[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 168 (Monday, August 31, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46272-46273]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-23365]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


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

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

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

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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, Transport Standards 
Staff (ANM-110), Federal Aviation Administration, 1601 Lind Avenue, 
SW., Renton, WA 98055-4056; phone (425) 227-1255; 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 and engines in 14 CFR parts 25, 33, and 35 and parallel 
provisions in 14 CFR parts 121 and 135.

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:

Task 2: Passenger Seat Safety

    The primary issue for FAR 25.562:
    FAR 25.562(b) states ``Each seat type design approved for crew or 
passenger occupancy during takeoff and landing must successfully 
complete dynamic test or be demonstrated by rational analysis based on 
dynamic tests of a similar type seat * * *.'' The method for 
determining the required ``rational analysis based on dynamic tests'' 
is different between regulatory bodies.
    The FAA has accepted the Revised Means of Compliance (RMCC) as a 
method of determining which members of a seat family must be 
demonstrated by dynamic test so that the rest may be certified by 
similarity. The JAA has not accepted this method of determining the 
test seats. Harmonization of test article selection is the objective.
    A secondary issue for FAR 25.562:
    Harmonization should also occur on other methods of compliance to 
FAR 25.562, including pass/fail criteria and test methodology.
    The primary issue for FAR 25.785:
    FAR 25.785(c) states that each seat or berth must be approved. The 
FAA requires all seats that are ``in-flight only'' to have a restraint 
system before they will be approved. The JAA does not require 
restraints for seats that are not occupied for taxi, takeoff and

[[Page 46273]]

landing. Harmonization on this issue is the goal.
    A secondary issue for FAR 25.785:
    FAR 25.785(b) states ``Each seat and berth * * * must be designed 
so that a person making proper use of these facilities will not suffer 
serious injury in an emergency landing as a result of the inertial 
forces specified in 25.561 and 25.562.'' FAR 25.785(e) states ``Berths 
must be free from corners and protuberances likely to cause injury to a 
person occupying the berth during emergency conditions.'' The 
subjective criteria used to determine ``corners and protuberances 
likely to cause injury'' and the test/analysis required to demonstrate 
compliance are different between regulatory bodies. The expectations 
for demonstrating compliance should be harmonized.
    Three specific areas of passenger seat certification issues need to 
be addressed:
    (a) In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) video arms which allow a video 
screen to rotate in front of the passenger during flight.
    (b) Seat back mounted accessories such as telephones, video 
screens, etc.
    (c) Definition of what design features are considered sharp edges 
or in appropriate corners when exposed to the passenger cabin.
    Guidance on acceptable methods of compliance should be provided 
which are acceptable to both the FAA and the JAA. An advisory circular 
should be revised or newly issued to address the new guidance.
    The FAA expects ARAC to submit its recommendation(s) by July 31, 
2000.
    The FAA requests that ARAC draft appropriate regulatory documents 
with supporting economic and other required analyses, and any other 
related guidance material or collateral documents to support its 
recommendations. If the resulting recommendation(s) are one or more 
notices of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) published by the FAA, the FAA may 
ask ARAC to recommend disposition of any substantive comments the FAA 
receives.

Working Group Activity

    ARAC has accepted the task and has chosen to assign it to the 
existing Seat Testing Harmonization Working Group. As a result of the 
new task assigned to the working group and because the working group 
has been dormant for some time, membership is being reopened. 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.
    The Seat Testing 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. 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. If the resulting recommendation is one or more notices 
of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) published by the FAA, the FAA may ask 
ARAC to recommend disposition of any substantive comments the FAA 
receives.
    4. Provide a status report at each meeting of ARAC held to consider 
transport airplane and engine issues.

Participation in the Working Group

    The Seat Testing Harmonization Working Group will be composed of 
technical 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. All requests to 
participate must be received no later than October 1, 1998. The 
requests will be reviewed by the assistant chair, the assistant 
executive director, and the working group chair, and the individuals 
will be advised whether or not the request can be accommodated.
    Individuals chosen for membership on the working group will be 
expected to represent their aviation community segment and participate 
actively in the working group (e.g., attend all meetings, provide 
written comments when requested to do so, etc.). They also will be 
expected to devote the resources necessary to ensure the ability of the 
working group to meet any assigned deadline(s). Members are expected to 
keep their management chain advised of working group activities and 
decisions to ensure that the agreed technical solutions do not conflict 
with their sponsoring organization's position when the subject being 
negotiated is presented to ARAC for a vote.
    Once the working group has begun deliberations, members will not be 
added or substituted without the approval of the assistant chair, the 
assistant executive director, and the working group chair.
    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 Seat 
Testing 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 25, 1998.
Joseph A. Hawkins,
Executive Director, Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee.
[FR Doc. 98-23365 Filed 8-28-98; 8:45 am]
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