Federal Aviation Administration February 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice contains a summary of a petition seeking relief from specified requirements of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 25. 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.

The FAA is correcting an airworthiness directive (AD) that published in the Federal Register. That AD applies to certain The Boeing Company Model 757 airplanes. That AD incorrectly identified certain actions that are terminated in another AD. This document corrects that error. In all other respects, the original document remains the same.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of the meeting of the RTCA Special Committee 223, Airport Surface Wireless Communications.

We propose to supersede two existing airworthiness directives (AD) that apply to all The Boeing Company Model 767 airplanes. One AD currently requires a functional check of the shear rivets in all six elevator power control actuator (PCA) bellcrank assemblies to determine the condition of the shear rivets, and replacement or rework of the bellcrank assemblies if necessary. The other AD currently requires repetitive testing of the elevator control system to determine if an elevator PCA is rigged incorrectly, and follow-on actions if necessary. Since we issued those ADs, a terminating modification has been designed. This proposed AD would require an inspection to determine the part numbers and condition of the bellcrank assemblies; modification or replacement of the PCA bellcrank assembly, if necessary; and a repetitive functional test and mis-rig check, and corrective actions if necessary. We are proposing this AD to prevent continued operation with yielded or failed shear rivets in the elevator PCA bellcrank assemblies, and to prevent certain failures or jams in the elevator system from causing a hardover of the elevator surface, resulting in a significant pitch upset and possible loss of control of the airplane.

This notice contains a summary of a petition seeking relief from specified requirements of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR). The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, this aspect of the 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 supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for Agusta S.p.A. (Agusta) Model A109E helicopters that requires reducing the tail rotor (T/R) blade life limit, modifying a T/R hub and grip assembly, re-identifying two T/R assemblies, clarifying the never- exceed speed (Vne) limitation and reducing the inspection interval. Since we issued that AD, the manufacturer has redesigned a T/R grip bushing (bushing) that reduces the loads, which caused the T/R cracking, on the T/R blades. This action would require installing the new bushing and re-identifying the T/R hub-and-grip and hub-and-blade assemblies and require a recurring inspection of each bushing. The proposed actions are intended to prevent fatigue failure of a T/R blade and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

This notice announces the bi-annual meeting of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Aeronautical Charting Forum (ACF) to discuss informational content and design of aeronautical charts and related products, as well as instrument flight procedures development policy and design criteria.

The FAA is issuing this notice of policy to describe its policy for volunteer pilots operating charitable medical flights. Charitable medical flights are flights where a pilot, aircraft owner, and/or operator provides transportation for an individual or organ for medical purposes. This notice of policy is in response to Section 821 of Public Law 112-95, Clarification of Requirements for Volunteer Pilots Operating Charitable Medical Flights.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all The Boeing Company Model 787-8 airplanes. This emergency AD was sent previously to all known U.S. owners and operators of these airplanes. This AD requires modification of the battery system, or other actions. This AD was prompted by recent incidents involving lithium ion battery failures that resulted in release of flammable electrolytes, heat damage, and smoke. We are issuing this AD to correct damage to critical systems and structures, and the potential for fire in the electrical compartment.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is requesting comments and information on the public's interest in restructuring the rotorcraft airworthiness standards of normal category rotorcraft and transport category rotorcraft. Specifically, the agency is seeking comments on whether to change the existing applicability standards for maximum weight and number of passenger seats for either or both types of rotorcraft, or whether to consider other approaches for determining applicability. The FAA is soliciting public input because of some rotorcraft community interest in increasing the 7,000 pound maximum weight limit for the modern normal category rotorcraft and because there may be recommendations for new approaches to make the rotorcraft airworthiness standards more efficient and adaptable to future technology. This action is part of an effort to develop recommendations for possible FAA rulemaking action.

This action modifies Class E airspace areas at Casper, Natrona County International Airport, Casper, WY, to facilitate vectoring of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) traffic from en route airspace to the airport. Decommissioning of the Muddy Mountain VOR Omnidirectional Range Tactical Air Navigation (VORTAC) has made reconfiguration necessary for the safety and management of aircraft operations at the airport.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 737-200, -200C, -300, -400, and -500 series airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of cracks in the skin and surrounding structure under the number 3 very high frequency (VHF) antenna on the lower external surface of the airplane at buttock line 0.0, aft of the main landing gear wheel well. This AD requires inspecting for cracking and corrosion under the number 3 VHF antenna, and corrective actions if necessary; and, for certain airplanes, replacing bonded skin panels with solid skin panels if not previously accomplished. This AD also provides an optional preventive modification (which would terminate the inspection requirements for certain airplanes). We are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracks and corrosion of the skin and surrounding structure under the number 3 VHF antenna, which could result in separation of the antenna from the airplane, and rapid depressurization of the airplane.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Reims Aviation S.A. Model F406 airplanes. 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 improper material used in nose landing gear (NLG) attachment brackets could lead to failure of the NLG bracket with consequent damage to the airplane while landing. We are issuing this AD to require actions to address the unsafe condition on these products.

These special conditions are issued for the Embraer S.A. Model EMB-550 airplane. This airplane will have a novel or unusual design feature(s) associated with the interaction of systems and structures. 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.

These special conditions are issued for the Embraer S.A. Model EMB-550 airplane. This airplane will have a novel or unusual design feature, specifically an electronic flight control system which contains fly-by-wire control laws, including envelope protections, for the overspeed protection and roll limiting function. 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.

These special conditions for the Embraer S.A. Model EMB-550 airplane. This airplane will have a novel or unusual design feature, specifically sidestick controllers designed to be operated with only one hand. 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 serial number Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. PW206B, PW206B2, PW206C, PW207C, PW207D, PW207D1, PW207D2, and PW207E turboshaft engines. This 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 AD requires re-identification of the PT disk to a part number (P/N) with a lower life limit. We are issuing this AD to prevent possible uncontained PT disk failure and loss of helicopter control.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of a meeting of the ARAC.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all The Boeing Company Model 757 airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of fuel leaking from the front spar of the wing through the slat track housing. This AD requires a detailed inspection of the inboard and outboard main slat track downstop assemblies and a torque application to the main track downstop assembly nuts of slat numbers 1 through 10, excluding the outboard track of slats 1 and 10; a detailed inspection of all slat track housings for foreign object debris (FOD) and visible damage; and corrective actions if necessary. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct incorrectly installed main slat track downstop assemblies, which, when the slat is retracted, could cause a puncture in the slat track housing and lead to a fuel leak and potential fire.

These special conditions are issued for the Bombardier Aerospace Model BD-500-1A10 and BD-500-1A11 airplanes. These airplanes will have a novel or unusual design feature, specifically sidestick controllers designed to be operated with only one hand. 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.

The FAA is correcting the effective date of a final rule correction for flightcrew member duty and rest requirements published on February 6, 2013, that required technical corrections in the codified text of the final flightcrew member duty and rest rule. The correct effective date of the rule should read January 4, 2014.

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. Aircraft owners are required to complete the Aircraft Registration Renewal to verify the registration information and renew registration triennially. The information collected on an Aircraft Re- Registration Application, AC Form 8050-1A and an Aircraft Registration Renewal Application, AC Form 8050-1B, will be used by the FAA to verify and update aircraft registration information collected for an aircraft when it was first registered.

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 the 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 action proposes to modify two jet routes and seven VOR Federal airways; and remove two VOR Federal airways in the vicinity of Jackson, MS. The FAA is proposing this action due to the scheduled decommissioning of the Jackson, MS, VORTAC, and the commissioning of the Magnolia, MS, VORTAC navigation aids.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG (RRD) BR700-710A1-10 and BR700- 710A2-20 turbofan engines, and certain BR700-710C4-11 model engines. This AD was prompted by RRD performing an evaluation that determined that certain high-pressure turbine (HPT) stage 1 and stage 2 discs from a specific supplier may contain steel inclusions that may cause the discs to fail before they reach their current life limits. This AD requires reducing the life limits for certain HPT stage 1 and stage 2 discs. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of the HPT stage 1 and stage 2 discs, which could result in uncontained failure of the engine and damage to the airplane.