[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 140 (Thursday, July 22, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39553-39554]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-18718]



[[Page 39553]]

=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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).

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

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: Dorenda Baker, Transport Standards 
Staff (ANM-110) Federal Aviation Administration, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., 
Renton, WA 98055-4056; phone (425) 227-2109; 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: Flight Crew Error/Flight Crew Performance Considerations in the 
Flight Deck Certification Process

    Step 1. Review relevant existing material (FAR/JAR 25 regulations, 
advisory material, policy, and related references) and make 
recommendations about what regulatory standards and/or advisory 
material should be updated or developed to consistently address design-
related flight crew performance vulnerabilities, and prevention and 
management (detection, tolerance, and recovery) of flight crew error. 
This review should be accomplished in the context of both the Type 
Certification and Supplemental type Certification processes.
    Step 2. Based on results of the Step 1 review, recommend new 
advisory material to address design-related vulnerabilities of flight 
crew performance and the management of flight crew error.
    Step 3. Recommend (or plan for the development of) new regulatory 
material to address design-related vulnerabilities of flight crew 
performance and the management of flight crew error. If rulemaking is 
not recommended, provide reasons and propose non-rulemaking 
alternatives.
    Step 4. Recommend an implementation plan for products of Steps 1-3, 
and develop Terms of Reference for fulfilling the plan.
    Step 5. During accomplishment of these steps, identify implications 
for qualification and operations for communication to appropriate 
groups.
    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 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.
    An interim report responding to the first three steps would be 
required from the ARAC working group within 18 months. The entire 
project shall be completed within 36 months of tasking.

ARAC Acceptance of Task

    ARAC has accepted the task and has chosen to establish a new Human 
Factors 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.

Working Group Activity

    The Human Factors 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 task, 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 Human Factors 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 task, and stating the 
expertise he or she would bring to the working group. All requests to 
participate must be received no later than Sept. 17, 1999. The requests 
will be reviewed by the assistant chair and the assistant executive 
director, 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

[[Page 39554]]

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 Human 
Factors 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 July 14, 1999.
Ida M. Klepper,
Acting Executive Director Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee.
[FR Doc. 99-18718 Filed 7-21-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M