Federal Aviation Administration – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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 May 28, 2024. The collection involves applying for a repair station certificate, requesting amendments to the certificate, developing required programs and manuals, and maintaining employee qualification and training records. Additionally, repair stations located outside of the United States must apply to renew their FAA air agency certificate every two years. The information to be collected will be used to ensure applicants and certificate holders of FAA-issued repair station certificates use appropriate facilities and equipment, have sufficient processes and procedures, and use qualified personnel with appropriate training to perform maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations of aircraft, airframes, aircraft engines, propellers, appliances, or component parts. The title of this collection is being revised to better reflect the purpose of the information collected.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Embraer S.A. Model EMB-135ER, -135KE, -135KL, and -135LR airplanes; and Model EMB-145, -145EP, -145ER, -145LR, -145MP, -145MR, and -145XR airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a structural assessment that indicated certain central fuselage longitudinal splices are subjected to fatigue damage on multiple sites due to loose fasteners, which may reduce the structural residual strength below the required levels. This proposed AD would require performing repetitive inspections of certain upper central fuselage longitudinal splices and reporting the inspection results, as specified in an Ag[ecirc]ncia Nacional de Avia[ccedil][atilde]o Civil (ANAC) AD, which is proposed for incorporation by reference (IBR). This proposed AD would also require performing corrective actions if necessary. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This rule establishes, amends, suspends, or removes Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPS) and associated Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle Departure procedures (ODPs) for operations at certain airports. These regulatory actions are needed because of the adoption of new or revised criteria, or because of changes occurring in the National Airspace System, such as the commissioning of new navigational facilities, adding new obstacles, or changing air traffic requirements. These changes are designed to provide safe and efficient use of the navigable airspace and to promote safe flight operations under instrument flight rules at the affected airports.

The FAA is amending certain airworthiness regulations to standardize the criteria for conducting safety assessments for systems, including flight controls and powerplants, installed on transport category airplanes. With this action, the FAA seeks to reduce risk associated with airplane accidents and incidents that have occurred in service, and reduce risk associated with new technology in flight control systems. The intended effect of this rulemaking is to improve aviation safety by making system safety assessment (SSA) certification requirements more comprehensive and consistent.

By Federal Register notice on June 26, 2024, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Park Service (NPS), invited interested persons to apply to fill one current and one upcoming vacancy on the National Parks Overflights Advisory Group (NPOAG). This notice informs the public of the selections made for the one current vacancy representing Native American tribes and one upcoming vacancy representing commercial air tour operators.

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

This action amends 14 CFR part 71 relating to airspace designations to reflect the approval by the Director of the Federal Register of the incorporation by reference of FAA Order JO 7400.11J, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points. This action also explains the procedures the FAA will use to amend the listings of Class A, B, C, D, and E airspace areas; air traffic service routes; and reporting points incorporated by reference.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is amending its regulations to allow aircraft to operate either with "No Smoking" signs continuously illuminated or with "No Smoking" signs a crewmember can turn on and off. Currently, crewmembers must be able to manually turn aircraft "No Smoking" signs on and off. However, the current regulations were drafted when the Department of Transportation (DOT) permitted smoking at times on commercial flights. These amendments bring FAA regulations into alignment with current practice for aircraft manufacturing and operations.

This action proposes to modify the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface of the earth, due to the Area Navigation (RNAV) (Global Positioning System [GPS])-A approach being re-oriented to the north. Additionally, this action proposes administrative amendments to update the airport's existing Class E airspace legal description. These actions would support the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations at the airport.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus Canada Limited Partnership Model BD-500-1A10 and BD- 500-1A11 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a design review that found insufficient clearance between fire extinguishing system (FIREX) lines and certain fasteners in the center mid-fuselage area. This proposed AD would require an inspection for positioning and sufficient clearance of certain fasteners in certain fuselage and keel beam areas, an inspection for damage of the fire extinguishing lines, and applicable corrective actions, as specified in a Transport Canada AD, which is proposed for incorporation by reference (IBR). The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

These special conditions are issued for the Bell Model 525 helicopter. This helicopter will have a novel or unusual design feature when compared to the state of technology envisioned in the airworthiness standards for transport category helicopters. This design feature is a four-axis full authority digital fly-by-wire (FBW) flight control system (FCS) that provides for aircraft control through pilot input or coupled auto pilot modes. 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.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain ATRGIE Avions de Transport R[eacute]gional Model ATR42 and ATR72 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a report that for airplanes converted from passenger to cargo configuration using certain supplemental type certificates, no height limitation for the cargo, when loaded in the cargo compartment, is defined, and that as a consequence, cargo might be loaded up to the ceiling of the cargo compartment. This proposed AD would require modification of the cargo compartment and implementation of updated cargo loading procedures. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The Department of Transportation (DOT), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), announces the opportunity to apply for $20 million in FY 2025 Airport Infrastructure Grant funds for the FAA Contract Tower (FCT) Competitive Grant Program, made available under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA), herein referred to as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The purpose of the FCT Competitive Grant Program is to make annual grants available to eligible airports for airport-owned airport traffic control tower (ATCT) projects that address the aging infrastructure of the nation's airports.

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 proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Dassault Aviation Model FALCON 7X, FALCON 900EX, and FALCON 2000EX airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reported occurrences of swelling of the lithium-polymer internal and external batteries of certain electronic display units (EDUs). This proposed AD would require modifying certain EDUs and would 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.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier, Inc., Model BD-100-1A10 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by uncommanded horizontal stabilizer motion during several in-service events caused by a problem with the trim switch wiring. This proposed AD would require installing the pitch/roll trim switch relays. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Embraer S.A. Model ERJ 170 airplanes. This AD was prompted by a manufacturing quality escape concerning some overheat detection system (ODS) sensing elements. This AD requires inspecting the ODS sensing elements and performing applicable corrective actions, and prohibits the installation of affected parts, as specified in an Ag[ecirc]ncia Nacional de Avia[ccedil][atilde]o Civil (ANAC) AD, which is incorporated by reference. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2023-02- 13, which applied to certain Dassault Aviation Model FALCON 900EX airplanes. AD 2023-02-13 required revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations. Since the FAA issued AD 2023-02- 13, the FAA has determined that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. This AD continues to require certain actions in AD 2023-02-13 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.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus SAS Model A350-941 and -1041 airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports that certain engine bleed air system (EBAS) T-Ducts may not conform to the type design due to a quality escape not detected during the manufacturing process on Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-75, Trent XWB-84, and Trent XWB-97 engines. This AD requires replacement of affected EBAS T-Ducts and limits the installation of affected parts under certain conditions, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference (IBR). 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 Dassault Aviation Model FALCON 7X airplanes. This AD was prompted by a determination that certain left-hand (LH) and right-hand (RH) pylon bleed air leak detectors (BALDs) might be defective, due to incorrect manufacturing processes and incomplete acceptance test procedures. This AD requires a one-time operational check of affected parts and, depending on findings, accomplishment of applicable corrective action, and limits the installation of affected parts under certain conditions, 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.

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2000-18- 09, which applied to certain Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. (now Bell Textron Inc.), Model 412, 412CF, and 412EP helicopters. AD 2000-18-09 required repetitively inspecting the upper left-hand cap angle (cap angle) and adjacent structure for a crack and, depending on the results, replacing any cracked cap angle and repairing any crack in the adjacent structure. This AD was prompted by a report of a fatigue crack in a tail boom attachment cap angle. This AD retains the requirements of AD 2000-18-09, expands the applicability by adding models and an additional part-numbered cap angle, reduces the inspection intervals, and requires using updated procedures. This AD also updates the reporting requirement. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2023-03-09, which applies to certain ATR-GIE Avions de Transport R[eacute]gional Model ATR72-101, -102, -201, -202, -211, -212, and - 212A airplanes. AD 2023-03-09 requires revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations. Since the FAA issued AD 2023-03-09, the FAA has determined that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. This proposed AD continues to require the actions in AD 2023-03-09 and would require 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 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.

This action removes Class E surface airspace for Manchester Boston Regional Airport, Manchester, NH, as the overlying Class C airspace deems the Class E surface airspace unnecessary.

These special conditions are issued for the Textron Model 560XL 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 to maintain a clear view. 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.