Federal Aviation Administration August 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This rule 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 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.

These special conditions are issued for Airbus Model A350-900 airplanes. These airplanes will have a novel or unusual design feature associated with a flight-control system that prevents the pilot from inadvertently or intentionally exceeding the positive or negative airplane limit load factor. 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 Airbus Model A350-900 airplanes. These airplanes will have a novel or unusual design feature associated with side-stick controllers for pitch and roll control, instead of conventional wheels and columns. 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 Airbus Model A350-900 series airplanes. These airplanes will have a novel or unusual design feature associated with fuel tanks constructed of carbon-fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) materials located within the tire-impact zone, including the wing fuel tanks. The ability of aluminum wing skins, as has been conventionally used, to resist penetration or rupture when impacted by tire debris, is understood from extensive experience. The ability of carbon-fiber composite material to resist these hazards has not been established. No current airworthiness standards specifically address this hazard for all exposed wing surfaces. 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 issuing this notice to advise the public of the second meeting of the Airborne Weather Detection Systems Committee.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of the first meeting of the 406 MHz Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELTs) Joint with EUROCAE WG-98 Committee.

This action incorporates certain amendments into FAA Order 7400.9X, dated September 8, 2013, and effective September 15, 2013, for incorporation by reference in 14 CFR 71.1.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of the twenty sixth meeting of the RTCA Special Committee 213, Enhanced Flight Vision Systems/Synthetic Vision Systems (EFVS/SVS).

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 747-100, 747-100B, 747-100B SUD, 747- 200B, 747-200C, 747-200F, 747-300, 747-400, 747-400D, 747-400F, 747SR, and 747SP series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of cracks at the lower forward corner of the main entry door (MED) 1 cutout. This proposed AD would require repetitive inspections of the MED door 1 for cracking, and repair if necessary. This proposed AD also provides optional terminating modification; and would require post- repair or post-modification inspections for cracking, and corrective actions if necessary. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct skin cracking, which can become large and could adversely affect the structural integrity of the airplane.

We are publishing a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain AgustaWestland S.p.A. Model AB139 and AW139 helicopters. This AD requires repetitively inspecting the Main Rotor (M/R) Rotating Scissors for play of the Lower Half Scissor Spherical Bearing (bearing) and removing the bearing if there is play beyond allowable limits. This AD also requires removing all affected bearings. This AD is prompted by reports of certain bearings dislodging from certain M/R Rotating Scissors. These actions are intended to detect excessive play of the bearing and prevent failure of the M/R Rotating Scissors and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

We are publishing a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Airbus Helicopters Model EC130B4 and EC130T2 helicopters, which was sent previously to all known U.S. owners and operators of these helicopters. This AD requires repetitively inspecting the Fenestron to tailboom junction frame (junction frame) for a crack. This AD is prompted by reports of a crack propagating through the junction frame on two EC130B4 helicopters. These actions are intended to detect a crack and to prevent failure of the junction frame, which could result in loss of the Fenestron and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Mooney International Corporation Models M20C, M20E, M20M, M20R, and M20TN airplanes. This AD requires inspection of the outer empennage attach fittings for correct thickness with replacement as necessary. This AD was prompted by discovery of empennage attach fittings (Lugs) that do not meet the approved design dimensional requirements, which could result in possible reduction in fatigue or static strength and/or corrosion. We are issuing this AD to correct the unsafe condition on these products.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all The Boeing Company Model 737-600, -700, -700C, -800, -900 and -900ER series airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of incorrectly installed bolts common to the rear spar termination fitting on the horizontal stabilizer. This AD requires inspecting for a serial number that starts with the letters ``SAIC'' on the left- and right-side horizontal stabilizer identification plate; inspecting for correct bolt protrusion and chamfer of the bolts of the rear spar termination fitting of the horizontal stabilizer, if necessary; inspecting to determine if certain bolts are installed, if necessary; and doing related investigative and corrective actions if necessary. We are issuing this AD to prevent loss of structural integrity of the horizontal stabilizer attachment and loss of control of the airplane.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus Model A318, A319, A320, and A321 series airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of silicon particles inside the oxygen generator manifolds, which had chafed from the mask hoses during installation onto the generator outlets. This AD requires identifying the part number and serial number of each passenger oxygen container, replacing the oxygen generator manifold of any affected oxygen container with a serviceable manifold, and performing an operational check of the manual mask release, and corrective actions if necessary. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct non-serviceable oxygen generator manifolds, which could reduce or block the oxygen supply and result in injury to passengers when oxygen supply is needed.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Fokker Services B.V. Model F.28 Mark 0070 and 0100 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a report of two cases of heavy (hard to move) aileron control caused by aileron cables stuck in a clump of ice in the wheel bay. This proposed AD would require installing drain tubes on the center wing rear spar. We are proposing this AD to prevent accumulated water near or on the aileron control cables, which could freeze and result in reduced control of the airplane.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Sikorsky) Model S-92A helicopter. This AD requires revising the Rotorcraft Flight Manual (RFM) to include the appropriate operating limitations for performing Class D external load- combination operations. This AD was prompted by an inaccurate RFM provision, which was approved without appropriate limitations for this model helicopter for carrying Class D external rotorcraft-load combinations, including human external cargo (HEC). The actions are intended to require appropriate operating limitations to allow operators to perform Class D external load-combination operations, including HEC, in this model helicopter that now meets the Category A performance standard.

These special conditions are issued for Airbus Model A350-900 airplanes. These airplanes have a novel or unusual design feature associated with control-surface awareness and mode annunciation provided by the electronic flight-control system. 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.

This action amends Class D and Class E Airspace at Hartford, CT, by updating the geographic coordinates of Hartford-Brainard Airport. This action does not change the boundaries or operating requirements of the airspace.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Beechcraft Corporation (Type Certificate Previously Held by Hawker Beechcraft Corporation; Raytheon Aircraft Company; Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Inc. Ltd.) Model MU-300 airplanes, and Beechcraft Corporation (Type Certificate Previously Held by Hawker Beechcraft Corporation; Raytheon Aircraft Company; Beech Aircraft Corporation) Model 400, 400A, and 400T airplanes. This AD was prompted by multiple reports of fatigue cracking in the horizontal stabilizer ribs. This AD requires repetitive inspections of the horizontal stabilizer rib assemblies for cracking, and replacement if necessary. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct such cracking, which could result in the failure of the horizontal stabilizer and loss of pitch control of the airplane.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus Model A330-200 Freighter, A330-200 and -300, and A340-200, -300, -500, and -600 series airplanes. This AD was prompted by reassessment of an unsafe condition related to MZ-type spoiler servo-controls (SSCs) that did not remain locked in the retracted position (hydraulic locking function) after manual depressurization of the corresponding hydraulic circuit. This reassessment resulted in the determination that performing repetitive operational tests of all SSC types is necessary. This AD requires repetitive operational tests of the hydraulic locking function on each SSC installed on the blue or yellow hydraulic circuits, and replacing any affected SSC with a serviceable SSC. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct loss of the hydraulic locking function during take-off, which, in combination with one inoperative engine, could result in reduced controllability of the airplane.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Beechcraft Corporation (Type Certificate Previously Held by Hawker Beechcraft Corporation; Raytheon Aircraft Company) Model Hawker 800XP, 850XP, and 900XP airplanes. This AD was prompted by a design review that revealed there were no instructions to apply sealant to structural components in the fuel tank during the winglet installation process. This AD requires an inspection for the presence of sealant on doubler plate edges, doubler plate rivets, and adjacent skin in the fuel vent surge tanks; and corrective actions if necessary. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct missing sealant, which, during a lightning strike, could result in a potential source of ignition in a fuel tank and consequent explosion or fire and subsequent in-flight breakup of the airplane.