[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 178 (Monday, September 15, 2003)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 53877]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-23505]


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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: Correction.

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SUMMARY: This document makes corrections to the correction to the final 
rule published in the Federal Register on August 20, 2003 (68 FR 
50069). This document makes a minor change to a section number that was 
changed in the previous correction to the final rule. In the first 
correction document, we inserted a corrected Parameter 15 into the 
appendixes for part 121 and part 125 in the final rule. We 
inadvertently cited Sec.  135.152(j) in the ``Seconds per sampling 
interval'' column when we should have cited Sec.  121.344(f).

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.

Correction

    In the correction to the final rule ``Digital Flight Data Recorder 
Requirements--Changes to Recording Specifications and Additional 
Exceptions'' published in the Federal Register on August 20, 2003, FR 
Doc. No. 03-21329 (68 FR 50069) make the following correction:
    1. On page 50069, in the chart for Parameter 15, in the fourth 
column, correct ``0.5 or 0.25 for airplanes operated under Sec.  
135.152(j).'' to read ``0.5 or 0.25 for airplanes operated under Sec.  
121.344(f).''

    Issued in Washington, DC on September 9, 2003.
Donald P. Byrne,
Assistant Chief Counsel for Regulations.
[FR Doc. 03-23505 Filed 9-12-03; 8:45 am]
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