[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 66 (Wednesday, April 5, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17936-17938]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-8382]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee Rotorcraft Issues--New 
Task

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

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

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SUMMARY: Notice is given of two 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: Mark Shilling, Rotorcraft Standards 
Staff (ASW--119), Federal Aviation Administration, 2601 Meacham Blvd, 
Fort Worth, Texas 76137-4298; phone (817) 222-5110; fax (817) 222-5961 
email [email protected].

[[Page 17937]]


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 the Federal Aviation Regulations 
(FAR) and practices with its trading partners in Europe and Canada.

The Task

    This notice is to inform the public that the FAA has asked ARAC to 
provide advice and recommendations on the following harmonization 
tasks:

Task No. 1: Damage Tolerance and Fatigue Evaluation of Metallic 
Rotorcraft Structure

     The project is to be a harmonized Joint Aviation 
Regulation (JAR)/FAR 27/29 ARAC program.
     Evaluate: the European Association of Aerospace Industries 
and the Aerospace Industry Association's White Paper, the 
recommendations contained in the Technical Oversight Group for Aging 
Aircraft letters to the FAA, and the ongoing activities and results of 
rotorcraft damage tolerance research and development.
     Identify the information needed to commence rulemaking and 
define an acceptable means of compliance.
     Recommend appropriate changes to FAR/JAR 29 regarding 
damage tolerance and fatigue evaluation of metallic structure, and 
recommend appropriate changes to FAR/JAR 27 that would allow damage 
tolerance as an option. Any recommended changes should be practical and 
appropriate to the unique characteristics of rotorcraft. Where feasible 
and appropriate, provide consistency with FAR/JAR 23/25.
     Evaluate and revise, as appropriate, the following 
advisory materials: AC 29-2; AC 27-1; and AC 20-95, Fatigue Evaluation 
of Rotorcraft Structure; and related guidance.
     The recommendation should be forwarded to the Federal 
Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) 
in the format of a proposed rule.
    Although this tasking for metallic structure does not depend on the 
completion of the composite structure project, the Composite Rotorcraft 
Structure and Metallic Rotorcraft Structure working groups should 
communicate to avoid possibly conflicting recommendation to amend the 
same regulatory sections.
    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 recommendation results in one or more notice of 
proposed rulemaking (NPRM) published by the FAA, the FAA may ask ARAC 
to dispose of any substantive comments the FAA receives.
    A progress report should be provided at each Joint Harmonization 
Working Group meeting. The recommendation should be forwarded to the 
FAA and the FAA by September 2002.

Task No. 2: Damage Tolerance and Fatigue Evaluation of Composite 
Rotorcraft Structure

     The project is to be a harmonized FAR/JAR 29/29 ARAC 
program.
     Revise current FAR/JAR 27 and 29 to add regulations for 
composite structure. Consider creating a new FAR/FAR 27/29.573 to 
address composite structure.
     Evaluate and revise, as appropriate, the regulations and 
the following advisory materials: AC 20-107A, Composite Aircraft 
Structure; AC 27-1; AC 29-2; and related guidance to achieve the goal 
of improved tolerance to flaws and defects in composite structure with 
methodology and procedures which are practical and appropriate to 
rotorcraft. Where feasible and appropriate, provide consistency with 
FAR/JAR 23/25.
     The recommendation should be forwarded to the FAA and JAA 
in the format of a proposed rule.
    Although this tasking for composite structure does not depend on 
the completion of the metallic structure project, the Composite 
Rotorcraft Structure and Metallic Rotorcraft Structure working groups 
should communicate to avoid possibly conflicting recommendations to 
amend the same regulatory sections.
    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 recommendation results in one or more NPRM's 
published by the FAA, the FAA may ask ARAC to dispose of any 
substantive comments the FAA receives.
    A progress report should be provided at each Joint Harmonization 
Working Group meeting. The recommendation should be forwarded to the 
FAA and JAA by November 2002.
ARAC Acceptance of Task
    ARAC has accepted the tasks and has chosen to establish two new 
working groups, the Composite Rotorcraft Structure working group and 
the Metallic Rotorcraft Structure working group. The working groups 
will serve as staff to ARAC to assist ARAC in the completion of the 
assigned tasks. Working group recommendations must be reviewed and 
approved by ARAC. If ARAC accepted the working groups' recommendations, 
ARAC will forward them to the FAA as recommendations.

Working Group Activity

    The Composite Rotorcraft Structure working group and the Metallic 
Rotorcraft Structure working group is expected to comply with the 
procedures adopted by ARAC. As part of the procedures, the working 
groups are expected to:
    1. Recommend a work plan for completion of the task, including the 
rationale supporting such a plan, for consideration at the Rotorcraft 
Issues ARAC meeting held following publication of this notice.
    2. Given 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.
    4. Provide a status report at each meeting of ARAC held to consider 
rotorcraft issues.

Participation in the Working Group

    The Composite Rotorcraft Structure working group and the Metallic 
Rotorcraft Structure working group will be composed of technical 
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 task, and stating the 
expertise he or she would bring to the working group. All requests to 
participate must be received no later than April 10, 2000. The requests 
will be reviewed by the

[[Page 17938]]

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 working group 
meets 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 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 
working groups 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 March 28, 2000.
Anthony F. Fazio,
Executive Director, Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee.
[FR Doc. 00-8382 Filed 4-4-00; 8:45 am]
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