[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 1 (Wednesday, January 3, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 178-179]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-9934]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Consensus Standards, Light-Sport Aircraft

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of two new consensus 
standards and revisions to certain previously accepted consensus 
standards relating to the provisions of the Sport Pilot and Light-Sport 
Aircraft rule issued July 16, 2004, and effective September 1, 2004. 
ASTM International Committe F37 on Light Sport Aircraft developed the 
new and revised standards with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) 
participation. By this Notice, the FAA finds the new and revised 
standards acceptable for certification of the specified aircraft under 
the provisions of the Sport Pilot and Light-Sport Aircraft rule.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before March 5, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to: Federal Aviation Administration, 
Small Airplane Directorate, Programs and Procedures Branch, ACE-114, 
Attention: Larry Werth, Room 301, 901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 
64106. Comments may also be e-mailed to: [email protected]. All comments must be marked: Consensus Standards 
Comments, and must specify the standard being addressed by ASTM 
designation and title.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Larry Werth, Light-Sport Aircraft 
Program Manager, Programs and Procedures Branch (ACE-114), Small 
Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service, Federal Aviation 
Administration, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; 
telephone (816) 329-4147; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice announces the availability of 
two new consensus standards and revisions to certain previously 
accepted consensus standards relating to the provisions of the Sport 
Pilot and Light-Sport Aircraft rule. ASTM International Committee F37 
on Light Sport Aircraft developed the new and revised standards.
    Comments Invited: Interested persons are invited to submit such 
written data, views, or arguments, as they may desire. Communications 
should identify the consensus standard number and be submitted to the 
address specified above. All communications received on or before the 
closing date for comments will be forwarded to ASTM International 
Committee F37 for consideration. The standard may be changed in light 
of the comments received. The FAA will address all comments received 
during the recurring review of the consensus standard and will 
participate in the consensus standard revision process.
    Background: Under the provisions of the Sport Pilot and Light-Sport 
Aircraft rule, and revised Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
Circular A-119, ``Federal Participation in the Development and Use of 
Voluntary Consensus Standards and in Conformity Assessment 
Activities'', dated February 10, 1998, industry and the FAA have been 
working with ASTM International to develop consensus standards for 
light-sport aircraft. These consensus standards satisfy the FAA's goal 
for airworthiness certification and a verifiable minimum safety level 
for light-sport aircraft. Instead of developing airworthiness standards 
through the rulemaking process, the FAA participates as a member of 
Committee F37 in developing these standards. The use of the consensus 
standard process assures government and industry discussion and 
agreement on appropriate standards for the required level of safety.

Comments on Previous Notices of Availability

    In the Notice of Availability (NOA) issued on December 29, 2005, 
and published in the Federal Register on January 12, 2006, the FAA 
asked for public comments on the new and revised consensus standards 
accepted by that NOA. The comment period closed on March 13, 2006. The 
preamble to the Sport Pilot and Light-Sport Aircraft Rule states,

[[Page 179]]

    ``If comments from the public are received as a result of the 
Notice of Availability, the FAA will address them during its recurring 
review of the consensus standards and participation in the consensus 
standards revision process.''
And--
    ``The FAA will respond to comments on the consensus standard in 
this revision process.''
    ASTM International Committee F37 examined the public comments 
received on these new and revised standards and determined the comments 
did not warrant or justify any changes or revisions to the standards.

Consensus Standards in This Notice of Availability

    The FAA has reviewed the standards presented in this NOA for 
compliance with the regulatory requirements of the rule. Any light-
sport aircraft issued a special light-sport airworthiness certificate, 
which has been designed, manufactured, operated and maintained, in 
accordance with this and previously accepted ASTM consensus standards 
provides the public with the appropriate level of safety established 
under the regulations. Manufacturers who choose to produce these 
aircraft and certificate these aircraft under 14 CFR part 21, 
Sec. Sec.  21.190 or 21.191 are subject to the applicable consensus 
standard requirements. The FAA maintains a listing of all accepted 
standards on the FAA Web site.

The Revised Consensus Standards and Effective Period of Use

    The following previously accepted consensus standards have been 
revised, and this NOA is accepting the later revisions. Either the 
previous revisions or the later revisions may be used for the initial 
certification of special light-sport aircraft until July 1, 2007. This 
overlapping period of time will allow aircraft that have started the 
initial certification process using the previous revision levels to 
complete that process. After July 1, 2007, manufacturers must use the 
later revisions and must identify these later revisions in the 
Statement of Compliance for initial certification of special light-
sport aircraft unless the FAA publishes a specific notification 
otherwise. The following Consensus Standards may not be used after July 
1, 2007:
    a. ASTM Designation F 2245-04, titled: Standard Specification for 
Design and Performance of a Light Sport Airplane.
    b. ASTM Designation F 2279-03, titled: Standard Practice for 
Quality Assurance in the Manufacture of Light Sport Airplanes.
    c. ASTM Designation F 2295-03, titled: Standard Practice for 
Continued Operational Safety Monitoring of a Light Sport Airplane.
    d. ASTM Designation F 2316-03, titled: Standard Specification for 
Airframe Emergency Parachutes for Light Sport Aircraft.
    e. ASTM Designation F 2339-05, titled: Standard Practice for Design 
and Manufacture of Reciprocating Spark Ignition Engines for Light Sport 
Aircraft.
    f. ASTM Designation F 2415-05, titled: Standard Practice for 
Continued Airworthiness System for Light Sport Gryoplane Aircraft.

The Consensus Standards

    The FAA finds the following new and revised consensus standards 
acceptable for certification of the specified aircraft under the 
provisions of the Sport Pilot and Light-Sport Aircraft rule. The 
consensus standards listed below may be used unless the FAA publishes a 
specific notification otherwise.
    a. ASTM Designation F 2245-06, titled: Standard Specification for 
Design and Performance of a Light Sport Airplane.
    b. ASTM Designation F 2279-06, titled: Standard Practice for 
Quality Assurance in the Manufacture of Fixed Wing Light Sport 
Aircraft.
    c. ASTM Designation F 2295-06, titled: Standard Practice for 
Continued Operational Safety Monitoring of a Light Sport Aircraft.
    d. ASTM Designation F 2316-06, titled: Standard Specification for 
Airframe Emergency Parachutes for Light Sport Aircraft.
    e. ASTM Designation F 2339-06, titled: Standard Practice for Design 
and Manufacture of Reciprocating Spark Ignition for Light Sport 
Aircraft.
    f. ASTM Designation F 2415-06, titled: Standard Practice for 
Continued Airworthiness System for Light Sport Gryoplane Aircraft.
    g. ASTM Designation F 2563-06, titled: Standard Practice for Kit 
Assembly Instructions of Aircraft Intended Primarily for Recreation.
    h. ASTM Designation F 2564-06, titled: Standard Specification for 
Design and Performance of a Light Sport Glider.

Availability

    These consensus standards are copyrighted by ASTM International, 
100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. 
Individual reprints of this standard (single or multiple copies, or 
special compilations and other related technical information) may be 
obtained by contacting ASTM at this address, or at (610) 832-9585 
(phone), (610) 832-9555 (fax), through [email protected] (e-mail), or 
through the ASTM Web site at http://www.astm.org. To inquire about 
standard content and/or membership or about ASTM International Offices 
abroad, contact Daniel Schultz, Staff Manager for Committee F37 on 
Light Sport Aircraft: (610) 832-9716. [email protected].

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri on December 19, 2006.
Kim Smith,
Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 06-9934 Filed 12-29-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M