Federal Aviation Administration 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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 are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Airbus Helicopters Model SA330J helicopters. This AD requires replacing certain hydraulic pumps and is prompted by reports of broken screws that attach the cover of the hydraulic pump. The actions of this AD are intended to prevent an unsafe condition on these products.

This notice contains a summary of a petition seeking relief from specified requirements of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR). 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.

The FAA is correcting a final rule published on April 10, 2017. In that rule, the FAA amended its regulations to provide the 2017 inflation adjustment to civil penalty amounts that may be imposed for violations of FAA regulations and the Hazardous Materials Regulations, as required by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015. It also finalized the catch-up inflation adjustment interim final rule required by the same Act. The FAA inadvertently stated the effective date for the new maximums/minimums was January 15, 2017, instead of April 10, 2017. This document amends the FAA's regulations to correct that error.

This action modifies Class E surface area airspace, modifies Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet, and establishes Class E airspace designated as an extension at Arcata Airport, Arcata, CA. The action also modifies Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet at Rohnerville Airport, Fortuna, CA, and establishes stand-alone Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet at Murray Field Airport, Eureka, CA, to accommodate airspace redesign for the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations within the National Airspace System. Additionally, this action updates the geographic coordinates of these airports.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier, Inc., Model DHC-8-401 and DHC-8-402 airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report that a pilot was unable to move the rudder pedal due to an obstruction. This AD requires an inspection to determine if wiring shrouds are present, and modifying the wiring shrouds if necessary. We are issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Rolls-Royce plc (RR) Trent 1000-A2, Trent 1000-C2, Trent 1000-D2, Trent 1000-E2, Trent 1000-G2, Trent 1000-H2, Trent 1000-J2, Trent 1000-K2, and Trent 1000-L2 turbofan engines. This AD requires initial and repetitive on-wing inspections of affected intermediate pressure compressor (IPC) rotor seals. This AD was prompted by a failure of the IPC rotor seal. We are issuing this AD to correct the unsafe condition on these products.

This action proposes to modify Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at Prineville Airport, Prineville, OR, to accommodate airspace redesign for the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations within the National Airspace System.

This action proposes to establish Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at Big Timber Airport, Big Timber, MT, to accommodate the development of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations under standard instrument approach and departure procedures at the airport, for the safety and management of aircraft within the National Airspace System.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus Model A319, A320, and A321 series airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report that a main landing gear (MLG) door could not be closed due to rupture of the actuator fitting. This AD requires repetitive inspections for cracking of the MLG door actuator fitting and its components, and corrective actions if necessary. This AD also requires eventual replacement of all affected MLG door actuator fittings with new monoblock fittings, which would terminate the repetitive inspections. We are issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus Model A318 and A319 series airplanes; Model A320-211, -212, - 214, -231, -232, and -233 airplanes; and Model A321-111, -112, -131, - 211, -212, -213, -231, and -232 airplanes. This AD was prompted by an evaluation by the design approval holder (DAH), which indicates that the main landing gear (MLG) does not comply with certification specifications, which could result in a locking failure of the MLG side stay. This AD requires modification or replacement of certain MLG side stay assemblies. We are issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This action proposes special conditions for the Safran Aircraft Engines (SAE), Silvercrest-2 SC-2D engine model. This engine will have a novel or unusual design feature associated with an additional takeoff rating that increases the exhaust gas temperature (EGT) limit to maintain takeoff thrust in certain high ambient temperature conditions for a maximum accumulated usage of 20 minutes in any one flight. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These proposed 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 proposes special conditions for the Game Composites Ltd. GB1 airplane. This airplane will have a novel or unusual design feature(s) associated with static stability. This airplane can perform at the highest level of aerobatic competition. To be competitive, the airplane is designed with its lateral and directional axes being decoupled from each other; providing more precise maneuvering. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These proposed special conditions contain the additional safety standards 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 certain Rockwell Collins, Inc. TSS-4100 Traffic Surveillance System Processing Units that incorporate TSSA-4100 Field Loadable Software (FLS) Rockwell Collins part numbers 810-0052-002/ -003/-010/-011/-012/- 100/-101 and are installed on airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by five instances of air traffic control observing coasting (extrapolated stale data) of automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast data (position/ velocity data). This proposed AD would require installing the TSSA-4100 FLS upgrades on the TSS-4100 units. We are proposing this AD to correct the unsafe condition on these products.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces that it is reviewing a proposed noise compatibility program that was submitted for Hawthorne Municipal Airport under the Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act, (hereinafter referred to as ``the Act'') and 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 150 by the City of Hawthorne, Los Angeles County, California. This program was submitted subsequent to a determination by FAA that associated noise exposure maps submitted under 14 CFR part 150 for Hawthorne Municipal Airport were in compliance with applicable requirements, effective April 11, 2014, 79 FR 24488-24489. The proposed noise compatibility program will be approved or disapproved on or before December 20, 2017.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus Model A330-200 Freighter, -200, and -300 series airplanes; and Airbus Model A340-200, -300, -500, and -600 series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a report that the trimmable horizontal stabilizer actuator (THSA) might not function as intended after failure of the primary load path. This proposed AD would require repetitive detailed visual inspections for discrepancies of the THSA upper attachments and no-back housing. We are proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

We are revising an earlier proposal for an airworthiness directive (AD) for certain 328 Support Services GmbH Model 328-100 and Model 328-300 airplanes. This action revises the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) by expanding the applicability and making certain inspections repetitive. We are proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products. 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.

This notice contains a summary of a petition seeking relief from specified requirements of Federal Aviation Regulations. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, this aspect of the 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.

This notice concerns three petitions for waiver submitted to the FAA by Rocket Lab USA Inc. (RL) for the Flight Termination Receiver (FTR) Qualification by Similarity (QBS): A petition to waive the requirement that a component may be qualified based on similarity to a component that has already been qualified for use only if the environments encountered by the previously qualified component during its qualification or flight history were equal or more severe than the Rocket Lab qualification environments; a petition to waive the Electromagnetic Interference and Compatibility (EMI/EMC) on the same units; and a petition to waive the requirement that the same manufacturer must produce the qualified and the unqualified component in the same location using identical tools and manufacturing processes. The FAA grants these three petitions.

This notice contains a summary of a petition seeking relief from specified requirements of Federal Aviation Regulations. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, this aspect of the 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.

This action establishes temporary restricted areas (Temp RAs) R-2509E, R-2509W, and R-2509N, Twentynine Palms, CA, to support a Marine Expeditionary Brigade level Large Scale Exercise (LSE) planned for existing and newly acquired training lands at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC), Twentynine Palms from August 7 to August 26, 2017.

We are superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2014-16-02, which applied to certain Bombardier, Inc., Model CL-600-1A11 (CL-600) airplanes. AD 2014-16-02 required revising the airplane flight manual to prohibit thrust reverser operation, doing repetitive detailed inspections of both engine thrust reversers for cracks, and modifying the thrust reversers if necessary. The modification is also an interim (optional) terminating action for the repetitive inspections. This new AD adds a new terminating modification of the thrust reversers, which includes new inspections and repair, if necessary. This AD was prompted by a determination that it is necessary to add a requirement to repair or modify the thrust reversers, which would terminate the requirements of AD 2014-16-02. We are issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

We are superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2015-23-13, for all Airbus Model A318 and A319 series airplanes, Model A320-211, - 212, -214, -231, -232, and -233 airplanes, and Model A321-111, -112, - 131, -211, -212, -213, -231, and -232 airplanes. AD 2015-23-13 required modification of the pin programming of the flight warning computer (FWC) to activate the stop rudder input warning (SRIW) logic; and an inspection to determine the part numbers of the FWC and the flight augmentation computer (FAC), and replacement of the FWC and FAC if necessary. This new AD, for certain airplanes, also requires accomplishment of additional modification instructions to install the minimum FWC and FAC configuration compatible with SRIW activation. This AD was prompted by a determination that, in specific flight conditions, the allowable load limits on the vertical tail plane could be reached and possibly exceeded. We are issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Model G-IV airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report indicating that the G-IV gust lock system allows more throttle travel than was intended and could allow the throttle to be advanced to reach take-off thrust. This AD requires modification of the gust lock system, and a revision of the maintenance or inspection program to incorporate functional tests. We are issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces its decision to adopt the Department of the Navy's (DoN) Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for Land Acquisition and Airspace Establishment to Support Large-Scale Marine Air Ground Task Force Live-Fire and Maneuver Training at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California. In accordance with Section 102 of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (``NEPA''), the Council on Environmental Quality's (``CEQ'') regulations implementing NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), and other applicable authorities, including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Order 1050.1F, Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures, paragraph 8-2, and FAA Order JO 7400.2K, ``Procedures for Handling Airspace Matters,'' paragraph 32-2- 3, the FAA has conducted an independent review and evaluation of the DoN's EIS and SEIS for Land Acquisition and Airspace Establishment to Support Large-Scale Marine Air Ground Task Force Live-Fire and Maneuver Training at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California dated July 2012 and January 2017 respectively. As a cooperating agency with responsibility for approving special use airspace under 49 U.S.C. 40103(b)(3)(A), the FAA provided subject matter expertise to the DoN during the environmental review process. Based on its independent review and evaluation, the FAA has determined the EIS and SEIS, including all supporting documentation, as incorporated by reference, adequately assesses and discloses the environmental impacts for the temporary special use air space, and that adoption of the 2012 and 2017 EISs by the FAA is authorized under 40 CFR 1506.3, Adoption. Accordingly, the FAA adopts the 2012 and 2017 EISs, and takes full responsibility for the scope and content that addresses the proposed temporary changes to Special Use Airspace in the vicinity of the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms.