[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 16 (Friday, January 24, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3730-3731]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-1767]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration


Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee; Training and 
Qualification Issues--New Tasks

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

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

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SUMMARY: Notice is given of three new tasks 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:
Mr. Thomas Toula, Assistant Executive Director for Training and 
Qualification Issues, Flight Standards Service (AFS-210), FAA, 800 
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20591; telephone (202) 267-5229; 
fax: (202) 267-5229.

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

[[Page 3731]]

respect to aviation-related issues. This includes obtaining advice and 
recommendations on the FAA's commitment to harmonize its Federal 
Aviation Regulations and practices with its trading partners in Europe 
and Canada.
    One area ARAC deals with is training and qualification issues. 
These issues involve training and qualification of air carrier 
crewmembers and other air transport employees.
    As part of the Federal Aviation Reauthorization Act of 1996, the 
Administrator was directed to appoint a task force consisting of 
appropriate representatives of the aviation industry to conduct certain 
studies. The Act directed that the FAA conduct: (1) A two-part study 
directed at (a) identifying standards and criteria for pre-employment 
testing for air carrier pilot applicants and (b) standards and criteria 
for pilot training facilities that would incorporate this pre-
employment screening; (2) a study to determine if the practice of some 
employers requiring individuals to pay for training is in the public 
interest; and (3) a study to determine whether current minimum flight 
time requirements applicable to an individual seeking employment as an 
air carrier pilot is sufficient to ensure public safety.

The Tasks

    This notice is to inform the public that the FAA has asked ARAC to 
conduct the following studies:
    1. Identify standards and criteria for pre-employment screening of 
air carrier pilot applicants that would measure the psychomotor 
coordination, general intellectual capacity, instrument and mechanical 
comprehension, and overall physical and mental fitness of pilots 
applying for employment with air carriers. The second half of this 
study would be directed toward addressing training facilities that 
could be licensed by the Administrator to ensure the incorporation of 
pre-employment screening standards and criteria;
    2. Determine if the practice of some air carriers to require 
employees or prospective employees to pay for their own training or 
obtain experience is in the public interest; and
    3. Determine whether current minimum flight time requirements 
applicable to an individual seeking employment as a pilot with an air 
carrier are sufficient to ensure public safety.
    The FAA has asked that ARAC provide the findings of the studies, 
including background, economic analysis, other related guidance 
material, and collateral documents. In addition, the reports should be 
submitted in a format suitable for presentation to Congress. The final 
report on the findings of the task numbered 1 is due to the FAA by 
January 1999. The final reports on the findings of the tasks numbered 2 
and 3 are due to the FAA by August 1997.

ARAC Acceptance of Tasks

    ARAC has accepted the tasks and has chosen to establish three 
working groups: The Air Carrier Pilot Pre-Employment Screening 
Standards and Criteria Working Group, the Air Carrier Pilot Pay for 
Training Working Group, and the Air Carrier Minimum Flight Time 
Requirement Working Group. The Air Carrier Pilot Pre-Employment 
Screening Standards and Criteria Working Group has been assigned task 
number 1, the Air Carrier Minimum Flight Time Requirement Working Group 
has been assigned task number 2, and the Air Carrier Pilot Pre-
Employment Screening Standards and Criteria Working Group has been 
assigned task number 3.
    The working groups will serve as staff to ARAC to assist ARAC in 
the analysis of the assigned tasks. Working group recommendations and 
reports must be reviewed and approved by ARAC. If ARAC accepts the 
working groups' recommendations and reports, it forwards them to the 
FAA as ARAC recommendations.

Working Group Activity

    The working groups are expected to comply with the procedures 
adopted by ARAC. As part of the procedures, the working groups are 
expected to:
    1. Recommend a work plan for completion of the tasks, including the 
rationale supporting such a plan, for consideration at the Training and 
Qualifications issues meeting held following publication of this 
notice.
    2. Give a detailed conceptual presentation of the proposed studies, 
prior to proceeding with the work stated in item 3 below.
    3. Draft appropriate 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.
    4. Provide a status report at each Training and Qualifications 
issues meeting.

Participation in the Working Groups

    The aforementioned working groups will be comprised of individuals 
having an interest and expertise in the assigned task areas. Working 
group members will be selected by the ARAC assistant chair, ARAC 
assistant executive director, and working group chair(s).
    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. Meetings of the 
working groups 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 January 10, 1997.
Thomas Toula,
Assistant Executive Director for Training and Qualifications Issues, 
Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee.
[FR Doc. 97-1767 Filed 1-23-97; 8:45 am]
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