[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 161 (Wednesday, August 20, 2003)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 50069]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-21329]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Parts 121, 125, and 135

[Docket No.: FAA-2003-15682; Amendment Nos. 121-288, 125-42, 135-84]
RIN 2120-AH89


Digital Flight Data Recorder Requirements--Changes to Recording 
Specifications and Additional Exceptions; Correction

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule, correction.

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SUMMARY: This document makes corrections to the final rule published in 
the Federal Register on July 18, 2003. This document makes some minor 
corrections and it also adds Parameter 15 to the document under parts 
121 and 125, and changes the resolution in Parameter 15 by 0.1%.

DATES: This correction is effective August 18, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gary Davis, Flight Standards Service, 
Air Transportation Division; telephone (202) 267-8166; facsimile (202) 
267-5229; e-mail [email protected].

Background

    In response to a series of recommendations issued by the National 
Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the FAA revised and updated parts 
121, 125 and 135 of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) in 
1997 to require that flight data recorders on U.S. registered airplanes 
be upgraded to record additional parameters of data (62 FR 38362, July 
17, 1997). The exact number of parameters required depends on the age 
of the airplane; airplanes manufactured after August 19, 2002, must 
record 88 parameters of flight data.
    The final rule published on July 18, 2003 (68 FR 42932) amends the 
flight data recorder regulations by expanding the recording 
specifications of certain data parameters for specified airplanes, and 
by adding aircraft models to the lists of aircraft excepted from the 
1997 regulations. In addition, this rule corrects specifications in an 
operating rule appendix that were inadvertently omitted in previous 
actions. These changes are necessary to allow the continued operation 
of certain aircraft that are unable to meet the existing recorder 
criteria using installed equipment. The changes are also necessary for 
certain aircraft for which the cost to retrofit under 1997 regulatory 
changes would be cost prohibitive.

List of Subjects

14 CFR Part 121

    Air carriers, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements, Safety, Transportation.

14 CFR Part 125

    Aircraft, Aviation safety, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements.

14 CFR Part 135

    Air taxis, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Reporting and record keeping 
requirements.

The Amendment

0
In consideration of the foregoing, the Federal Aviation Administration 
corrects Chapter I of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations as follows:

Correction

0
In the final rule ``Digital Flight Data Recorder Requirements--Changes 
to Recording Specifications and Additional Exceptions'' published in 
the Federal Register on July 18, 2003, FR Doc. No. 03-18269 (68 FR 
42932) make the following correction:
    1. On Page 42932, in the first column, in the document heading, 
correct ``RIN 2120-AH81'' to read ``RIN 2120-AH89''.
    2. On Page 42936, in the second column, in paragraph (2), line 9, 
correct the words ``Jetstream 4100'' to read ``Jetstream 4100 
Series,''.
    3. On Page 42936, in the third column, in Amendment Number 4, line 
2, correct ``5, 9, 12a, 14a, 16,'' to read ``5, 9, 12a, 14a, 15, 16,''.
    4. On Page 42937, in the second column, in paragraph (2), line 9, 
correct the words ``Jetstream 4100'' to read ``Jetstream 4100 
Series,''.
    5. On Page 42937, in the third column, in Amendment Number 9, line 
2, correct ``5, 9, 12a, 14a, 16,'' to read ``5, 9, 12a, 14a, 15, 16,''.
    6. In the charts on pages 42936 and 42938 after ``14a'' insert the 
following:

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15. Pitch Control Surface(s)         Full Range............  +/-2[deg] Unless        0.5 or 0.25 for        0.3% of full range.    For airplanes fitted
 Position.\6\.                                                Higher Accuracy         airplanes operated                            with multiple or
                                                              Uniquely Required.      under Sec.                                    split surfaces, a
                                                                                      135.152(j).                                   suitable combination
                                                                                                                                    of inputs is
                                                                                                                                    acceptable in lieu
                                                                                                                                    of recording each
                                                                                                                                    surface separately.
                                                                                                                                    The control surfaces
                                                                                                                                    may be sampled
                                                                                                                                    alternately to
                                                                                                                                    produce the sampling
                                                                                                                                    interval of 0.5 or
                                                                                                                                    0.25.
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    7. On page 42939, in the ``Parameters'' column, in 15, in the 
``Resolution'' column, correct ``0.2% of full range'' to read ``0.3% of 
full range.''.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on August 12, 2003.
Donald P. Byrne,
Assistant Chief Counsel for Regulations.
[FR Doc. 03-21329 Filed 8-19-03; 8:45 am]
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