[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 226 (Friday, November 23, 2001)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 58912]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-29272]



[[Page 58911]]

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Part IV





Department of Transportation





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Federal Aviation Administration



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14 CFR Parts 121, 125, et al.



Service Difficulty Reports; Final Rule

  Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 226 / Friday, November 23, 2001 / 
Rules and Regulations  

[[Page 58912]]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Parts 121, 125, 135, and 145

[Docket No. FAA-2000-7952]
RIN 2120-AF71


Service Difficulty Reports

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; delay of effective date.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is further delaying 
the effective date of a final rule that amends the reporting 
requirements for air carriers and certificated domestic and foreign 
repair station operators concerning failures, malfunctions, and defects 
of aircraft, aircraft engines, systems, and components. This action is 
prompted by concerns the aviation industry raised about the reporting 
requirements in the final rule and the FAA's decision to issue a notice 
of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to address these concerns. The NPRM will 
present the FAA's proposal on how the agency intends to amend the final 
rule. Delaying the effective date of the final rule will allow 
additional time for completion of the NPRM process.

DATES: The effective date of the rule amending 14 CFR parts 121, 125, 
135, and 145 published at 65 FR 56191, September 15, 2000, and delayed 
at 65 FR 80743, December 22, 2000 and at 66 FR 21626, April 30, 2001 
until January 16, 2002, is further delayed until January 16, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jose Figueroa, AFS-300, Federal 
Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 
20591, 202-267-3797.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On September 15, 2000, the FAA requested comments on the 
information collection requirements on the final rule entitled 
``Service Difficulty Reports'' (65 FR 56191). That final rule, which 
had an effective date of January 16, 2001, amended the reporting 
requirements for air carriers and certified domestic and foreign repair 
station operators concerning failures, malfunctions, and defects of 
aircraft, aircraft engines, systems, and components. The FAA received 
extensive written comments on the Service Difficulty Reporting (SDR) 
requirements and on the potential duplicate reporting of certain 
failures, malfunctions, and defects. On November 30, 2000, the FAA 
announced (65 FR 71247) that a public meeting on this rulemaking would 
be held on December 11, 2000. Participants at that meeting raised novel 
issues that the FAA was not aware of when preparing the final rule.
    As a result of the concerns expressed at the meeting and those 
raised during the comment period for the final rule (published 
September 15, 2000), the FAA delayed the effective date of the final 
rule in two subsequent notices. The purpose of these delays was to 
allow the agency time to consider industry's concerns. The first notice 
(65 FR 80743) was published on December 22, 2000, and the second notice 
(66 FR 21626) was published on April 30, 2001. The FAA now anticipates 
that it will issue an NPRM to address the issues raised and to give the 
aviation industry and the general public the opportunity to comment on 
the agency's proposed revisions to the final rule. To allow time to 
proceed with the NPRM process, the FAA further extends the effective 
date of the final rule until January 16, 2003. The FAA cautions the 
industry that the existing rules will remain in effect until the new 
effective date.
    Since the delay in the effective date of the final rule does not 
impose any new requirements or any additional burden on the regulated 
public, the FAA finds that good cause exists for immediate adoption of 
the new effective date without a 30-day notice.
    Please note that the FAA transitioned to a new Docket Management 
System maintained by the Department of Transportation during the course 
of the SDR rulemaking. The docket number for this rulemaking is now 
``FAA-2000-7952.'' At earlier stages of the rulemaking, the docket 
number was ``28293.''

    Issued in Washington DC on November 19, 2001.
Jane F. Garvey,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 01-29272 Filed 11-21-01; 8:45 am]
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