Safety Rules & Regs

Air Safety Week, August 18, 2008

Special Awareness Training for the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area. Final rule. SUMMARY: The FAA is requiring "special awareness" training for any pilot who flies under visual flight rules (VFR) within a 60 nautical mile radius of the Washington, DC VHF omni-directional range/distance measuring equipment (DCA VOR/DME). This training has been developed and provided by the FAA on its www.FAASafety.gov website and focuses primarily on training pilots on the procedures for flying in and around the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) and the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area Flight Restricted Zone (FRZ). The rule will reduce the number of unauthorized flights into the airspace of the Washington, DC, Metropolitan Area ADIZ and FRZ through education of the pilot community.

Airworthiness Directive; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada (BHTC) Model 222, 222B, and 222U Helicopters. Final Rule. SUMMARY: This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The aviation authority of Canada, with which we have a bilateral agreement, states in the MCAI: ''It has been determined that the existing rigging procedures for the tail rotor pitch change mechanism have to be changed due to possibility of parts interference.'' The cumulative effect of individual part tolerances resulting in the total assemblage of those parts being out of tolerance could result in the tail rotor yoke striking another part other than the flapping stop (parts interference) cited in the MCAI. Also, the misalignment of the tail rotor counterweight bellcrank may result in higher tail rotor pedal forces and a higher pilot workload after failure of the No. 1 hydraulic system. Both parts interference and the misaligned counterweight bellcrank create an unsafe condition.

Airworthiness Directive; Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG (RRD) Dart 528, 529, 532, 535, 542, and 552 Series Turboprop Engines. Final Rule. SUMMARY: The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for RRD Dart 528, 529, 532, 535, 542, and 552 Series turboprop engines. That AD currently requires a dimensional inspection of the intermediate pressure turbine (IPT) disk or an ultrasonic inspection of the seal arm contact between the high pressure turbine (HPT) and the IPT disk seal arm and reworking or replacing the IPT disk if worn beyond acceptable limits. This AD continues to require those actions. This AD results from us including an incorrect engine model and omitting an engine model from the applicability of the existing AD. We are issuing this AD to prevent HPT disk failure, which can result in an uncontained engine failure and damage to the airplane.

Airworthiness Directive; Bombardier Model DHC-8-400, -401 and -402 Airplanes. Final Rule. SUMMARY: This 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: There was one reported failure of the elevator centering torsion spring. Investigation revealed that the tangs on the torsion spring had been bent due to difficulty encountered during installation of the elevator centering torsion spring on the horizontal stabilizer torque tube. The bending of the tangs on the torsion spring would degrade its durability and could lead to premature failure of the elevator centering torsion spring. A control rod disconnect between the elevator aft quadrant and the elevator Power Control Unit input torque tube, in combination with the loss or reduction in elevator centering capability, could result in a significant reduction in aircraft pitch control.

Airworthiness Directive; Dassault Model Falcon 2000EX Airplanes. Final Rule. SUMMARY: This 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: During approach, a Falcon 2000EX operator experienced a temporary loss of the four Electronic Flight Instrumentation System (EFIS) display units followed by a consecutive restart of the avionics. During initial investigation, a loose connection on the DC load distribution system was discovered and determined to be the root cause of this event. However, further analysis pointed out that large electrical transients on the essential bus bar may possibly cause simultaneous and temporary power shortage on both sides of the electrical system. This AD is necessary to prevent a momentary loss of data on the EFIS screens, which could lead to the pilot's loss of situational awareness during initial climb or approach/landing, and possibly result in reduced control of the airplane.