[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 228 (Wednesday, November 26, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66524-66525]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-29450]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee; Air Carrier Operations 
Issues--New Task

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of a new task for the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory 
Committee (ARAC).

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SUMMARY: Notice is given of new tasks assigned to and accepted by the 
Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC). This notice tells the 
public of the activities of ARAC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathy Abbott, Federal Aviation 
Administration, Regulation and Certification, 800 Independence Ave., 
SW., Washington, DC 20591; telephone: 202-267-7192.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The FAA established the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee to 
provide advice and recommendations to the FAA Administrator, through 
the Associate Administrator for Regulation and Certification, on the 
full range of the FAA's rulemaking activities about aviation-related 
issues. This includes getting advice and recommendations on the FAA's 
commitment to harmonize its Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) and 
practices with its trading partners in Europe and Canada.
    One area ARAC deals with is air carrier operations issues. These 
issues involve the operational requirements for air carriers, including 
crewmember requirements, airplane operating performance and 
limitations, and equipment requirements.

The Task

    This notice is to tell the public the FAA has asked ARAC to provide 
advice and recommendation on the following harmonization task:
    Harmonize positions on issues related to low-visibility operations. 
The ARAC Working Group will work on operational and airworthiness 
issues that apply to air carrier operations in low visibility 
conditions. The ARAC Working Group will identify harmonization issues 
in the following areas and will work to reach and document consensus on 
those issues: Maintenance of harmonization of all weather operations 
criteria based on experience gained from recent certification programs 
and operations; evolution of criteria to support Global Navigation 
Satellite System Landing Systems (GLS); new technologies that are being 
applied to low visibility operations, and complete harmonization of 
operating minima criteria and implementation processes. The Group will 
coordinate information with the FAA/Industry Terminal Area Operations 
Aviation Rulemaking Committee (TAOARC), JAA All Weather Operations 
Steering Group (AWOSG), and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for 
consideration during its activities. This coordination will occur 
before the All Weather Operations Harmonization Working Group (AWO HWG) 
presents recommendations to ARAC. By March 2004, the Group will 
complete and document in a technical report the activity underway to 
harmonize low visibility operating minima between Europe and the United 
States.

ARAC Acceptance of Task

    ARAC has accepted the task and has chosen to assign the task to the 
All Weather Operations Harmonization Working Group. Because a new task 
is being assigned to the working group, membership will be reopened. 
The working group will serve as staff to ARAC to aid ARAC in the 
analysis of the assigned task. Working group recommendations must be 
reviewed and approved by ARAC. If ARAC accepts the working group's 
recommendations, it forwards them to the FAA as ARAC recommendations.

Working Group Activity

    The All Weather Operations Harmonization Working Group is expected 
to comply with the procedures adopted by ARAC. As part of the

[[Page 66525]]

procedures, the working group is expected to:
    1. Recommend a work plan for completion of the tasks, including the 
reason supporting such a plan. The work plan should be presented for 
consideration at the first meeting of the ARAC on air carrier 
operations issues held following publication of this notice.
    2. Give a detailed presentation of the proposed recommendations, 
before continuing with the work stated in item 3 below.
    3. For each task, draft suitable documents with supporting 
analyses. Draft any other related material or collateral documents the 
working group determines to be suitable.
    4. Provide a status report at each meeting of ARAC held to consider 
air carrier operations issues.

Participation in the Working Group

    The All Weather Operations Harmonization Working Group will be 
composed of technical experts having an interest in the assigned task. 
A working group member need not be a representative of a member of the 
full committee.
    An individual who has expertise in the subject matter and wishes to 
become a member of the working group should write to the person listed 
under the caption FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT expressing that 
desire, describing his or her interest in the tasks, and stating the 
expertise he or she would bring to the working group. All requests to 
participate must be received by December 10, 2003. The assistant chair, 
the assistant executive director, and the working group chair will 
review the requests, and the individuals will be advised whether the 
request can be granted.
    Individuals chosen for membership on the working group will be 
expected to represent their aviation community segment and participate 
actively in the working group (for example, attend all meetings, 
provide written comments when asked to do so, etc.). They also will be 
expected to devote the resources necessary to ensure the ability of the 
working group to meet any assigned deadline(s). Members are expected to 
keep their management chain advised of working group activities and 
decisions to ensure the agreed technical solutions do not conflict with 
their sponsoring organization's position when the subject being 
negotiated is presented to ARAC for a vote.
    Once the working group has begun deliberations, members will not be 
added or substituted without the approval of the assistant chair, the 
assistant executive director, and the working group chair.
    The Secretary of Transportation has determined the formation and 
use of ARAC is necessary and in the public interest in connection with 
the performance of duties imposed on the FAA by law.
    Meetings of ARAC will be open to the public. Meetings of the All 
Weather Operations Harmonization Working Group will not be open to the 
public, except to the extent those individuals with an interest and 
expertise are selected to participate. No public announcement of 
working group meetings will be made.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on November 17, 2003.
Anthony F. Fazio,
Executive Director, Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee.
[FR Doc. 03-29450 Filed 11-25-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P