[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 158 (Wednesday, August 15, 2001)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 42807-42809]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-20518]


 ========================================================================
 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
 the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
 notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
 the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
 
 ========================================================================
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 158 / Wednesday, August 15, 2001 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 42807]]



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Parts 121 and 139

[Docket No. FAA-2000-7479; Notice No. 00-05]
RIN 2120-AG96


Certification of Airports; Correction

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Proposed rule; correction.

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

SUMMARY: This document contains corrections to the notice of proposed 
rulemaking (NPRM) published in the Federal Register on June 21, 2000 
(65 FR 38636), which proposes to revise the current airport 
certification regulation and to establish certification requirements 
for airports serving scheduled air carrier operations in aircraft with 
10-30 seats.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Linda Bruce, 202-267-8553; E-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    Comments on these corrections should be mailed or delivered, in 
duplicate, to: U.S. Department of Transportation Dockets, Docket No. 
FAA-2000-7479, 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Room Plaza 401, Washington, DC 
20590. Comments also may be sent to or viewed electronically in the 
Dockets Management System (DMS) at the following Internet address: 
http://dms.dot.gov. Commenters who wish to file comments electronically 
should follow the instructions on the DMS web site.

Background

    FAA issued an NPRM on June 21, 2000 (65 FR 38636), which proposes 
to revise the current airport certification regulation and to establish 
certification requirements for airports serving scheduled air carrier 
operations in aircraft with 10-30 seats. These proposed changes would 
require all operators of currently certficated airports to revise their 
airport certification manual or specifications and comply with new 
standards.
    FAA requires under existing part 139 that airport operators comply 
with certain safety requirements prior to serving operations of large 
air carrier aircraft (aircraft designed for at least 31 passenger 
seats). When an airport operator satisfactorily complies with such 
requirements, FAA issues that airport operator an airport operating 
certificate that permits the airport operator to serve large air 
carrier aircraft.
    FAA allows airport operators serving only unscheduled operations of 
large air carrier aircraft to comply with part 139 in a limited manner. 
These airport operators are issued a limited airport operating 
certificate, and under the proposal, would be reclassified as Class IV 
airports. There are approximately 15 airport operators that currently 
hold a limited airport operating certificate that would, under the 
proposal, be classified as Class IV airports.
    As published, the NPRM contains errors regarding proposed 
requirements for Class IV airports that may be misleading to the public 
and are in need of correction. These errors are in a chart in the 
preamble (65 FR 38648) that compares current and proposed part 139 
requirements, and in the chart contained in the proposed regulatory 
language of Sec. 239.203(b)(65 FR 38673).
    Both of these charts incorrectly indicate that Class IV airport 
operators would be required to include procedures in their airport 
certification manual for the handling and storage and hazardous 
materials, traffic and wind direction indicators, and self-inspections, 
but these procedures would not have to meet the requirements prescribed 
under subpart D. However, preamble language in the proposal (65 FR 
38646, 65 FR 38655, 65 FR 38656, and 65 FR 38658) correctly states that 
all proposed airport classifications would be required to address these 
safety issues, in the manner required in subpart D.
    These charts should have indicated that Class IV airport operators 
would need to address in their airport certification manual procedures 
for complying with subpart D requirements for the storage and handling 
of hazardous materials, wind and traffic indicators, and self-
inspections. These new manual elements would be in addition to those 
already required, which include procedures for complying with 
personnel, paved and unpaved surfaces, safety areas, marking, lighting, 
signs, and airport conditions reporting requirements.
    FAA believes the NPRM provided adequate notice of proposed 
requirements for Class IV airports, but is issuing this correction to 
the charts (65 FR 38648 and 65 FR 38673) out of an abundance of 
caution. FAA states in the proposal at 65 FR 38646 that most holders of 
a limited airport operating certificate already address in their 
airport certification specifications, in the manner required under 
proposed subpart D, procedures for the handling of hazardous materials, 
wind and traffic indicators, and self-inspections. No comments were 
received regarding this item as discussed at any of the three locations 
in the proposal.
    Although the comment period for the NPRM has closed, the FAA does 
not believe that the public was confused about this proposal. Any 
comments received on these corrections will be considered to the extent 
practical prior to the issuance of the final rule.
    In addition, there were other errors in the preamble chart found at 
65 FR 38648. This chart should have indicated that the aircraft rescue 
and firefighting (ARFF) requirement would no longer be negotiated. 
Rather, Class IV airports would be required to comply with ARFF 
standards prescribed in proposed Secs. 139.315, 139.317, and 139.319. 
The chart also should have stated that Class IV airport operators 
already comply with personnel provisions and airport condition 
reporting requirements of subpart D. In both instances, the proposed 
rule text regarding these requirements found at 65 FR 38674 (proposed 
Sec. 139.203(b)) was correct.
    Finally, there is a typographical error in the chart found in the 
rule text at 65 FR 38673. The reference to Sec. 139.319(l) in 
Sec. 139.203(b)(6) is incorrect. The reference should be to 
Sec. 139.319(k).

Correction

    In proposed rule FR Doc. 00-14524, published on June 21, 2000 (65 
FR 38636), make the following corrections:
    1. On page 38648, table D is corrected to read as follows:

[[Page 42808]]



       D. Current and Proposed Requirements for Class IV Airports
------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Current requirements                Proposed requirements
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Personnel provisions................  New requirement for a
                                          recordkeeping system and
                                          personnel training.
2. Paved and unpaved surfaces..........  Unchanged.
3. Safety areas........................  Unchanged.
4. Marking, lighting and signs.........  Unchanged.
5......................................
6. ARFF (negotiated standard)..........  New ARFF standards (per
                                          proposed Sec.  139.315-321).
7. HAZMAT handling/storage (negotiated   New HAZMAT handling/storage
 standard).                               standard (per proposed Sec.
                                          139.323).
8. Traffic/wind indicators (negotiated   New traffic/wind indicators
 standard).                               standard (per proposed Sec.
                                          139.325).
9......................................  New requirement for an AEP (no
                                          triennial exercise required).
10. Self-inspections (negotiated         New self-inspection standard
 standard).                               (per proposed Sec.  139.329).
11.....................................
12.....................................
13.....................................
14.....................................
15.....................................
16. Airport condition reporting........  New notification standard.
17.....................................
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    2. On page 38673, the table in Sec. 139.203 is corrected to read as 
follows:


Sec. 139.203  Contents of airport certification manual.

* * * * *

             Required Airport Certification Manual Elements
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           Airport certificate class
                                     -----------------------------------
           Manual elements                      Class    Class    Class
                                      Class I     II      III       IV
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Lines of succession of airport           X        X        X        X
 operational responsibility.........
2. Each current exemption issued to         X        X        X        X
 the airport from the requirements
 of this part.......................
3. Any limitations imposed by the           X        X        X        X
 Administrator......................
4. A grid map or other means of             X        X        X        X
 identifying locations and terrain
 features on and around the airport
 which are significant to emergency
 operations.........................
5. The location of each obstruction         X        X        X        X
 required to be lighted or marked
 within the airport's area of
 authority..........................
6. A description of each movement           X        X        X        X
 area available for air carriers and
 its safety areas and each road
 described in Sec.  139.319(k) that
 serves it..........................
7. Procedures for avoidance of              X        X        X
 interruption or failure during
 construction work of utilities
 serving facilities or navaids that
 support air carrier operations.....
8. A description of the system for          X        X        X        X
 maintaining records as required
 under Sec.  139.301................
9. A description of personnel               X        X        X        X
 training as required under Sec.
 139.303............................
10. Procedures for maintaining the          X        X        X        X
 paved areas as required under Sec.
 139.305............................
11. Procedures for maintaining the          X        X        X        X
 unpaved areas as required under
 Sec.  139.307......................
12. Procedures for maintaining the          X        X        X        X
 safety areas as required under Sec.
  139.309...........................
13. A plan showing the runway and           X        X        X        X
 taxiway identification system along
 with the location and inscription
 of the signs as required under Sec.
  139.311...........................
14. A description of, and procedures        X        X        X        X
 for maintaining, the marking,
 signs, and lighting systems as
 required under 139.311.............
15. A snow and ice control plan as          X        X        X
 required under Sec.  139.313.......
16. A description of the facilities,        X        X        X        X
 equipment, personnel, and
 procedures for meeting the rescue
 and firefighting requirements in
 accordance with Secs.  139.317 and
 139.319............................
17. A description of any approved           X        X        X        X
 exemption to rescue and
 firefighting requirements as
 authorized under Sec.  139.321.....
18. Procedures for handling fuel,           X        X        X        X
 lubricants and oxygen required
 under Sec.  139.323................
19. A description of, and procedures        X        X        X        X
 for maintaining, the traffic and
 wind direction indicators as
 required under Sec.  139.325.......
20. An emergency plan as required           X        X        X        X
 under Sec.  139.327................
21. Procedures for conducting the           X        X        X        X
 self-inspection program as required
 under Sec.  139.329................
22. Procedures for controlling              X        X        X
 ground vehicles as required under
 Sec.  139.331......................
23. Procedures for obstruction              X        X        X
 removal, marking, or lighting as
 requried under Sec.  139.333.......
24. Procedures for protection of            X        X        X
 navaids as required under Sec.
 139.335............................
25. A description of public                 X        X        X
 protection as required under Sec.
 139.337............................
26. A wildlife hazard management            X        X        X
 plan as required under Sec.
 139.339............................
27. Procedures for airport condition        X        X        X        X
 reporting as required under Sec.
 139.341............................
28. Procedures for identifying,             X        X        X
 marking, and reporting construction
 and other unserviceable areas as
 required under Sec.  139.343.......
29. Any other item that the                 X        X        X        X
 Administrator finds is necessary to
 ensure safety in air transportation
------------------------------------------------------------------------



[[Page 42809]]

    Issued in Washington, DC, on August 9, 2001.
Donald P. Byrne,
Assistant Chief Counsel for Regulations.
[FR Doc. 01-20518 Filed 8-14-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M