parcel No. 18) at the J. Douglas Bake Memorial Airport, Oconto, WI. Parcel No. 18 is located outside of the airport fence along the west edge of the airport and contains a part of a road used to access a land-locked parcel of private property located adjacent to the airport. Using the piece of airport property as an uncontrolled access road has resulted in a non-aeronautical use of airport property and a compliance issue for the airport. In addition, the uncontrolled access raises liability concerns for the airport. The land release would bring the airport into compliance with grant assurances and assure compatible land use. It would also remove the liability issue related to the unauthorized use of the access road. A categorical exclusion for this land release action was prepared by Wisconsin Dept. of Transportation-Bureau of Aeronautics and issued on June 22, 2011. The aforementioned land is not needed for aeronautical use. The parcel is depicted on the Airport Layout Plan and Exhibit ``A'' property map dated July 12, 2011. There are no impacts to the airport by allowing the airport to dispose of this parcel. The subject parcel was originally acquired on September 10, 2002, as part of Airport Improvement Program grant No. 04 and is described in the warranty deed recorded in Volume 933 pages 480-481, Oconto County, Wisconsin. The value of the parcel is $600. 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 revising an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Piaggio Aero Industries S.p.A. Model P-180 airplanes. That AD currently requires replacement of any firewall shutoff or crossfeed valve with a serial number in a certain range even if it has been previously modified. The way the applicability was written includes valves that should not be affected and are not included in the referenced service information. This AD requires the same actions as the current AD, but only affects those firewall shutoff valves referenced in the referenced service information. We are issuing this AD to clarify the affected parts required to correct the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA is correcting an airworthiness directive (AD) that published in the Federal Register. That AD applies to certain Univair Aircraft Corporation Models (ERCO) 415-C, 415-CD, 415-D, E, G; (Forney) F-1 and F-1A; (Alon) A-2 and A2-A; and (Mooney) M10 airplanes. All references to Ercoupe Service Memorandum No. 20, Revision A, dated September 1, 2008, in the non-regulatory preamble and the regulatory text of the AD are incorrect because it is a service bulletin instead of a memorandum. This document corrects these errors. In all other respects, the original document remains the same.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposes to amend the maintenance regulations for domestic, flag, and supplemental operations, and commuter and on-demand operations for aircraft type certificated with a passenger seating configuration of 10 seats or more (excluding any pilot seat). The proposed rules would require these operators to develop policies, procedures, methods, and instructions for performing contract maintenance that are acceptable to the FAA and to include them in their maintenance manuals. The rules would also require the operators to provide a list to the FAA of all persons with whom they contract their maintenance. These changes are needed because contract maintenance has increased to over 70 percent of all air carrier maintenance, and numerous investigations have shown deficiencies in maintenance performed by contract maintenance providers. The proposals would help ensure consistency between contract and in-house air carrier maintenance and enhance the oversight capabilities of both the air carriers and the FAA.

The FAA is withdrawing a previously published direct final rule that would have allowed launch operators that conduct certain amateur rocket launches to voluntarily apply for a commercial space transportation license or experimental permit. The FAA is withdrawing this action because of the adverse comments it received.

This action proposes special conditions for the Embraer S.A., Model EMB-550 airplane. This airplane will have a novel or unusual design feature(s) associated with hydrophobic coatings. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These proposed 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.

These special conditions are issued for the Boeing Model 757 series airplanes. These airplanes as modified by Flight Structures, Inc. will have novel or unusual design features associated with seats that include non-traditional, large, non-metallic panels that would affect survivability during a post-crash fire event. 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.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier, Inc. Model CL-600-2C10 (Regional Jet Series 700, 701, & 702) airplanes, Model CL-600-2D15 (Regional Jet Series 705) airplanes, Model CL-600-2D24 (Regional Jet Series 900) airplanes, and Model CL- 600-2E25 (Regional Jet Series 1000) airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report that certain wing-to-fuselage attachment nuts do not conform to the certification design requirements for dual locking features. This AD requires repetitive inspections to determine that cotter pins are installed at affected wing-to-fuselage attachment joints and replacement if necessary. We are issuing this AD to prevent loss of wing-to-fuselage attachment joints, which could result in the loss of the wing.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus Model A330-243, -243F, -341, -342, and -343 airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of cracking of air intake cowls on Rolls-Royce Trent engines, worn and detached attachment links, and fractured thermal anti-ice (TAI) piccolo tubes. This AD requires inspecting piccolo tubes, piccolo tube mount links, the aft side of the forward bulkhead, and outer boundary angles (OBA) for cracks, fractures, and broken links, and corrective actions if necessary. We are issuing this AD to prevent degraded structural integrity of the engine nose cowl in case of forward bulkhead damage in conjunction with a broken piccolo tube, and damage to the engine due to operation in icing conditions with reduced TAI performance.

This action proposes special conditions for the Turbomeca Ardiden 3K model engines. This engine model will have a novel or unusual design feature which is a 30-minute all engines operating (AEO) power rating for hovering at increased power (HIP). This rating is primarily intended for high-power hovering operations that are normal mission functions. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These proposed special conditions contain the additional safety standards that the FAA considers necessary to establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by the existing airworthiness standards.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain serial number Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. (P&WC) PW206B, PW206B2, PW206C, PW207C, PW207D, PW207D1, PW207D2, and PW207E turboshaft engines. This proposed AD was prompted by the discovery that certain power turbine (PT) disks were made to specific heat codes that may not achieve the maximum in-service life. This proposed AD would require re-identification of the PT disk to a part number (P/N) with a lower life limit. We are proposing this AD to prevent possible uncontained PT disk failure and loss of helicopter control.

We propose to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to certain The Boeing Company Model 737-200, -200C, - 300, -400 and -500 series airplanes. The existing AD currently requires a one-time mid-frequency eddy current (MFEC) inspection, a low frequency eddy current (LFEC) inspection, and a detailed inspection for damage or cracking of stringer S-4L and S-4R lap joints and stringer clips between body station (BS) 540 and BS 727, and follow-on inspections and repair if necessary. Since we issued that AD, we have received reports of cracking of the lap joint lower row. This proposed AD would instead require repetitive external eddy current inspections for cracking of certain fuselage crown lap joints and corrective actions; internal eddy current and detailed inspections for cracking of certain fuselage crown lap joints, and repair if necessary; and detailed inspections of certain stringer clips, and replacement with new stringer clips if necessary. This proposed AD would also add airplanes to the applicability. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct cracking of the fuselage lap joints, which could result in sudden decompression of the airplane.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Model A330-200, -300 and -200 Freighter series airplanes; and all Model A340-200 and -300 series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a determination that the bonding lead from a certain isolation valve to a frame was too close to an electrical harness, which might cause chafing between the electrical harness and the associated bonding lead. This chafing could lead to a short circuit of the isolation valve and consequent non-closure of the isolation valve, which would prevent the air-flow to be shut-off in case of fire. This proposed AD would require modifying the bonding lead installation of the isolation valve. We are proposing this AD to prevent such chafing, which could result in non-closure of the isolation valve in the event of a fire and consequent damage to the airplane and injury to its occupants.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG (RRD) BR700-710 series turbofan engines. This proposed AD was prompted by service experience that demonstrated premature wear of the splined coupling on the fuel pump. This proposed AD would require replacement of the affected fuel pump splined couplings. We are proposing this AD to prevent failure of the engine and loss of the airplane.

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 correcting an airworthiness directive (AD) that was published in the Federal Register. That AD applies to BRP-Powertrain GmbH & Co KG Rotax 912 F2; 912 F3; 912 F4; 912 S2; 912 S3; and 912 S4 reciprocating engines. The word ``not'' was improperly omitted from the Installation Prohibition section of the AD, thereby changing the prohibition in the AD. This correction reinserts ``not'' into the paragraph to correct the omission. In all other respects, the original document remains the same.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecnam srl Model P2006T 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 multiple cracks found on the outboard aileron hinge support of a P2006T airplane during an inspection. We are issuing this proposed AD to require actions to address the unsafe condition on these products.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier, Inc. Model DHC-8-400 series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of chafing found on the main landing gear (MLG) yoke. The chafing was attributed to contact between the nacelle fire detection wires and the MLG yoke. This proposed AD would require inspections of the nacelle fire detection wires and the MLG yoke for damage; replacing nacelle fire detection wires, if necessary; repairing the MLG yoke, if necessary; and installing new brackets and associated hardware to secure the fire detection wires. We are proposing this AD to prevent chafing between the nacelle fire detection wires and the MLG yoke. Chafing could lead to cracking and subsequent failure of the MLG yoke, which could adversely affect the safe landing of the airplane. In addition, chafing of the nacelle fire detection wires could cause them to fail and prevent the detection of a fire in the nacelle assembly.

This action amends Class E airspace at Breckenridge, TX. Additional controlled airspace is necessary to accommodate new Area Navigation (RNAV) Standard Instrument Approach Procedures at Stephens County Airport. The airport's geographic coordinates are also adjusted. The FAA is taking this action to enhance the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) operations at the airport.