[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 48 (Wednesday, March 12, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11885-11886]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-5932]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
Proposed Revisions to Advisory Circular 25.783-1, Fuselage Doors
and Hatches
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed advisory circular and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration invites public comment on
proposed revisions to Advisory Circular, AC 25.783-1, ``Fuselage Doors
and Hatches.'' The revised advisory circular provides guidance for
demonstrating compliance with proposed revisions to the design
standards for fuselage doors and hatches, published earlier this year.
This notice provides interested persons an opportunity to comment on
the
[[Page 11886]]
revised advisory material concurrent with the proposed rule.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 14, 2003.
ADDRESSES: You should send your comments to the Federal Aviation
Administration, Transport Airplane Directorate, Attention: Jeff
Gardlin, Airframe/Cabin Safety Branch, ANM-115, Transport Airplane
Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW.,
Renton, Washington 98055-4056. You may also fax your comments to 425-
227-1149, or you may send your comments electronically to:
[email protected]. You may review all comments received at the above
address between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. weekdays, except Federal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeff Gardlin at the above address,
telephone 425-227-2136.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
How Do I Obtain a Copy of the Proposed Advisory Circular?
You may obtain an electronic copy of the proposed advisory circular
at the following Internet address: http://www.airweb.faa.gov/DraftAC.
If you do not have access to the Internet, you may request a copy by
contacting Jeff Gardlin at the address or phone number listed earlier
in this announcement.
How Do I submit Comments on the Proposed Advisory Circular?
You are invited to comment on the proposed AC by submitting written
comments, data, or views. You must identify the AC by title and submit
your comments in duplicate to the address specified above. We will
consider all comments received on or before the closing date for
comments before issuing the final AC.
Discussion
By separate notice publish in the Federal Register (68 FR 1932,
January 14, 2003), the FAA proposes to amend the design standards for
fuselage doors on transport category airplanes. Currently, most of the
relevant standards are found in title 14, Code of Federal Regulations
(CFR), Sec. 25.783, ``Doors.'' The proposed revision would improve
door integrity by providing design standards that would ensure that
doors remain secure under all circumstances that service experience has
shown can occur.
We prepared a proposed revision to AC 25.783-1, ``Fuselage Doors
and Hatches,'' to provide guidance on one means of showing compliance
with the proposed revised requirements of Sec. 25.783. The means of
compliance described in the proposed AC provides guidance to supplement
the engineering and operational judgment that must form the basis fo
any compliance findings on the structural and functional safety
standards for doors and their operating systems.
Harmonization of Standards and Guidance
The proposed AC is based on recommendations submitted to the FAA by
the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC). The FAA tasked ARAC
(63 FR 50954, September 23, 1998) to provide advice and recommendations
on ``harmonizing'' certain sections of part 25 with the counterpart
standards contained in Joint Aviation Requirements (JAR) 25. The goal
of ``harmonization tasks,'' such as this, is to ensure that:
[sbull] Where possible, standards and guidance do not require
domestic and foreign parties to manufacture or operate to different
standards for each country involved; and
[sbull] The standards and guidance adopted are mutually acceptable
to the FAA and the foreign aviation authorities.
The guidance contained in the proposed AC has been harmonized with
that of the JAA, and provides a method of compliance that has been
found acceptable to both the FAA and JAA.
The FAA is making the AC available as it was recommended from the
Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee. However, certain events
subsequent to the recommendation being received by the FAA have raised
concerns regarding the guidance contained in paragraph 9b(2) with
regard to differential pressures under which doors can be opened.
Therefore, the FAA specifically invites comments on this aspect of the
guidance.
Issuance of the revised AC is contingent on final adoption of the
proposed changes to the relevant regulations.
Issued in Renton, Washington, on March 3, 2003.
Ali Bahrami,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 03-5932 Filed 3-11-03; 8:45 am]
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