[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 31 (Wednesday, February 15, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8045-8046]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-2181]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

[Docket No. FAA-2005-22997]
RIN 2120-AI23


Reduction of Fuel Tank Flammability in Transport Category 
Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of and request for 
comments on the report, ``Assessment of the Effectiveness of Special 
Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) 88 Airworthiness Directives (ADs) in 
Preventing Ignition Sources.'' The FAA is making available this report, 
which supports its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) entitled 
``Reduction of Fuel Tank Flammability in Transport Category 
Airplanes.'' The report can be found at the DOT Docket Web site, at 
http://dms.dot.gov, Docket No. FAA-2005-22997.

[[Page 8046]]


DATES: Comments must be received on or before March 23, 2006.

ADDRESSEES: You may send comments, identified by Docket No. FAA-2005-
22997, using any of the following methods:
     DOT Docket Web site: Go to http://dms.dot.gov and follow 
the instructions for sending your comments electronically.
     Government-wide rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the instructions for sending your 
comments electronically.
     Mail: Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, Room PL-401, 
Washington, DC 20590-001.
     Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
     Hand Delivery: Room PL-401 on the plaza level of the 
Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael E. Dostert, FAA, Propulsion/
Mechanical Systems Branch (ANM-112), Transport Airplane Directorate, 
Aircraft Certification Service, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, 
Washington 98055-4056; telephone (425) 227-2132, facsimile (425) 227-
1320; e-mail: [email protected].

Comments Invited

    Interested parties are invited to submit comments on the report. 
Commenters must submit comments to an address specified above. The FAA 
will consider all communications received on or before the closing date 
for comments.

Discussion

    The FAA commissioned the Sandia National Laboratories to perform an 
independent study on the effectiveness of ignition source prevention 
measures in airplane fuel tanks. Sandia National Laboratories 
documented the results of its study in a technical report titled 
``Assessment of the Effectiveness of Special Federal Aviation 
Regulation (SFAR) 88 Airworthiness Directives (ADs) in Preventing 
Ignition Sources.'' This report supports the FAA's NPRM (published on 
November 23, 2005 (70 FR 10922)) that proposes to require operators and 
design approval holders of transport category airplanes to reduce fuel 
tank flammability exposure, which, in combination with previous 
ignition source minimization, would greatly reduce the chances of a 
catastrophic fuel tank explosion.
    The report is currently undergoing a peer review, as required by 
the Office of Management and Budget's ``Final Information Quality 
Bulletin for Peer Review.'' The FAA will add the report of the peer 
review to the public docket and make it available for public comment.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on February 9, 2006.
Anthony F. Fazio,
Director, Office of Rulemaking.
[FR Doc. E6-2181 Filed 2-14-06; 8:45 am]
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