[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 102 (Friday, May 24, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26246-26247]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-13158]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration


Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee; Transport Airplane and 
Engine Issues--New Task

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of a new task assignment for the Aviation Rulemaking 
Advisory Committee (ARAC).

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SUMMARY: Notice is given a new task assigned to and accepted by the 
Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC). This notice informs the 
public of the activities of ARAC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stewart R. Miller, Manager, Transport 
Standards Staff, ANM-110, FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft 
Certification Service, 1601 Lind Ave. SW., Renton, WA 98055-4056, 
telephone (206) 227-2190, fax (206) 226-1320.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The FAA has established an Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee 
to provide 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. This includes obtaining advice and recommendations on 
the FAA's commitment to harmonize its Federal Aviation Regulations 
(FAR) and practices with its trading partners in Europe and Canada.
    One area ARAC deals with is Transport Airplane and Engine issues. 
These issues involve the airworthiness standards for transport category 
airplanes in 14 CFR parts 25, 33, and 35 of the FAR and parallel 
provisions in 14 CFR parts 121 and 135 of the FAR. The corresponding 
European airworthiness standards for transport category airplanes are 
contained in Joint Aviation Requirements (JAR)-25, JAR-E, and JAR-P, 
respectively. The corresponding Canadian Standards are contained in 
Chapters 525, 533 and 535 respectively.

The Task

    This notice is to inform the public that the FAA has asked ARAC to 
provide advice and recommendation on the following harmonization task:

    System Design and Analysis Harmonization and Technology Update. 
Review Sec. 25.1309, JAR paragraph 25.1309, the associated Advisory 
Circular 25.1309-1A, and Advisory Circulars Joint Numbers 1 through 
8. In light of this review, recent experience in applying Sec. /
paragraph 25.1309 of the FAR and of the JAR, and the implications of 
new technology, harmonize Sec. /paragraph 25.1309 and revise the 
associated guidance material in Advisory Circular 25.1309-1A, 
Advisory Material Joint 25.1309, and Advisory Circulars Joint 
Numbers 1 through 8 as necessary. In addition to the general task of 
harmonizing the wording and application of Sec. /paragraph 25.1309, 
attention should be given to airplane level safety assessment, 
instructions for continued airworthiness of fault tolerant systems, 
use of operational factors in the safety assessment process, and 
acceptable methods for showing compliance with Sec. /paragraph 
25.1309. Review wording and application of Sec. /paragraph 25.1301 
and revise if necessary, such that non-safety related equipment, 
such as passenger entertainment devices, etc. are not required to 
meet their specifications for intended function.

    The FAA has also asked that ARAC determine if rulemaking action 
(e.g., NPRM, supplemental MPRM, final rule, withdrawal) should be 
taken, or advisory material should be issued or revised. If so, ARAC 
has been asked to prepare the necessary documents, including economic 
analysis, to justify and carry out its recommendation(s).

ARAC Acceptance of Task

    ARAC has accepted this task and has chosen to assign it to the 
existing Systems Design and Analysis Harmonization Working Group. The 
working group will serve as staff to ARAC to assist ARAC in the 
analysis of the assigned task. 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 ARAC recommendations.

Working Group Activity

    The System Design and Analysis Harmonization Working Group is 
expected to comply with the procedures adopted by ARAC. As part of the 
procedures, the working group is expected to:
    1. Recommended a work plan for completion of the tasks, including 
rationale supporting such a plan, for consideration at the meeting of 
ARAC to consider Transport Airplane and Engine Issues held following 
publication of this notice.
    2. Give a detailed conceptual presentation of the proposed 
recommendations, prior to proceeding with the work stated in items 3 
below.
    3. For each task, draft appropriate regulatory documents with 
supporting economic and other required analyses, and/or any other 
related guidance material or collateral documents the working group 
determines to be appropriate; or, if new or revised requirements or 
compliance methods are not recommended, a draft report stating the 
rationale for not making such recommendations.
    4. Provide a status report at each meeting of ARAC held to consider 
Transport Airplane and Engine Issues.

Participation in the Working Group

    The Systems Design and Analysis Harmonization Working Group is 
composed of experts having an interest in the assigned task. A working 
group member need not be a representative of a member of the full 
committee.
    An individual who has expertise in the subject matter and wishes to 
become a member of the working group should write to the person listed 
under the caption FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT expressing that 
desire, describing his or her interest in the tasks, and stating the 
expertise he or she would bring to the working group. The request will 
be reviewed by the assistant chair, the assistant executive director, 
and the working group chair, and the individual will be advised whether 
or not the request can be accommodated.
    The Secretary of Transportation has determined that the formation 
and use of ARAC are necessary and 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

[[Page 26247]]

Committee Act. Meetings of the Systems Design and Analysis 
Harmonization 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 May 14, 1996.
Chris Christie,
Executive Director, Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee.
[FR Doc. 96-13158 Filed 5-23-96; 8:45 am]
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