[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 167 (Thursday, August 28, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45691-45692]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-22923]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Notice is given of 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 (425) 227-2190, fax (425) 227-1320.

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 the aviation authorities 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 and parallel provisions in 14 
CFR parts 121 and 135. 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:

25.1329/25.1335  Automatic Flight Control and Guidance System 
Requirements Harmonization and Technology Update

    1. Review Secs. 25.1329/1335, JAR paragraphs 25.1329/1335 plus that 
material contained in NPA 25F-243 in addition to Sec. 121.579 and the 
associated Advisory Circular 25.1329-1 and ACJ 25.1329. Update and 
harmonize the Part 25 sections and the associated guidance material, in 
the light of the review of regulatory materials, current certification 
experience, and changes in technology and system design. Address needed 
changes in requirements for automatic flight control and guidance 
functions (including speed/thrust controls), performance, safety, 
failure and envelope protection functions, warnings, and annunciations. 
Harmonize acceptable methods of demonstrating compliance with these 
requirements and propose relevant language for the next revision of the 
flight test guide AC 25-7-X.
    2. Review recommendations that stem from recent transport aviation 
events and relate to crew error, cockpit automation and in particular, 
automatic flight control/guidance, made by the NTSB, the FAA Human 
Factors Team, and the JAA Human Factors Steering Group. Make any 
proposed amendments to Secs. 25.1329/25.1335 and advisory materials 
that are needed to resolve these recommendations consistent with the 
entire body of proposed amendments.
    The task should be completed within 18 months of tasking.
    The FAA has also asked that ARAC determine if rulemaking action 
(e.g., NPRM, supplemental NPRM, 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 Task

    ARAC has accepted this task and has chosen to assign it to a new 
Flight/Guidance System 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.

[[Page 45692]]

Working Group Activity

    The Flight/Guidance System 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. Recommend a work plan for completion of the tasks, including the 
rationale supporting such a plan, for consideration at the meeting of 
ARAC to consider Transport Airplane and Engine Issues held following 
the publication of this notice.
    2. Give a detailed conceptual presentation of the proposed 
recommendations, prior to proceeding with the work stated in item 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.
    In addition, the working group is expected to:
    1. Coordinate with All Weather Operations Harmonization Working 
Group (AWOHWG) on changes to operational concepts, requirements, rules, 
and advisory materials that would affect airworthiness requirements to 
ensure consistency between proposed changes to part 25 rules and 
advisory materials. Inform the AWOHWG of potential operational 
implications to proposed part 25 amendments.
    2. Coordinate with other working groups to harmonize requirements 
related to the effects of automatic flight control systems on the loads 
and dynamics of the airplane.

Participation in the Working Group

    The Flight/Guidance System 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 Committee Act. Meetings of the 
Flight/Guidance System 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 August 21, 1997.
Joseph A. Hawkins,
Executive Director, Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee.
[FR Doc. 97-22923 Filed 8-27-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M