Federal Aviation Administration September 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This action proposes to modify Class D airspace, Class E surface area airspace, and Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at McNary Field, Salem, OR. After further review, the FAA found some airspace unnecessary for Standard Instrument Approach Procedures for Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport.

The FAA assigned the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC) a new task to provide recommendations on how the agency can utilize external training providers for its new-hire air traffic controller training program. The ongoing modernization of the air traffic control system, NextGen, will continually introduce advanced tools and procedures to enhance the safety and efficiency of the National Airspace System. Controllers will continue to need to know basic air traffic control skills but will also need to understand how to operate in the future operational environment. The FAA seeks to transform the air traffic controller training structure by shifting the Agency's focus from basic air traffic control qualification training to training the certified controller work force on advanced NextGen tools and procedures. This would mirror the changes that were required in the pilot community. The Agency is exploring alternative options to utilize external training provider capabilities that would expose prospective air traffic controllers to the profession. It would also provide a level of training commensurate to the current Air Traffic Basic Qualification Training, before or during the FAA controller hiring process. This notice informs the public of the new ARAC activity and solicits membership for the new Air Traffic Controller Basic Qualification Training Working Group.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus Model A330-200 and -300 series airplanes; Model A330-200 Freighter series airplanes; and Model A340-200, -300, -500, and -600 series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of chafed wiring at the upper left corner of the cockpit door. The affected wire bundle was not grounded on the cockpit door frame. This proposed AD would require modifying the cockpit door frame structure, installing bonding-leads to the upper cockpit door frame, and modifying the upper cockpit door plate cover. We are proposing this AD to prevent electrical shock injury to persons contacting the cockpit door.

We propose to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2014-14- 06 for all Airbus Model A318-111 and -112 airplanes; Model A319-111, - 112, -113, -114, and -115 airplanes; Model A320-111, -211, -212, and - 214 airplanes; and Model A321-111, -112, -211, -212, and -213 airplanes. AD 2014-14-06 currently requires inspecting the aft engine mount retainers for surface finish, cracks, and failure, and replacement if necessary. Since we issued AD 2014-14-06, inspection results have shown that the main cause of crack initiation remains the vibration dynamic effect that affects both retainers, either with ``dull'' or ``bright'' surface finishes. This proposed AD would require repetitive inspections for damage, cracks, broken, and missing aft engine mount retainers, and replacement if necessary. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct failure of retainer brackets of the aft engine mount and consequent loss of the locking feature of the nuts of the inner and outer pins; loss of the pins will result in the aft mount engine link no longer being secured to the aft engine mount.

This action discontinues the availability Airport Advisory services within the contiguous United States, Puerto Rico, and Hawaii. The FAA is taking this action because the frequency of Remote Airport Advisories service use at the 19 locations within the contiguous United States, Puerto Rico, and Hawaii, no longer justifies the continuation of the service due to the lack of productivity.

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. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on June 22, 2015. This research is important for establishing the scientific basis for air tour management policy decisions in the National Parks as mandated by the National Parks Air Tour Management Act of 2000.

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. Flight plan information is used to govern the flight of aircraft for the protection and identification of aircraft, property, and persons on the ground. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on June 22, 2015. A comment was received suggesting that the original effective date of October 1, 2015 for the removal of form 7233-1 from public use is too soon to acclimate respondents to the process change. FAA has revised the effective date to October 1, 2016 for the civilian burden for flight plan information, both domestic and international to be collected via form 7233-4, FAA International Flight Plan.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 777 airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of latently failed fuel shutoff valves discovered during fuel filter replacement. This AD requires revising the maintenance or inspection program to include a new airworthiness limitation. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct latent failures of the fuel shutoff valve to the engine, which could result in the inability to shut off fuel to the engine and, in case of certain engine fires, an uncontrollable fire that could lead to wing failure.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all The Boeing Company Model 767 airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of latently failed fuel shutoff valves discovered during fuel filter replacement. This AD requires revising the maintenance or inspection program to include new airworthiness limitations. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct latent failures of the fuel shutoff valve to the engine and auxiliary power unit (APU), which could result in the inability to shut off fuel to the engine and APU and, in case of certain fires, an uncontrollable fire that could lead to structural failure.

These special conditions are issued for the Bombardier Aerospace Inc. Model BD-500-1A10 and -A11 airplanes. These airplanes will have a novel or unusual design feature when compared to the state of technology and design envisioned in the airworthiness standards for transport-category airplanes. This design feature is a high incidence protection system that limits the angle of attack at which the airplane can be flown during normal low-speed operation. 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 Dassault Model Falcon 5X airplane. This airplane will have a novel or unusual design feature when compared to the state of technology envisioned in the airworthiness standards for transport-category airplanes. This design feature is hydrophobic windshield coatings in lieu of windshield wipers. 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 propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all The Boeing Company Model 747-400F series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by an analysis of the production methods used to increase fatigue resistance of the upper closure fittings at the nose cargo door portal's C-3 frame, which indicated that cracking could start too early to be caught in a timely manner by the inspection or maintenance program. This proposed AD would require inspections of the upper closure fitting and connected strap and doubler at the nose cargo door portal for cracking, and related investigative and corrective actions if necessary. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct such cracking, which could result in sudden decompression and loss of the airplane's structural integrity.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain CFM International S.A. (CFM) CFM56-7B and CFM56-3 turbofan engines. This AD was prompted by a report of an uncommanded in-flight shutdown (IFSD) on a CFM CFM56-7B engine following rupture of the 73-tooth gearshaft located in the engine accessory gearbox (AGB). This AD requires AGB/transfer gearbox (TGB) magnetic chip detector (MCD) inspection of the affected gearshafts until removal. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of certain engine AGB gearshafts, which could lead to failure of one or more engines, loss of thrust control, and damage to the airplane.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of the sixteenth NextGen Advisory Committee meeting.

We propose to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2012-12- 04, which applies to certain The Boeing Company Model 737-300, -400, and -500 series airplanes. AD 2012-12-04 currently requires repetitive external detailed inspections and nondestructive inspections to detect cracks in the fuselage skin along the chem-mill steps at stringers S-1 and S-2R, between station (STA) 400 and STA 460, and repair if necessary. Since we issued AD 2012-12-04, we have determined that, for certain airplanes, the skin pockets adjacent to the Air Traffic Control (ATC) antenna are susceptible to widespread fatigue damage. This proposed AD would require a preventive modification of the fuselage skin at crown stringers S-1 and S-2R. This proposed AD would reduce inspection thresholds and repetitive intervals for certain airplanes. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct fatigue cracking of the fuselage skin panels at the chem-mill steps, which could result in sudden fracture and failure of the fuselage skin panels, and consequent rapid decompression of the airplane.