[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 21 (Wednesday, February 1, 2012)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 4890-4891]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-2170]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Parts 27 and 29

[Docket No. FAA-2009-0660; Amdt. Nos. 27-47A, 29-54A; and Docket No. 
FAA-2009-0413; Amdt. No. 29-55A]
RIN 2120-AJ52, 2120-AJ51


Damage Tolerance and Fatigue Evaluation for Composite Rotorcraft 
Structures, and Damage Tolerance and Fatigue Evaluation for Metallic 
Structures; Correction

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; correction.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is correcting two final rules, ``Damage Tolerance and 
Fatigue Evaluation for Composite Rotorcraft Structures'' (76 FR 74655), 
published December 1, 2011, and ``Damage Tolerance and Fatigue 
Evaluation for Metallic Structures'' (76 FR 75435), published December 
2, 2011. In the ``Composite Rotorcraft Structures'' rule, the FAA 
amended its regulations to require evaluation of fatigue and residual 
static strength of composite rotorcraft structures using a damage 
tolerance evaluation, or a fatigue evaluation if the applicant 
establishes that a damage tolerance evaluation is impractical. In the 
``Metallic Structures'' rule, the FAA amended its regulations to 
address advances in structural fatigue substantiation technology for 
metallic structures to provide an increased level of safety by avoiding 
or reducing the likelihood of the catastrophic fatigue failure of a 
metallic structure. This document corrects errors in the preamble of 
those two documents by adding a statement advising that affected 
parties do not need to comply with the information collection 
requirements until the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approves 
the collections.

DATES: This correction is effective February 1, 2012. The ``Composite 
Rotorcraft Structures'' final rule becomes effective January 30, 2012. 
The ``Metallic Structures'' final rule becomes effective January 31, 
2012.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical questions concerning 
this action, contact Sharon Y. Miles, Regulations and Policy Group, 
Rotorcraft Directorate, ASW-111, Federal Aviation Administration, 2601 
Meacham Boulevard, Fort Worth, Texas 76137; telephone (817) 222-5122; 
facsimile (817) 222-5961; email

[[Page 4891]]

[email protected]. For legal questions concerning this action, 
contact Steve C. Harold, Directorate Counsel, ASW-7G, Federal Aviation 
Administration, 2601 Meacham Boulevard, Fort Worth, Texas 76137, 
telephone (817) 222-5099; facsimile (817) 222-5945, email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On December 1, 2011, the FAA published the final rule entitled, 
``Damage Tolerance and Fatigue Evaluation for Composite Rotorcraft 
Structures'' (76 FR 74655). On December 2, 2011, the FAA published the 
final rule entitled, ``Damage Tolerance and Fatigue Evaluation for 
Metallic Structures'' (76 FR 75435).
    In the ``Composite Rotorcraft Structures'' final rule, the FAA 
amended its regulations to require evaluation of fatigue and residual 
static strength of composite rotorcraft structures using a damage 
tolerance evaluation, or a fatigue evaluation if the applicant 
establishes that a damage tolerance evaluation is impractical.
    In the ``Metallic Structures'' final rule, the FAA amended its 
regulations to address advances in structural fatigue substantiation 
technology for metallic structures. This provides an increased level of 
safety by avoiding or reducing the likelihood of the catastrophic 
fatigue failure of a metallic structure. These increased safety 
requirements help ensure that should serious accidental damage occur 
during manufacturing or within the operational life of the rotorcraft, 
the remaining structure could withstand, without failure, any fatigue 
loads that are likely to occur, until the damage is detected or the 
part is replaced.
    Both final rules included information collection requirements. 
However, the FAA inadvertently neglected to include a statement 
advising affected parties that they are not required to comply with 
these portions of the regulations until the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) approves the collections and assigns control numbers under 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The FAA will publish in the 
Federal Register a notice of the control numbers assigned by OMB when 
these information collection requirements are approved.

Corrections

    In FR Doc. 2011-30945, beginning on page 74655 in the Federal 
Register of December 1, 2011, make the following correction:
    On page 74655, in the second column, after ``Dates: Effective 
January 30, 2012.'', insert ``Affected parties, however, are not 
required to comply with the information collection requirement in 
Sec. Sec.  27.573 and 29.573 until the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) approves the collection and assigns a control number under the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The FAA will publish in the Federal 
Register a notice of the control number assigned by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for this information collection 
requirement.''
    In FR Doc. 2011-30941, beginning on page 75435 in the Federal 
Register of December 2, 2011, make the following correction:
    On page 75435, in the second column, after ``Dates: Effective 
January 31, 2012.'', insert ``Affected parties, however, are not 
required to comply with the information collection requirement in Sec.  
29.571 until the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approves the 
collection and assigns a control number under the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995. The FAA will publish in the Federal Register a notice of 
the control number assigned by the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for this information collection requirement.''

    Issued in Washington, DC, on January 26, 2012.
Pamela Hamilton-Powell,
Director, Office of Rulemaking.
[FR Doc. 2012-2170 Filed 1-27-12; 8:45 am]
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