[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 235 (Monday, December 8, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64621-64623]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-32034]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee; Transport Airplane and 
Engine Issues; New Tasks

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 of 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:
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 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 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 Tasks

    This notice is to inform the public that the FAA has asked ARAC to 
provide advice and recommendation on the following harmonization tasks:
    Task 1. As a short-term project, consider the need for a regulation 
that requires installation of ice detectors, aerodynamic performance 
monitors, or another acceptable means to warn

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flightcrews of ice accumulation on critical surfaces requiring crew 
action (regardless of whether the icing conditions are inside or 
outside of Appendix C of 14 CFR Part 25). Also consider the need for a 
Technical Standard Order for design and/or minimum performance 
specifications for an ice detector and aerodynamic performance 
monitors. Develop the appropriate regulation and applicable standards 
and advisory material if a consensus on the need for such devices is 
reached. (Schedule: September 1998, Reach agreement on proposed rule; 
January 1999, NPRM package delivered to FAA from ARAC; March 1999, 
Publish NPRM; March 2000, Publish Final Rule.)
    As long-term projects:
    Task 2. Review National Transportation Safety Board recommendations 
A-96-54, A-96-56, and A-96-58, and advances in ice protection state-of-
the-art. In light of this review, define an icing environment that 
includes supercooled large droplets (SLD), and devise requirements to 
assess the ability of aircraft to safely operate either for the period 
of time to exit or to operate without restriction in SLD aloft, in SLD 
at or near the surface, and in mixed phase conditions if such 
conditions are determined to be more hazardous than the liquid phase 
icing environment containing supercooled water droplets. Consider the 
effects of icing requirement changes on 14 CFR part 23 and part 25 and 
revise the regulations if necessary. In addition, consider the need for 
a regulation that requires installation of a means to discriminate 
between conditions within and outside the certification envelope. 
(Schedule: September 1999, Reach technical agreement; January 2000, 
NPRM package delivered to FAA from ARAC; March 2000, Publish NPRM; 
March 2001, Publish Final Rule.)
    Task 3. Propose changes to make the requirements of 14 CFR 23.1419 
and 25.1419 the same (Schedule: September 1999, Reach technical 
agreement; January 2000, NPRM package delivered to FAA from ARAC; March 
2000, Publish NPRM; March 2001, Publish Final Rule)
    Task 4. Harmonize 14 CFR Secs. 23.1419, 25.1419, 25.929, and 
25.1093 and JAR 23.1419, 25.1419, 25.929, and 25.1093. (Schedule: 
September 1999, Reach technical agreement; January 2000, NPRM package 
delivered to FAA from ARAC; March 2000, Publish NPRM; March 2001, 
Publish Final Rule)
    Task 5. Consider the effects icing requirement changes may have on 
14 CFR Secs. 25.773(b)(1)(ii), 25.1323(e), 25.1325(b) and revise the 
regulations if necessary. (Schedule: September 1999, Reach technical 
agreement; January 2000, NPRM Package delivered to FAA from ARAC; March 
2000, Publish NPRM; March 2001, Publish Final Rule (if necessary)).
    Task 6. Consider the need for a regulation on ice protection of 
angle of attack probes (Schedule: September 1999, Reach technical 
agreement; January 2000, NPRM package delivered to FAA from ARAC; March 
2000, Publish NPRM; March 2001, Publish Final Rule (if necessary)).
    Task 7. Develop or update advisory material pertinent to items 2 
through 6 above. (Schedule: October 2000, Advisory material package 
delivered to FAA from ARAC; March 2001, Publish advisory material).
    If ARAC determines rulemaking action (e.g., NPRM, supplemental 
NPRM, final rule, withdrawal) should be taken, or advisory material 
should be issued or revised, it has been asked to prepare the necessary 
documents, including economic analysis, to justify and carry out its 
recommendation(s).

ARAC Acceptance of Tasks

    ARAC has accepted these tasks and has chosen to assign them to a 
new Ice Protection Harmonization Working Group (IPHWG) under the 
Transport Airplane and Engine issue. The new working group will serve 
as staff to ARAC to assist ARAC in the analysis of the assigned tasks. 
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.
    The IPHWG will coordinate with the Flight Test Harmonization 
Working Group, other harmonization working groups, organizations, and 
specialists as appropriate. Other affected groups, organizations, and 
specialists may include but not be limited to the Powerplant 
Installation Harmonization Working Group, Engine Harmonization Working 
Group, General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), human factors 
specialists, and meteorologists. Coordination with the Flight Test 
Harmonization Working Group will be necessary to ensure that the IPHWG 
does not initiate work on issues already being addressed by the Flight 
Test group. Coordination with GAMA will be necessary to ensure that the 
proposed NASA Advanced General Aviation Transport Experiment project is 
considered throughout the process of accomplishing the short and long 
term projects. The IPHWG will request ARAC assignment of tasks to 
existing working groups if necessary. The IPHWG will identify to ARAC 
the need for additional new working groups when existing groups do not 
have the appropriate expertise to address certain tasks.

Working Group Activity

    The Ice Protection 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 
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.

Participation in the Working Group

    The Ice Protection Harmonization Working Group will be composed of 
experts having an interest in the assigned tasks. 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. Meetings of the Ice 
Protection Harmonization Working Group will not

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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 November 24, 1997.
Joseph A. Hawkins,
Executive Director, Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee.
[FR Doc. 97-32034 Filed 12-5-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M