Federal Aviation Administration – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2023-02- 08, which applied to certain ATR-GIE Avions de Transport R[eacute]gional Model ATR42-500 airplanes. AD 2023-02-08 required revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations. This AD was prompted by a determination that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. This AD continues to require certain actions in AD 2023-02-08, and requires revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations; as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This action proposes to modify the Class D airspace and establish Class E airspace designated as an extension to a Class D surface area at San Bernardino International Airport, CA (KSBD). Additionally, this action proposes an administrative amendment to update the airport's existing Class D airspace legal description. These actions would support the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) and visual flight rules (VFR) operations at the airport.

On October 9, 2024, the FAA published a Federal Register Notice (FRN) document titled Petition for Exemption; Summary of Petition Received; International Aero Engines, LLC. That document inadvertently identified the docket number as FAA-2025-2406. The correct docket number is FAA-2024-2406.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 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 July 23, 2024. The collection involves a voluntary request for information on a specific safety concern. The information to be collected will be used to help the FAA in an ongoing investigation to determine the cause of a specific condition, or whether the condition is likely to exist or develop on other aircraft, aircraft engines, propellers, or appliances of the same type design.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all ATRGIE Avions de Transport R[eacute]gional Model ATR42 and ATR72 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a report of a manufacturing defect identified in the lavatory fire extinguisher. This defect could potentially result in leakage at the eutectic tip, leading to a loss of pressure in the cylinder, making fire extinguishing capabilities ineffective. This proposed AD would require an inspection (i.e., weight check) and replacement, as applicable, of certain lavatory compartment fire extinguishers, and would also prohibit the installation of affected parts, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is proposed for incorporation by reference (IBR). The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

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, the FAA's exemption process. Neither publication of this notice nor the inclusion nor omission of information in the summary is intended to affect the legal status of the petition or its final disposition.

The FAA will require individuals with foreign addresses, and no U.S. physical address of record on file with the FAA, who hold or apply for certain certificates, ratings, or authorizations to designate a U.S. agent for service of FAA documents. The U.S. agent will receive service of FAA documents on the certificate holder or applicant's behalf. This rule facilitates the FAA's ability to accomplish prompt and cost-effective service of process and service of other safety- critical or time-sensitive documents to individuals abroad through service on their U.S. agents.

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2009-01- 02, which applied to certain Boeing Model 737-600, -700, -700C, -800, and -900 series airplanes. AD 2009-01-02 required an inspection of frames between body station (BS) 360 and BS 907 to determine if certain support brackets of the air conditioning (A/C) outlet extrusions are installed, inspections for cracking of the frames around the attachment holes of the subject brackets, and repair if necessary. AD 2009-01-02 also requires installing new, improved fittings for all support brackets of the A/C outlet extrusions between BS 360 and BS 907. This AD was prompted by numerous reports of multiple cracks in the frame around the attachment holes of the support bracket of the A/C outlet extrusion, and the determination that certain repairs might develop fatigue cracks that could result in the inability of the frame to sustain limit load and therefore must be inspected. This AD would continue to require the actions specified in AD 2009-01-02 and would also require repetitive inspections for cracking of certain repairs, and repair if necessary. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all The Boeing Company Model 787-8, 787-9, and 787-10 airplanes. This AD was prompted by a determination that the flight deck door decompression panel can strike the captain's seat headrest if a flight deck or below the flight deck rapid decompression event occurs when the seat is in a certain position. This AD requires, for certain airplanes, replacing the affected captain's seat assembly. This AD also prohibits the installation of affected parts. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus SAS Model A319-111, 112, -113, -114, -115, -131, - 132, and -133 airplanes; A320-211, -212, -214, -216, -231, -232, and - 233 airplanes; and A321-111, -112, -131, -211, -212, -213, -231, and - 232 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a full-scale fatigue test that found cracks on the main landing gear (MLG) bay rear skin panel at the stringer run-out at Frame 46 and Stringer 32 on the left- hand and right-hand sides. This proposed AD would require repetitive special detailed inspections (SDIs) of the affected area for cracking and applicable corrective actions, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is proposed for incorporation by reference (IBR). The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This action confirms the October 22, 2024, effective date of the Modernization of Passenger Information Requirements Relating to "No Smoking" Sign Illumination direct final rule published on August 23, 2024, and responds to the comments received on that direct final rule. This document also corrects the authority citation for a Code of Federal Regulations part revised in the direct final rule.

This action proposes to revoke Alaskan Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal Airway V-414 and amend United States Area Navigation (RNAV) Routes T-248 and T-250 in Alaska. These proposed actions are due to the decommissioning of the Gambell Nondirectional Radio Beacon (NDB) in Alaska.

This action amends Jet Routes J-35 and J-101; amends Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal Airways V-9, V-48, V-69, V-227, and V-313; and revokes VOR Federal Airway V-586. The FAA is taking this action due to the planned decommissioning of the VOR portion of the Pontiac, IL (PNT), VOR/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME) navigational aid (NAVAID). The Pontiac VOR is being decommissioned in support of the FAA's VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) program.

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2021-22- 05, which applied to all Leonardo S.p.a. (Leonardo) Model A119 and AW119 MKII helicopters. AD 2021-22-05 required repetitively inspecting certain torque tube assemblies for any deficiency and corrective action if necessary, and replacing any affected part with a serviceable part, which was terminating action for the repetitive inspections. AD 2021- 22-05 was prompted by reports of abnormal play on the collective torque tube on two Leonardo Model AW119 MKII helicopters, which were due to an erroneous manufacturing process. Since the FAA issued AD 2021-22-05, it was discovered that additional torque tube assemblies are subject to the unsafe condition. This AD retains certain requirements specified in AD 2021-22-05, reduces the applicability to include helicopters with only affected part-numbered collective torque tube assemblies, reduces the inspection intervals, and removes the previously approved terminating action. These requirements are specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FAA invites public comments about our intention to request Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to renew an information collection. The collection involves the filing of a complaint with the FAA alleging a violation of any requirement, rule, regulation, or order issued under certain statutes within the jurisdiction of the FAA. The FAA will use the information collected to determine if the alleged violation warrants investigation or action.

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 March 8, 2024. The collection is a request form, and collection frequency is on occasion, depending on how often requests for National Airspace System (NAS) data are submitted to the FAA. The information to be collected will be used to evaluate the validity of a user's request for NAS data from FAA systems and equipment.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Bell Textron Inc. (Bell) Model 204B, 205A, 205A-1, 205B, and 210 helicopters. This AD was prompted by an accident and incidents involving failure of the tail boom attachment structure. This AD requires inspecting the tail boom assembly hardware, replacing tail boom attachment hardware, greasing the bolt shanks, and inspecting torque. This AD also prohibits installing steel alloy nuts on any helicopter. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bell Textron Inc. Model 212, 412, 412CF, and 412EP helicopters. This AD was prompted by reports of cracked tail boom attachment barrel nuts (barrel nuts). This AD requires replacing all steel alloy barrel nuts with nickel alloy barrel nuts, replacing or inspecting other tail boom attachment point hardware, repetitively inspecting torque, and repetitively replacing tail boom attachment bolts (bolts). This AD also prohibits installing steel alloy barrel nuts. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

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, the FAA's exemption process. Neither publication of this notice nor the inclusion nor omission of information in the summary is intended to affect the legal status of the petition or its final disposition.

This action amends Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface for Claremont Municipal Airport, Claremont, NH, as the Claremont Non-directional Beacon (NDB) has been decommissioned and associated instrument approaches canceled. Controlled airspace is necessary for the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations at this airport.

This action proposes to amend the Class D and Class E airspace and revoke Class E airspace at Youngstown/Warren, OH. The FAA is proposing this action as the result of an airspace review conducted due to the decommissioning of the Youngstown very high frequency omnidirectional range (VOR) as part of the VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) Program. The name and geographic coordinates of the airport would also be updated to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database. This action will bring the airspace into compliance with FAA orders and support instrument flight rule (IFR) procedures and operations.

This action proposes to establish Class E airspace at Washburn, ND. The FAA is proposing this action due to the development of new public instrument procedures at Washburn Municipal Airport, Washburn, ND, and to support instrument flight rule (IFR) operations.

The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2022-19-09, which applies to all Airbus Canada Limited Partnership Model BD-500-1A10 and BD-500-1A11 airplanes. AD 2022-19-09 requires repetitive inspections of the left and right main landing gear (MLG) lower spindle pins to detect corrosion, and applicable repair or replacement. Since the FAA issued AD 2022-19-09, the tracking of flight cycles for inspections was changed from the usage of the MLG to the usage of MLG lower spindle assemblies and a replacement was developed, which would terminate the inspections. This proposed AD continues to require certain actions in AD 2022-19-09, would change the tracking of flight cycles for inspections from the usage of the MLG to the usage of MLG lower spindle assemblies, and would require replacement of affected MLG lower spindle assemblies, as specified in a Transport Canada AD, which is proposed for incorporation by reference (IBR). This proposed AD also would remove airplanes from the applicability. This proposed AD would also prohibit the installation of affected parts under certain conditions. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain CFM International, S.A. (CFM) Model LEAP-1A and LEAP-1C engines. This proposed AD was prompted by an investigation of an in- flight shut down event that determined the aft arm of the high-pressure turbine (HPT) rotor interstage seal had failed. This proposed AD would require removal from service and replacement of the HPT rotor interstage seal for LEAP-1A engines. Since the HPT rotor interstage seal part number is interchangeable between LEAP-1A and LEAP-1C, this proposed AD will also prohibit installation of these affected parts onto any LEAP-1A or LEAP-1C engine. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

As directed by the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, the FAA will allow pilots conducting public aircraft operations to credit their flight time towards FAA civil regulatory requirements. Additionally, consistent with the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, this final rule will amend the operating rules for experimental aircraft to permit certain flight training, testing, and checking in these aircraft without a letter of deviation authority. As directed in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, the same relief will be extended to certain flight training, testing, and checking in limited category, primary category, and experimental light sport aircraft. This final rule also revises miscellaneous amendments related to recent flight experience, flight instructor privileges, flight training in certain aircraft holding special airworthiness certificates, and the related prohibitions on conducting these activities for compensation or hire. These changes will clarify existing regulatory requirements, align the regulations with current industry practice, and ensure compliance with the FAA Reauthorization Acts of 2018 and 2024 and the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023.