14 CFR Part 91, Subpart A - General

This action removes the prohibition against certain flights within the territory and airspace of Ethiopia contained in Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) No. 87 from the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). The prohibition only applied to flight operations within the territory and airspace of Ethiopia north of 12 degrees north latitude conducted by United States (U.S.) air carriers or commercial operators; persons exercising the privileges of an airman certificate issued by the FAA, unless that person was engaged in the operation of a U.S.-registered aircraft for a foreign air carrier; and operators using an aircraft registered in the United States, except where the operator of such aircraft was a foreign air carrier. The FAA has now determined that the safety and security situation that prompted the above flight prohibition has significantly improved, and that it is safe for U.S. civil flights to be operated within the entire territory and airspace of Ethiopia, subject to the approval of and in accordance with the conditions established by the appropriate authorities of Ethiopia.

This action prohibits certain flight operations in the Damascus (OSTT) Flight Information Region (FIR) by all U.S. air carriers; U.S. commercial operators; persons exercising the privileges of a U.S. airman certificate, except when such persons are operating a U.S.-registered aircraft for a foreign air carrier; and operators of U.S.-registered civil aircraft, except when such operators are foreign air carriers. The FAA previously prohibited such flight operations in a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) 4/4936, which was issued on August 18, 2014, and absent this rule, would have remained in effect until December 31, 2014. This Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) adopts the prohibitions currently in effect via the NOTAM, and requires compliance with the prohibitions for 2 years from the date of publication of this final rule, unless the FAA determines that it is necessary to amend or rescind this rule based on the situation in the region. The FAA finds that this action is necessary to address a potential hazard to persons and aircraft engaged in such flight operations.

This action amends Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) No. 113, “Prohibition Against Certain Flights in the Simferopol (UKFV) Flight Information Region (FIR),” which prohibited certain flight operations in a portion of the Simferopol (UKFV) FIR by all U.S. air carriers; U.S. commercial operators; persons exercising the privileges of a U.S. airman certificate, except when such persons are operating a U.S.-registered aircraft for a foreign air carrier; and operators of U.S.-registered civil aircraft, except when such operators are foreign air carriers. This action expands the area in which flight operations by persons subject to SFAR No. 113 are prohibited, to include all of the Simferopol (UKFV) FIR, as well as the entire Dnipropetrovsk (UKDV) FIR. The FAA finds this action to be necessary to prevent a potential hazard to persons and aircraft engaged in such flight operations.

This action amends the Appendix listing airports/locations with special operating restrictions in FAA's general operating and flight rules. Specifically, this action adds an additional entry for Houston, TX (William P. Hobby Airport), and San Diego, CA (Marine Corps Air Station Miramar), to the Appendix, which lists the airports where aircraft operating within 30 nautical miles (NM) of the listed airports, from the surface upward to 10,000 feet mean sea level (MSL) must be equipped with an altitude encoding transponder. The FAA is taking this action to correctly identify applicable airports under the appropriate sections in the Appendix.

The FAA is extending the comment period on its Interpretation of the Special Rule for Model Aircraft that was published on June 25, 2014.

The FAA is correcting a final rule published on February 21, 2014. In that rule, the FAA amended its regulations to revise the helicopter air ambulance, commercial helicopter, and general aviation helicopter operating requirements. This document corrects errors in the codified text of that document.

This action provides interested persons with the opportunity to comment on the FAA's interpretation of the special rule for model aircraft established by Congress in the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012. In this interpretation, the FAA clarifies that: Model aircraft must satisfy the criteria in the Act to qualify as model aircraft and to be exempt from future FAA rulemaking action; and consistent with the Act, if a model aircraft operator endangers the safety of the National Airspace System, the FAA has the authority to take enforcement action against those operators for those safety violations.

The FAA is amending regulations relating to the label required for FAA approved child restraint systems onboard aircraft. This final rule corrects minor technical errors in the codified regulations and updates a cross-reference.

This action prohibits certain flight operations in a portion of the Simferopol (UKFV) Flight Information Region (FIR) by all U.S. air carriers; U.S. commercial operators; persons exercising the privileges of a U.S. airman certificate, except when such persons are operating a U.S.-registered aircraft for a foreign air carrier; and operators of U.S.-registered civil aircraft, except when such operators are foreign air carriers. The FAA finds this action to be necessary to prevent a potential hazard to persons and aircraft engaged in such flight operations.

The FAA is delaying the effective date of the Helicopter Air Ambulance, Commercial Helicopter, and Part 91 Helicopter Operations final rule published on February 21, 2014. In that rule, the FAA amended its regulations to revise the helicopter air ambulance, commercial helicopter, and general aviation helicopter operating requirements. The April 22, 2014 effective date does not provide an adequate amount of time for the affected certificate holders to implement the new requirements. By extending the effective date to April 22, 2015, the affected certificate holders will have sufficient time to implement the new requirements. This action will only affect the effective date of the provisions of the rule scheduled to take effect April 22, 2014. Other provisions in the rule with specified compliance dates will not be affected.

The FAA is correcting a final rule published on March 21, 2014. In that final rule, the FAA amended its regulations to extend the prohibition against certain flights within the Tripoli Flight Information Region from March 21, 2014 to March 21, 2015. The FAA inadvertently cited an incorrect RIN number. This document corrects that error and also corrects an inadvertent amendment.

This action extends the prohibition of flight operations within the Tripoli Flight Information Region (FIR) by all U.S. air carriers; U.S. commercial operators; persons exercising the privileges of an airman certificate issued by the FAA, except when such persons are operating a U.S.-registered aircraft for a foreign air carrier; and operators of U.S.-registered civil aircraft, except operators of such aircraft that are foreign air carriers. The extension of the expiration date is necessary to prevent a potential hazard to persons and aircraft engaged in such flight operations while the FAA evaluates whether any amendments to the regulation would be appropriate, given current conditions in Libya.

This final rule addresses helicopter air ambulance, commercial helicopter, and general aviation helicopter operations. To address an increase in fatal helicopter air ambulance accidents, the FAA is implementing new operational procedures and additional equipment requirements for helicopter air ambulance operations. This final rule also increases safety for commercial helicopter operations by revising requirements for equipment, pilot testing, and alternate airports. It increases weather minimums for all general aviation helicopter operations. Many of these requirements address National Transportation Safety Board safety recommendations, and are already found in FAA guidance. Today's changes are intended to provide certificate holders and pilots with additional tools and procedures that will aid in preventing accidents.

The FAA is correcting a final rule published on May 28, 2010. In that rule, the FAA amended its regulations by adding equipage requirements and performance standards for Automatic Dependent Surveillance—Broadcast (ADS-B) Out avionics on aircraft operating in Classes A, B, and C airspace, as well as other specified classes of airspace within the U.S. National Airspace System (NAS). This document corrects errors in regulatory provisions addressing ADS-B Out equipment and use.

This action removes the prohibition against certain flights within the territory and airspace of Ethiopia contained in Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) No. 87 from the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). The prohibition only applied to flight operations within the territory and airspace of Ethiopia north of 12 degrees north latitude conducted by United States (U.S.) air carriers or commercial operators; persons exercising the privileges of an airman certificate issued by the FAA, unless that person was engaged in the operation of a U.S.-registered aircraft for a foreign air carrier; and operators using an aircraft registered in the United States, except where the operator of such aircraft was a foreign air carrier. The FAA has now determined that the safety and security situation that prompted the above flight prohibition has significantly improved, and that it is safe for U.S. civil flights to be operated within the entire territory and airspace of Ethiopia, subject to the approval of and in accordance with the conditions established by the appropriate authorities of Ethiopia.

This action prohibits certain flight operations in the Damascus (OSTT) Flight Information Region (FIR) by all U.S. air carriers; U.S. commercial operators; persons exercising the privileges of a U.S. airman certificate, except when such persons are operating a U.S.-registered aircraft for a foreign air carrier; and operators of U.S.-registered civil aircraft, except when such operators are foreign air carriers. The FAA previously prohibited such flight operations in a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) 4/4936, which was issued on August 18, 2014, and absent this rule, would have remained in effect until December 31, 2014. This Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) adopts the prohibitions currently in effect via the NOTAM, and requires compliance with the prohibitions for 2 years from the date of publication of this final rule, unless the FAA determines that it is necessary to amend or rescind this rule based on the situation in the region. The FAA finds that this action is necessary to address a potential hazard to persons and aircraft engaged in such flight operations.

This action amends Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) No. 113, “Prohibition Against Certain Flights in the Simferopol (UKFV) Flight Information Region (FIR),” which prohibited certain flight operations in a portion of the Simferopol (UKFV) FIR by all U.S. air carriers; U.S. commercial operators; persons exercising the privileges of a U.S. airman certificate, except when such persons are operating a U.S.-registered aircraft for a foreign air carrier; and operators of U.S.-registered civil aircraft, except when such operators are foreign air carriers. This action expands the area in which flight operations by persons subject to SFAR No. 113 are prohibited, to include all of the Simferopol (UKFV) FIR, as well as the entire Dnipropetrovsk (UKDV) FIR. The FAA finds this action to be necessary to prevent a potential hazard to persons and aircraft engaged in such flight operations.

This action amends the Appendix listing airports/locations with special operating restrictions in FAA's general operating and flight rules. Specifically, this action adds an additional entry for Houston, TX (William P. Hobby Airport), and San Diego, CA (Marine Corps Air Station Miramar), to the Appendix, which lists the airports where aircraft operating within 30 nautical miles (NM) of the listed airports, from the surface upward to 10,000 feet mean sea level (MSL) must be equipped with an altitude encoding transponder. The FAA is taking this action to correctly identify applicable airports under the appropriate sections in the Appendix.

The FAA is extending the comment period on its Interpretation of the Special Rule for Model Aircraft that was published on June 25, 2014.

The FAA is correcting a final rule published on February 21, 2014. In that rule, the FAA amended its regulations to revise the helicopter air ambulance, commercial helicopter, and general aviation helicopter operating requirements. This document corrects errors in the codified text of that document.

This action provides interested persons with the opportunity to comment on the FAA's interpretation of the special rule for model aircraft established by Congress in the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012. In this interpretation, the FAA clarifies that: Model aircraft must satisfy the criteria in the Act to qualify as model aircraft and to be exempt from future FAA rulemaking action; and consistent with the Act, if a model aircraft operator endangers the safety of the National Airspace System, the FAA has the authority to take enforcement action against those operators for those safety violations.

The FAA is amending regulations relating to the label required for FAA approved child restraint systems onboard aircraft. This final rule corrects minor technical errors in the codified regulations and updates a cross-reference.

This action prohibits certain flight operations in a portion of the Simferopol (UKFV) Flight Information Region (FIR) by all U.S. air carriers; U.S. commercial operators; persons exercising the privileges of a U.S. airman certificate, except when such persons are operating a U.S.-registered aircraft for a foreign air carrier; and operators of U.S.-registered civil aircraft, except when such operators are foreign air carriers. The FAA finds this action to be necessary to prevent a potential hazard to persons and aircraft engaged in such flight operations.

The FAA is delaying the effective date of the Helicopter Air Ambulance, Commercial Helicopter, and Part 91 Helicopter Operations final rule published on February 21, 2014. In that rule, the FAA amended its regulations to revise the helicopter air ambulance, commercial helicopter, and general aviation helicopter operating requirements. The April 22, 2014 effective date does not provide an adequate amount of time for the affected certificate holders to implement the new requirements. By extending the effective date to April 22, 2015, the affected certificate holders will have sufficient time to implement the new requirements. This action will only affect the effective date of the provisions of the rule scheduled to take effect April 22, 2014. Other provisions in the rule with specified compliance dates will not be affected.

The FAA is correcting a final rule published on March 21, 2014. In that final rule, the FAA amended its regulations to extend the prohibition against certain flights within the Tripoli Flight Information Region from March 21, 2014 to March 21, 2015. The FAA inadvertently cited an incorrect RIN number. This document corrects that error and also corrects an inadvertent amendment.

This action extends the prohibition of flight operations within the Tripoli Flight Information Region (FIR) by all U.S. air carriers; U.S. commercial operators; persons exercising the privileges of an airman certificate issued by the FAA, except when such persons are operating a U.S.-registered aircraft for a foreign air carrier; and operators of U.S.-registered civil aircraft, except operators of such aircraft that are foreign air carriers. The extension of the expiration date is necessary to prevent a potential hazard to persons and aircraft engaged in such flight operations while the FAA evaluates whether any amendments to the regulation would be appropriate, given current conditions in Libya.

This final rule addresses helicopter air ambulance, commercial helicopter, and general aviation helicopter operations. To address an increase in fatal helicopter air ambulance accidents, the FAA is implementing new operational procedures and additional equipment requirements for helicopter air ambulance operations. This final rule also increases safety for commercial helicopter operations by revising requirements for equipment, pilot testing, and alternate airports. It increases weather minimums for all general aviation helicopter operations. Many of these requirements address National Transportation Safety Board safety recommendations, and are already found in FAA guidance. Today's changes are intended to provide certificate holders and pilots with additional tools and procedures that will aid in preventing accidents.