Airworthiness Directive; MD Helicopters Model 600N Helicopter. Final Rule; Request for Comments. SUMMARY: This amendment supersedes an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for MD Helicopters, Inc. (MDHI) Model 600N helicopters. The AD currently requires modifying the fuselage aft section within the next 24 months to strengthen the tail boom attachment fittings and upper longerons. This amendment retains the current required modification and adds the following requirements: Repetitively inspecting the tail boom attachment fittings; installing inspection holes and attachment bolt washers; modifying both access covers; and replacing broken attachment bolts. These additional requirements were inadvertently omitted from the current AD. This amendment is prompted by the need to correct our mistake and continue the repetitive inspections of the tail boom attachment fittings until the fuselage aft section is modified. This series of ADs is prompted by an accident due to failure of the tail boom attach points resulting in loss of control of the helicopter. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent failure of the tailboom attachment fittings, separation of the tail boom from the helicopter, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

Airworthiness Directive; Boeing Model 737-600, -700, -700C, -800, and -900 Equipped With CFM56-7 Engines. Final Rule. SUMMARY: The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD), which applies to certain Boeing Model 737-600, -700, and -800 series airplanes. That AD currently requires repetitive inspections to detect damage of the aft strut insulation blanket, and eventual replacement of the insulation blankets with new, improved blankets. This new AD adds airplanes to the applicability and requires installation of a new heat insulation blanket and new cover plate on the left and right side engine struts. This new AD does not retain the requirements of the existing AD but does terminate the requirements of the existing AD. This AD results from reports of damaged heat insulation blankets on the engine struts. We are issuing this AD to prevent exposure of the lower surface of the strut to extreme high temperatures, consequent creation of a source of fuel ignition, and increased risk of an uncontrollable fire and possible fuel tank explosion.

Airworthiness Directive; Boeing Model 737-300, -400, and -500. Final Rule. SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Boeing Model 737- 300, - 400, and -500 series airplanes. This AD requires repetitive inspections for discrepancies of the fuse pins of the inboard and outboard midspar fittings of the nacelle strut, and corrective actions if necessary. This AD results from a report of corrosion damage of the chrome runout on the head side found on all four midspar fuse pins of the nacelle strut. Additionally, a large portion of the chrome plate was missing from the corroded area of the shank. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct discrepancies of the fuse pins of the inboard and outboard midspar fittings of the nacelle strut, which could result in reduced structural integrity of the fuse pins and consequent loss of the strut and separation of the engine from the airplane.

Airworthiness Directive; Hawker Beechcraft Model 390 Final Rule; Request for Comments. SUMMARY: This AD requires you to modify the cabin barometric pressure switch and cabin altitude high switch installations and perform a functional test of the switches and related systems. This AD results from the possibility of barometric pressure switch electrical connections being incorrectly connected or inadvertently disconnected. We are issuing this AD to modify the cabin barometric pressure switch and cabin altitude high switch to prevent them from becoming incorrectly connected or inadvertently disconnected, which may result in no CABIN ALT HI annunciation in the cockpit and no automatic deployment of the cabin oxygen masks. This failure could lead to incapacitation of the crew due to hypoxia with possible inability to control the airplane.

Congestion Management Rule for John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport. Final Rule. SUMMARY: This rule establishes procedures to address congestion in the New York City area by assigning slots at John F. Kennedy (JFK) and Newark Liberty (Newark) International Airports in a way that allows carriers to respond to market forces to drive efficient airline behavior. The rule also extends the caps on the operations at the two airports, assigns to existing operators the majority of slots at the airports, and develops a robust secondary market by annually auctioning off a limited number of slots in each of the first five years of this rule.

Auction proceeds will be used to mitigate congestion and delay in the New York City area. The rule also contains provisions for minimum usage, capping unscheduled operations, and withdrawal for operational need. The rule will sunset in ten years.

Congestion Management Rule for LaGuardia Airport Final Rule. SUMMARY: The FAA is publishing a final rule to address congestion at New York's LaGuardia Airport (LaGuardia). The rule grandfathers the majority of operations at the airport and will develop a robust secondary market by annually auctioning off a limited number of slots; the FAA plans to use the proceeds from the auctions to mitigate congestion and delay in the New York City area. In addition, the hourly cap on scheduled operations will be reduced to 71 per hour during the regulated hours. This reduction will lead to an estimated 41 percent reduction in modeled delay at the airport. This rule also contains provisions for use-or-lose, unscheduled operations, and withdrawal for operational need. The rule will sunset in ten years.

Standard Instrument Approach Procedures, and Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle Departure Procedures; Miscellaneous Amendments. Final Rule. SUMMARY: This establishes, amends, suspends, or revokes Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) and associated Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle Departure Procedures 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.

Airworthiness Directive; Boeing Model 767-200, -300, and -400ER. Final Rule. SUMMARY: The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD), which applies to certain Boeing Model 767-200, -300, and -400ER series airplanes. That AD currently requires an inspection to determine if the door-mounted escape slide/rafts have certain part numbers. This new AD does not retain that requirement. This new AD continues to require an inspection for excessive tension of the firing cable, and procedures for providing slack in the firing cable or rerouting the firing cable if necessary. For certain airplanes, this new AD also requires a review of the airplane maintenance records to determine if a certain service bulletin has been incorporated, or an inspection to determine if certain door-mounted escape slide/rafts are installed. This new AD also requires modifications of certain escape slide/rafts. This AD results from reports of uncommanded inflation inside the airplane of a door-mounted escape slide/raft located in the passenger compartment. We are issuing this AD to prevent injury to maintenance personnel, passengers, and crew during otherwise normal operating conditions and to prevent interference with evacuation of the airplane during an emergency, due to uncommanded inflation of a door-mounted escape slide/raft.

EASA NOTIFICATION OF A PROPOSAL TO ISSUE AN AIRWORTHINESS EASA DIRECTIVE AIRBUS A340-500/-600 aircraft. Fuselage - Nose Landing Gear Actuator Fitting - Inspection. Following a refined Finite Element Model (FEM) analysis of the NLG actuator fitting installed on the roof panel of the Nose Landing Gear (NLG) box of all A340-500/-600 aircraft, it has been demonstrated that potential fatigue cracks can be initiated on the NLG actuator fitting flanges. This situation, if not corrected, could lead to inadvertent extension of the NLG or failure to retract the NLG combined with a single engine failure, which constitutes an unsafe condition. To prevent such event, this Airworthiness Directive (AD) requires High Frequency Eddy Current (HFEC) inspections and detailed visual inspections on the NLG Actuator fitting to detect any crack.

EASA Airworthiness Directive: Eurocopter AS350 Helicopter. AD No.: 2008-0189. Equipment and Furnishings - Emergency Flotation Gear - Replacement. The emergency flotation gear container assemblies listed in the Applicability section of this AD have an operating time limit of 10 years from the date of manufacture. As of June 2006, this limit is no longer recorded in the Maintenance Program (PRE): therefore after June 2006 container assemblies having already exceeded the 10-year limit could have not been replaced yet. The floating performance of a helicopter may prove to be insufficient in the event of ditching, in case of failure of an emergency flotation gear container being operated beyond its operating time limit. This AD requires the replacement of the affected container assemblies at the time limits specified in EUROCOPTER Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) No. 25.01.02.

Airworthiness Directive: Airbus A300. Electrical Power - Fuel Pump Wiring - Modification [Prevention against Fuel Tank Explosion Risks]. Further to the accident of a Boeing 747-131 (Flight TWA800), the FAA has published SFAR 88 (Special Federal Aviation Regulation 88). Subsequently, the Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) recommended the application of a similar regulation to the National Aviation Authorities (NAA) of its member countries. Under this regulation, all holders of type certificates for passenger transport aircraft with either a passenger capacity of 30 or more, or a payload capacity of 3,402 kg (7 500 lbs) or more, which have received their certification since 01 January 1958, are required to conduct a design review against explosion risks. One of the consequences of the Airbus design review is the modification of the fuel pump wiring to provide protection against chafing of the fuel pump cables.

This condition, if not corrected, could result in short circuits leading to fuel pump failure, arcing, and possible fuel tank explosion. EASA AD 2007-0066 was issued to require this modification in accordance with Airbus SB A300-24-0103 Revision 01. More recently, an additional modification of the electrical wiring of the outer fuel pump and the landing lights on the left (LH) and right (RH) side has been introduced in Revision 02 of Airbus SB A300- 24-0103. For the reason described above, this new AD retains the requirements of EASA AD 2007-0066, which is superseded, and requires additional work.

EASA Emergency Airworthiness Directive: Eurocopter EC-135 & EC-635 Helicopters. During a recent pre-flight check on an EC135 helicopter, a crack was detected on the ring frame that connects the tail rotor Fenestron housing to the rear structure tube (tail boom). The crack ran alongside one rivet row over almost half the circumference of the ring frame. This condition, if not corrected, could lead to crack propagation remaining undetected, possibly resulting in loss of the Fenestron structure and consequent loss of control of the helicopter. For the reasons described above, this EASA AD requires a repetitive visual pre-flight inspection of the affected area and the amendment of the basic Flight Manual (FLM) to incorporate this inspection as part of the pre-flight checks.

Transport Canada Airworthiness Directive. Subject: Wing Anti-Ice Piccolo Ducts (Piccolo Tubes. Bombardier Model CL-600-2B19, Serial Numbers (SN) 7003 through 7067, 7069 through 7990, 8000 through 8076, 8082, 8086, 8090 through 8092, 8096 and 8097. There have been several cases of wing leading edge anti-ice piccolo duct failure reported on CL-600-2B19 (CRJ) aircraft. Upon investigation, it was determined that ducts manufactured since May 2000 are susceptible to cracking due to the process used to drill holes in the ducts. This cracking may cause air leakage, with a possible adverse effect on the anti-ice air distribution pattern and anti-ice capability, without annunciation to the flight crew. It has subsequently been determined that faulty ducts may also have been installed in a number of leading edge assemblies built as spares and whose current locations are not specifically known. As they may have been installed on any of the aircraft serial numbers in the Applicability section of this directive, checking of records and/or inspection, as specified in the Corrective Actions section, is now required for all applicable aircraft. This directive, which supersedes and cancels AD CF-2005-26R1, mandates the amendment of the Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) procedures, in addition to checking the part numbers and serial numbers of installed and spare wing anti-ice piccolo ducts, as required, and inspecting, replacing or repairing them as necessary. Terminating action is also introduced.

EASA Airworthiness Directive: Airbus A310. Wings - Centre Wing Rear Spar Internal Angle & Tee Fitting - Inspection / Modification. Analysis performed in the frame of the Extended Service Goal has led Airbus to modify the inspection program[modification of thresholds, intervals and associated configurations] which is currently required by DGAC France AD F-2005-001. This modified inspection program is necessary to detect and prevent damage associated with a structural fatigue phenomenon of the rear spar internal angle and the tee fitting located in the centre wing box. This condition, if not corrected, could affect the structural integrity of the centre wing box. For the reason stated above, this new EASA AD retains the requirements of DGAC France AD F-2005-001, which is superseded, and refers to the latest revision of Airbus Service Bulletin (SB) A310-57-2047.