[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 181 (Friday, September 18, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49944-49945]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-25069]


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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 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 (415) 227-1255; fax (415) 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 3: Harmonization of Airworthiness Standards; Flight Rules

    The following differences between Part 25 and JAR 25 and their 
associated guidance material have been identified as having a 
potentially significant impact on airplane design:
    1. Section 25.107(e)(1)(iv) requires a greater margin between 
VLOF and VMU than JAR 25.107(e)(1)(iv) for 
airplanes where liftoff attitude is limited either by geometry or 
elevator power. The FAA permits a reduction in the margin for

[[Page 49945]]

the geometry-limited case with all-engines-operating via a finding of 
equivalent safety, as noted in Advisory Circular 25-7A, but does not 
permit a reduction in the margin for the engine-inoperative case.
    2. JAR 25.147(c) includes an additional requirement regarding roll 
rate with one-engine inoperative relative to Sec. 25.147(c).
    3. JAR 25.253(a)(3) contains in additional requirement relative to 
Sec. 25.253(a)(3); namely, that adequate roll capability must be 
available to assure a prompt recovery from a lateral upset condition.
    4. JAR 25.253(a) (5), which has no Part 25 equivalent, specifies 
that extension of airbrakes at speeds above the maximum operating 
speed/Mach number (VMO/MMO) must not result in an 
excessive positive load factor with the stick free and any nose-down 
pitching moment must be small.
    For each of the above four issues the working group is to review 
airworthiness, safety, cost, and other relevant factors related to the 
specified differences, and reach consensus on harmonized Part 25/JAR 25 
regulations and guidance material.
    The FAA expects ARAC to submit its recommendation by December 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 recommendations(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

    The Flight Test 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.
    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 Flight 
Test 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 September 14, 1998.
Joseph A. Hawkins,
Executive Director, Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee.
[FR Doc. 98-25069 Filed 9-17-98; 8:45 am]
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