Search Results for agency_names:"Transportation Department"

The Maritime Administration under the Department of Transportation has announced the availability of $19.6 million in grants through the Small Shipyard Grant Program. These grants aim to enhance efficiency and quality in small shipyard operations, focusing on capital improvements and training for workers in shipbuilding-related industries. Applications for these grants are open until February 25, 2021, with strict eligibility criteria, including the requirement for shipyards to have fewer than 1,200 production employees. The program encourages the use of U.S.-produced goods and supports projects that aid rural areas and opportunity zones.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is proposing a new airworthiness directive (AD) that would replace an existing directive for certain ATR airplanes. This new directive would incorporate stricter safety requirements based on updated European standards. The aim is to prevent potential safety issues related to the airplane's structural integrity. Feedback or comments on this proposed rule are encouraged by March 31, 2025.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has released a final version of its updated Third-Party Contracting Guidance Circular (C 4220.1G), which replaces the old version (C 4220.1F). The update includes changes brought about by new laws and regulations and provides additional guidance for FTA's assistance programs. The FTA also addressed various public comments, making adjustments where needed, but mostly ensuring the guidelines align with existing federal standards. Most suggestions from stakeholders were acknowledged but not incorporated, as they often went beyond the scope of the federal requirements.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) of the Department of Transportation is asking for public comments on its Information Collection Request (ICR) concerning railroad accident and incident reports. These reports are crucial for understanding collisions, derailments, and injuries involving railroads, which are submitted monthly by 765 railroads. The FRA aims to ensure the collection process is necessary, practical, and efficient, and is also seeking ways to reduce the burden on businesses. The public can submit their feedback by April 19, 2021, as part of the approval process with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a new airworthiness directive (AD) for specific models of Robinson Helicopter Company R44 and R44 II helicopters due to reports of failed clutch actuators and rivets. These failures may cause the brackets to detach from the fan scroll housing, potentially leading to serious safety issues, including loss of control of the helicopter. The directive requires inspections and corrective actions, such as repairing or replacing components to ensure the helicopters are safe to operate. This rule goes into effect on January 7, 2025, affecting over 1,600 helicopters in the U.S. registry.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a new rule to replace an older directive for Boeing 787 airplanes to fix a potential safety issue. This new rule requires changes to maintenance programs and specific parts on the planes to ensure the engine fire handle works correctly and prevent potential fire hazards. The rule mandates these changes be made by a certain date and prohibits the installation of certain older parts. The FAA took public comments into account before finalizing the rule, which aims to enhance aviation safety without imposing significant economic impacts.

The FAA has issued a new airworthiness directive for specific models of Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH, including EC135 and its variants. This directive requires operators to remove certain Titanium (Ti) bolts, identified by specific part numbers and markings, from service and ban their installation on the forward tail rotor drive shaft. These actions were prompted by safety concerns following a report of a broken Ti-bolt, which could lead to reduced control of the helicopter. The rule is effective as of March 29, 2021, and aims to prevent possible helicopter control issues linked to these Ti-bolts.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is updating a previous safety directive for certain Airbus Helicopters, specifically Model SA330J, to address issues with the tail rotor blades. This update requires more frequent inspections and clarifies the compliance procedures. The purpose of these changes is to reduce the risk of fatigue cracks which could lead to a failure of the tail rotor blade and, consequently, loss of control of the helicopter. Helicopters must regularly undergo inspections and any rotor blades showing issues must be repaired or replaced before they can be used again.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus Helicopters Model H160-B helicopters due to reports of excessive movement in certain spherical bearings. The AD mandates measuring this movement and, based on results, carrying out corrective actions and reporting them. This directive aims to prevent safety risks associated with reduced helicopter control. The AD takes effect on January 17, 2025, and helicopter operators must comply by checking the bearings within a set timeframe and reporting the findings.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is updating a rule for certain Airbus SAS airplanes, specifically the A330-200, -200 Freighter, -300 series, -841, and -941 models. The new rule replaces a previous one and incorporates more stringent safety checks required by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). It focuses on updating inspection programs to prevent potential issues that could affect airplane controllability. The updated rule takes effect on March 7, 2025, and is designed to improve aviation safety.