Federal Aviation Administration March 14, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This action proposes to amend Class E Airspace at Selmer, TN, as the Sibley Non-Directional Beacon (NDB) has been decommissioned and new Standard Instrument Approach Procedures have been developed at Robert Sibley Airport. This action would enhance the safety and airspace management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport. This action also would update the geographic coordinates of airport.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Eurocopter France (Eurocopter) Model AS350 and AS355 helicopters. This proposed AD would require inspecting the tail rotor control stop screws to determine if they are correctly aligned and adjusting the screws if they are misaligned. This proposed AD is prompted by the discovery of a loose nut on the tail rotor control stop and a misaligned tail rotor control stop screw. The proposed actions are intended detect a loose nut or a misaligned stop screw, which, if not corrected, could limit yaw authority, and consequently, result in a loss of helicopter control.

We propose to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to certain The Boeing Company Model MD-11 and MD-11F airplanes. The existing AD currently requires inspecting to determine if wires touch the upper surface of the center upper auxiliary fuel tank, and marking the location, as necessary; inspecting all wire bundles above the center upper auxiliary fuel tank for splices and damage; inspecting for damage to the fuel vapor barrier seal and upper surface of the center upper auxiliary fuel tank; and performing corrective actions, as necessary. The existing AD also requires installing nonmetallic barrier/shield sleeving, new clamps, new attaching hardware, and a new extruded channel. The existing AD resulted from fuel system reviews conducted by the manufacturer. Since we issued that AD, we have identified additional center upper auxiliary fuel tank locations where inspections and corrective actions are needed. We are proposing this AD to reduce the potential of ignition sources inside fuel tanks, which, in combination with flammable fuel vapors, could result in fuel tank explosions and consequent loss of the airplane.