[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 18 (Friday, January 27, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4631-4632]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-1021]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

RIN 2120-AA64


General Aviation Summit; Notice of Public Meeting

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of Public Meeting.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This notice announces a public meeting on the subject of the 
continued airworthiness of the U.S. general aviation fleet of aircraft. 
The purpose of the meeting is to gather information and discuss 
technical issues related to problems associated with the increasing 
average age of the general aviation fleet. Particular emphasis will be 
given to actions that have potential to mitigate the inevitable effects 
of fatigue, corrosion, and deterioration on aging general aviation 
airplanes.

DATES: The public meeting will be held March 22-23, 2006, starting at 8 
a.m. each day, in Kansas City, Missouri. Registration will begin at 8 
a.m. on the first day of the meeting.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the following location: 
Doubletree Hotel Overland Park, 10100 College Blvd., Overland Park, 
Kansas, United States, 66210.
    Persons who are unable to attend the meeting may mail their 
comments to: Federal Aviation Administration, (FAA), Central Region, 
Small Airplane Directorate, Attention: Mr. Marv Nuss, 901 Locust, Room 
301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. Written comments regarding the 
subject of this meeting will receive the same consideration as 
statements made at the public meeting.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Marv Nuss, 901 Locust, Room 301, 
Kansas City, Missouri 64106; telephone:

[[Page 4632]]

(816) 329-4117; facsimile: (816) 329-4090; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Participation at the Public Meeting

    Submit requests to present a statement at the public meeting to Mr. 
Marv Nuss as listed in the section titled FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT above. The FAA should receive your requests to present oral 
statements at the public meeting no later than 10 days prior to the 
meeting. Include a written summary of oral remarks you would like to 
present and the estimated time needed for your presentation. Requests 
received after the date specified above will be scheduled during the 
meeting if time allows; however, the names of those individuals may not 
appear on the written agenda. The FAA will prepare an agenda of 
speakers available at the meeting. To accommodate as many speakers as 
possible, the amount of time allocated to each speaker may be less than 
the amount of time requested. Those persons desiring to have 
audiovisual equipment available should notify the FAA when they request 
placement on the agenda.

Background

    The average airplane in the general aviation fleet of the United 
States is approximately 35 years old. We expect the average age to 
continue to rise. By the year 2020, the average general aviation 
airplane will be almost 50 years old. In 1991, Congress mandated that 
the FAA establish an Aging Aircraft Program to focus on age-related 
structural problems for the air carrier fleet. Congress specifically 
excluded general aviation (GA) aircraft from the mandate. However, the 
FAA determined that as the GA fleet gets older, there is also concern 
about ensuring the continued airworthiness of these airplanes. The 
diversity of the fleet makes dealing with continued airworthiness 
difficult. The wide variety of designs and uses poses problems unique 
to GA.
    In 2000, the FAA held a public meeting on this subject. Ideas were 
exchanged and FAA worked with industry to institute several 
initiatives. However, since that meeting there have been GA fatal 
accidents caused by the effects of airplane aging. There have also been 
primary component failures caused by the effects of airplane aging that 
were discovered before catastrophic failure. The FAA is taking a more 
proactive role in managing the risk associated with continued 
airworthiness. The FAA is concerned about issues such as service 
difficulty experiences and reporting, modification and inspection 
programs, and continued field support from type certificate holders.
    The FAA has determined that in the interest of the public we should 
hold a public meeting on this subject to share information and gather 
additional data. Accordingly, the FAA will conduct this public meeting 
in Kansas City, Missouri.
    The FAA anticipates that the agency, industry, and the general 
public will use the public meeting as a forum to share information, 
resolve questions, and discuss potential solutions concerning the 
continued airworthiness of older general aviation airplanes.

Public Meeting Procedures

    The FAA has established the following procedures for this meeting:
    1. Admission and participation in the public meeting are free. The 
meeting will be open to all persons who have requested in advance to 
present statements or who register on the first day of the meeting 
(between 8 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.). Time availability for presentations and 
seating will be made according to the order of reservation.
    2. Representatives from the FAA will conduct the public meeting. A 
technical panel of FAA personnel will discuss information presented by 
participants.
    3. The public meeting is intended as a forum to share information 
and resolve questions concerning the continued airworthiness of older 
general aviation airplanes. Those sharing information will include 
industry, the general public, and operators of general aviation 
aircraft. Participants must limit their presentations to the issue of 
continued airworthiness of older general aviation airplanes.
    4. All interested parties will have the opportunity to present any 
additional information not currently available to the FAA. The FAA will 
then have the opportunity to explain the methodology and technical 
assumptions supporting its current observations.
    5. FAA personnel, industry, and public participants may engage in a 
full discussion of all technical material presented at the meeting. 
Anyone presenting conclusions will be expected to submit their 
supporting data to the FAA.
    6. The FAA will try to accommodate all speakers. Time may be 
limited for each presentation.
    7. Sign and oral interpretations will be made available at the 
meeting, including assistive listening devices, if requested 15 
calendar days before the meeting.
    8. A court reporter will record the meeting (except for any 
breakout sessions). Any person interested in purchasing a copy of the 
transcript should contact the court reporter directly. This information 
will be available at the meeting.
    9. The FAA will review and consider all material presented by 
participants at the public meeting. Position papers or material 
presenting views or information related to the subject of the meeting 
may be accepted at the discretion of the presiding officer. The FAA 
requests that persons participating in the meeting provide 10 copies of 
all materials to be presented for distribution to the panel members; 
other copies may be provided to the audience at the discretion of the 
participant.
    10. Statements made by FAA personnel are intended to facilitate 
discussion of the issues or to clarify issues.
    11. The meeting is designed to share information and solicit public 
views and additional information. The meeting will be conducted in an 
informal and nonadversarial manner.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on January 18, 2006.
David R. Showers,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
 [FR Doc. E6-1021 Filed 1-26-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P