[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 59 (Tuesday, March 28, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15949-15950]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-7624]



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[[Page 15950]]

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee, Air Carrier Operations--
New Task

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of new task assignment for the Aviation Rulemaking 
Advisory Committee.

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SUMMARY: Notice is given of a new task assigned to the Aviation 
Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC) and its decision to form the 
Fatigue Countermeasures and Alertness Management Techniques Working 
Group to analyze and recommend to it solutions to issues contained in 
the assigned tasks. This notice informs the public of the activities of 
ARAC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Quentin Smith, Flight Standards Service, Federal Aviation 
Administration, 800 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20591, 
Telephone: (202) 267-8166.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has established an 
Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC) (56 FR 2109, January 22, 
1991; and 58 FR 9230, February 19, 1993). ARAC provides advice and 
recommendations to the FAA Administrator, through the Associate 
Administrator for Regulation and Certification, on the full range of 
the FAA's rulemaking activities with respect to aviation-related 
issues. One area ARAC deals with is Air Carrier Operations issues. 
These issues involve the operational requirements for air carriers, to 
include crewmember requirements, airplane operating performance and 
limitations, and eequipment requirements. The new task is related to 
these issues.

Task

    The following new task is being assigned to ARAC:
    To develop an advisory circular that ourlines fatigue 
countermeasures and alertness management techniques that could improve 
safety in air transportation. This advisory circular will discuss the 
current state of the knowledge associated with the physiological 
mechanisms underlying fatigue; demonstrate how this knowledge can be 
applied to improve flight crew rest, alertness, and performance; and 
provide practical recommendations for use by crewmembers.
    A recommendation in the form of an advisory circular, or other 
advisory material, will be submitted in a format prescribed by the FAA. 
The recommendation should be fully justified, and the justification 
should be presented as part of the recommendation.
    ARAC recommendations to the FAA should be accompanied by 
appropriate documents. Recommendations for rulemaking should be 
accompanied by a complete draft of the notice(s) of proposed 
rulemaking, including the benefit/cost analysis and other required 
analyses. Recommendations for the issue of guidance material should be 
accompanied by a complete advisory circular.

ARAC Activity

    In order to carry out the functions of the committee to develop 
advice and recommendations, ARAC may choose to establish working groups 
to which specific tasks are assigned. Such working groups are comprised 
of experts from those organizations having an interest in certain tasks 
assigned to ARAC. This notice is intended to notify the public that 
ARAC is establishing the Fatigue Countermeasures and Alertness 
Management Working Group.

Working Group Formation

    Any individual who has expertise in the subject matter and wishes 
to become a member of the Fatigue Countermeasures and Alertness 
Management Techniques Working Group should contact the person listed 
under the caption FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT expressing that 
desire, describing his or her interest in the task, and the expertise 
he or she would bring to the working group.
    Working group recommendations must be reviewed and approved by 
ARAC. If ARAC accepts the working group's recommendations, it forwards 
them to the FAA as an ARAC recommendation.

Working Group Reports

    Each working group formed to consider an ARAC task(s) is expected 
to comply with the procedures adopted by ARAC and given to the working 
group chair. As part of the procedures, the working group is expected 
to:
    A. Recommend a work plan for completion of the task(s), including 
rationale, for consideration at the meeting of ARAC to consider Air 
Carrier Operations issues held following publication of this notice.
    B. Give a detailed conceptual presentation on the task to ARAC 
before proceeding with the task.
    C. Give a status report on the task at each meeting of ARAC held to 
consider Air Carrier Operations issues.
    The Secretary of Transportation has determined that the formation 
and use of ARAC are necessary in the public interest in connection with 
the performance of duties imposed on the FAA by law. Meetings of ARAC 
will be open to the public except as authorized by section 10(d) of the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act. Meetings of the Fatigue Countermeasures 
and Alertness Management Techniques Working Group will not be open to 
the public, except to the extent that individuals with an interest and 
expertise are selected to participate. No public announcement of 
working group meetings will be made.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on March 22,1995.
Quentin Smith,
Assistant Executive Director, Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee.
[FR Doc. 95-7624 Filed 3-27-95; 8:45 am]
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