[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 198 (Thursday, October 15, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52997-52999]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-24746]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

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 four revised 
consensus standards to 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 Committee F37 on Light Sport Aircraft developed the 
revised standards with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) 
participation. By this notice, the FAA finds the revised standards 
acceptable for certification of

[[Page 52998]]

the specified aircraft under the provisions of the Sport Pilot and 
Light-Sport Aircraft rule.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before December 14, 2009.

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 
four revised consensus standards to 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. 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 July 28, 2008, and 
published in the Federal Register on July 28, 2008, the FAA asked for 
public comments on the new and revised consensus standards accepted by 
that NOA. The comment period closed on September 26, 2008. 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 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 Standard and Effective Period of Use

    The following previously accepted consensus standards have 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 April 1, 2010. 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 April 1, 2010, 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 April 1, 2010:
    ASTM Designation F2240-05, titled: Standard Specification for 
Manufacturer Quality Assurance Program for Powered Parachute Aircraft.
    ASTM Designation F2244-05, titled: Standard Specification for 
Design and Performance for Powered Parachute Aircraft.
    ASTM Designation F 2245-07a, titled: Standard Specification for 
Design and Performance of a Light Sport Airplane.
    ASTM Designation F 2316-06, titled: Standard Specification for 
Airframe Emergency Parachutes for Light Sport Aircraft.

The Consensus Standards

    The FAA finds the following 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 F2240-08, titled: Standard Specification for 
Manufacturer Quality Assurance Program for Powered Parachute Aircraft.
    b. ASTM Designation F2244-08, titled: Standard Specification for 
Design and Performance for Powered Parachute Aircraft.
    c. ASTM Designation F 2245-09, titled: Standard Specification for 
Design and Performance of a Light Sport Airplane.
    d. ASTM Designation F 2316-08, titled: Standard Specification for 
Airframe Emergency Parachutes for Light Sport Aircraft.

[[Page 52999]]

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 October 1, 2009.
Scott Horn,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. E9-24746 Filed 10-14-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P