[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 145 (Monday, July 28, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43815-43816]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-17251]


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

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Consensus Standards, Light-Sport Aircraft

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of three new consensus 
standards and a revision to a previously accepted consensus standard 
relating to the provisions of the Sport Pilot and Light-Sport Aircraft 
rule issued July 16, 2004, and effective September 1, 2004. ASTM 
International Committee 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.

DATE: Comments must be received on or before September 26, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to: Federal Aviation Administration, 
Small Airplane Directorate, Programs and Procedures Branch, ACE-114, 
Attention: Terry Chasteen, 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: Terry Chasteen, 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 
three new consensus standards and a revision to a previously accepted 
consensus standard relating to the

[[Page 43816]]

provisions of the Sport Pilot and Light-Sport Aircraft rule. ASTM 
International Committee F37 on Light Sport Aircraft developed the new 
and revised standards. The FAA expects a suitable consensus standard to 
be reviewed at least every two years. The two-year review cycle will 
result in a standard revision or reapproval. A standard is issued under 
a fixed designation (i.e., F2244); the number immediately following the 
designation indicates the year of original adoption or, in the case of 
revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates 
the year of last reapproval. A reapproval indicates a two-year review 
cycle completed with no technical changes. A superscript epsilon 
([egr]) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or 
reapproval. A notice of availability (NOA) will only be issued for new 
or revised standards. Reapproved standards issued with no technical 
changes or standards issued with editorial changes only (i.e., 
superscript epsilon ([egr])) are considered accepted by the FAA without 
need for a NOA.
    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 19, 2006, 
and published in the Federal Register on January 3, 2007, the FAA asked 
for public comments on the new and revised consensus standards accepted 
by that NOA. The comment period closed on March 5, 2007. No public 
comments were received regarding the standards accepted by this NOA.

Consensus Standards in This Notice of Availability

    The FAA has reviewed the standards presented in this NOA for 
compliance with the 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, 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 Standard and Effective Period of Use

    The following previously accepted consensus standard has been 
revised, and this NOA is accepting the later revision. Either the 
previous revision or the later revision may be used for the initial 
certification of special light-sport aircraft until January 1, 2009. 
This overlapping period of time will allow aircraft that have started 
the initial certification process using the previous revision level to 
complete that process. After January 1, 2009, manufacturers must use 
the later revision and must identify the later revision in the 
Statement of Compliance for initial certification of special light-
sport aircraft unless the FAA publishes a specific notification 
otherwise. The following Consensus Standard may not be used after 
January 1, 2009:
    ASTM Designation F 2245-06, titled: Standard Specification for 
Design and Performance of a Light Sport Airplane.

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 2245-07a, titled: Standard Specification for 
Design and Performance of a Light Sport Airplane.
    b. ASTM Designation F 2506-07, titled: Standard Specification for 
Design and Testing of Fixed-Pitch or Ground Adjustable Light Sport 
Aircraft Propellers.
    c. ASTM Designation F 2538-07a, titled: Standard Practice for 
Design and Manufacture of Reciprocating Compression Ignition Engines 
for Light Sport Aircraft.
    d. ASTM Designation F 2626-07, titled: Standard Terminology for 
Light Sport Aircraft.

Availability

    These consensus standards are copyrighted by ASTM International, 
100 Barr Harbor Drive, P.O. Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. 
Individual reprints of a 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 July 1, 2008.
John Colomy,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
 [FR Doc. E8-17251 Filed 7-25-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P