Federal Aviation Administration January 26, 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces May 1, 2015, as the deadline for each airport sponsor to notify the FAA whether or not it will use its fiscal year 2015 entitlement funds available under Section 47114 of Title 49, United States Code, to accomplish Airport Improvement Program (AIP)-eligible projects that the sponsor previously identified through the Airports Capital Improvement Plan (ACIP) process during the preceding year. The sponsor's notification must address all entitlement funds apportioned for fiscal year 2015, as well as any entitlement funds not obligated from prior years. After Thursday, July 2, 2015, the FAA will carry over all remaining entitlement funds, and the funds will not be available again until at least the beginning of fiscal year 2016. This notification requirement does not apply to non-primary airports covered by the block-grant program.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all ATRGIE Avions de Transport R[eacute]gional Model ATR42 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by several reports of a cracked floor beam at frame (FR) 26, and of discrepancies in certain wing inspection tasks in maintenance documents that could lead to errors in scheduling inspection intervals of structurally significant items (SSIs). This proposed AD would require repetitive inspections of certain floor beams and revision of the maintenance or inspection program to include inspections of several areas of the wings. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct any cracking of the floor beam at FR 26 and several areas of the wings, which could lead to reduced structural integrity of the airplane.

The FAA assigned the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC) a new task to provide recommendations regarding revision of the damage-tolerance and fatigue requirements of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR), part 25, including subparts C and E of 14 CFR part 26, and development of associated advisory material for metallic, composite, and hybrid structures. Past changes to the damage-tolerance and fatigue airworthiness standards and advisory material have been more specific to transport airplanes constructed predominantly of metal, using skin-stringer-frame architecture. Today, the trend in industry is to use more composite and hybrid structures (i.e., structure that includes a combination of composite and metallic parts and assemblies) to improve the performance of transport airplanes. As a result, the damage-tolerance and fatigue airworthiness standards and advisory material may not be adequate to address this trend. This notice informs the public of the new ARAC activity and solicits membership for the new Transport Airplane Metallic and Composite Structures Working Group.

This rule amends, suspends, or removes 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 for the safe and efficient use of the navigable airspace and to promote safe flight operations under instrument flight rules at the affected airports.

We are superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2011-13-09 for all Airbus Model A330-200, -200F, and -300 series airplanes. AD 2011- 13-09 required revising the maintenance program to incorporate new limitations and maintenance tasks for certain certification management requirements (CMRs). This new AD requires revising the maintenance or inspection program to incorporate new maintenance requirements and airworthiness limitations. This AD was prompted by a determination that more restrictive maintenance requirements and airworthiness limitations are necessary. We are issuing this AD to prevent safety-significant latent failures that would, in combination with one or more other specific failures or events, result in a hazardous or catastrophic failure condition.