Federal Aviation Administration 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This action proposes to establish Class E en route airspace extending upward from 1,200 feet above the surface to accommodate Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) aircraft under control of the Denver Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC), Denver, CO. Establishment of this airspace area would ensure controlled airspace exists in those areas where the Federal airway structure is inadequate.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of a meeting of Second RTCA SC-236 Joint Plenary with EUROCAE WG-96.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Model GVI airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a report indicating that there are design deficiencies in the software used for monitoring the disconnect for the flight control computer (FCC)-hosted flight controls actuation main ram linear variable differential transducer (LVDT). This proposed AD would require an update of the FCC software. We are proposing this AD to prevent the unsafe condition on these products.

We are superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2015-02-23, for certain Bombardier, Inc. Model CL-600-1A11 (CL-600), CL-600-2A12 (CL-601), and CL-600-2B16 (CL-601-3A and CL-601-3R Variants) airplanes. AD 2015-02-23 required repetitive inspections for fractured or incorrectly oriented fasteners on the inboard flap hinge-box forward fittings on both wings, and replacement of all fasteners if necessary. This new AD also requires replacement of the fasteners, which terminates the requirements of this AD. This AD was prompted by reports of incorrectly oriented fasteners. We are issuing this AD to prevent incorrectly oriented or fractured fasteners, which could result in detachment of the flap hinge-box and the flap surface, and consequent reduced controllability of the airplane.

The FAA proposes to rule and invites public comment on the release of land at the Malden Regional Airport & Industrial Park (MAW), Malden, Missouri.

This action modifies Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at Carmi Municipal Airport, Carmi, IL; De Kalb Taylor Municipal Airport, De Kalb, IL; Harrisburg-Raleigh Airport, Harrisburg, IL; Kewanne Municipal Airport, Kewanne, IL; Litchfield Municipal Airport, Litchfield, IL; Edgar County Airport, Paris, IL; and Taylorville Municipal Airport, Taylorville, IL. Decommissioning of non- directional radio beacons (NDB), cancellation of NDB approaches, or implementation of area navigation (RNAV) procedures have made this action necessary for the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the above airports. This action also updates the geographic coordinates of Carmi Municipal Airport, De Kalb Taylor Municipal Airport, Harrisburg-Raleigh Airport, Litchfield Municipal Airport, Edgar County Airport, and Taylorville Municipal Airport to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database.

This action modifies Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at Arkansas International Airport, Blytheville, AR; Blytheville Municipal Airport, Blytheville, AR; Frank Federer Memorial Airport, Brinkley, AR; Clarksville Municipal Airport, Clarksville, AR; and J. Lynn Helms Sevier County Airport, De Queen, AR. Decommissioning of non-directional radio beacons (NDBs), cancellation of NDB approaches, and implementation of area navigation (RNAV) procedures have made this action necessary for the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the above airports. This action also updates the name of Arkansas International Airport, and the geographic coordinates for Arkansas International Airport, Blytheville Municipal Airport, and Clarksville Municipal Airport, to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database.

The Federal Aviation Administration is requesting public comment on a request by Kenton County Airport Board, to release of land (1.49 acres) at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport from federal obligations.

We are revising an earlier proposed airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus Model A300 B4-2C, B4-103, and B4-203 airplanes; and Model A300 B4-600 and A300 B4-600R series airplanes. This action revises the NPRM by adding additional inspections for cracking, and related investigative and corrective actions if necessary, and adding airplanes to the applicability. We are proposing this SNPRM to detect and correct cracking on the frame (FR) 40 forward fittings, which could result in reduced structural integrity of the airplane. Since these actions impose an additional burden over those proposed in the NPRM, we are reopening the comment period to allow the public the chance to comment on these proposed changes.

Under the provisions of Title 49, U.S.C. Section 47153(d), notice is being given that the FAA is considering a request from Madras Municipal Airport, in Madras, OR to waive the surplus property requirements for approximately 5.22 acres of airport property located at Madras Municipal Airport, in Madras, OR. The subject property is currently under lease with Wilbur-Ellis Company. This property serves Wilbur Ellis Company and their Agribusiness Division well because of its close proximity to both the rail system (City rail spur and Burlington Northern Santa Fe main track) and Highway 97/26. From this location, they import, export and distribute various agricultural commodities throughout Central Oregon. This release will enable the City of Madras to complete a promise made in 1995 whereby the City agreed to diligently and aggressively pursue the approval of the United States of America to sell the 5.22 acres to Wilbur Ellis Company, if Wilbur Ellis were willing to relocate their company to the Madras community thereby providing much needed jobs. The estimated net proceeds from the subject property will be applied toward the City's current five-year airport capital improvement plan or to relocating a hangar at the airport that is called out to be moved in the airport master plan. It has been determined through study and master planning that the subject parcels will not be needed for aeronautical purposes.

This notice announces three fact-finding informal airspace meetings to solicit information from airspace users and others concerning a proposal to amend the Class B airspace area at San Francisco, CA. The purpose of these meetings is to provide interested parties an opportunity to present views, recommendations, and comments on any proposed change to the airspace. All comments received during these meetings will be considered prior to any revision or issuance of a notice of proposed rulemaking.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Diamond Aircraft Industries GmbH Model DA 40 NG airplanes. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as possible loss of engine power and emergency landing with consequent damage to the airplane and occupant injury caused by a manufacturing quality deficiency in a batch of V-clamps that could cause the V-clamp to crack and fail. We are issuing this AD to require actions to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of a meeting of RTCA Program Management Committee Meeting.

This action expands the restricted airspace at Chincoteague Inlet, VA, to support the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Wallops Island Flight Facility (WFF) test requirements. This action adds 3 new restricted areas, designated R- 6604C, R-6604D, and R-6604E. Additionally, a minor change is made to 2 points in the boundary of existing area R-6604A to match the updated 3- nautical mile (NM) line from the shoreline of the United States (U.S.) as provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

We propose to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2012-22- 12, for all Airbus Model A330-243, -243F, -341, -342, and -343 airplanes. AD 2012-22-12 currently requires inspecting piccolo tubes, piccolo tube mount links, the aft side of the forward bulkhead, and outer boundary angles (OBAs) for cracks, fractures, and broken links, and doing corrective actions if necessary. Since we issued AD 2012-22- 12, we have received reports of loose and missing attachment rivets of the inner boundary angles (IBA) and OBA of the forward bulkhead. This proposed AD would retain certain requirements of AD 2012-22-12, and add repetitive inspections for pulled, loose, and missing attachment rivets of the IBA and OBA of the forward bulkhead, and related investigative and corrective actions if necessary. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct degraded structural integrity of the engine nose cowl, which in the case of forward bulkhead damage in conjunction with a broken piccolo tube, could lead to damage to the engine and operation in icing conditions with reduced thermal anti-ice (TAI) performance.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces that it has discontinued preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed construction of new Runway 5R/23L and associated development at Norfolk International Airport, Norfolk, Virginia. The FAA's discontinued preparation of the EIS is based upon the completion of the first phase of the EIS. Based on the results of the first phase (Scoping and Purpose & Need development), the FAA has determined that the fundamental purpose and need is not supported by the current or anticipated development needs of the Airport at this time.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all The Boeing Company Model MD-90-30 airplanes. This AD requires a detailed inspection of the forward and aft surfaces on the left and right sides at the cant station 1520 bulkhead for any crack in the upper cap and (cap) doubler, webs and doublers, stiffeners, and the lower tee cap between longerons 3 through 11, and repairs if necessary. This AD was prompted by a report of cracking in various structures in the fuselage cant station 1520 bulkhead. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracking in the bulkhead, which could result in reduced structural integrity of the airplane.

This action establishes Class E airspace at Murray, KY, to accommodate new Area Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) serving Murray Calloway County Hospital Heliport. Controlled airspace is necessary for the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations at the heliport.

This action amends Class E airspace designated as an extension, and Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at Mahlon Sweet Field Airport, Eugene, OR, to accommodate airspace redesign for the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport. Corvallis Municipal Airport is removed from the Mahlon Sweet Field Airport regulatory text by creating a stand-alone airspace designation for the airport. Additionally, this action updates the airport reference points for these airports in Class D and E airspace, as well as removes the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) requirement noted in Class E surface area airspace.

This action proposes to amend Class E airspace at Monongahela, PA, as the Allegheny VHF Omni-directional Range, (VOR), has been decommissioned, requiring airspace reconfiguration at Rostraver Airport. Controlled airspace is necessary for the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations at the airport.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. Models PC-6, PC-6-H1, PC-6-H2, PC-6/350, PC-6/ 350-H1, PC-6/350-H2, PC-6/A, PC-6/A-H1, PC-6/A-H2, PC-6/B-H2, PC-6/B1- H2, PC- 6/B2-H2, PC-6/B2-H4, PC-6/C-H2, and PC-6/C1-H2 airplanes. This proposed AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) originated by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as certain combinations of the aileron counterweight and the attaching parts possibly resulting in reduced thread engagement and leading to disconnection of the aileron counterweight from the aileron. We are issuing this proposed AD to require actions to address the unsafe condition on these products.

We are superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2012-24-06 for certain Saab AB, Saab Aeronautics Model 340A (SAAB/SF340A) and SAAB 340B airplanes. AD 2012-24-06 required 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. This new AD adds airplanes to the applicability, and adds requirements to replace the existing SWCs with new, improved SWCs, and to modify the airplane for the new replacement of the SWC. This new AD also reduces the compliance time for replacing the SWCs. This AD 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 that the SWC required by AD 2012-24-06 contained erroneous logic. We are issuing this AD to prevent natural stall events during operation in icing conditions, which could result in loss of control of the airplane.

We are revising a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) for certain Meggitt (Troy), Inc. (previously known as Stewart Warner South Wind Corporation and as Stewart Warner South Wind Division) Model Series (to include all the variants) 921, 930, 937, 940, 944, 945, 977, 978, 979, 8240, 8253, 8259, and 8472 combustion heaters that proposed to supersede airworthiness directive (AD) 81-09-09. The NPRM proposed to retain most actions from AD 81-09-09, add a calendar time to the repetitive inspections, add more detailed actions to the inspections, and add a pressure decay test. The NPRM was prompted by an airplane accident and reports we received of the heater malfunctioning. This action revises the NPRM by adding combustion heater models series to the applicability and modifying the compliance times. We are proposing this SNPRM to correct the unsafe condition on these products. Since these actions impose an additional burden over that proposed in the NPRM, we are reopening the comment period to allow the public the chance to comment on these proposed changes.

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.

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 a previously approved information collection. The requested information is included in air carriers applications for insurance when insurance is not available from private sources.