Federal Aviation Administration 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This action proposes to establish restricted area R-2306F in the vicinity of Laguna Army Airfield at Yuma Proving Ground, AZ. The proposed restricted area would allow the Department of the Army to maximize the existing fixed infrastructure to support hazardous test programs and segregate these activities from non-participating aircraft at Yuma Proving Ground (YPG). These programs include ground and airborne testing of non-eye-safe lasers, high energy radars and the development of unproven weapons systems. The restricted airspace would ensure the safe testing and evaluation of these programs without impacting non-participating aircraft and the general public.

This notice contains a summary of a petition seeking relief from specified requirements of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, the FAA's exemption process. 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 the Bombardier Model DHC-8-100/-200/-300 series airplanes. These airplanes, as modified by Avmax Aviation Services Inc. (Avmax), 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 rechargeable lithium batteries to replace the existing nickel-cadmium and lead-acid rechargeable batteries. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for these design features. 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.

On October 27, 2015, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) published a final rule extending the prohibition against certain flight operations in the Simferopol (UKFV) and Dnipropetrovsk (UKDV) flight information regions (FIRs) by all United States (U.S.) air carriers; U.S. commercial operators; persons exercising the privileges of a U.S. airman certificate, except when such persons are operating a U.S.- registered aircraft for a foreign air carrier; and operators of U.S.- registered civil aircraft, except when such operators are foreign air carriers. The State Aviation Administration of Ukraine conducted and completed an airspace restructuring that altered the Simferopol (UKFV) and Dnipropetrovsk (UKDV) Flight Information Region (FIR) altitude structure specified in the final rule. To address the Ukraine airspace restructuring and provide additional clarity, this technical amendment specifically identifies the prohibited airspace in which Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) 113, applies, with inclusive altitudes and lateral limitations (latitude and longitude coordinates).

This action proposes to establish Class E airspace at Camden, AL, to accommodate new Area Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) serving Camden Municipal Airport. Controlled airspace is necessary for the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations at the airport.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus Model A300 series airplanes; Model A300 B4-600, B4-600R, F4-600R series airplanes, and Model A300 C4-605R Variant F airplanes (collectively called Model A300-600 series airplanes); and Model A310 series airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of partial loss of no-back brake (NBB) efficiency on the trimmable horizontal stabilizer actuator (THSA). This AD requires an inspection to determine THSA part numbers, serial numbers, and flight cycles on certain THSAs; and repetitive replacement of certain THSAs. We are issuing this AD to prevent loss of THSA NBB efficiency, which, in conjunction with the inability of the power gear to keep the ball screw in its last commanded position, could lead to an uncommanded movement of the horizontal stabilizer, possibly resulting in loss of control of the airplane.

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 FAA assesses the information collected and issues operations specifications to foreign air carriers. These operations specifications assure the foreign air carrier's ability to navigate and communicate safely within the U.S. National Airspace System.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain International Aero Engines AG (IAE) V2522-A5, V2524-A5, V2527- A5, V2527E-A5, V2527M-A5, V2530-A5, V2533-A5, V2525-D5, V2528-D5, and V2531-E5 turbofan engines. This proposed AD was prompted by nine in- flight shutdowns that resulted from premature failure of the No. 3 bearing. This proposed AD would require initial and repetitive inspections of the master magnetic chip detector (MMCD) and, if metallic debris is found, further actions depending on the type of metallic debris. This proposed AD would also require removal of the No. 3 bearing from service at the next engine shop visit. We are proposing this AD to prevent failure of the No. 3 bearing, failure of one or more engines, loss of thrust control, and loss of the airplane.

The FAA is amending its regulations concerning the collective risk limits for commercial launches and reentries. These changes include: Separating the risk limits for commercial launches and reentries; aggregating the risk posed by impacting inert and explosive debris, toxic release, and far field blast overpressure; limiting the aggregate risk for these three hazards to 1 x 10-4; reducing the number of significant digits used in launch and reentry risk analysis; and various non-substantive clarifying revisions. These changes update FAA regulations to reflect the United States Government's greater experience with commercial launch and reentry and to align more closely the FAA's risk standards with those of other United States Federal agencies, while continuing to protect public safety.

This notice contains a summary of a petition seeking relief from specified requirements of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, the FAA's exemption process. 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 notice contains a summary of a petition seeking relief from specified requirements of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, the FAA's exemption process. 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 withdraws the NPRM published in the Federal Register of March 30, 2016, proposing to establish temporary restricted areas R-2509E, R-2509W, and R-2509N, Twentynine Palms, CA. The FAA has determined that withdrawal of that NPRM is warranted due to aeronautical impacts associated with the proposed action.

The FAA is considering a proposal to change 0.059 acres of airport land from aeronautical use to non-aeronautical use and to authorize the disposal of airport property located at General Mitchell International Airport, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The aforementioned land is no longer needed for aeronautical use. The property is located on the east side of Howell Avenue immediately south of Layton Avenue. The property is a 12 foot wide portion of airport property which has long been used as roadway setback, and is no longer needed for aeronautical purposes. Upon release, the land will be disposed of for sidewalk/roadway Right-of- Way.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of a meeting of RTCA Special Committee 225, Rechargeable Lithium Battery and Battery Systems Twenty-Fourth Meeting.

These special conditions are issued for the Cirrus Design Corporation (Cirrus), model SF50 airplane. This airplane will have a novel or unusual design feature(s) associated with a whole airplane parachute recovery 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.

We propose to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2013-02- 08, for all Bombardier, Inc. Model CL-600-2B19 (Regional Jet Series 100 & 440) airplanes. AD 2013-02-08 currently requires inspecting the trunnions and upper and lower pins of the horizontal stabilizer trim actuator (HSTA), and replacement or re-identification if necessary; and revising the maintenance program to include safe life limits and inspection requirements for the HSTA. Since we issued AD 2013-02-08, we determined that not all affected attachment pins and trunnions were included in the required inspections. In addition, for certain airplanes on which the replacement in AD 2013-02-08 was done, incorrect attachment hardware may have been used. This proposed AD would require measuring the diameter of certain bolts and attach holes, and, as applicable, measuring the diameter of the attach holes in the trunnions and pins, doing detailed visual inspections of the trunnions, pins, and spacers, doing corrective actions, and re-identifying trunnions and pins. This proposed AD also requires revising the maintenance or inspection program. This proposed AD also removes certain airplanes from the applicability. We are proposing this AD to prevent failure of the attachment pins and trunnions of the HSTA. This condition could result in separation of the horizontal stabilizer, and consequent loss of control of the airplane.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier, Inc. Model BD-700-1A10 and BD-700-1A11 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a determination that the existing instruction in a certain task in the aircraft maintenance manual (AMM) will not accomplish the intent of a certification maintenance requirement (CMR). This CMR task tests the pitch feel (PF) and rudder travel limiter actuator (RTLA) back-up modules in the flight control unit (FCU) to detect dormant failures. This proposed AD would require doing an operational test of the FCU back-up modules, and repair if necessary. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct a dormant failure of both FCU back-up modules. This condition, in combination with other failures in the FCU, may result in the inability to maintain the minimum control requirements for the PF and RTLA, which could create hazardous flight control inputs during flight.

These special conditions are issued for the Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation (Gulfstream) Model GVII-G500 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 a digital systems architecture requiring isolation or protection from unauthorized internal access. 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.

On October 7, 2010, the FAA published in the Federal Register a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to require certificate holders to establish a safety management system (SMS) for the entire airfield environment, including movement and non-movement areas, to improve safety at airports hosting air carrier operations. After reviewing the comments received and conducting further internal analysis, the FAA is amending that proposal. The FAA now proposes to require an SMS only for a certificated airport classified as a small, medium, or large hub airport in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems; serving international air traffic; or having more than 100,000 total annual operations. The FAA is also proposing changes that would extend the implementation period from 18 to 24 months; require submission of an implementation plan within 12 months instead of 6 months of the effective date of the final rule; modify the training requirements; ensure consistency among various FAA SMS initiatives, and reduce the implementation burden.

This notice contains a summary of a petition seeking relief from specified requirements of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, the FAA's exemption process. 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 notice contains a summary of a petition seeking relief from specified requirements of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, the FAA's exemption process. 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 adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 737-100, -200, and -200C series airplanes. This proposed AD is intended to complete certain mandated programs intended to support the airplane reaching its limit of validity (LOV) of the engineering data that support the established structural maintenance program. This proposed AD would require repetitive detailed, high frequency eddy current (HFEC), and ultrasonic inspections of the center section rear spar upper clevis lugs and horizontal stabilizer rear spar upper lugs, as applicable, for any cracking, and related investigative and corrective actions if necessary. For certain airplanes, this proposed AD would require replacement of the center section rear spar upper chord with a new part and a serviceable center section assembly. This proposed AD would also require repetitive HFEC and fluorescent dye penetrant inspections of the center section for cracking of the front and rear spar upper clevis lugs or horizontal stabilizer front and rear spar upper lugs, and related investigative and corrective actions if necessary. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct cracking in the rear spar upper clevis lugs of the center section, and in the rear spar upper lugs of the horizontal stabilizer which could result in the loss of structural integrity and controllability of the airplane.

We are superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2015-10-03 for certain Airbus Model A330-200 and -300 series airplanes, and Model A340-200 and -300 series airplanes. AD 2015-10-03 required a detailed inspection for visible chrome of each affected main landing gear (MLG) sidestay upper cardan pin, associated nuts, and retainer assembly; pin replacement if needed; measurement of cardan pin clearance dimensions (gap check); corrective actions if necessary; and a report of all findings. This new AD requires a detailed inspection of the upper cardan pin and nut threads for any corrosion, pitting, or thread damage, and if necessary, replacement of the cardan pin and nut. This new AD also revises the applicability to include additional airplane models. This AD was prompted by a report that an MLG sidestay upper cardan pin migration event had been caused by corrosion due to lack of jointing compound and inadequate sealant application during the MLG installation. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct migration of the sidestay upper cardan pin, which could result in disconnection of the sidestay upper arm from the airplane structure, and could result in a landing gear collapse and consequent damage to the airplane and injury to occupants.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Dassault Aviation Model FALCON 7X airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report of improperly drilled bores, located on upper and lower stiffener joints to the Web at a certain frame. This AD requires a one- time inspection of the bores, and repair if necessary. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct an unsatisfactory bore that can adversely affect the structural integrity of the airplane.

We are revising an earlier proposed airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Saab AB, Saab Aeronautics Model 340A (SAAB/SF340A) and SAAB 340B airplanes. The NPRM proposed to supersede AD 2012-24-06. AD 2012-24-06 currently requires replacing the stall warning computer (SWC) with a new SWC that provides an artificial stall warning in icing conditions, and modifying the airplane for the replacement of the SWC. The NPRM was prompted by a determination that airplanes with certain modifications were excluded from the applicability in AD 2012-24-06, and are affected by the identified unsafe condition; and the SWC required by AD 2012-24-06 contained erroneous logic. This action revises the NPRM by reducing the compliance time for replacing the SWCs. We are proposing this supplemental NPRM (SNPRM) to prevent natural stall events during operation in icing conditions, which could result in loss of control of the airplane. Since this compliance time reduction imposes an additional burden to operators, we are reopening the comment period to allow the public the chance to comment on these proposed changes.